Who Is The Best

By Mike Rifkin

The game of the week on Sunday is at M&T Bank Stadium as the Miami Dolphins will visit the Baltimore Ravens. This game could determine home-field advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs. If Baltimore wins, they’ll have home-field, but if the Dolphins win this week and next, they’ll be the number one seed. 

The Dolphins are coming off their best win of the season, a 22-20 win over the Cowboys, being able to erase the narrative that they can’t beat good teams. Tua Tagovailoa was 24-37 for 293 yards and a touchdown. Raheem Mostert had 46 yards rushing and a receiving touchdown. Tyreek Hill had a bad ankle, and all had nine catches for 99 yards. The one area the offense needs to figure out is the red zone, where the Dolphins were so good early, but it has been a struggle recently. The Dolphins defense had another solid game. Andrew Van Ginkel and Bradley Chubb both had a sack and a half. The defense held the Cowboys, who average 115 rushing yards per game, to 97. The defense has been sensational outside of five minutes against the Titans since week eight when Jalen Ramsey returned. Jason Sanders was 5-5 on field goals, including the game-winning 29-yard field goal. 

While the Dolphins had an excellent Christmas, the Ravens had a Christmas to remember. The Ravens beat the 49ers 33-19, a massive statement from Baltimore. Lamar Jackson was 23-35 for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson also had seven rushes for 45 yards. Rookie Zay Flowers had nine catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens’ defense had four sacks and five interceptions, giving the 49ers a beating nobody saw coming. 

Last season (week 2), these two teams played in a thriller that saw the Dolphins rally from a 21-point deficit to beat the Ravens 42-38. Tua was 36-50 for 469 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions, but the most significant number from that game was one, the amount of sacks he took. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combined for 22 catches for 361 yards and two touchdowns. Lamar Jackson did his thing with 437 total yards (318 passes, 119 rush) and four touchdowns (3 passes, 1 rush). Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman combined for 13 catches for 212 yards and two touchdowns. These offenses will look slightly different as Jaylen Waddle and Mark Andrews will miss the game with injuries.

Keys to the game

1. Pressure – These are the top two teams in sacks. Miami’s defense has been great at getting to the quarterback, but Mike Macdonald has Baltimore doing much of the same; whoever gets more pressure could generate a significant turnover.
2. Durham Smythe and Cedric Wilson – With Waddle out, someone not named Tyreek Hill will make some explosive plays. Smythe and Wilson combined for eight catches for 98 yards last week against the Cowboys.
3. David Long – Lamar Jackson is the best dual-threat quarterback in football. Long might have to be the spy against Jackson, who is deadly on the run.
4. Health – This is obvious, but the Dolphins’ injury report is not good. Waddle is already out, and ¾ the secondary are questionable, including Jalen Ramsey. If Miami’s defense is that banged up, Lamar Jackson could have a field day. 

A battle is to determine the number one seed in the AFC. This game will send 2023 out in style.