MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins‘ four-touchdown loss to the Buffalo Bills was so ugly, they’re getting not one, but two get-right games.
Mike McDaniel’s crew, in the next two weeks, host two of the five worst teams in the league: the 1-3 New York Giants and the 0-4 Carolina Panthers.
We’ll spend more than enough time on the Panthers next week. Let’s not skip ahead of the Giants, who look nothing like the team that went to the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs a year ago — which is great news for Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
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Miami Dolphins Have Giant Advantage in Week 5
At -600, the Dolphins are by far the heaviest favorites of the 28 teams playing this week. They’re the only double-digit favorites on the board.
MORE: Hey Vic Fangio — Just Blitz, Baby!
And with the way the Giants looked in their Monday Night Football game against the Seahawks, the 11-point spread might actually be a little too kind to the Giants.
New York ranks last in scoring defense (30.5), last in point differential (minus-19), and 31st in sack rate (3.4%). They’re the only team in the league that has not yet forced a turnover.
This is embarrassing by the #Giants defense…
Missed tackles were an issue last week for them against the #49ers. pic.twitter.com/xuySY1HJw9
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 3, 2023
And things are not about to get better in Week 5, even after the Dolphins’ hiccup in Western New York.
The Dolphins still rank first in scoring (37.5 per game), total offense (511 yards per game), yards per play (8), yards per carry (6.3), yards per pass (9.7), EPA per play (.29), and success rate (53.8%).
But the biggest reason to be bullish on the Dolphins and Tagovailoa in Week 5?
The Giants’ defense loves to blitz. And Tagovailoa loves to shred the blitz.
Wink Martindale’s group has the NFL‘s third-highest blitz rate (40.8%). And yet, they’re last in hurry rate (1.6%).
So they consistently commit an extra defender to the pass rush and yet still can’t impact the quarterback.
That’s a fatal combination, considering Tagovailoa’s wild success against the blitz this year.
The Dolphins, when facing the blitz in 2023, lead the league in:
- Yards per attempt (10.6)
- Adjusted net yards per attempt (14.1)
- Passer rating (149.1)
- EPA (18.21 EPA)
- Positive EPA rate (65%)
This could get ugly early.