The Miami Dolphins are hot; winners of two straight blowouts under interim head coach Dan Campbell. The Dolphins now face their toughest test of the season in the undefeated New England Patriots. However, Miami will pick up its third straight win Thursday. Here are three reasons the Dolphins are guaranteed to beat the Patriots.
3. Pass Rush
The Dolphins' defense has taken a major step forward since Campbell was promoted. The Dolphins limited the Titans to 10 points in Campbell's first game and shut out the Texans in the first half before taking their foot off gas. The Dolphins recorded 10 sacks in those two games, after recording only one through the first four games. The Patriots' offensive line is injured, which means the Dolphins could pressure Tom Brady early and often. If Cameron Wake, Ndamukong Suh and Olivier Vernon get to Brady, the Dolphins will pull the upset.
2. Poor Patriots' Secondary
The Patriots' secondary has serious issues. New England is in the middle of the pack in passing yards allowed per game, but that number is boosted from playing the Dallas Cowboys and Brandon Weeden. The Patriots have holes in the secondary, and WR Jarvis Landry could be in for a big game. QB Ryan Tannehill has played better since Campbell took over and he should continue that upward trend when he leads the Dolphins to a win.
1. Balanced Offense
The biggest reason for the Dolphins' success has been the play of RB Lamar Miller. He's averaged over 11 yards per carry in the past two games and is getting the carries he should have received early in the season. While it's unlikely Miller will continue that blistering pace, he should continue to produce like many expected at the start of the season. The Dolphins were far too one-dimensional early in the season and that hurt Tannehill. Now that Miller is getting carries, the entire offense has improved. The Dolphins will need to ensure that Miller gets plenty of touches against New England. With a balanced offense that has success on the ground and in the air, the Dolphins will defeat the Patriots.