The Miami Dolphins will be taking the short four-hour trip to Tampa Bay over the weekend to take on the Buccaneers. These are teams that are trending in two opposite directions. Firstly, Miami is dealing with a three-game losing skid and are without their starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. On the other hand, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers are coming off a huge win against the New England Patriots. They are 3-1 with their lone loss being against the Los Angeles Rams, who are arguably one of the best teams in the NFL right now. Tampa Bay is not surprisingly favored against the Dolphins by a touchdown and a field goal according to Caesars Sportsbook  This article will preview the Miami Dolphins Week 5 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Defense is one of the Keys in this Game
One of the main keys to the Dolphins earning an upset victory over Tampa Bay is to win the battle defensively. This means limiting Tom Brady’s scoring opportunities and limiting 3rd down conversions to get off the field. The Dolphins are dealing with a legendary quarterback that is known for being a prolific passer in the NFL. Miami will have to bring the pressure to Tom Brady to throw off his rhythm and timing. If this does not happen for Miami then it will be a long day for the secondary. Emmanuel Ogbah and Christian Wilkins will be key in this effort since they are great at bringing the pressure and stopping offenses behind the line of scrimmage. It will be interesting to see how the defense reacts to this great offense.
Jacoby Brissett needs to find his rhythm
This is will probably be the last game for Brissett as a starter. Tagovailoa should be back next week from his rib injury. Brissett needs to focus on making good decisions against this Tampa Bay defense and not force any balls in coverage. The Dolphins do not want to risk any turnovers in this game.
The Offensive line is another factor in Brissett finding his rhythm. The O-Line needs to protect him better in the pocket. Last week, he was scrambling out of the pocket a lot as the offensive line couldn’t stop the Colts. This forced Brissett to get sacked and fumble the ball and it forced a lot of inaccurate passes that thankfully didn’t result in turnovers. Brissett has been up and down the past couple of weeks but if the offensive line can give him some protection, he is very capable of leading the Dolphins to a major win.
The receivers will win this game for the Dolphins
With the rushing attack not being a factor in the Dolphins offense, Miami will need to rely on their dangerous receivers to win this game. DeVante Parker has been spectacular for Miami recently. He has been the only consistent player making plays for this offense. Brissett will have to target Parker a lot and maybe take some deep shots with him down the field. Â Jaylen Waddle is another guy that has been a force within the Dolphins receiving core. His speed helps the Dolphins convert a lot of first downs in the short passing attack. If the Dolphins can incorporate Waddle in some screens or slant passes, then there is a good chance one of them can be broken off for a big gain. The speed and quickness of this Dolphins receiving core could very well give Tampa Bay fits on defense.
Conclusion
It is clear that the Buccaneers will have a major advantage come Sunday. They are the better team in all aspects of the game right now. The Dolphins will just need to play good football and take care of the ball. If they can do that, then they will have a chance at winning this game. This concludes this Miami Dolphins Week 5 game preview for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers match-up.
Featured Image courtesy of Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
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