The Miami Dolphins will not be in action when the AFC Championship Game takes place on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, although they faced the two teams involved.
The Dolphins went 0-3 against the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, games that provided a good picture of how far they are from championship level and what they need to get there.
Looking at the Chefs and Accounts, it is quite obvious that the difference between these teams and the Dolphins are explosive offenses.
It is always obvious to point out that the Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, and these two are likely to be among those who will be considered for NFL MVP honors.
It should also be noted that Mahomes and Allen both have great game makers at their disposal, Mahomes with tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill along with a deep group of fast wide receivers. Allen has talented wide receivers everywhere with All-Pro Stefon Diggs, fast John Brown and slot receiver Cole Beasley.
Dolphins are insufficient in all areas.
The hope is that Tua Tagovailoa may eventually reach a level similar to or close to that of Mahomes and Allen, but in the wide receiver it is evident that the team needs reinforcements, whether via free agency or NFL draft.
When it comes to offensive, however, it’s important not to forget the offensive line, because that’s where it all starts, and it’s fair to put the top five Dolphins clearly behind the Bills or the Chiefs.
The Dolphins started three rookies up front in 2020 and there was promise shown by Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt and Solomon Kindley, but the group will have to keep improving to be able to make a difference.
The Dolphins ended up with a better defense score than the Bills or the Chiefs, though by an insufficient margin to make up for the big difference in attack.
Therefore, this should clearly be the focus if the Dolphins hope to close the gap.
FORECAST TIME
There are three games left, three games to predict.
I went 2-2 with my predictions in the divisional round, hitting both of Saturday’s fights (Green Bay over LA Rams and Buffalo over Baltimore), but losing in both Sunday games.
Yes, I had the Browns defeating the Chiefs and maybe I would have hit if it weren’t for the helmet-to-helmet hit that caused the fumble-touchback towards the end of the first half.
But now this is in the past.
For this week, there are the choices:
Packers over Bucs: Yes, Tom Brady’s return to the Super Bowl would be a great story, and he has the supporting cast to do so. But was there any sign throughout the season that Aaron Rodgers could be stopped? Even the Rams with their vaunted defense, although Aaron Donald was slowed by a rib injury, barely managed to slow him down. Tampa Bay beat Green Bay in the regular season, but that was Murphy’s Law game for the Packers and it won’t happen again.
Boss accounts: Yes, I am following the accounts until the end. It’s been a while since the Chiefs lost a significant game (October), but they just seem to continue to squeeze lately. The Bills, meanwhile, won badly at home against Baltimore and, although their attack seemed out of control, do not neglect the effects of the gusts at Bills Stadium that night. This is also a regular season rematch, but the Bills have improved a lot more since that game than the Chiefs. And it says here that his magical season will end with a trip to the Super Bowl, while Josh Allen once again continues to silence critics who still have a hard time accepting that he has become an elite quarterback.
DRAFT WINDS
After the news that the combination would not occur in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we now have the news that the “30 visits” of each team to host prospects in their region will also not take place this year.
This basically means that scouts will have to rely on the film more than ever, along with Professional Days, although the number of reps for each team is limited to three.
It is not yet known how this will affect the 2021 project, although in the final analysis, prospects should be judged on the basis of their performance in college, more than anything.