Battle of the Beasts: Two of NFL's Best Square Off Sunday Night
Two of the league's most high-powered offenses are set to square off in Philidelphia on Sunday Night. The Miami Dolphins and Philidelphia Eagles bolster tremendous talent, specifically on the offensive side of the ball. Both teams rank in the top five in points, rushing yards a game, and total team yards a game. Tonight's showdown will be a scoring spectacle for all to witness on prime-time television, a genuinely exhilarating matchup.
Speed, speed, speed: that is the Miami Dolphins MO. No player better personifies speed than WR Tyreek Hill. Hill has proven time and time again to be one of the league's best players due to his unrivaled acceleration. Hill has established himself again this year as he comes into Sunday's matchup with 42 catches, 814 yards, and six touchdowns through six games. He is an explosive weapon whose connection with Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has bred a truly unstoppable outcome for NFL defenses. Unfortunately for those defenses, the Dolphins' roadrunner-like list of sprinters does not end with Hill. Veteran Running Back Raheem Mostert and third-year Wide Receiver Jaylen Waddle can also effortlessly turn the jets on. Mostert and Waddle posted 4.3 40-yard dashes, as did fellow teammate Devon Achane, who has a knee injury. Waddle has had a slower start to his season, which is to be expected when his partner in crime, Hill, is playing the way he is.
The Dolphins have amassed over one thousand yards rushing in six games, the only team to do so and a staggering total that translates to over 180 yards per game of rushing alone. Devon Achane is dealing with a knee injury, as mentioned. Before his injury, Achane was the lead back for this Miami team and had started to thrive in the role. In the three games leading up to his injury, Achane had 455 yards and five touchdowns. Raheem Mostert had been the backup when Achane was healthy and he has since stepped into the starting role, passing with flying colors.
Philly comes into this game fresh off their first loss last week to the Jets. The rushing attack was nonexistent in that game, as Hurts led the game rushing with just under 50 yards. With the run game not working, it forced Philly into throwing the ball more frequently, resulting in the offense becoming one-dimensional. They tend to struggle in that situation, as it is rare that their elite rushing attack does not thrive. Jalen Hurts has run into issues with ball security in those situations. For example, Hurts threw three interceptions last week and was inefficient with the football. Running the ball is the key to the ignition for the Philly offense. They are second in rushing yards a game, behind Miami, averaging 150 yards on the ground. Running back Deandre Swift has been very good in his first stint with the Eagles thus far. Swift got bottled up against Cleveland as the running game never found a solid rhythm. For the Eagles to win tonight, Hurts must take advantage of advantageous matchups on the outside. His two WRs, AJ Brown and Devonte Smith, are elite weapons and should prove effective.
Defensively for Miami, they must contain Jalen Hurts and make his life difficult in the pocket. To get consistent pressure while also containing, due to Hurt's great escape ability, is critical to forcing him to make tough throws. Additionally, limiting the Philly Run game has to be priority number one. The offense tends to stifle and lose steam when the Eagle run game has struggled. If Miami can stop the run effectively, it creates a much easier path to victory.
On the flip side, Philadelphia is tasked with much of the same. Getting pressure on Tua Tagovailoa has proven effective in the QB's short career. Registering hits and pressures without blitzing is the struggle the Philly front faces tonight, as blitzing against this team can be a death sentence. There is too much speed throughout the offense that can take advantage of openings with ease. Stopping the run is also imperative for the Eagles, as both these teams run it the best out of anyone. Getting home timely and not letting Miami get extended deep plays the chance to develop drastically shifts the balance in the Eagle's favor.
Prediction: Eagles win 27-24
I'm going into this matchup picking Philadelphia at home for multiple reasons. A game of this magnitude will be won in the trenches. Which team will control the line of scrimmage and dominate from beginning to finish? That will determine the victor, and this Philadelphia front that multiple veterans hold down has a better chance at getting home consistently and holding the line in their favor. At the same time, Miami will surely put up points, as their offense is too talented not to. That said, the veteran awareness that players like Fletcher Cox bring to the Eagle line and the talent of younger players like Jalen Carter will prove to hold firm against Miami's offensive efforts. Not turning the ball over is vital for Hurts and the offense, and establishing that run early and often. Deandre Swift and fellow RBs Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell should see a lot of action in the run and the passing game.