Coach Mike McDaniel’s Miami Dolphins have enjoyed significant success this season, achieving a 9-3 record for the first time in 22 years and sharing the best record in the AFC. Their offensive dominance is evident, leading the NFL in passing, yards per play, yards per rush, and red-zone efficiency, with a scoreline of 384-266 against opponents.
Despite these accomplishments, McDaniel remains grounded, stressing the importance of the upcoming game against the Tennessee Titans. He downplays discussions about the team’s achievements, saying, “Call me when it’s a 13-game season… If we divert our focus from game planning for the Tennessee Titans, all those conversations and stories don’t matter at all.”
While the Dolphins aspire to host a playoff game and secure their first division title since 2008, their immediate priority is defeating the struggling Tennessee Titans, who have only secured one victory since Oct. 29 and are yet to win on the road.
Coach Mike Vrabel stresses that despite not meeting expectations, his team won’t ease up as the season concludes. He acknowledges the disappointment of narrow losses but underscores the importance of regaining composure and confronting upcoming challenges. Vrabel acknowledges the Dolphins as a strong adversary, emphasizing the need for thorough preparation to tackle their diverse challenges.
The Dolphins, riding a three-game winning streak and unbeaten at home, pose a significant threat, averaging 38.8 points in their home games. Tua Tagovailoa, with 3,457 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, holds an impressive 18-4 record as a starter at Hard Rock Stadium, boasting the highest winning percentage (.818) among active quarterbacks with at least 20 home starts.
On the opposing side, Tennessee’s rookie starter, Will Levis, has garnered attention from Coach McDaniel due to his noteworthy performance. McDaniel observes Levis’s ability to earn respect from veteran players and expresses confidence in the quarterback’s capability to execute a diverse range of throws.
Limiting Hill’s Influence
Tyreek Hill is coming off an impressive game, securing five receptions for 157 yards, including touchdowns of 78 and 60 yards. His 1,481 receiving yards represent the highest total by any player through 12 games in the Super Bowl era.
This is a clever way to run Counter from the Dolphins
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) December 12, 2023
RB Fakes "Tear" Motion out of the Backfield and comes back to run G/H Counter! pic.twitter.com/oK5pBBjcXR
Titans defensive back Elijah Molden acknowledges Hill’s MVP-caliber season, stressing the importance of simplifying their defense, encouraging Tua to check down, and excelling in perimeter tackling.
Coach Vrabel recognizes the difficulty of replicating Miami’s speed in practice but underscores the significance of refining tackling techniques and defensive positioning to curtail Hill’s offensive impact.
“We’re going to need some extra people to help,” Vrabel said, “and to take great angles, and use your leverage and your help, and all those different things that we talk about when tackling.”
The Most Prolonged Game in NFL History
The most recent clash between Tennessee and Miami at Hard Rock Stadium occurred in Week 1 of the 2018 season, making it the lengthiest game in NFL history, lasting 7 hours and 8 minutes due to two lightning delays. In a unique approach, the Titans went so far as to send someone to acquire miniature pizzas from a concession stand to ensure players remained adequately fueled during the prolonged interruptions.
The Dolphins emerged triumphant with a 27-20 score, benefitting from two kickoffs returned for touchdowns in Vrabel’s inaugural game as head coach. “It was indeed an interesting and distinctive way to commence my NFL coaching career,” commented Vrabel.
Addressing Special Concerns
After experiencing two effectively blocked punts in the previous week’s match against Indianapolis, Coach Vrabel opted to dismiss special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman on Monday.
The initial blocked punt resulted in a touchdown return, and the subsequent one, on Tennessee’s following attempt, saw the rusher deflecting it before colliding with punter Ryan Stonehouse’s left leg. Unfortunately, Stonehouse will undergo season-ending surgery, prompting the Titans to add undrafted rookie Ty Zentner to the practice squad on Wednesday.
Tom Quinn, the recently appointed special teams coach who transitioned from a special teams assistant role earlier this offseason, will now take charge of the group for the remainder of the season. Zentner is slated to assume the role of the team’s holder in the upcoming Monday night game.
Guarding Levis
Picked as the 33rd overall selection from Kentucky, Levis has now amassed an equal number of starts this season as Ryan Tannehill. Interestingly, he has encountered the same number of sacks as his predecessor. In the previous week, the Titans yielded six sacks, and Miami approaches the game with a sack count tied with Buffalo and the Chargers as the third-highest this season.
The Titans aim to enhance protection for Levis, given the challenges faced by the offensive line, which has seen eight different starting combinations in the initial 11 games. The upcoming match marks the third consecutive game for a unit led by two rookies—left tackle Jaelyn Duncan and left guard Peter Skoronski, the 11th overall pick.
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