The Miami Dolphins are reeling. They enter Week 16 on the heels of their third straight loss after they were beaten by the Buffalo Bills in Week 15. At 8-6, the Dolphins are in second place in the AFC East and are No. 6 in the conference's playoff seedings. Miami is aiming for a wild card spot, and they can strengthen their chances by beating the Green Bay Packers at home in Week 16. A win will enable the Dolphins to potentially move up a spot or two in the AFC seedings. However, a loss would be disastrous. It could potentially sink the Dolphins outside of the AFC's top seven and will put Miami's playoff chances in a precarious position. Here are our Dolphins Week 16 predictions as they take on the Packers.
The Dolphins will welcome the Packers to Hard Rock Stadium on Christmas Day as they look to snap their three-game losing streak. The Dolphins are 5-1 at home and have a strong offense, ranked in the top five in the league. However, they have struggled in their past three games and will need to improve their performance if they hope to defeat the Packers.
Green Bay, on the other hand, is hanging on to slim playoff hopes and desperately needs to prevail in this must-win matchup. The Packers' quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, has had a successful record in December games with a 40-14 record in 54 career games. He will need to bring his best performance to keep up with the Dolphins offense. The outcome of this game will have significant implications for both teams as they strive to reach their goals for the season.
With all these in mind, here are our four bold predictions for the Dolphins in their Week 16 game against the Packers.
Aqua endzones looking fresh for @MiamiDolphins gameday 😮💨🤌
See you Sunday, Dolfans! 🐬 #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/xicxIRH9s8
— Hard Rock Stadium (@HardRockStadium) December 22, 2022
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4. Dolphins put up 100+ yards on the ground
In the Dolphins' 32-29 loss to the Bills last Saturday, RB Raheem Mostert rushed 17 times for a total of 136 yards and had 20 yards on one of two targets. He also returned one kickoff for 28 yards. Mostert's standout performance included a 67-yard run in the first quarter that set up a field goal for the Dolphins.
This was Mostert's second 100-yard game of the season and his highest rushing yardage since Week 13 of the 2019 season when he and Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel were with the 49ers. Mostert filled in as the lead running back due to the absence of Jeff Wilson. If Wilson returns for the Week 16 matchup against the Packers on Christmas Day, that would give the Miami backfield another explosive dimension. Both guys will surely anchor Green Bay's ground game and potentially punish the Packers defense. Miami should surpass 100 yards on the ground.
3. Miami receivers will rule
In Week 15, Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle secured three of seven targets for 114 yards and a touchdown. His 67-yard touchdown catch in the second half was his first since Week 10 and helped boost his receiving yardage total to its highest since Week 8. Despite the strong performance, Waddle has not had more than five catches in a game since Week 8. He briefly left the game with a forearm injury but returned to play.
Tyreek Hill also had a strong game, securing nine of 13 targets for 69 yards and a touchdown. Hill had a game-high in receptions and scored on a 20-yard catch down the right sideline in the third quarter. He has now scored a touchdown in three straight games and has had two games with nine catches in that span.
Both Waddle and Hill will look to continue their momentum in the key Week 16 matchup against the Packers on Christmas Day. They should lead an explosive air attack for Miami and put up close to 300 yards.
2. QB Tua Tagovailoa goes over 300 yards
Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa faced high expectations and pressure in his duel with Josh Allen last week. Of course, he had struggled in his previous two games. There were concerns about whether the offense could improve before they risked being eliminated from playoff contention. Eventually, Tagovailoa finished with 17-of-30 passes for 234 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed once for seven yards and lost a fumble that was recovered by the Dolphins.
Tagovailoa showed improved efficiency compared to his poor performance in Week 14 against the Chargers. Still, his completion percentage of 56.7 percent was still relatively low. Tagovailoa's best quarter was the third. That's when he threw scoring passes of 67 and 20 yards to Waddle and Hill, respectively. Twelve of Tagovailoa's 17 completions, in fact, were to Waddle and Hill. However, the Dolphins were unable to score any touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Maybe that's why he was snubbed from the Pro Bowl.
Against the Packers, Tagovailoa will have another opportunity to lead the Dolphins to victory. It remains to be seen whether the Dolphins will stick to a strict game plan of focusing on first downs and running the ball, or if they will give Tagovailoa more freedom to take deep shots down the field. Regardless, he should go for over 300 total yards and two touchdowns.
1. Dolphins sneak past the Packers for win No. 9
Sure, the Dolphins have lost their past three games. However, it's important to note that they faced tough opponents in the 49ers and Bills during that stretch. Despite their recent losses, the Dolphins have still performed well offensively. They actually rank third in the NFL in net yards per play at +0.8 over the past three games.
Now, they have the opportunity to bounce back at home against the struggling Packers. To do this, the Dolphins must prioritize their ground game. Remember that the Packers have a defense that allows the fourth most rushing yards per game. This means that the Dolphins have the opportunity to find success on the ground and open up their offense. If they neglect the run game again, they risk dropping further in the AFC standings instead of being among the top four or five teams.
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