Dolphins Looking To Bounce Back Over A Deceptively Good Chiefs Team
By Abraham Gutierrez
After a disappointing showing in Buffalo, the (1-1) Miami Dolphins return home to take on a Kansas City Chiefs squad with a deceiving 0-2 record in Week 3. Needless to say, underestimating Andy Reid’s bunch based on their winless mark could prove to be costly and might put the Fins under the .500-mark for the first time in the young 2014 NFL season.
Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., will be the site for this intraconference showdown between the Chiefs and Dolphins. Opening kickoff for this AFC West vs. AFC East clash is scheduled for Sunday at 4:25 pm ET and Fins fans can watch all the action live on CBS Sports (Miami CBS4).
Both clubs will be looking to bounce back following poor road performances in Week 2. The Dolphins were humiliated by the rival Bills, 29-10, while Kansas City’s rally came up short, 17-24, versus its rivals, and current division-leaders, the Denver Broncos.
Hence, Miami starts the week in a three-way tie with the Patriots and Jets for second place in the AFC East, trailing the aforementioned (2-0) Buffalo Bills. In the West, the Chiefs are knotted up with the Oakland Raiders at the cellar of the division behind Denver and the San Diego Chargers.
In Kansas City, Miami faces an offense that ranks 30th in points per game (13.5), 26th in total yards (312.5), 18th in passing yards (212.5) and 21st in rushing yards per contest (100.0). The Chiefs offensive coordinator is a name familiar to Dolphins fans, as Doug Pederson enters his second season at the helm of KC’s offense.
The Chiefs feature an offensive attack that’s led by 10th-year quarterback Alex Smith. The Utah product is coming off a season in which he completed 308-for-508 passes for 3,313 yards, 23 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions for a quarterback rating of 89.1. Thus far in 2014, Smith has connected on 45-for-77 tries for 4,578 yards, one score and three picks.
On the ground, KC features one of the best running backs in the game in Jamaal Charles. In his seventh year out of Texas, the 27-year-old will be trying to match last year’s numbers, when he rushed for 1,287 yards on 259 carries and 12 touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the football, Bob Sutton has had something to prove since his arrival in 2013. After a rather successful debut with the Chiefs, the 63-year-old from Ypsilanti, Mich., will have his work cutout following a rather pedestrian 2014 start.
Entering Week 3, the Chiefs’ defense ranks 23rd in the league in points allowed (25.0), 25th in total yards (365.0), 19th at guarding against the pass (240.0), and 23rd at defending the rush (125.0). Some of the defensive players Ryan Tannehill and Miami’s offense will have to contend with include Derrick Johnson, Eric Berry, Josh Mauga, Ron Parker and others.
From a head-to-head standpoint, the Miami Dolphins lead the Kansas City Chiefs with a record of 16-12 in their series history. The last time these franchises met dates back to Nov. 6, 2011, at Arrowhead Stadium in the Heart of America.
Nevertheless, the Fins come in riding a three-game win streak over the Red, Gold and White, and are 8-2 over their last 10 meetings. The Miami Dolphins are listed as five-point favorites in the ATS department versus the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Over/Under tallies a combined 42 points.
For more Dolphins news and updates, visit Dolphins Central.
Abe Gutierrez is a criminal justice admin whose love for sports led him to become a writer and editor. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com and its partners. His work can be found on Examiner.com. .
