Five things the Miami Dolphins need to do to to pull off an upset Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3:
Sack Raiders QB Derek Carr at least three times
Carr has begun the 2021 season as one of the NFL’s hottest quarterbacks. He leads the NFL with 817 passing yards, which he’s gained by completing 66.7 percent of his passes. He’s thrown four touchdowns and one interception, and comes into Sunday’s game with a 104.1 passer rating.
But Carr has an ankle injury, and the best approach Miami can take is to make him uncomfortable with hits, and by flushing him out the pocket. Dolphins defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, who contributed half a sack last week, needs to test Alex Leatherwood’s skills in pass protection, seeing if the former Alabama standout the Raiders drafted with the seventh overall pick can hold up against a powerful rusher like Ogbah.
Shut down Las Vegas’ rushing attack
Last year Kenyan Drake didn’t get a chance to extract revenge against Miami for giving up on him while he was a member of the Cardinals because he was injured for that game. This time around he’s healthy, and the fact that Josh Jacobs is nursing a toe and ankle injury means that Drake, who gas gained 20 rushing yards on 13 carries in the season’s first two games, will get a steady diet of carries and touches if he has a productive week of practice.
The Dolphins defense is allowing 4.5 yards per carry (ranked 21st) and 135 rushing yards per contest (ranked 28th) and has given up three rushing touchdowns this season. But the Raiders are averaging a 2.9 yards per attempt, and have been decimated by a couple of offensive line injuries.
Minimize Raiders TE Darren Waller’s impact on game
The last time the Dolphins played the Raiders, Waller, a 2020 Pro Bowler, caught five passes for 112 yards. While none of those catches were for touchdowns, the athletic and quick tight end — who possesses a ridiculous catch radius — commanded more attention than just Eric Rowe defending him.
Rowe has helped Miami neutralize the impact tight ends have had on the Dolphins defense the past two years, but he’s generally struggled against the elite ones without extra help. That’s why the Dolphins should bracket Waller, who is averaging 85 receiving yards per game, with a safety over the top when they have opportunities to.
Protect QB Jacoby Brissett
Miami’s pass protection issues are becoming a disappointing trend, one that seemingly has no end in sight unless wholesale changes are made to the offensive line. Inserting rookie lineman Liam Eichenberg into one of the two starting tackle spots makes sense, especially if Jesse Davis’ knee issues prevent him from playing at a high level. Austin Jackson, the 18th pick in the 2020 draft, should get one more game to prove he is, or isn’t, an NFL left tackle.
The Raiders defense has the lowest blitz percentage in the NFL, but they still managed to get pressure because of Maxx Crosby (2 sacks), Yannick Ngakoue (0 sacks) and Solomon Thomas (2 sacks).
Rush for more than 100 yards
The Dolphins, who averaged only 3.9 yards per carry and 105.5 rushing yards per game last season, have gotten off to a terrible start in 2021. Miami’s averaging 3.4 yards per carry on 43 attempts, and the run game’s struggles are adding pressure on the passing game.
Myles Gaskin leads the team with 5.3 yards per carry, but his limitations as a pass protector have resulted in him being off the field more than the Dolphins would like. Gaskin needs to address this issue if he wants to be viewed as an NFL featured back.
