Dolphins Keys: Target the 49ers’ One Defensive Weakness
Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Miami Dolphins currently reside at 6-8 and are in a must-win game against the San Francisco 49ers in Miami. After a disappointing loss to the Houston Texans in which the passing offense badly faltered, they will face a tough test against a solid 49ers secondary.
What are the keys to a road victory to keep the season alive?
Work Around the Strengths Of A Strong Front Seven
The 49ers have stars on defense who all have a major ability to make a quarterback’s life miserable. Nick Bosa and Leonard Floyd have combined for 15.5 sacks. Fred Warner is an above-average run defender and arguably the best coverage linebacker in the NFL. Together, he and Dre Greenlaw make up for arguably the best linebacker duo in the entire league.
After a brutal outing against the Texans, Tua Tagovailoa will have an even tougher test against a solid 49ers front seven. It will be much more difficult to lean on Jonnu Smith the he has throughout the last several weeks, as Warner, Greenlaw, and Deommodore Lenoir have all been excellent at keeping tight ends in check.
With the 49ers having a stingy coverage defense, the Dolphins may instead have to lean on their electric rushing offense. Even with the skilled linebackers, San Francisco’s run defense has allowed 19 touchdowns, which is the second-highest total in the league, and PFF rates their performance against the run as sixth-worst in the NFL. Mike McDaniel must let De’Von Achane and company take control of the tempo of the game.
With that, there is an outside chance that Bosa and Greenlaw won’t play, as both have been limited at practice this week due to injuries. Speaking of which…
Capitalize On Trent Williams‘ Absence
Any time a Hall of Fame-caliber left tackle is missing from the lineup, the opposing defensive line can breathe a sigh of relief. That’s exactly what the Dolphins will be doing this coming Sunday.
Is it getting to a point where Trent (Williams) isn’t going to play the rest of the season?
Kyle Shanahan: “It’s getting closer to being that way.” pic.twitter.com/oidcQx7Vbj
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) December 18, 2024
Trent Williams, who is undeniably headed to Canton, is also very likely headed to the injured reserve for the rest of the season. He has been the cornerstone of the 49ers’ offensive line ever since he was signed back in 2020. However, an ankle injury means he won’t be in on Sunday.
The downside to that is that his replacement, Jaylon Moore, is not the downgrade that 49ers fans feared he would be. He has not committed a penalty or allowed a sack, and he’s only allowed eight pressures and two QB hits in 226 snaps at left tackle thus far.
That said, the fact that the defense does not have to deal with Trent Williams is a massive blessing in itself. If the Dolphins’ improved pass rush, particularly on the interior, can overcome the 49ers’ pass-blocking prowess, they will have a decent chance at limiting Brock Purdy.
How else can they limit Purdy?
Take Away Purdy’s Best Weapons
Had it not been for season-ending injuries to Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey, Anthony Weaver would have had a lot of sleepless nights trying to gameplan for the 49ers’ offense. Don’t get us wrong, though: the 49ers are still loaded with offensive talent. Sunday will still be a challenge.
With his standout performance against the Bears, George Kittle has climbed to #2 in the NFL in EPA per target. The #49ers have two players in the top 6 (Jauan Jennings). pic.twitter.com/nBGuu1oZA2
— SFdata9ers🏈📊 (@sfdata9ers) December 9, 2024
George Kittle, the highest-rated tight end per PFF, and Jauan Jennings, who has been a prime target for Brock Purdy in the absence of Aiyuk, have allowed Purdy to remain productive.
Despite the Dolphins allowing 77 receptions to tight ends, the production on those receptions has been meager at best compared to the rest of the league. Only three of those 77 receptions have been touchdowns, and they’ve limited tight ends to 9.66 yards per reception, which is good for the 12th-lowest average in the league.
Even better than that, they’ve been one of the best defenses in the league against wide receivers. In terms of production to opposing wide receivers, the Dolphins have allowed the fourth-fewest yards (1,817) and the second-fewest touchdowns (10). In addition, the Jalen Ramsey-led secondary has helped Miami blanket receivers, as wide receivers have seen the second-fewest targets (155) in the NFL. The Dolphins’ solid coverage corners can be instrumental in limiting Jennings, who has averaged 8.5 targets per game since the 49ers’ Week 9 bye.
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