Dolphins look poised to outrun Packers, but will they take advantage?

An offensive opportunity could be staring the Dolphins in the face Sunday when Green Bay comes to town, but the questions are whether the Dolphins are equipped to take advantage and whether it fits into their gameplan.

Green Bay’s run defense is 29th in the league at 148.9 yards per game, which opens the door for a Dolphins offensive strategy of running the ball.

The Dolphins, of course, are coming off a 188-yard rushing performance against Buffalo last week that was highlighted by running back Raheem Mostert’s season-best 133 yards.

But coach Mike McDaniel said the Packers’ statistical ranking goes deeper.

“Sometimes the numbers can be misleading,” he said. “They’ve had a couple of games that have inflated that. I think they’re also extremely, extremely good at pass defense.”

The Packers allowed a stunning 363 yards rushing to Philadelphia in a 40-33 loss. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts rushed for 157 yards, and running back Miles Sanders rushed for 143.

The Packers have allowed at least 100 yards rushing in 11 games. The Dolphins have five 100-yard rushing games offensively.

Looking at the Packers’ defensive strength, Green Bay’s defense is second in the league in passing yards allowed per game at 185.1. As a basis of comparison, the Dolphins’ pass defense is 27th at 246.3 yards per game.

The Dolphins’ plan to run the ball could be slightly impacted by the health of running backs Jeff Wilson Jr. (hip), who is questionable according to Friday’s injury report, and Mostert, who was limited Thursday and had a veteran rest day Wednesday but is now listed as good to go.

For his part, McDaniel said he’s more concerned with the Packers as a whole as opposed to their run defense.

“They’re used to playing playoff football, and they have their backs against the wall, but are also riding a streak,” McDaniel said, “so if you take that lightly at all you will be wishing what you don’t want into existence.”

Injury update

Wide receiver River Cracraft (calf ) and offensive tackle Eric Fisher (calf ) are doubtful for Sunday’s game, while running back Myles Gaskin (illness) is questionable, according to Friday’s injury report.

Also listed as questionable are left tackle Terron Armstead (toe, knee, pectoral), linebackers Bradley Chubb (knee) and Jaelan Phillips (toe), safety Eric Rowe (hamstring) and Wilson.

Green Bay left tackle David Bakhtiari (knee/abdomen) is doubtful.

Chubb gives himself good grade

Chubb, acquired in a Nov. 1 trade deadline deal with Denver, has 2.5 sacks and 12 tackles in six games with the Dolphins. Including his early-season start in Denver, he has 8.0 sacks this season, a total that would lead the Dolphins (Jaelan

Phillips has 7.0 sacks; Melvin Ingram has 6.0 sacks).

Chubb will be counted on to lead the three-man pass rush of himself, Phillips and Ingram against Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Sunday. Chubb, who is tied for 15th by Pro Football Focus among edge rushers when it comes to pass rush productivity, was asked Thursday what grade he’d give himself for the Dolphins portion of the season.

“I was never good in school, man, so I’d give myself an ‘A,’ ” he cracked. “No, I’m just playing. But probably like a ‘B.’

“I’ve had good plays here and there, but I want to be more dominant. I want to be taking over games more, and that’s kind of the reason they brought me here is to do that, to help this defense take it to the next level. I feel like, yeah, we took it up a notch, but there’s a whole other level we could take it to, and I want to be the catalyst for that.”

Dolphins offense near 2014 totals

There’s not much statistical difference between this year’s Dolphins offense and the 2014 offense.

This year’s Dolphins average 24.6 points per game, slightly more than the 2014 Dolphins, who averaged 24.3 points per game under coach Joe Philbin and quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

The Dolphins average 370.4 yards per game this year and averaged 350.1 yards per game this year in 2014.

McDaniel’s offense averages 273.6 yards per game through the air and 96.9 yards per game on the ground. In 2014, Philbin’s offense averaged 233.1 yards per game through the air and 117 yards per game on the ground.

The 2014 Dolphins finished 8-8 and plus-14 in points differential. This year’s Dolphins are 8-6 and plus-1 in point differential.

Dolphins might break out heaters

Sunday’s high temperature for parts of South Florida is forecast to be around 53 degrees, which would make it the coldest home game in the past few years, since it was 62 degrees at kickoff for the Buffalo game on Nov. 17, 2019, which the Bills won, 37-20.

Would the Dolphins dare bring out the heaters on the bench at Hard Rock Stadium, such as they did for the Los Angeles Chargers game two weeks ago when temperatures dipped to 55 degrees in Los Angeles?

There’s been no official word from the team. But if the heaters emerge, look for linebacker Jerome Baker, who grew up in Ohio and attended Ohio State, to be nearby.

“Yes,” Baker said, “I would be there right next to it.”

For the record, the Dolphins have had eight home games in which the temperature was 55 degrees or below at kickoff.

The coldest home game was a 40-degree temperature for a 27-24 loss to Kansas City on Dec. 24, 1989.

The most recent “cold” game at Hard Rock Stadium was a 27-20 victory over New England on Dec. 11, 2017, when the temperature was 55 degrees.

Baker said he unabashedly stood near the heater at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

“Who doesn’t like a little heat?” he said.

When reminded he grew up in Ohio, Baker remarked, “That doesn’t mean anything.”

Asked if he’d be ashamed to stand in front of a heater at Hard Rock Stadium, Baker said no.

“I don’t know why people think we’re Superman or something,” Baker cracked with a smile. “We get cold, too.”

A very Merry Christmas

Right tackle Brandon Shell is one of the big winners of the team gift exchange, which is done by position group. Shell got a PC gaming system, complete with monitor, keyboard, mouse, microphone, speakers, everything, during the offensive line’s gift exchange at its weekly dinner.

“I got the whole package,” Shell said.

The offensive line did a “White Elephant” gift exchange that allowed the oldest guys to select their gifts first. Tackles Terron Armstead (10 years) and Eric Fisher (10 years) selected first, followed by practice squad tackle Kendall Lamm (eight years) and then Shell (seven years).

Among the other gifts were a Gucci bag and one of those self-operating robotic vacuum/mopping machines that goes around and cleans your house.

“If I didn’t get the PC, I was definitely going to get that one,” Shell said. “But I was lucky enough the older guys didn’t want the PC, so I got it.”