The New England Patriots will take on the Miami Dolphins in the opening game of the 2022 NFL season. New England will head down to Miami, as they face a revamped Dolphins team.
Mike McDaniel now leads the team, and wide receiver Tyreek Hill was the prized acquisition for the organization. After narrowly missing the playoffs last year, they hope that those two could be part of the equation to bring them back to the playoffs.
The Patriots will have their work cut out for them on Sunday, as Miami has not been a place they have found success recently. Led by quarterback Mac Jones, the Patriots are looking to take the next step as an organization. However, Miami should prove to be a difficult test.
With that in mind, we take a look at three reasons why New England should be concerned about the Dolphins.
The Dolphins high-pressure pass rush
The Miami Dolphins’ defensive line is going to give the New England Patriots’ offensive line fits. They may not have a dominant pass-rusher, but they have multiple players that can get the job done and make life difficult for the New England passing game.
It all starts with Emmanuel Ogbah. He had nine sacks on the season for Miami last year and was their leader in terms of generating a pass-rush. Jerome Baker was second on the team last year with 5.5 sacks, while Christian Wilkins rounded things out with 4.5 sacks on the year.
Ogbah and Wilkins each had a sack last time these two teams met in January. Baker finished the game with six tackles. This Dolphins pass-rush and defensive line could prove to be a difficult challenge for Mac Jones and the Patriots offense. The loss of Shaq Mason could be noticeable in this game, as Miami could exploit rookie Cole Strange.
Over the last couple of meetings, the Dolphins have dialed up the pressure on the New England offense. I would expect nothing less again on Sunday. The Patriots should be concerned about this and make sure they have a plan in place to counteract a potentially quick pass rush.
The ground attack and weakened linebacking group
The Patriots gave up 195 yards of offense on the ground the last time these two teams played. Duke Johnson had 177 yards on 25 carries alone for Miami.
New England gave up 126.5 yards per game on the ground last season. Run defense was not a strong suit of theirs. Miami also has a new starting running back in Chase Edmonds. The former Arizona Cardinal carried the ball for 592 yards and two touchdowns last season, while averaging 5.1 yards per carry.
New England has strong run-stoppers on the line in Lawrence Guy and Christian Barmore. However, they could not get the job done the last time these two teams played. Miami could also exploit the second level of the run defense by challenging linebacker Mack Wilson. Veterans Kyle Van Noy and Dont’a Hightower are no longer in the picture. Testing New England’s run defense early wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Dolphins.
New England needs to be ready, as Miami will want to play the game at their pace and style. Stopping them from getting to the second level is a must on Sunday.
The Dolphins dynamic duo at wide receiver
The top reason New England should be concerned about the Miami Dolphins is their wide receiving group. The dynamic duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle will be quite the challenge for the New England secondary. Miami has made it clear that they want to become a force via the air. Now, they have the weapons to do so.
Waddle was a key piece of the Dolphins offense of attack as a rookie. He recorded 104 receptions for 1,015 yards and six touchdowns. Hill has been a major piece of the Kansas City Chiefs offense over the past couple of seasons. He recorded 111 catches for 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns. Of course, having Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback didn’t hurt things.
New England will have their work cut out for them, as Jonathan Jones and Jalen Mills figure to hold down the fort for the Patriots’ secondary. The one-two punch that Miami brings to the table may be too much for New England to overcome. New England’s corners against Miami’s wide receivers will be an interesting chess matchup to watch.
