Kelly: Revisiting 10 pressing questions about the 2024 Miami Dolphins | Opinion
December football is around the corner, and that’s when the contenders get separated from the pretenders.
We will soon learn which category the 2024 Miami Dolphins fall into.
The Dolphins have seemingly dug themselves out of the deep hole this season’s poor start placed them in, but does coach Mike McDaniel’s team have what it takes to push for one of the final AFC playoff spots?
How the team performs in these critical December games will provide that answer, but when the season began we had 10 lingering questions about the Dolphins (5-6) that needed to be answered.
Allow us to examine some of the answers provided as we revisit those questions we had before the season started.
How will the Dolphins address the early absence of Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb?
Miami didn’t have to address Phillips’ early absence because he started the season on the field and contributed six tackles, one sack and two pass deflections in the four games he played before tearing the ACL in his right knee against the Tennessee Titans in September. His injury forced Miami to claim Tyus Bowser from the Seahawks and to speed up first-round pick Chop Robinson’s development. Bowser’s physically falling apart, but Robinson seems to be trending up. As for Chubb, the Dolphins are hopeful that he and Cameron Goode, who also sustained a season-ending patellar tendon injury last December, will be cleared to practice at some point in December so they can participate in games before the 2024 season concludes. However, there’s no guarantee on that because Miami’s being cautious about their health.
How will Dolphins win more vs. two-man coverage?
Oddly, the NFL’s biggest big play-producing offense the previous two seasons, had dialed the deep pass down, letting defenses dictate how they play. That, and the absence of Tua Tagovailoa for four games because of the concussion he sustained in Week 2, are the reasons Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are on pace to have their worst statistical seasons. However, the Dolphins are spreading the ball around more, and tight end Jonnu Smith and tailback De’Von Achane are having career seasons. Achane has produced 935 rushing and receiving yards heading into the Packers game, and is on pace to contribute 1,496 total yards if he can play all the remaining games. Smith is three receptions and 48 yards from delivering his best NFL season.
How can Dolphins sustain last year’s forceful rushing attack?
Last season the Dolphins finished second in rushing yards per game (135.8) and first in yards per attempt (5.1) courtesy of outside runs of Raheem Mostert and Achane, which helped the Dolphins produce the most big plays in the NFL last season. This season Miami’s run game has drastically fallen off. The Dolphins are averaging 116.8 rushing yards per game (which ranks 16th) and 4.1 yards per carry (ranks 23rd). It’s hard to put a finger on the issue. Aaron Brewer has been an effective second-level blocking center, and Liam Eichenberg and Robert Jones have had decent seasons as Miami’s starting guards. But the outside zone runs aren’t working the way they did last year. Mostert ending his struggles (3.6 yards per carry) might provide some hope for the final stretch of the season.
How will Miami’s offense convert more third-and-short situations?
Miami’s short-yardage conversion issues have carried over to this season, and the team’s struggles converting third-and-short, or fourth-and-short using the ground game remains an Achilles heel. It doesn’t help that the team’s two best blockers — fullback Alec Ingold (calf) and Julian Hill (shoulder) — are each nursing troublesome injuries that have hindered their performance. At this point, it seems as if the Dolphins are more comfortable throwing the ball on third and short because of Tagovailoa’s accuracy and quick decision-making, and if it works why stray from it?
How will Miami keep Terron Armstead healthy?
Armstead, a five-time Pro Bowler, has been a force of nature this season. He has consistently graded out as one of the NFL’s top offensive tackles in 2024. But to keep him healthy and productive, he hasn’t practiced the past three weeks because of a knee issue that seems to flare up every season. The Dolphins have already replaced Austin Jackson with Kendall Lamm because of the season-ending knee injury Jackson suffered against the Bills earlier this month. Miami can’t afford to lose Armstead, who is having a Pro Bowl-caliber season, so don’t expect to see the 33-year-old on the practice field the rest of the season. And if Miami has a victory locked up expect to see rookie Patrick Paul replace Armstead in the fourth quarter of games.
How can Dolphins improve the interior of the O-line?
Last year’s interior of the offensive line was gutted by injuries. Everyone of the season opening interior starters missed seven or more games because of injuries. Tagovailoa’s pocket presence and quick release masked the unit’s struggles, and that’s somewhat been the case this year too. This year’s unit is battling some health issues — Jones has a troublesome knee and groin, and Eichenberg is playing with a shoulder harness for the past three games — but it continues to get the job done. Brewer’s playing better than expected, and it will be interesting to see if he can jump start the outside zone runs which hasn’t been much of a factor this season. The return of Isaiah Wynn should give Miami some options if a starter’s performance starts to decline.
How can Dolphins secondary defend crossing routes better?
The one Achilles heel of the zone coverage Miami used last season is that it’s susceptible to crossing routes, especially from slot receivers who simply run to open zones. That hasn’t been an issue much this season in Anthony Weaver’s defense. It helps that Jalen Ramsey moves inside, playing the slot role, from time to time, and Kader Kohou’s game has grown plenty this season. However, the Dolphins would benefit from better play from the safety duo of Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer. Neither have been factors much this season, and more is expected. It will also be beneficial to get Kendall Fuller back from the concussion he suffered earlier this month, which has sidelined him for three straight games.
How will Miami overcome the departure of Christian Wilkins?
Miami hasn’t missed Wilkins, who signed a massive deal ($28 million a season for the next three years) with the Raiders as a free agent, because Calais Campbell has been just as impactful on and off the field. Campbell, a six-time Pro Bowler who has been a captain for most of his previous 16 seasons, has anchored Miami’s defensive front this season, contributing 34 tackles, four sacks, five pass deflections and one forced fumble in the 11 games he’s played. He’s also viewed as the unquestioned leader of the Dolphins locker room, the tone setter for the team. Zach Sieler is having a phenomenal season as well (31 tackles, four sacks, an interception, and one forced fumble in nine games) proving that he set the table for Wilkins just as much as he ate from it.
How can the Dolphins defense produce more turnovers? The Dolphins finished 2023 with a top 10 defense, and ranked 12th in turnover differential (plus-2). Oddly, the Dolphins enter Thursday’s game against the Green Bay Packers with a defense that ranks seventh in yards allowed (304.5) and tied for 11th in points allowed (20.1). But the Dolphins are tied for 19th in turnover differential with a negative-1. Last year the Dolphins had 24 takeaways on the season. This season Miami has 11 courtesy of the team’s seven interceptions and four fumbles recovered. Those numbers likely won’t improve until Miami’s able to create more pressure on opposing quarterbacks, which has been an issue all season. But Robinson has started to heat up recently (10 pressures last week against the Patriots), and Fuller’s return should boost the secondary when it happens.
How can Dolphins avoid the December and January collapse that has spoiled the past two seasons? In 2022 the Dolphins lost five of the season’s final six games, and were eliminated by Buffalo in the first round of the playoffs. And the Dolphins were 3-3 in the closing stretch of 2023 before losing to Kansas City in the first round of last season’s playoffs. Those troublesome dismounts had one thing in common, and that’s injuries. This year Miami started slow (2-6) because of injuries, and have won three straight heading into the Packers game. If the wins continue, and the team’s health holds up, the tide on this narrative might change because it seems as if these Dolphins are peaking at the right time. There isn’t a team on Miami’s remaining schedule that isn’t struggling at this point, so we should have fairly even match up if injuries don’t decimate the Dolphins in December like last season.
This story was originally published November 28, 2024 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Kelly: Revisiting 10 pressing questions about the 2024 Miami Dolphins | Opinion."
