South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Who has the edge? Dolphins vs. Chiefs
Here’s a look at how the Dolphins and Chiefs match up in six key areas ahead of Sunday’s game:
When the Dolphins run: The Dolphins may not have found their running groove just yet, but Myles Gaskin’s return was a nice start. After a month-long layoff due to injury, Gaskin rushed for 91 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday. His total might be slightly inflated thanks to a 26-yard run before a fumble ended in the fourth quarter, but he has shown no ill effects from his knee sprain, and must continue to handle a steady workload to help Miami’s offense. The Chiefs might have the seventh-worst rushing defense in the NFL, allowing 132.4 yards per game, but the opportunities must be present, like not trailing by a large deficit, for Miami to run the football. Still, Miami’s 3.7 yards per carry is last in the league.
Edge: Chiefs
When the Chiefs run: Kansas City selected former LSU standout Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the final pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft to boost its already potential offense. And he has rushed for 692 yards this season, which ranks 11th in the NFL despite missing last Sunday’s game with an illness. If he’s at full strength, he’ll continue to get the starting nod over standout Le’Veon Bell, who was acquired midseason and had 40 yards rushing in his first start last Sunday. The Dolphins’ run defense is a weak link, allowing 122.4 yards per game (21st in the NFL), but Miami can take advantage with the few opportunities Patrick Mahomes does not throw the football. Edge: Chiefs
When the Dolphins pass: Rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa continues to gain experience as the Dolphins’ starter, throwing for a career high 296 yards in his fifth start last Sunday. The Dolphins played efficiently when speeding up the tempo for Tagovailoa, while also lining up in a few empty sets that allowed him to connect quickly with the team’s five-best receiving options. Still, Tagovailoa has to make better decisions in the red zone, missing at least two plays that could have been touchdowns against the Bengals. The Dolphins must also depend less on fade routes and 50⁄50 plays to score touchdowns, especially against the Chiefs, who are sixth in scoring defense, allowing 21.2 points per game. Edge: Chiefs
When the Chiefs pass: Reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes will visit Hard Rock Stadium again this Sunday and enters the Dolphins game with the NFL’s best total quarterback rating (85.7), the most passing yards (3,815), and third-most touchdowns (31). He continues to mature as one of the best quarterbacks in the league during his fourth NFL season. Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill leads the NFL with 13 touchdowns and is third with 1,079 receiving yards behind tight end Travis Kelce, who is second with 1,114 yards and eight touchdowns himself. The Dolphins defense has developed into one of the NFL’s best this season, keeping points off the scoreboard as the league’s second-best scoring defense (17.7), but the Chiefs are an all-time great offense and the most formidable opponent they’ll face all season. Edge: Chiefs
Special teams: The Dolphins face another stiff special teams challenge this week against the Chiefs. Dolphins returner Jakeem Grant has one of the four punt return touchdowns, while Chiefs returner Byron Pringle has one of the five kickoff return touchdowns this season. The edge may come in the kicking game, where Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders has made 28-of-29 field goals (2nd best percentage in the NFL) without missing an extra-point kick, and punter Matt Haack averages 42.5 net yards per punt (8th) and has 21 punts placed inside the opponents’ 20 (5th). Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker is 22 of 24, and has missed six extra point kicks this season, and punter Tommy Townsend averages 40.2 net yards per punt (18th) and has placed 13 punts inside the 20 (21st). Edge: Dolphins
Intangibles: Mahomes, Chiefs coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy have orchestrated one of the best offenses in NFL history — one South Florida witnessed win Super Bowl 54 at Hard Rock Stadium in February. Now, it’s a matter of Dolphins coach Brian Flores and defensive coordinator Josh Boyer being able to slow it down. Flores, who was a Super Bowl fixture with the New England Patriots defense before joining Miami, has slowed down high-powered offenses before. The Dolphins are in the midst of a playoff push and must win at least two of their final four regular-season games to achieve that goal. And the Chiefs pose the Dolphins’ biggest test in the Flores era. Edge: Chiefs Prediction: Chiefs 34, Dolphins 24