Rebecca Blackwell / AP
When Tua Tagovailoa outdueled Lamar Jackson early very last year — with each quarterbacks playing like MVP candidates — it showed how a great deal possible the Dolphins and Ravens could possibly have.
Those people groups both equally had to hold out a yr, but now they’re sitting at the best of the AFC. They just needed their star passers to keep wholesome.
“I obtained a whole lot of respect for Lamar, the issues that he’s performed all through his occupation,” Tagovailoa stated. “I can vividly keep in mind when I was in college or university, I consider he was in the NFL, and he achieved out to me. He explained to me I was balling, and I imagined that was the a single of the coolest items. I imagine that was the 12 months he received the MVP.”
Jackson is now the favourite to gain his 2nd MVP soon after foremost the Ravens to a major victory Monday night time at San Francisco. Baltimore (12-3) has the major report in the NFL and can clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a victory more than Miami on Sunday. If the Dolphins (11-4) get at Baltimore, they would regulate their possess route to the major seed in the meeting.
On the other hand, the loser of this video game may well not earn its very own division.
So there’s rather a little bit at stake — a great deal additional than there was in 7 days 2 final year. That was when Tagovailoa threw for 469 yards and 6 touchdowns as the Dolphins rallied from a 21-level fourth-quarter deficit to conquer the Ravens 42-38. It was something of a coming-out party for the Miami offense in its second activity underneath coach Mike McDaniel.
“They did some terrific things versus us in the passing match,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh reported. “Created some substantial performs. It was a enormous comeback. Of course, it was a rough pill to swallow for us.”
Godofredo A. Vásquez / AP
That very same working day, Jackson grew to become the first quarterback in NFL record with the two a touchdown pass and a touchdown operate of at least 75 yards in a person video game.
Both groups went on to make the playoffs, but every misplaced its postseason opener. By then, Jackson was out with a knee personal injury and Tagovailoa’s concussion problems left him unavailable, too. They’ve both of those performed each and every game this season.
Tagovailoa was restricted in observe this 7 days since of his left thumb and quad, and the groups have other health and fitness issues. Star receiver Jaylen Waddle (ankle) is out and working back again Raheem Mostert (knee, ankle) is questionable for Miami.
Protection Kyle Hamilton (knee) and rookie receiver Zay Bouquets (calf) are questionable for the Ravens.
PHYSICALITY OR FINESSE?
Tagovailoa feels there is a misconception about the speedy Dolphins. They’ve been lauded all season as the quickest offense in the NFL, even though also becoming described as a finesse staff that could get pushed about by a much more physical opponent — like the hard-nosed Ravens.
Tagovailoa pointed to Miami’s functioning recreation, which has not been rated decreased than fifth all time, as an illustration of the Dolphins’ physicality. Miami is averaging 136.4 yards speeding for every activity and a league-ideal 5 yards for every rush.
“You can have velocity and you can be actual physical as perfectly,” Tagovailoa explained. “I consider which is what men and women misunderstand when it arrives to our staff. They see, yeah, Ok, men are quickly. Guys are flying about the subject. But glimpse at our runs. Search at everybody that has guy blocks, that has crack blocks.”
BURYING THE HATCHET?
Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio experienced a war of words and phrases with Harbaugh a couple seasons in the past when Fangio was the head coach in Denver. At challenge was Baltimore’s decision to run a enjoy as an alternative of getting a knee at the close of a victory above the Broncos. The Ravens had been striving to prolong a streak of 100-property speeding video games, which tied an NFL file that day.
Fangio claimed this 7 days he was attempting to back up his gamers additional than anything.
“Our gamers ended up all upset about it,” he mentioned. “So I took the hit. I said a little something publicly and I explained to the gamers that so they would permit it go to bed and they by no means explained anything. It was 1 that just concluded the story devoid of our gamers acquiring involved. I could care much less if they run yet another perform.”
DOMINANT Protection
The Dolphins rank No. 1 in total defense due to the fact Week 5 and are 1st in quarterback hits, next in sacks and fifth versus the run. They had four sacks from the Cowboys very last week to give them a franchise-greatest 52 on the period. Three Dolphins have at minimum eight sacks, led by linebacker Bradley Chubb with 11.
“It really is dope just being aware of the guys in the space, and observing how we’ve began to get cohesive alongside one another,” Chubb explained. “Early in the year, we could explain to we ended up very good, but we didn’t know how good we have been heading to be. Guys just started off acquiring in, enjoying with every other, hurrying off of each other, letting it just occur organically.”
Eventualities
Miami can clinch the AFC East with a victory this weekend, but if the Dolphins eliminate and Buffalo beats New England, then Costs-Dolphins in Week 18 would come to a decision the division.
The Ravens would get the AFC North with a victory in possibly of their very last two online games. But get rid of equally, and the door would be open for Cleveland to snatch the division with a different get.
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AP Sports Author Alanis Thames contributed to this report.
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