Top Keys To A Dolphins Victory Over San Diego
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As they approach the halfway point of the season, the Miami Dolphins have an opportunity put themselves in a good position heading into the month of November. After dropping two straight games early in the year the Dolphins have now won three of their last four and can make a big statement in the AFC with a win over San Diego on Sunday.
It won't be easy as the Chargers are one of the better teams in the conference. They've had extra time to prepare for their game against the Dolphins after losing to the Broncos in Week 8 on Thursday Night Football, but it's always difficult for west coast teams to play in a 1 p.m. start time on the east coast. This has the making to be a very good football game, one that Miami can certainly win. Here are the top keys to a Dolphins victory against the visiting Chargers.
Limit San Diego's production out of the backfield
Most teams aren't as fortunate as the Chargers when injuries strike their backfield. San Diego has lost their top three running backs to injury this season but haven't skipped a beat thanks to undrafted rookie Branden Oliver. He's done extremely well both while running the ball and catching passes out of the backfield, something that the Dolphins will need to keep under control. If Miami can limit Oliver's production and force the Chargers offense to be more one-dimensional, it will go a long way towards keeping them off the field.
Play a complete game
Miami has gotten by this year despite constantly getting off to slow starts. They are one of the lowest scoring first quarter teams in the NFL but have been able to overcome the lack of early production by being the league's top scoring third quarter team. The Dolphins will need to be on the ball from start to finish if they want to take down a very talented Chargers team.
Secondary must continue to come up big
Over the past several weeks the Dolphins secondary has been playing extremely well. Not only are they keeping opposing receivers in check, but they're forcing turnovers and turning them into big gains. Miami is currently on pace to set an NFL record with their average of 43.2 yards per return. This week they'll face Philip Rivers who has been having an MVP-worthy season in San Diego. Limiting his production will take away the Chargers main offensive weapon and put Miami in a great position to come away with a victory.
Balanced effort from the Dolphins offense
When Miami's offense is clicking they are very difficult to stop. The Dolphins have run the ball extremely well all season, ranking 6th in the NFL averaging 138.0 rushing yards per game. Combine that with a strong game from Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins receivers and suddenly the Chargers will find themselves in a very tough spot. When Tannehill is in control of the passing game, the chains keep moving and Miami's offense puts up points on a consistent basis.
Watch Miami take on the San Diego Chargers this Sunday at 1 p.m. on CBS4, your official Dolphins station!
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