Final time the Miami Dolphins confronted the Baltimore Ravens, they exorcised some demons in opposition to a franchise that has tormented them.
That, nonetheless, was within the pleasant confines of Exhausting Rock Stadium — and completed by shocking quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens with a blitz storm in contrast to something they'd beforehand seen.
In a Sunday 1 p.m. kickoff at Baltimore’s M&T Financial institution Stadium, because the Dolphins hit the highway for the primary time within the 2022 common season for the Ravens’ house opener, Miami could have a chance to show it may possibly replicate final season’s beautiful upset. However the Dolphins should do it on the highway and with the ingredient of shock now gone from final yr’s profitable recreation plan.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel wasn’t with Miami for that win, which sprung the 2 groups in reverse instructions for the ultimate stretch of 2021. Nor was he with the Dolphins for the 59-10 loss to kick off the 2019 season. Or 40-0 blowout on a Thursday evening in Baltimore in 2017. Or 38-6 loss in the identical stadium the yr earlier than.
However as Sunday’s recreation begins a three-game gauntlet, with Buffalo at house and a visit to Cincinnati on a brief week to observe, McDaniel totally understands the difficulties the Ravens current. It’s why he wasn’t in an excessively celebratory temper over merely successful his first recreation as a head coach final Sunday, even when it got here in opposition to Invoice Belichick and the New England Patriots.
“It’s pretty much as good of a problem as you get within the Nationwide Soccer League,” stated McDaniel, who famous he has picked up run-game ideas he makes use of from the Ravens. “You'll be able to’t take something with no consideration, actually, if you play a dynamic playmaker on the quarterback place like they've Lamar Jackson. So, it’s going to be a enjoyable recreation, a difficult recreation, one which we’re going to have to depart no stone unturned in all the course of for us to return out the best way we wish to come out.”
Within the 22-10 win over the Ravens final yr, the Dolphins had been unprecedentedly aggressive with the blitz. They despatched a defensive again at Jackson on 24 of his 48 dropbacks, essentially the most since NextGen Stats started monitoring these figures in 2016.
It shook up Jackson then, however now it’s on Baltimore to make changes.
“I actually assume they’re making ready for what we did to them final yr, so we’re going to have to modify it up,” stated cornerback Xavien Howard.
Defensive coordinator Josh Boyer will weigh how a lot to maintain pounding the Ravens with what they weren’t capable of beat final time versus staying forward of their anticipated counters.
“There’s a steadiness there, for certain,” Boyer stated. “I don’t assume you wish to be predictable in something you do. … However I feel there’s a steadiness of giving them somewhat little bit of a component of shock after which actually simply attempting to place your gamers in place to succeed.”
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will look to get the ball to his playmakers in opposition to a constantly stout Baltimore protection that goes into Sunday with a banged-up secondary. The Ravens have already got Kyle Fuller on injured reserve and fellow cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters and Brandon Stephens enter Sunday questionable.
However Tagovailoa, who's coming off a 23-of-33 efficiency for 270 yards and a landing cross to Jaylen Waddle, could need to get the ball out shortly. The Ravens cross rush will probably be attacking a hobbled Miami offensive line, particularly at sort out. Proper sort out Austin Jackson landed on injured reserve on Friday with an ankle ailment. That units him again no less than 4 weeks as Greg Little probably steps in, all of the whereas left sort out Terron Armstead is questionable with a toe harm.
The Dolphins look to construct on the 20-7 win within the opener in opposition to the Patriots, however McDaniel gained’t choose that based mostly merely on the sport end result.
“If we’re on the journey that we wish to be, that must be the worst recreation that we play all yr,” McDaniel stated of the Week 1 win, expressing a process-oriented view over one that's results-based.
“In case your targets are greater than to simply win a number of video games right here or there, you are taking that feeling that you've on Sunday and you place it to mattress as a result of the perfect groups are those that regularly progress all through the entire season.”
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