The Dolphins can’t walk into Week 4 and treat this like a reunion story. Brian Flores makes it personal, sure, but Miami’s path to a win runs through a lot more than facing its former head coach for the first time as a defensive coordinator.
That’s the headline matchup because it has to be. Flores was fired by Stephen Ross in January 2022, right after the 2021 season ended, and this is the first time he’ll be on the other sideline as a DC.
The Dolphins would love nothing more than to get their first win against the best blitzing defensive coordinator. But if Miami wants to come out of Sunday with a victory, it has to survive the pressure and handle the details everywhere else, too.
The most obvious battleground is Austin Jackson against Flores. There’s no love lost there, and there never was.
Flores pushed a hard practice schedule, and the two never clicked. Now Jackson has to deal with a coach who knows his weak spots and won’t hesitate to attack them.
Expect the pressure to come off Miami’s right side. Even with Jonah Savaiinaea continuing to progress, that side remains the softer part of the offensive line.
If the right side can’t keep Malik Willis upright, the day could get ugly fast. Flores figures to mix edge rushes with disguised blitzes from safeties and linebackers, and rolling Willis to the left could help force some adjustments.
Jackson’s job is simple to say and hard to do: hold up, trust his experience, and keep Flores from turning those blitzes into chaos. If he can, Miami gets a chance to work the defense over instead of just surviving it.
The Dolphins also have to keep Kyler Murray from taking over with his legs. Murray has never been the model of consistency as a passer, but he does the stuff that breaks defenses down - avoiding sacks, extending plays, and running when the lane opens. That matters even more for Miami because the Dolphins still don’t have a sack this season, and getting real pressure on quarterbacks has been a problem.
When Miami has managed to collapse the pocket, opposing quarterbacks have still found room to take off nearly untouched. That makes discipline on the edges and from the linebackers absolutely essential.
The Vikings don’t come in looking like an unstoppable offense, and they’ll be without Justin Jefferson. Aaron Jones Sr. is still a good back, just not the elite version anymore, and Murray is prone to erratic stretches.
Keep him from running, and Miami gives itself a much better shot at forcing bad decisions.
Willis has his own test waiting, and it’s the kind that can wreck a game quickly if he doesn’t get it right. Minnesota is going to blitz him constantly until he proves he can beat it. That means Willis has to play with the kind of quick release Tua Tagovailoa brings under two seconds, or he’s going to be hit and hurried into mistakes.
Bobby Slowik needs to move him around instead of leaving him parked in the pocket. That should help soften the rush.
Willis also has to know where his outlet is going to be when the heat comes. Jaylen Wright and Greg Dulcich could end up with real opportunities as check-down options in the passing game.
The concern is obvious: Willis has struggled under pressure this year, and he tends to hold the ball too long. Against a blitz-heavy defense, that’s a dangerous habit. If he can’t spot the pressure and find the open man behind it, Miami is in for a rough afternoon.
Then there’s the run game, which may be the part that holds everything together. Losing De’Von Achane four plays into Week 3 put the Dolphins in a bind, but Ollie Gordon still helped move the chains and keep the offense on schedule. That formula has to show up again.
Running the ball does more than gain yards. It cuts down Flores’ blitz menu and forces Minnesota to play more honest.
To make that happen, Miami’s offensive line has to win enough battles in the trenches to keep the ground game alive. Even three- and four-yard gains matter if they keep the offense out of obvious passing situations.
The challenge for Slowik is sticking with the run even if Minnesota stuffs it early. The Vikings want Miami throwing. The Dolphins need to win on the ground and take away the defense’s best weapon.
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