NFL
By: Rick
After an upsetting loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, the Miami Dolphins need to wipe the slate clean as they move on to their second road game in a row vs. the San Francisco 49ers. If they had their hands full with Vegas, they definitely need to bring it vs. San Fran. How do they pull off the upset?
Get To Purdy:
This sounds like an obvious solution to any quarterback, but it should be that simple. The Dolphins need to throw off Purdy’s timing. He’s very comfortable in the pocket; he makes smart plays, and he takes care of the football. To disrupt that, they’ll need to bring far more pressure than they did last week against the Las Vegas Raiders and Kirk Cousins. Whether they need more blitz packages or for the DL to step up and make plays, they have to get to Brock Purdy and set the tone for the game.
Mistake-Free Football
Another obvious statement that apparently wasn’t too obvious last week. The Dolphins can’t afford to slow any momentum they build against a veteran, well-coached team. If they want to stand any chance, they have to play a clean game. Limit penalties and limit mistakes. If you fall behind too early, it will be that much harder to crawl back into the game. Again, the 49ers won’t make a ton of mistakes on offense, so both sides of the ball need to match that productivity. On the road against a tough team, and on the West Coast, it will be a disaster if they can’t go stride for stride.
Get Playmakers the Ball
Sensing a theme here? Every single part of the Miami Dolphins’ game plan comes down to the fundamentals. The simple things make all the difference for a young team. Big plays will come in time, but you have to be patient and stick to the fundamentals. If you’re playing clean, smart football, there’s no reason these plays can’t develop. If Miami can give De’Von Achane more room to run, it’ll be a plus. If they can get the same production out of Caleb Douglas, that will go a long way, too. Hopefully Chris Bell can continue to find his groove in the offense as well and prove he might be a steal of the draft. Your guys on defense are as advertised and can make plays.
There’s no reason this game needs to get out of hand, but it also won’t be an easy path to victory for the Miami Dolphins. They have to get into a rhythm early on and keep momentum going. Any signs of slowing down, and the 49ers will blow right by them.
