Category: NFL

Here’s a look at how the Miami Dolphins (4-6) and New England Patriots (3-8) match up in six key areas ahead of Sunday’s Week 12 game at Hard Rock Stadium (1 p.m., CBS): When the Dolphins run: It’s not so much a three-headed monster at running back for the Dolphins, but more so De’Von Achane handling the big workload. He did it again in last Sunday’s 34-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, with 17 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown. The second-year tailback has already stormed past his rookie year carry total (101), with 122, while also leading the team in receptions (46). As he rushes for...

MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was jammin’ in the postgame locker room Sunday. He wore a big smile and danced a bit as “By Your Side” by Florida hip-hop artist Rod Wave was playing on his portable speaker. He was happy. I liked seeing that. Accordingly, I liked what I saw in the Dolphins’ locker room Sunday after their 34-19 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Players were happy but subdued. And that’s pretty much the description of how I feel about the Dolphins offense the past few weeks. I’m happy that the offense has scored 27, 27, 23 and 34 points in the four...

Here’s a look at how the Miami Dolphins (3-6) and Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) match up in six key areas ahead of Sunday’s Week 11 game at Hard Rock Stadium (1 p.m., CBS): When the Dolphins run: Miami had been running the ball well of late, but Monday night’s win over the Los Angeles Rams produced the team’s lowest rushing output since Week 3 at Seattle. The Dolphins had just 67 rushing yards. De’Von Achane got the bulk of the work, with 37 yards on 12 carries, but Raheem Mostert went without a carry and rookie Jaylen Wright had just 3 yards on five attempts. Coach Mike McDaniel also showed a...

MIAMI GARDENS — What’s scarier than the thought that the Miami Dolphins, with the season hanging on by a thread, need a win against a team they lost to, 31-10, 52 days earlier — not to mention have lost against in 12 of their last 13 meetings? It’s that the Buffalo Bills won by three touchdowns earlier this season with star quarterback Josh Allen barely having to do anything. In that three-touchdown decision, which started the current Dolphins run of five losses in the past six games, Allen merely went 13 of 19 for 139 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t run much, either (two carries for 2...

Here’s a look at how the Miami Dolphins (2-5) and Buffalo Bills (6-2) match up in six key areas ahead of Sunday’s Week 9 game at Highmark Stadium (1 p.m., CBS): When the Dolphins run: The past three games for Miami: 193, 188 and 150 rushing yards. It’s something that is now a consistent strength from a yardage standpoint, but the Dolphins could still stand to improve situationally on the ground. While De’Von Achane had 97 yards on 10 carries with a long of 47 in last Sunday’s win over the Arizona Cardinals, the question becomes if coach Mike McDaniel will turn to rookie Jaylen Wright (two...

MAIMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins’ worst fear, the nightmare scenario they never wanted to admit to or confront, became harsh reality in Sunday’s 28-27 loss to the Arizona Cardinals — their problems go beyond quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s absence. The Dolphins are now 9-8 in Tua’s past 17 starts.   Tua has 24 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in that span. This team needs more than Tua to win games. Realists always knew this was the case. I always knew this was the case. It’s been the case since coach Mike McDaniel took over in 2022. These Dolphins (2-5) are somehow 0-2 after the bye, a time...

Here’s a look at how the Miami Dolphins (2-4) and Arizona Cardinals (3-4) match up in six key areas ahead of Sunday’s Week 8 game at Hard Rock Stadium (1 p.m., FOX): When the Dolphins run: With the return of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa expected Sunday, don’t expect Miami to continue running the football 40-plus times, as the team has the past two games. But it would be wise for coach Mike McDaniel to continue to utilize what has worked well on the ground, especially as Tagovailoa may still be a little rusty in his first game back. The question is if physical rookie running back Jaylen Wright...

INDIANAPOLIS — This time, they dropped two fumbles like tombstones on their Sunday. “It wasn’t acceptable,” said fullback Alec Ingold, who had one of the fumbles. This time, their top player, Tyreek Hill, had no passes thrown his way until late in the game and no words afterward beyond hurried ones as he fled the locker room: “Y’all don’t want me to talk today.” This time, their 10-0 lead against mediocre Indianapolis crumbled under the weight of mistakes and lost opportunities into a 16-10 loss. “Same old story, we let one slip away we should have won,” defensive tackle Calais Campbell...