In last week’s embarrassing loss to the Tennessee Titans, the realization that two areas of the team need to be fixed if the team is going to stay competitive this season came to fruition. The question that remains to be answered is which of the two needs to be fixed, first?
To Stay Competitive, Dolphins Need to Decide What to Fix First
The areas of concern are the offensive line and the entire defensive unit. In recent seasons, the offensive line has been an annual disaster of players who either suffer season-ending injuries or just do not play to their full potential. The Dolphins have also lost some key players on defense namely, Jaelan Phillips.
Bening unable to stop the Titans on two separate drives late in the fourth quarter does nothing to dispel Dolfan’s fears that the all too familiar, “there is always next season”, saying, is about to rear its ugly head, once again. The question now becomes which of these two problem areas must be fixed (assuming they can), first.
The Defense
The Dolphins have lost starters Phillips and Jerome Baker, both, potentially, for the remainder of the season. The secondary also was unable to stop Levis from completing a pass to receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a successful two-point conversion. That led the Titans only needing to kick an extra point, after the defense could not stop Derrick Henry from three yards out, to take the lead. From there, the Dolphins offense sputtered. Arguably, the offensive line could be blamed.
The Offensive Line
Blame the “cursed stadium,” blame poor luck, blame the Florida heat. Regardless of the cause the offensive line has been and continues to be an issue for the Miami Dolphins. To be fair, the motley crew was able to allow Raheem Mostert to score two touchdowns without Connor Williams, Terron Armstead, and Robert Hunt. Conversely, Tua Tagovailoa looked like he was on ice skates Monday night. This was likely because he did not have enough time to throw the ball, thus having to scramble.
If one were to dig deeper, one could ask, if the piecemeal offensive lineup helped Mostert score twice, why would the Dolphins (who have four capable running backs on the active roster) not continue to attempt to run the ball? If the offensive line was unable to give Tagovailoa enough time to throw the ball, staying with the run should have been the game plan.
Which Problem Needs to Be Fixed First?
The defense could not stop the Titans and a rookie quarterback twice late in a game. That is a very glaring issue. The Dolphins have signed Melvin Ingram to the practice squad, which is a step in the right direction. The defense is still seeing injuries pile up. The latest is safety DeShon Elliott. Elliott will miss the Dolphins game against the New York Jets. The Dolphins offense did prove it can score with a patchwork offensive line, which is a good thing. However, if all the Dolphins can do is run the ball, then they become a one-dimensional offense.
Takeaway
The Miami Dolphins have two problems that need to be fixed; they must decide which to fix first. Both the offensive line and the defense’s recent play are the two areas that need fixing. Of the two, a case can be made for why each should be the area that needs to be prioritized. In this writer’s opinion, as long as the Dolphins can move the ball effectively on offense, then the area that should be fixed first is the defense. Signing Ingram to the practice squad was a good move. If Dolfans do not want to hear “there’s always next season”, then the Dolphins must fix a struggling defense.
Main Image: Jim Rassol / USA TODAY NETWORK
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