WHEN THE DOLPHINS RUN THE BALL
The Dolphins need to run the football more. Last week against the 28th-rated run defense, Miami rushed only 18 times even in a game it led much of the way and were never more than a touchdown behind. If the Dolphins do not abandon the run, they should do damage against the Titans because the visitors have shown little ability to stop opponents’ running games. Despite fielding what coach Joe Philbin calls “a good front seven,” the Titans are yielding 141.6 rushing yards per game (30th in the NFL behind only Buffalo and New Orleans) and give up 4.4 yards per rush (25th in the NFL). Lately, Miami has been more willing to let Daniel Thomas carry the load when the game is a more bruising affair. This happened against the New York Jets. But that 18-yard run that left half of the Indianapolis defense dazed by his cuts suggests Reggie Bush is still Miami’s best bet for an explosive play out of the running game. ADVANTAGE: Miami.
WHEN THE DOLPHINS PASS THE BALL
The Dolphins are finally starting to discover the tight end. Anthony Fasano has a touchdown in two of the past three games and Charles Clay scored his first touchdown of the season on a 31-yard pass last week. If this becomes a trend, it opens new possibilities for Ryan Tannehill, who is in need of more targets, particularly ones that can add yards after the catch once the completion is made. Brian Hartline, silent for a couple of games, had his third 100-yard game last week and he remains Miami’s most dangerous receiving threat. The Titans are a wreck in pass defense. They yield 273 yards per game, which is 27th in the NFL. And opposing quarterbacks have a 108.4 rating against them, which is the worst in the NFL. They’re also not especially good at getting to the quarterback, with 14 sacks all season — half of what NFL leader Green Bay has posted. ADVANTAGE: Miami.
:rotfl1:WHEN THE TITANS RUN THE BALL
Chris Johnson used to strike fear in the hearts of defenders, but he seemingly leveled off after signing his big contract a couple of years ago and then started slow again this year. But since Week 6, Johnson has regained his old form, gaining 526 yards, including a 195-yard game against the Bills. He’s as explosive as ever and that’s why he got loose for an 80-yard touchdown, his fifth from that distance during his career. The Dolphins continue to be a good run-defending team, but this game presents their biggest challenge because the Titans average 4.8 yards per rush, which is fifth-best in the NFL. It’s interesting that despite the high average, the Titans don’t seem to stick with the run. They have only 185 rushing attempts, which is 29th in the NFL and approximately 100 rushes fewer than the NFL leaders. ADVANTAGE: Even.
