It was an ugly win last Monday night against the New York Jets. For the second straight week the biggest achilles heel for the Miami Dolphins was their run defense. Just two weeks ago they gave up over 200 rushing yards to the Denver Broncos. Monday night, they gave up over 200 rushing yards in the first half alone. In the midst of a playoff race — currently the 6th seed — the Dolphins must bolster their run defense.
Monday nights performance was inexcusable. Sure, the Jets ran the ball nearly every play. They are guaranteed to earn some yards. Not 227. It was obvious that the defense was not prepared mentally or physically for the Jets game plan. Throughout the game the defenders were confused, flat-footed and indecisive. The biggest issues; however, came when the players made contact with the Jets runners. Tackling was a constant problem for Miami as they struggled with bringing down New York’s running backs.
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Chris Johnson — who has been a disappointment all season — erupted for his best game in a Jets uniform. Johnson, who is normally known for his speed, was able to brush off the Dolphin defenders, running for 62 yards after contact. It wasn’t just Johnson. Chris Ivory also wore out the defense, using his north-to-south ability, running through defenders.
This performance is unacceptable for one reason – everyone knew the Jets were running the ball. When they played Denver, they at least have the excuse of having to watch for Peyton Manning. That was not the case on Monday as Geno Smith threw the ball just 13 times.
Fortunately for Miami they were able to overcome the Jets rushing attack. They were able to shut Geno Smith down, particularly on the final drive of the game. Their efforts got the a win on Monday, but I can assure you it will not work for the rest of the season.
Heading down the stretch Miami currently holds the second Wild Card spot in the AFC. They have a pivotal game this Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. What do the Ravens do better than anything? Run the football.
Led by Justin Forsett, the Ravens have one of the better running games in the NFL, currently ranked fifth in the league. In what has been a breakout season for the seventh year runner, Forsett has rushed for 1,009 yards (fourth in the league), with a 5.6 yard per carry average and seven touchdowns.
It’s not just the Ravens, though. Following this weeks game against Baltimore, Miami will travel to Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots – another team that enjoys running the football. Although they are not as efficient as Baltimore, the Patriots have a rotation of backs that will wear out Miami. The combination of LeGarrette Blount, Shane Vereen, Brandon Bolden and Jonas Gray gives New England an excellent trio.
The next two games is the most important stretch of the season for Miami. If the season ended today the Dolphins would be in the playoffs for the first time since 2008. That’s the thing, though. The season does not end today and the Dolphins still have four more games that need to be played. They have the talent on both sides of the ball; however, if they want to make the playoffs they must improve the quality of their run defense. It’s that simple.