The Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 9 matchup against the Miami Dolphins has all the makings of an instant classic. Both teams faced drastically different expectations entering their 2023 campaigns, and while they are tied by record at this juncture of the season, Miami seems to have a bit more momentum than Kansas City.
Nothing is guaranteed in the NFL, though, and neither team is taking the other lightly heading into the highly anticipated international meeting, which is set to take place in Frankfurt, Germany.
We sat down with Mike Masala, managing editor of Dolphins Wire, to get his thoughts on Miami’s season to this point. His answers to our questions made for invaluable context that every fan should know ahead of the marquee matchup.
Go behind enemy lines with us to see just how confident Masala is in the Dolphins’ abilities this season, and what Miami will bring to the table in this game:
How has Tua Tagovailoa progressed since last season? Do you have faith that he can deliver the Dolphins a Super Bowl?
Tagovailoa was rolling last season, his first under head coach Mike McDaniel. However, the head injuries really slowed his progress before eventually ending his season early. This offseason, Tagovailoa worked a lot on falling techniques to protect his head from unnecessary hits on the ground, and that’s helped him with his availability in 2023.
He’s also continued to improve on his short memory after mistakes. Prior to McDaniel’s arrival in 2022, Tagovailoa playing tense, and when he threw an interception or fumbled, there was some clear hesitancy. Over the last year plus, he’s looser and rebounds well from those errors. That’s absolutely the type of mentality that a Super Bowl-winning quarterback possesses. I won’t promise he’s the guy that they can win one because, but he’s showing he might be one that they can win one with.
Who is Miami's biggest threat in the ground game? Will the Dolphins be able to keep Kansas City's secondary honest by establishing the run?
With rookie sensation De’Von Achane on injured reserve, Miami’s running game starts with Raheem Mostert, who leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 10 through eight games. His blazing speed and acceleration allow him to get to the outside quickly and blow past would-be tacklers. He also runs with enough ferocity to shed a defender or two if they do catch him.
Unfortunately, Miami’s offensive line could be missing as many as four starters on Sunday, which could significantly impact their ability to run the ball. However, as long as their defense keeps the Chiefs from scoring consistently, they’ll stay committed to the efforts with either Mostert or Jeff Wilson Jr.
Q: What does Miami bring to the table in the pass rush? Should Mahomes be concerned for his safety?
Vic Fangio’s defense has the ability to get after the quarterback without sending extra pressure, which is a coordinator’s dream. The trio of Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips and Andrew Van Ginkel has 11.5 sacks combined, and that includes three games that Phillips missed time. On the interior, the duo of Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler presents problems as well, as they account for another 8.5 sacks.
Then, when he needs it most Fangio will dial up a blitz from a linebacker like David Long Jr. or a cornerback like Kader Kohou, which can cause some havoc for opposing quarterbacks. If Patrick Mahomes walks out of this one relatively unscathed, he should be upping his budget for his offensive line Christmas presents.
Q: When did the Dolphins start to hit their stride this season? Was there a switch-flip type moment, or were they a hot team out of the gate?
Miami has essentially been strong since the first snap of the season, but their best performance came against the Denver Broncos when they scored 10 touchdowns and became the first team to put up at least 70 points since the Johnson Administration. However, there have also been low points for the Dolphins, as they’ve lost two games this year to their only two opponents to this point with winning records. That’s why this battle with Kansas City is so important. If they can prove that they can hang with teams like the Chiefs, they’ll actually be considered Super Bowl contenders and not potential frauds.
Q: Give me your best score prediction. Who wins and why?
The Chiefs may have one of the best coaches and quarterbacks in the history of the game, but Miami has a lot of talent themselves. And, on top of that, they got more time to get adjusted to get adjusted to time difference being in Germany. The Dolphins win this one 31-28.
