Baltimore Ravens

3 Ways The Baltimore Ravens Can Beat The Miami Dolphins

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Dec 7, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith (89) makes a catch as Miami Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes (21) defends the play during the second half at Sun Life Stadium. Ravens won 28-13. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday features a potential playoff preview when the Baltimore Ravens take on the Miami Dolphins

The Baltimore Ravens know that Sunday is one of their most important games of the season. They come off a hard fought 19-14 win against the Bengals last Sunday. The defense proved to be solid once again. Elvis Dumervil’s return was crucial as he forced a strip sack of Andy Dalton on the Bengal’s last drive of the game.

Unfortunately, the consistent defense came with an inconsistent offense. It took three 50+ yard field goals from Justin Tucker to put the majority of the points on the board. The offense came out hot, but stalled in the 2nd half. A top-tier defense can only take the team so far. They will need to find rhythm in the offense if they want to be a legit contender in the AFC.

The Ravens take on the red hot Miami Dolphins, who hold the second AFC wild card spot. After starting the season 1-4, the Dolphins are on a 6 game winning streak. First year head coach Adam Gase has completely changed the culture in the locker room. After 7 straight non-winning seasons, the Dolphins are on track for a winning season. The emergence of Ryan Tannehill and Jay Ajayi have made the Dolphins  legitimate playoff contenders.

Here are 3 keys to a Ravens victory on Sunday.

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Key #1: Stop Jay Ajayi

Jay Ajayi has been a monster and has come out of no where this season. Once Arian Foster retired mid-season, Ajayi took the starting role and has not looked back. He is having a fantastic season, racking up over 800 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns. Ajayi comes up against the top ranked rushing defense on Sunday. The Baltimore defense has only allowed 75 rushing yards per game.

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Other than Ezekiel Elliot, this is going to be one of the Raven’s toughest running match-ups this season. The Ravens were able to hold Elliot under 100 yards rushing and no touchdowns, but Ajayi is a different kind of back.

The difference with Ajayi is that he is a bruiser and gains a lot of his yards after contact. Even on short gains, the 220 pound back will be able to fall forward for a gain. If the defense can stop Ajayi early and keep him to two to three yard gains, they can take away his confidence. Most of the time, it is going to take more than one defender to bring him to the ground. I know that defense coordinator Dean Pees is going to have his defense flying to the ball on Sunday.

Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Key #2: Force Ryan Tannehill To Make Mistakes

After signing a 6-year $96 million dollar contract with the Dolphins in 2015, Ryan Tannehill is considered the face of the franchise. In many eyes he has not lived up to the hype, but this year is a different story. Tannehill is on pace for a career high in passer rating and looks as dangerous as ever. He is as determined  to end the Dolphin’s eight year playoff drought.

The team has surrounded the quarterback with some legitimate offensive weapons. Wide receivers Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker are dangerous and could give the Raven’s secondary trouble. If the Ravens can force Tannehill into mistakes, they can win Sunday’s game. Through four and a half seasons in the NFL, the Miami quarterback has thrown 62 interceptions. We know he is prone to throwing interceptions. If Eric Weddle can hold on to one this week, the Ravens are in good shape.

The Dolphins offensive line is banged up and the Ravens front seven should have a field day. Having the tandem of Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil on the edge will provide a consistent pass rush the whole game. The two combined for 3 sacks and 3 forced fumbles against the Bengals on Sunday. Getting to the quarterback and making him uncomfortable in the pocket is going to force him to make bad decisions.

Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Key #3: Take Advantage Of Home Field

A bit of a wild card here, but this is a major key for the Ravens. Aside from the crowd, M&T bank stadium can provide a different kind of home field advantage for the Ravens on Sunday. The high on Sunday is going to be a chilly 44 degrees. At this time during the year, Miami is averaging a temperature of around 70-80 degrees.

The last two away games for the Dolphins have been in San Diego and Los Angeles. I’m not a meteorologist, but I believe Baltimore is a lot colder than both of those places this time of year. Playing at a 40 degree drop on Sunday is going to be a disadvantage for Adam Gase and company. If the wind begins to pick up, it is going to be brutal outside.

From my football experience, defenders do not like to hit in cold weather. The birds have offensive players who love to drive their shoulder into defenders. Steve Smith and Terrance West especially can have big games if they use their physicality to their advantage. Matching up, the Ravens are definitely the more physical team and I like their chances on Sunday.

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