The Miami Dolphins began the season 0-7, but have won four of their last five games with the only loss coming by a single point to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. And they haven't been squeaking out victories either. Rather, the Dolphins have outscored their opponents an astounding 139-54 over their last five games, so the Eagles will have plenty of respect for their opponent under the South Florida Sun on Sunday. Tellingly, they've only turned the ball over three times over those five games while registering seven takeaways. Contrast that to the Eagles, who have forced six turnovers on defense over the last five games but committed 12 turnovers over that time – the Eagles rank tied for 30th with a -13 turnover differential on the season.
But there is hope for the Eagles as some reinforcements look on the way. Most importantly, quarterback Michael Vick is set to return after missing three games with two lower broken ribs. Joining the signal-caller and team leader on the return could be wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who has missed time with a shoulder and hamstring injury. Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha also looks likely to play despite suffering a concussion in the loss to the Seahawks. And yes, the odds are long, to put it mildly, that the Eagles are able to scratch their way back to playoff relevance, but that was the case back in 2008 as well. Finally, consider that in Andy Reid's tenure as head coach, the Eagles are 32-16 in the final quarter of the regular season for an impressive 67 percent winning percentage. This time, they'll need to be perfect.
Last Time They Met:
November 18, 2007: Dolphins 7, Eagles 17
After eight straight weeks of alternating wins and losses, the 4-5 Eagles appeared in line to suffer a loss against the Dolphins if the pattern were to hold. But the Dolphins had an even more impressive streak going. Dating back to 2006, Miami had lost 12-straight games. Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb struggled, completing 3-of 11 passes for 34 yards and two interceptions before leaving the game with a sprained ankle and an injured thumb on his throwing hand. Backup A.J. Feeley took over and managed the game, breaking the Eagles streak of alternating wins and losses, and bringing the Dolphins' losing streak to 13 (the Dolphins, of course, had traded for Feeley three years prior). Running back Brian Westbrook broke off 148 yards on the ground on a then career-high 32 rushes en route to an Eagles victory. The Dolphins' only points on the day came on an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown by Ted Ginn Jr.
When The Eagles Have The Ball:
Eagles running back LeSean McCoy ranks second in the NFL with 1,134 rushing yards and first in total touchdowns with 15, but Miami boasts a strong run defense that is fifth against the run allowing just 93.2 yards per contest. The Dolphins run a 3-4 base defense and the run defense is anchored in the middle of the line by nose tackle Paul Soliai and at right defensive end by Randy Starks. The Dolphins' stout run defense is a big reason that they are fifth in the NFL in points allowed with an average of just 18.3 per game. In fact, the Dolphins have not allowed an opponent to score more than 20 points in seven straight contests.
The one area on defense where the Dolphins have struggled all season is generating turnovers. The Dolphins have created just 11 in all, which ranks 31st in the NFL. Miami does have some defensive weapons, however, which will give the Eagles offense a reason to take notice. Former CFL sack champion Cameron Wake has taken his pass rush talent to South Beach where he was third in the NFL with 14.0 sacks last season and leads the team with 6.5 this year. Wake can rush off the edge as the outside linebacker on the weak side, or put his hand down in nickel situations. Karlos Dansby can rush off the edge as well, but in the base 3-4 he's the strongside inside linebacker. He is second on the team with 76 tackles and has 2.0 sacks and an interception on the year. The longtime Arizona Cardinal is also one of the leaders on defense. Unheralded inside linebacker Kevin Burnett has 71 tackles, 2.5 sacks and returned an interception for a touchdown last week in the win over Oakland.
Before the season started, cornerback Vontae Davis boasted that he and his partner in the secondary Sean Smith were the best cornerback duo in the NFL. Davis has held up his end of the bargain of late. A first-round pick in 2009, Davis leads the team with two interceptions and recorded his first-career sack last week against Oakland. Davis has the cover ability to shadow his man without safety help. Smith has impressive size at 6-3 and 214 pounds and has recorded 48 tackles, an interception and six passes defensed this year. Longtime veteran Will Allen is the team's nickel slot corner. Strong safety Yeremiah Bell leads the team with 79 tackles this season and also has a sack and an interception. Reshad Jones and Tyrone Culver have split the free safety duties this year. Against a tough Dolphins defense, the Eagles will certainly welcome back Michael Vick and Jeremy Maclin. But in order to come out on top Sunday afternoon, they'll need to take care of the football – something they haven't done well enough this season as the team ranks tied for 30th in turnover differential (-13).
When The Dolphins Have The Ball:
After flirting with the idea of trading for Kyle Orton in the preseason, the Dolphins moved forward with incumbent quarterback Chad Henne to start the year, only to see the team lose their first four games before Henne suffered a season-ending injury. Matt Moore, imported from the Carolina Panthers in the offseason, took over for Henne and has gone 4-4 as the starter, winning four of his last five games. Meanwhile, the running game is led by Reggie Bush, who is having a career year in his first season in Miami. Bush has rushed for a career-high 667 yards through 12 games and is only two carries shy of his most carries in a season. Expect the Dolphins to try to run the ball early against an Eagles defense that has allowed 4.43 yards per carry, 21st in the league. Where the Eagles could take advantage is in the pass rush as the Dolphins rank 27th in sacks allowed per pass attempt. Right tackle Marc Colombo, a former Dallas Cowboy, could be especially ripe for Jason Babin's picking. According to ProFootballFocus.com, Colombo ranks 71st among 76 eligible offensive tackles in pass protection with a -14.2 score – and he's going up against Babin, who's tied for third in the league 12.0 sacks on the year.
On the outside, the Dolphins have one very significant weapon in Brandon Marshall, the oft-temperamental but physically imposing wide receiver. Marshall, 6-4, 230, is fifth among wide receivers with 63 receptions in 2011. The versatile, physical wideout who can line up on the outside and in the slot figures to pose a challenge to Asante Samuel, Nnamdi Asomugha and Joselio Hanson (assuming Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is unavailable with a high ankle sprain). Davone Bess is also an accomplished slot receiver, while Brian Hartline, who only has 25 receptions on the season, is the other outside receiver.
The Eagles, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing performance last week in Seattle, when they allowed Marshawn Lynch to rush for 148 yards and Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson to post a 138.0 quarterback rating, his best of 2011. However, defensive coordinator Juan Castillo and his staff were afforded extra time to prepare for this week's showdown with the Dolphins because of last week's early game. The only other time this season in which the Eagles have had more than eight days to prepare for an opponent, the Eagles defense shut down the Cowboys to the tune of only seven points back in Week 8.
Key Matchups
Dolphins LT Jake Long vs. Eagles RDE Trent Cole
Cole, the best player on the Eagles defense for the past few seasons and one of the more underappreciated stars in the league, has been somewhat hampered by a calf injury this season. Still, he has 6.0 sacks in 10 games and has formed a formidable pass-rush duo with Jason Babin. Long, meanwhile, is a former No. 1 overall draft pick (2008) and has been the blindside protector for the Dolphins ever since. While Long has been solid, he hasn't quite been the dominant player the Dolphins may have expected – he's given up five sacks already this season according to ProFootballFocus. If the Eagles can get in front of the Dolphins and make the home team's offense pass-heavy, look for Cole to do some damage on Matt Moore in the pocket.
Eagles Red-Zone Offense vs. Dolphins Red-Zone Defense
All season long, the Eagles have had trouble converting red-zone opportunities into points, let alone touchdowns. The team has turned the ball over in the red zone a debilitating eight times, four more than any other team in the league. In all, the team's red-zone conversion is 47 percent, 21st in the league. With Michael Vick likely back in the lineup, the offense will still have its hands full with a Dolphins defense that has excelled in the red zone, allowing touchdowns on only 37 percent of opponent trips – good for fourth-best in the league. Because the Eagles have lacked the explosive touchdowns this season, red-zone efficiency becomes paramount. Can the Eagles be precise when it matters? The answer will go a long way in determining Sunday's outcome.
Players To Watch
RB Reggie Bush
Selected second overall by New Orleans in the 2006 draft, Reggie Bush was supposed to revolutionize the running back position with his elite quickness, breakaway speed, and cutback ability. Bush put in a solid debut season, in which he gained over 1,300 yards from scrimmage and posted eight touchdowns. But since then, he has not hit quadruple digits in terms of yards from scrimmage and has seen his receiving numbers steadily decline each season. This past offseason, Bush signed with the Miami Dolphins, after spending five seasons with the Saints and the results have been impressive. By no means is he the player he was expected to be coming out of USC, but he already has set a new career high in rushing yards with 667 through 12 games; he's also on pace to match the career-high eight touchdowns he scored as a rookie. The Dolphins have won four of their last five games after beginning the season 0-7. In that time, Bush is averaging 91 yards of total offense and a touchdown a game. He'll look to keep up this stretch of productivity against the Eagles Sunday.
OLB Cameron Wake
Cameron Wake did not take the traditional route to the NFL. An undrafted linebacker out of Penn State in 2005, he was signed by the New York Giants, who cut him before the start of training camp. Wake then decided to move on from football, spending two years as a mortgage broker. In 2007, he received a call from the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, who wished to convert him from linebacker to defensive end in the hopes of utilizing his outstanding athleticism. Wake took a chance and moved to Canada to play in the CFL, embracing his new pass-rushing role and never looking back. In his first season, he led the league with 16 sacks and was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player. In 2008, he received the honor again, this time notching 23 sacks. NFL scouts took notice. Following the 2008 NFL season, the Miami Dolphins recruited him and eventually won his services. Immediately, he made an impact, posting 5.5 sacks in a reserve role. It was in 2010, however, that he broke out, notching 14 sacks and being named to the All-Pro team. Wake is one of the league's premier pass-rushers and is determined to continue to prove his initial-doubters wrong. This year, Wake has 6.5 sacks. He'll be looking to add to that number Sunday.
