Setting the Stage
Rams surprisingly are 4 & 3 and own second place in the very competitive AFC East. They made a gutsy (and somewhat controversial) move last week when they elevated rookie QBOF Tua Tagovailoa to starter when the Dolphs were 3 & 3.
Sunday's surprise win over the Rams have crowned them one of the AFC's " teams to watch" and the latest in a series of "media darlings." Tua is talented, but he's also a rookie. The combination of Miami's defense and Tua's natural skills were enough to take apart the Rams. Will it be enough to assure success throughout the balance of the season?
The 5 & 2 Cards are coming off a Bye week and, before that, an upset win over Seattle.
What we don't know about the Cardinals is whether they have the juice to remain competitive against the very talented teams on their second half schedule and whether they can stay consistent throughout the balance of the year.
Most Recent Seattle Game
Last Sunday, marked the debut of standout rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa in a 28 - 17 win over the Rams. Reports were along the general lines of "Tua performed well-enough as a rookie, but it was the defense that won the game for the Dolphs."
Miami posted all of its 28 points during the first half. Two of its TDs came as the result of long "home run" plays on a fumble recovdery and punt return
1st Quarter
LA 3:47 Robert Woods 4 run (Kai Forbath Kick) Rams 7 - Miami 0
Mia 15:00 DeVante Parker 3 pass from Tua Tagovailoa (Jason Sanders Kick) Rams 7 - Miami 7
2nd Quarter
Mia 4:59 Andrew Van Ginkel 78 fumble return (Jason Sanders Kick) Miami 14 - Rams 7
Mia 6:16 Jakeem Grant 88 punt return (Jason Sanders Kick) Miami 21 - Rams 7
Mia 12:13 Myles Gaskin 1 run (Jason Sanders Kick) Miami 28 - Rams 7
LA 14:49 FG Kai Forbath 23 Miami 28 - Rams 10
3rd Quarter
No Scoring
4th Quarter
LA 5:02 Robert Woods 11 pass from Jared Goff (Kai Forbath Kick) Miami 28 - Rams 17
Final Score - Miami 28 - Rams 17
Miami Offense
Quarterbacks
QB ...01 Tagovaiola...14 Fitzpatrick
Running Backs
RB...37 Gaskin...22 Breida...34 J Howard...32 Laird...26 Ahmed
FB...27 Cox
Wide Receivers
WR... 18 P Willims..19 Grant Sr...10 Perry...15 Bowden
WR...11 Parker...84 Ford...86 Hollins
Tight Ends
TE...81 Smythe...88 Gesicki...80 Shaheen
Offensive Line
LT...77 J Davis...70 Davenport
LG..75 .E Flowers
OC..67 Karras...63 Deiter
RG...66 Kindley...78 Pankey
RT...68 Hunt
Miami Defense
Defensive Line
DE....94 Wilkins...92 Sieler
NT ...98 R Davis
DE....91 Ogbah...58 Strowbridge
Linebackers
LB...90Lawson...43 Van Ginkel
LB...44 Roberts...48 Munson
LB...55 J Baker...51 Grugier-Hill
LB...53 Van Noy...49 Eguavoen
Secondary
LCB...24 By Jones...40 Needham
RCB...25 X Howard...23 Igbinoghene...33 J Perry
SS...21 Rowe...42 Fejedelem
FS....28 McCain...35 Frazier...29 Br Jones
Special Teams
P......02 Haack
K.....07 J Sanders
LS..50 .Ferguson
H ....02 Haack
PR ...19 Grant Sr
KR ...19 Grant Sr
Statistics
Stat..............................Miami....Opponents........Cards........Opponents
1st Downs......................144..................133...................181..............170
Offensive Yds...............2271...............2632.................2934............2649
Rushing Yards...............686.................876...................1125...........918
Rush Yds Per Play........3.6...................4.9.....................5.2............4..7
Passing Yds................1585..................1756................1809...........1731
Pass Yds Per Play......7.4....................7.1.......................7.3............6.9
Intercepted................7..........................7...........................7................6
Sacks...........................19.....................11.........................19.............9
TDs...............................20....................17.......................25..............16
Turnover Ratio.............+4...............................................+1...............
Time of Possession.....30:19...........29:40....................29:09........32:14
Player Stats
Passing
Murray 169 of 253 for 1847 yds, 66.8% 13 TDs, 7INT, 9 sacks...93.8 Rating
Tagovailoa 14 of 24 for 102 yds 58.3% TD 0 INT Sacked 1 Times 82.3Rating
Rushing
Murray 65 for 437 6.7 YPA 7 TDs
Drake 119 for 512...4.3 YPA...4 TDs
Gaskin 100 for 387...Brieda 17 for 128
Receiving
Hopkins 57 for 704, 3 TDs
Fitzgerald 29 for 2070 TD
Edmonds 26 for 222 2 TDs
Kirk 18 for 277 5 TDs
Parker 30 for 367 3 TDs
Gaskin3- for 198 0 TDs
Gesicki 19 for 289 2 TDs
Tackles -
Hicks 59
Campbell 57
Baker 59
Murphy 24
Baker 59
Rowe 38
Needham 32
Van Noy 28
Sacks
Reddick 5
Peters, Phillips, Kennard and Baker 2 ea
Ogbah 6
Van Ginkel 2.5
Baker, Van Noy, Lawson 2 apiece
Interceptions
Baker and Peterson 2 ea
Howard 4 (3 others 1 apiece)
Cardinals Depth Chart
Quarterbacks
01 Murray, 15 Streveler, 07 Hundley
Running Back
41 Drake, 29 Edmonds, 38 Ward 26 Benjamin
Wide Receivers
WR - 11 Fitzgerald...17 Isabella
WR - 13 Kirk....19 KS Johnson
WR - 10 Hopkins 16 Sherfield
Tight Ends
TE - 82 Arnold 81 Daniels 80 J Thomas
Offensive Line
LT- ...74 Humphries ....66 Miles
LG - 67 Pugh 73 Garcia
OC- 52 Cole 65 Galliard
RG- 64 Murray
RT - 68 Beachum...79 J Jones
Defensive Interior Line
DT - 95 Fotu, xx Mauro
NT - 98 Peters
DT - 97 Phillips 92 Blackson
Linebackers
OLB - 43 Reddick...49 Fitts
ILB - ..59 Campbell 48 Simmons 47 Z Turner
ILB - 58 Hicks 51 Vallejo
OLB - 42 Kennard 45 Gardeck
Defensive Backs
CB - 21 P Peterson...27 K Peterson
CB - 20 Kirkpatrick 33 Murphy Jr
S - 38 Banjo...28 C Washington
S - 32 Baker...35 D Thompson . 40 Tillman*
Cardinals Special Teams
P - ...02 Lee
K- ....05 Gonzalez
H - ...02 Lee
LS - 46 Brewer
KR -29 Edmonds
PR - 17 Isabella
Matchup: Miami Passing Attack vs. Cardinal Pass Defense
Tagovailoa made his rookie debut last Sunday, didn't make any huge mistakes and threw for his first TD. His key receivers were Parker, their RB (Gaskin) and their TE (Gesicki). Highest # of receptions topped out at 30. If Tua's first outing is any indicator, look for Miami to keep things short and conservative and let the defense win it for the Dolphs.
With C Jones out for the year, look to Vance Joseph to spread blitzing responsiblity around to B Baker, Reddick, Gardeck and (if he's activated in time) Golden.
Key Matchups - P Peterson vs. Parker Baker vs Gesicki...Gaskin vs. Gardeck
Matchup: Miami Rushing Attack vs. Cardinal Run Defense
Gaskin and Breida are the two leading Miami rushers. Neither has set the world on fire, but we seem to recall Brieda being a handful for the Cardinals when he played for the Niners. (probable Miami rushing success would be a function of its OL blocking.
Key Matchups
Gaskin or Breida vs. Campbell and Gardeck
Matchup: Cardinal Passing Attack vs. Miami Pass Defense
No surprises here - D-Hop has been everything expected and more. How big a factor Fitz will be varies from game to game depending on how much attention opposing defenses devotes to the Cardinal elder statesman. Kirk's receiving responsibility has increased steadily as the season progresses. The three starting WRs are as solid a unit as you'll find in the NFL. Greater expectations for Arnold, but ans are waiting for a breakout game from the Cardinal TE. Suprise cog in the Cardinal passing machine has been Chase Edmonds (short passes/YAC yardage).
Other than X Howard, othing stands our in the Miami secondary, but - at 4 & 3 in a tough division, they must be doing something right.
Key Matchups:
Hopkins vs. Howard... Kirk vs. By Jones..Edmonds vs. Rowe. Ogbah vs. Humphrey
Matchup: Cardinal Running Attack vs. Miami Run Defense
Watching Drake's and Edmonds divvy up the playing time has been interesting. It appears to us that Drake is being used more in short-yardage/between the tackles situations with Ednmonds being used more as a screen, misdirection and perimeter factor.
(Note - where to put Murray - When he takes off and runs on a a passing play...is it a pass play or a run play)?
Key Matchups
Drake vs...R Davis...Edmonds vs. Wilkins....Murray vs. VanNoy
Matchup Miami Special Teams vs. Cardinal Special Teams
Don't know much about Hack or Sanders and assume the Cards have the edge with Gonzalez and Lee. In the return game. Grant Sr. is used to return kicks and punts. Don't know much about him. Lee and Gonzalez have the edge in the kicking and punting game. Gonzalez is capable of booting long and accurate, but will occasionally break your heart with a make-able shank.
We are still waiting for Isabella and Edmonds to blossom in the return game.
Key Matchups
Edge to Gonzalez and Lee. Grant vs. Isabella and Edmonds a wash until proved otherwise. Last Word
Miami comes into State Farm Stadium sporting a brand new QB superstar and a 4 & 3 record.Fourteen of their 28 points came off long plays (a punt return and fumble recovery). Other than that, the Miami game plan appeared to play things close to the vest, keep mistakes to a mininum and win the game via the offensive and defensive "big play" route.
Seems to this writer that the key to winning this one will be thru effort, sound fundamentals and mistake-free football, with Murray being the difference-maker, judicially picking his spots. |
