The Dolphins Should Flip the Script Against the Chiefs and Use the Cold to Their Advantage

[TheFish]

After losing the division against the Bills, the Dolphins must now play against the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. This is a chance for the Dolphins to win their first playoff game in twenty-three years. But it’s not going to be easy by any means. Not only do they have to go on the road to Arrowhead, but they will have to play in one of the coldest games in NFL history. The Dolphins have a history of playing badly in cold games, but this time is a little different because I have reason to believe the Dolphins could be beneficiaries of the cold this time. The weather forecast keeps getting colder as we get closer to Saturday, so it will at least be zero degrees by kickoff, but with the wind chill, it could get as cold as -30 degrees, which means that even Chiefs, who usually perform well in the cold will not be at their best. There is also a chance of snow which makes it even harder than it already is to throw the ball. This all means that this game will come down to the run game, and to our luck, the Dolphins have one of the best run games in the league; not only that, but they also have one of the best run defenses in the league. As long as coach McDaniel decides to stick to the run, the Dolphins should be able to win this game. The cold also means that speed won’t be a big factor in this game, and even though that sounds like a disadvantage for the Dolphins, I think it actually might be an advantage. The reason I say this is because of the Dolphins’ defense and all the veterans they had to sign. These veterans might not be so fast anymore, but they are still strong, which means it will be a very physical and technical game, and all these veterans could really benefit from that. Other than stopping the run game, the Dolphins have to focus on controlling Mahomes. His receivers are not the best, and they tend to drop a lot of passes. That could happen in this game even more because of the inclement weather, which means Mahomes will essentially have to play superhero unless they run the ball every play. Mahomes will be looking in Kelce’s direction a lot, because they both play their best when it’s off script, so having someone on Kelce at all times will be important, they can’t give him any room to work with. They also have to keep an eye on Mahomes scrambling, because he will probably try to run as much as he can and will use any chance the defense gives him to do so. This game also marks Tyreek Hill’s first time back at Arrowhead, so I am sure he is extra motivated to be involved in this game. However, the Dolphins can’t afford to force the ball to Tyreek every play because we have seen how bad it can turn, and especially with the cold weather, it will be hard to get the ball to him. The best way to get him involved will be by giving him run attempts to take some of the load off the running backs and give them a break. I would say that they should throw a lot of screen passes, but the last time they did that against the Chiefs, it resulted in a Chiefs touchdown. So, as long as the Dolphins run the ball almost every single play and protect the ball at all costs, they should be able to have a decent offensive game, considering the weather. And on the Defensive side, just stuff the run, and cover Travis Kelce. This game will be really physical and will be a tough battle for both teams. This is one of the games that shows who really wants it more. Let’s fight to the end and win a playoff game. #FinsUp.

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