The Miami Dolphins are riding a wave of momentum after an impressive win over the Los Angeles Rams, 23-15 on Monday night as they prepare to take on the Las Vegas Raiders.
They come in hot facing the Raiders who are restructuring their young talent on the coaching staff and in the QB room. The Dolphins are looking to make a run in the AFC. Their biggest factor is trying to keep quarterback Tua Tagovailoa healthy and out of concussion protocol. Another factor for them to continue to streak in the AFC is getting wide receiver Tyreek Hill hot again. In the last game against the Rams, Hill only caught three passes but one of those was a touchdown.
If you talk to most analysts, they are predicting that the Dolphins will take advantage of the mismatch with the Raiders. The Raiders have recently made changes on the offensive side of the ball by naming a new offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce also named Gardner Minshew his starting QB this week.
Minshew has struggled of late turning the ball over 12 times since being named starter over the injured Aiden O’Connell, but he may be the best chance the Raiders have to win this game.
The Dolphins are looking to make a playoff push, while the Raiders are looking to save their season.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry picks up 21 yards while being defended by Green Bay Packers cornerback Casey Hayward (29) during a 27-24 come-from-behind win by the Green Bay Packers over the Miami Dolphins in Miami Gardens, Florida on October 12, 2014.
If the Raiders want a chance in this game, they obviously must stop Tagovailoa. The Dolphins are a different team when he plays and is more efficient on offense. The Raiders’ defense must disrupt his rhythm or game over.
The biggest issue the Raiders have had this season is turnovers, if they limit them, they have a good chance of winning but if they continue the pattern of giving the ball away, they won’t make it to halftime.
Last season, it was the Dolphins who handed Pierce his first loss as head coach, 20-13 and he is very aware of the Dolphins’ killer speed.
“Those dudes are fast, man, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4. I don’t think anybody’s at a 4.5, I think that’s illegal for their scouting department. But it’s real. I think for us to feel that with 10 [Tyreek Hill], with 17 [Jaylen Waddle], 28 [De’Von Achane] didn’t play in that game as much, and I believe 31 [Raheem Mostert].” said Antonio Pierce.
He continued, “So, just getting those guys going, understanding the tempo and the speed and the efficiency that Tua plays at. I think that was good, and that’s good film for us to go back and now watch as we look at the other games this year as well,” Pierce said according to Yahoo Sports.
Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs (39) celebrates intercepting a Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (not pictured) pass during the third quarter at SoFi Stadium. Left is Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (0), right is defensive end Maxx Crosby (98). Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
But if Maxx Crosby and the defense can limit the Dolphins’ offense, there is a good chance they can pull out this victory Sunday. It starts, however, with the Raiders offense getting off to a good start, keeping that momentum throughout the game and not putting the defense in bad positions.
