Dolphins, Texans Each Trying to Snap Losing Streaks Sunday

If the Miami Dolphins season wasn’t already on the line and an embarrassment, the result of Sunday’s contest could officially lose the locker room and make fans look the other way for the remainder of 2021.

The Dolphins play host to the Houston Texans, something that would seem more laughable and more of a sure-fire win…if both teams weren’t currently 1-7.

Each Team Won Opener, Has Dropped Seven Straight

Each team won its season opener and will head into Sunday’s game looking to snap a seven-game losing streak. 

Miami took down New England 17-16 on the road, while Houston defeated Jacksonville 37-21. The Dolphins have yet to win at home and the Texans have yet to win on the road.

Tyrod Taylor Back for Texans

It looked as though Miami would have a good opportunity to end its skid, but quarterback Tyrod Taylor was activated off injured reserve after missing the previous six and a half games with a hamstring injury. The move pushes rookie signal-caller Davis Mills back to the bench who has gone winless this season.

Taylor seemed to always have the Dolphins’ number in his time with the Buffalo Bills. The Bills, even as a struggling team, successfully game-planned to Taylor’s rushing and mobility strengths, something Miami still struggles with in today’s day in age.

“Obviously Tyrod is a very different quarterback than Davis Mills,” head coach Brian Flores said. “But our fundamentals, our technique, our communication – we don’t really change our calls all that much. Just understanding that we may see more QB runs or zone-read type of plays. Who has the quarterback, who has the dive player – those things we spend a little bit more time on.”

Miami Rush Defense: Atrocious

This season, the Dolphins have allowed 926 rushing yards through eight games, as well as nine rushing scores. Averaging more than 100 yards per game given up facing a run-first QB will work against Miami who needs to control the pace of the game and keep its defense off the field if it wants a chance to win tomorrow.

“Things will get better because if you really watch the game, like my teammate ‘E-Rob’ (Elandon Roberts) said, we’re getting better and better,” defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah said. “We’re always in there. It’s just one or two things that we’re giving up or misaligned that’s getting us beat. We’ve just got to tighten that up.”

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Houston, We Have a RB Room Problem

Thankfully for the Dolphins, Houston is having rushing issues outside of the QB.

Houston traded away running back Mark Ingram back to New Orleans and has a rollercoaster depth chart with injury-prone David Johnson, Phillip Lindsay and Rex Burkhead. The trio seems to change positions weekly on its depth chart.

WR Brandin Cooks: Only True Receiving Threat

The Texans also struggle in the receiving game as they don’t have a reliable target outside of receiver Brandin Cooks. Thankfully for Houston, he has managed to stay healthy this season after a history of concussions and other injuries.

Dolphins Can’t Stay Off Injury List

As for Miami, it has already ruled out WRs DeVante Parker and Will Fuller, as well as RB Malcolm Brown, all of whom have landed on injured reserve.

Rookie receiver Jaylen Waddle will lead the receiving corps, alongside Preston Williams and budding star Mack Hollins.

Miami Should Rely On Waddle, Gesicki, Gaskin

Miami will likely use Waddle, tight end Mike Gesicki and RB Myles Gaskin heavily, while hoping the defense can force turnovers on the way to a victory in Week 9.

“We’re focusing on the little things. Focusing on doing everything possible. When you’re in the huddle, just listen to everything that’s being discussed in the huddle – play call, formation, shift, motion. Whatever it is. Snap count,” Gesicki said. “So this way when you go out there, you line up and you don’t want to make negative plays before the ball is snapped. We’re trying to prevent from kind of hurting ourselves, which is something that’s shown up, because we’ve got talent. We’ve got the ability to make plays.”

How Will Tua Respond to Deshaun Watson Rumors?

Additionally, Miami and Houston have also been in the news together for approximately the last year. About QB Deshaun Watson.

Now that the NFL trade deadline has passed, QB Tua Tagovailoa is officially the Dolphins’ signal-caller. So, has Tagovailoa truly ignored all the chatter surrounding a possible trade that his home organization definitely pursued, or will he show it in his game performance?

He isn’t leading a big-play style offense as of late, and is moreso grinding, but he is capable of finding guys like Gesicki deep downfield, and has proven to make it successful.

Despite both teams clearly needing to tear down, again, and try again…again, with their organizations, the Dolphins still have the better roster overall with better overall playmakers. This game should remain close and neither team should be able to run away with it, but it should be Miami at home with the higher number on the scoreboard when the clock hits triple zero.

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– Kayla Morton is the Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage Miami Dolphins. She is also competing in the national #SFB11 — if you’d like to make a donation with her please reach out to her via Twitter. Like and follow on Follow @northdakayla74 Follow @FPC_Dolphins and Facebook.