Dolphins Ready To Take It To Saints During Monday's Prime-Time Matchup
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Are you ready for some football? The Dolphins get their prime-time game on Monday night when they march into New Orleans to take on the Saints.
Brian Flores' team is on a roll, winners of 6 in a row to get back to 500 and keep themselves alive in the playoff race, but there is no margin for error and a win is a must.
The Dolphins are trying to make the playoffs, but in effect, these final 3 regular-season games are their playoffs. Lose a game, and they're pretty much out of it.
O Line Rises
The first part of the season was a major struggle for the offensive line.
From getting Tua Tagovailoa knocked out in week 2 to the inability to run block a big part of the 1-7 start was the unit's ineffectiveness.
All that has turned around now and they've been a major factor in this 6 gane winning streak.
The left side is stable with rookie Liam Eichenberg playing well in his college position, left tackle. That moved 2nd year man Austin Jackson inside to left guard and suddenly it looks like those 2 high draft picks may be the long term answer.
Robert Hunt also continues to improve so the young players up front are showing they can get it done.
Against the Jets, the Dolphins added some help using lineman Robert Jones on some plays as a tight end.
Tua Proof
Tua continues to put up wins.
One of this season's key elements was finding out if he is a Super Bowl caliber QB.
For a while, it looked like the team may not be able to draw any conclusions, but now with the way he is played down the stretch for the most part and the next 3 games being big ones tyet big ones the Dolphins front office and coaching staff will have a real good feel going into the off season how far their QB can take the franchise.
Tua was mic'd up for the Jets game. Click here to take a listen and view.
Flo buy in
Brian Flores is now 11 games over .500 after November 1st as Dolphins coach.
At 1-7, as we see around the league, many teams become divided, don't play as hard as they could and limp to the finish line with a losing season.
Not the case for Coach Flo and his group.
This is the 2nd time in his 3 years that the team has gotten off to a bad start but Coach Flo has had the ability to keep guys together, keep them believing and made a second half run. It shows he has what it takes to be the leader of the team.
D in the Big Easy
The Saints come off an incredible defensive showing in Tampa Bay where they shut out Tom Brady.
The Dolphins defense has been excellent for more than a month now.
The city of New Orleans may not live up to its nickname for the offenses on Monday night.