The 6-3 Miami Dolphins are hosting the 5-5 Las Vegas Raiders at Hard Rock Stadium for Miami’s fourth home game of their 2023 campaign.
Miami’s defense is fully healthy after waiting to Xavien Howard, Jalen Ramsey and Jevon Holland on the field at the same time, and they showed off their impressive abilities against the Kansas City Chiefs before their bye week. Now, they’ll have to slow down Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams, who are both among the league’s best at their respective positions.
Antonio Pierce’s team has found themselves on a two-game winning streak since Josh McDaniels was fired after their loss to the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football. They seem to be headed in the right direction now, but this will be their toughest test yet.
As we continue our previews for this weekend’s game, we spoke to Raiders Wire managing editor Marcus Mosher to learn some things about Las Vegas.
What is the feeling around the Raiders and the fan base since Josh McDaniels' firing?
“Excitement. Raiders’ fans were really never “in” on the Patriots’ culture and as soon as McDaniels was fired, the entire team felt relaxed. The Raiders aren’t the Patriots. In fact, they are the complete opposite of the Patriots. They were never going to be able to win with that style of play and team building. They have to embrace their culture of being a Raider and what that means. We shall see if Antonio Pierce is the guy to bring that back. But so far, so good.” — MM
What's going on with Jimmy Garoppolo? He has two years left on his deal after 2023. Has he lost the job permanently?
“Yes. Garoppolo hasn’t been able to stay healthy and when he was on the field, he led the league in interceptions. It’s clear that he is no longer an option for the Raiders, but they will likely keep him around as the backup to Aidan O’Connell for at least the next year.” — MM
Who is one lesser-known player on each side of the field that Dolphins fans should be aware of?
“EDGE Malcolm Koonce – Maxx Crosby gets a lot of attention and deservedly so. He is in the running for Defensive Player of the Year and his motor runs non-stop. But keep an eye on Koonce, the other starting defensive end. He’s really started to come on over the last few weeks and his speed could give the Dolphins problems.
“TE Michael Mayer – A second-round rookie, Mayer caught his first NFL touchdown in Week 10. His role in the offense is small, but it won’t always be this way. Don’t be surprised if he gets targeted early and often on Sunday.” — MM
If you could add one former Raider in their prime to this team to give them the best chance of winning this matchup, who would it be?
“Ha! This is a great question. Give me Ken Stabler. The Raiders have all the tools on offense to be a really good unit including an All-Pro running back and a receiver. They have one of the better pass-blocking offensive lines. But they are starting a fourth-round pick at quarterback. Stabler would have loved these weapons and would have given the Raiders a chance to keep pace with the Dolphins.” — MM
Who wins this one and why?
“I don’t see how the Raiders stay in this game. Their defense is incredibly slow and they don’t have the cornerbacks or the linebackers to keep up with the Dolphins. I think the Raiders have a really good chance of getting blown out here. I’m taking the Dolphins 34, Raiders 16“ — MM
