MIKE PRESTON’S KEY MATCHUPS
Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi vs. Ravens LBs C.J. Mosley and Zachary Orr: The Dolphins have the No. 6 rushing attack in the NFL, gaining 116.0 yards per game. Ajayi has rushed for 847 yards, picking up 5.3 per carry. If the Ravens can shut him down, their chances of winning increase significantly because QB Ryan Tannehill isn’t good enough to carry an offense with his arm. Orr leads the Ravens in tackles with 97, and Mosley is third with 51. The Ravens have the league’s top-ranked run defense. Edge: Ravens
Dolphins DE Cameron Wake vs. Ravens OT Rick Wagner: Wagner has been steady most of the season but has played extremely well lately. He can play with power and has struggled less this season compared with previous years with speed rushers. Wake has a nonstop motor and makes a lot of tackles to the opposite side of the field. He leads the Dolphins in sacks with 8.5 and might require some double-teaming. The Ravens might need a running back to get a piece of Wake before going out on a pass route. Edge: Dolphins
Dolphins WRs Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills vs. Ravens CBs Jimmy Smith, Tavon Young and Shareece Wright: Miami’s passing offense is ranked just 28th in the league, but this group can make plays downfield, led by Landry (64 catches for 733 yards) and Parker (41 for 549 yards), who is listed as questionable. Smith might have to shake off rust after missing games with injuries. Young has played well. The Dolphins will probably target Wright the most. Edge: Even