Here’s a look at how the Miami Dolphins (2-6) and Baltimore Ravens (2-5) match up in six key areas ahead of Thursday night’s Week 9 game at Hard Rock Stadium (8:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video, CBS-4):
When the Dolphins run: Miami showed its greatest commitment to the run all season in Sunday’s 34-10 win at the Atlanta Falcons with 37 rushing attempts, and it produced a season-high 141 rushing yards. All three running backs were incorporated from the start. De’Von Achane rushed for 67 yards on 18 carries. Rookie Ollie Gordon II had 46 yards on 10 attempts and was big in extending drives in short-yardage situations, and Jaylen Wright was sprinkled in before closing out the blowout.
Center Aaron Brewer and left tackle Patrick Paul were beasts up front, and rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea showed some flashes of improvement. The use of Daniel Brunskill as a sixth offensive lineman at tight end unlocked an added level of physicality the Ravens will have to prepare for. The Dolphins are 13th in yards per attempt in the NFL and appear primed to stick to running the football. The Ravens rank 23rd in rushing defense. Defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike is on injured reserve, but linebacker Roquan Smith roams the middle while rookie Teddye Buchanan leads the team in tackles (55). Edge: Dolphins
When the Ravens run: Shutting down Bijan Robinson of the Falcons is one thing. Containing powerful Ravens running back Derrick Henry is another challenge entirely. The pack mentality the Dolphins used defensively to swarm Robinson will be needed and then some to consistently bring down the 252-pound Henry. He is averaging 4.7 yards per carry this season.
The Baltimore rushing attack tops the NFL in yards per attempt, and now electric quarterback Lamar Jackson is set to make his return, creating a fierce read-option combination between his speed if he keeps it and Henry’s power if the ball is handed off. The Dolphins’ run defense is no longer dead last, now 28th in the NFL, after holding Robinson to a putrid 25 yards. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks needs to keep playing out of his mind, like that first half against the Falcons, while Zach Sieler, Kenneth Grant and Benito Jones win against center Tyler Linderbaum and right guard Daniel Faalele, or at least keep them off Brooks and Dodson, so they can make tackles. It won’t be easy. Edge: Ravens
When the Dolphins pass: The greater commitment to the run helped quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the pass. Seeing through a visor to protect a swollen eye he woke up with last Sunday, Tagovailoa was 20 of 26 for 205 yards and four touchdowns, without an interception as he bounced back from back-to-back three-interception games. The visor, by the way, Tua says he’s sticking with it, much to the delight of his teammates.
The four touchdowns went to four different pass-catchers — Achane, Gordon and wide receivers Jaylen Waddle and Malik Washington. Tagovailoa needed a variety of targets to step up with wide receiver Tyreek Hill done for the season and tight end Darren Waller on injured reserve for a pectoral injury. The receiving corps will do it against a Baltimore secondary that has recognizable names — Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, rookie first-round pick Malaki Starks — but the Ravens are No. 28 in pass defense while only producing two interceptions, both from Nate Wiggins.
Not having Madubuike on the defensive line affects the Ravens’ ability to rush the passer. As a team, they’re not picking up sacks, and only pressuring opposing quarterbacks on 14.1 percent of dropbacks, they rank third-last in that metric. Tagovailoa is quick to get the ball out, and it should be easier on Paul and right tackle Larry Borom in this one, while Savaiinaea and right guard Cole Strange just need to prevent the interior rush from getting on Tagovailoa early in his progression. Edge: Dolphins
When the Ravens pass: The return of Jackson should provide a spark to what has been the league’s 28th-ranked passing offense. Jackson had 10 touchdowns and one interception before going down with the hamstring injury. Baltimore is relieved of trotting out either Cooper Rush or Tyler “Snoop” Huntley, although Huntley just led a win against the Chicago Bears.
A South Florida Thursday night could inspire Jackson, the Pompano Beach native and Boynton Beach High alum, to connect with Zay Flowers, who played his high school football at University School. Flowers has 41 catches for 486 yards and a touchdown this season. Dolphins cornerback Rasul Douglas has been very solid on one side, while it may be Jack Jones having Ethan Bonner rotate with him again after Storm Duck’s season-ending knee injury. If Jason Marshall Jr. is activated off IR, that helps Miami’s nickel prospects, while rookie safety Dante Trader has grown next to Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Dolphins will have to do better in defending tight ends, with Mark Andrews coming to town. DeAndre Hopkins and Rashod Bateman also must be accounted for.
Thursday night could be the final game in a Dolphins uniform for either starting edge defender in Jaelan Phillips or Bradley Chubb, as one could be dealt ahead of next Tuesday’s trade deadline, which would open up more snaps for Chop Robinson. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley is battling an ankle injury on the short week, but Jackson can always buy himself time with his legs when the pocket breaks down. It will be interesting to see how much defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who has spent a lot of time with the Ravens organization as a player and coach, opts to blitz Jackson, a method which was effective when Miami played a 2021 Thursday night game against him with a defense led by former coach Brian Flores and ex-defensive coordinator Josh Boyer. Edge: Ravens
Special teams: If Dee Eskridge can’t go, that means Gordon might be back there helping on kick returns again. The Dolphins could get a boost if gunner Elijah Campbell can return from his quadriceps injury. As kicker Riley Patterson and punter Jake Bailey have been reliable for the Dolphins, so is the case for Baltimore kicker Tyler Loop, who has missed one field goal that was from beyond 50 yards, and punter Jordan Stout. Edge: Even
Intangibles: Both teams picked up just their second win of the season on Sunday. But much of the national talk surrounding the Ravens seems to be about how they’re now primed for a playoff push, while the Dolphins are a touchdown underdog at home. It’s always an advantage to not have to travel for a Thursday night game, and Miami is more loose now after a win. But Baltimore gets a big lift from the return of Jackson, and that team has been an institution with John Harbaugh as coach and even several years before he took the reins in 2008. Edge: Ravens
PREDICTION: Ravens 27, Dolphins 23
Dolphins Deep Dive: Prediction time — Lamar Jackson and the Ravens Thursday night | VIDEO
