Lamar vs. Tua? The Ravens-Dolphins matchup actually comes down to defense-ZoomTech News

Vic Fangio and Mike Macdonald may be a very powerful males within the largest sport of Week 17. That is as a result of Fangio, the Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator, and Macdonald, the Baltimore Ravens DC, have the toughest jobs within the NFL. At the very least this week.

For Fangio, it’s going to be about stopping Lamar Jackson.

For Macdonald, it’s going to be about stopping the mix of Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Raheem Mostert.

Do not get me incorrect. It is extraordinarily enjoyable to speak about these two unimaginable offenses — and to provide credit score to their engineers, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and Ravens OC Todd Monken.

Due to Jackson and Monken, the Ravens have the fourth-best offensive DVOA within the NFL (18.3%) — a sophisticated stat that measures total effectivity. Baltimore is fourth in factors per sport (27.8) and fifth in yards per sport (372.1).

Due to McDaniel, Hill and Tua, the Dolphins have the third-best offensive DVOA (24.8%). They’re additionally first in factors per sport (30.9) and yards per sport (411.5).

These two offenses are radically completely different schematically — as a result of their quarterbacks are opposites — however each offenses are among the many NFL’s elite. In the meantime, their two defenses do not examine in the identical means statistically. Baltimore is true on the high of the league in mainly each class. Miami is center of the street in nearly each class.

However the way in which I see it: These two defenses are prone to resolve this sport. They usually each have an fascinating storyline after large wins in Week 16.

For the Dolphins, it is about constructing one thing higher than what they did towards the Cowboys

I do not imply to remove from Miami’s work towards Dallas. It was fairly a robust efficiency from the Dolphins protection. There have been merely instances when quarterback Dak Prescott outplayed all the Miami unit. His last drive was a masterpiece of determined quarterback play.

There was the completion he threw to Michael Gallup with Duke Riley whipping Prescott to the bottom as he launched the ball.

After which there was the landing to receiver Brandin Cooks, who pulled in a ridiculous catch regardless of glorious protection. Prescott positioned the ball to perfection.

Good execution from Miami. Dangerous consequence. 

However, after all, that ignores the issues the Dolphins did incorrect on that drive, which — most notably — included two holding penalties on the identical fourth-down play on the 4-yard line. That gave the Cowboys a brand new set of downs within the low purple zone.

The Dolphins protection additionally allowed an 11-yard go to CeeDee Lamb on fourth down.

Miami’s protection had a couple of possibilities to win the sport for the staff. The unit could not get it completed. The offense bailed out the protection with a game-winning drive. That is good complementary soccer, in a way. And it is progress, as a result of the Dolphins protection was capable of maintain the offense within the sport (not like in Miami’s loss to the Buffalo Payments) and the offense was capable of pull off a game-winning drive (not like in Miami’s loss to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs). 

It is simply that the protection must step as much as a special stage.

There is no higher time than the current. 

This week, the Dolphins can clinch an AFC East title whereas bettering their probabilities of getting the No. 1 seed within the AFC. Miami must put all of it collectively in time for the playoffs after they’ll probably see the Ravens once more — if the Dolphins can get to the AFC Championship Sport.

If Miami slips up? 

The Dolphins may simply must beat the Payments in Week 18 in a battle for the AFC title. And if there’s any QB who’s like Jackson, it is Josh Allen. Very like the Ravens’ prep for the 49ers ought to apply to the Dolphins, a few of what the Dolphins be taught by making ready for Jackson may assist with Allen. They’re each throwing QBs who fully open up their offense after they run the soccer. And when a protection prepares for them, they need to focus not simply on containing their great arm expertise — but additionally about containing them to the pocket. As a result of as soon as they break the pocket, their creativity comes into play and something is feasible.

The Dolphins are in for it. It was clear that these three weeks (towards Dallas, Baltimore and Buffalo) had been going to be the hardest stretch for Miami’s protection. The Dolphins proved themselves towards the Cowboys. However they higher hope their protection was simply getting began.

For the Ravens, it is about doing a lot of what they did towards the 49ers

Baltimore left little doubt that they had been the NFL’s finest staff after they throttled the San Francisco 49ers final week. The Ravens successfully broke Brock Purdy, who went from throwing 4 touchdowns and nil interceptions towards the Arizona Cardinals to zero touchdowns and 4 interceptions towards Baltimore. (He additionally suffered a shoulder harm.)

It was among the many most spectacular defensive performances of the season.

“We play a model of soccer folks do not need to play,” Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen mentioned after Baltimore’s 33-19 victory over San Francisco. “All people need to be out right here taking part in cute, taking part in basketball on grass, and we ain’t with that.

“You are able to do all that stuff; you are simply gonna get hit within the mouth each play, truthfully. We might care much less about all the gorgeous stuff that you are able to do, gimmick stuff. … That is how we will come out and hit folks within the mouth.”

That might spell dangerous information for Miami. Simply take a look at what it did to an offense like San Francisco’s.

The efficiency could be laborious to duplicate, partially due to what number of fortunate bounces went the Ravens’ means (with two of Purdy’s interceptions going off the palms of his receivers). But when there have been any staff towards which Baltimore might attempt to replicate their sport plan, it will be towards the Dolphins, who’re constructed extra just like the 49ers than mainly anybody besides the Los Angeles Rams.

The largest factor the Dolphins and 49ers have in frequent is schematic overlap. McDaniel’s offensive system originated in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. That is the place McDaniel was the offensive coordinator earlier than becoming a member of the Dolphins. McDaniel has altered his scheme to work round Hill and Tagovailoa. However when fascinated by methods to cease each offenses, it is fairly comparable.

The Ravens have to construct doubt in Tagovialoa, like they did with Purdy. There are a selection of the way to do this: speedy pass-rushing, jamming receivers on the line of scrimmage, run-defending that is sturdy sufficient to restrict the quantity of defenders within the field. 

The Dolphins offense is based upon timing. Tua Tagovailoa has the quickest time to throw within the NFL — it is extraordinarily tough for the frenzy to disrupt him. But when the Ravens can intrude together with his throwing home windows or forestall the receivers from attending to their spots, then Tagovailoa will hesitate. 

And people slivers of hesitation can convey Miami’s offense crumbling down.

Previous to becoming a member of FOX Sports activities because the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years protecting the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Observe him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.

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