DOLPHINS (4-2) VS. RAVENS (3-4)
THURSDAY, 8:25 P.M., M&T BANK STADIUM, BALTIMORE uTV: CBS/NFL NETWORK/AMAZON
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson, Jay Feely
About the Dolphins: After an awful start, the Dolphins have won three in a row, and they’ve rallied from at least two touchdowns down in their last two. They probably will have to adjust on the fly again, though, after QB
suffered a rib injury and had to leave the game. Veteran QB brought the Dolphins back, and though WR
is playing the best football of his career, the Dolphins are in a tough spot. They’ll look to get RB rolling and hope their defense can force the Ravens into mistakes. The Dolphins are trying to keep their share of first place in the AFC East and have a defensive front seven good enough to win a big game on the road, but they’ll need to take care of the ball and create some explosive plays.
About the Ravens: Injury issues, especially on the offensive line, have plagued the Ravens since the start of camp. The usually strong defense has struggled, too. RB has been a bright spot, but the Ravens have struggled to score. The Ravens are dealing with multiple injuries at wide receiver, but
was held out of last weekend’s game in hopes he’ll be ready for this game. WR (concussion) is unlikely to play this week, and the team has had no production from WR
a former first-round pick. The return of DT gives the Ravens hope they can play better against the run than they have this season. At least right now, the offense isn’t good enough for the defense to be anything short of spectacular. eron Wake vs. Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley. Stanley has been one of the only constants on the offensive line. He has played well but is still developing on a line that’s trying to jell. Wake is disruptive enough to cause problems for any offense. The Dolphins have thrived on their defense coming up with big plays, and Wake has enough first-step quickness to cause pressure and change games.
The Ravens envisioned Watson as a locker room leader and part-time player coming off a torn Achilles, but their rash of injuries has forced him to play a bigger role. He has reliable hands and knows how to get open, and he’ll be a big part of their passing game.
Allen and Watson have combined for 60 receptions; Allen leads the team with 31. The Ravens’ starting wide receivers, Maclin and Wallace, have combined for 32.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Stay aggressive: The Ravens can still rush the passer, and despite their struggles, they have a positive turnover ratio for the season. They need a boost and several big plays from their defense, and they think they have the talent to get both.
2. Stack the box: The Dolphins have struggled against the run, and given the state of the Ravens’ receiving corps, they should know what’s coming. They’ll try to force Flacco to try to push the ball down the field.
3. Be creative: With few available receivers, the Ravens need to explore playing multiple running backs at the same time and even using Allen out of the slot. They won’t get much practice time this week, but they need to maximize their available pieces.
4. Stay poised: Moore won two of his three starts with the Dolphins last season and has started 28 games in his career. He’s in a tough spot in a loud environment on a short week, but he’ll believe he can give the Dolphins a chance to win.
Zac Jackson