Giants vs. Dolphins: Full Miami Game Preview

For only the second time this season, the Miami Dolphins (5-7) will be featured in prime time on national television as they host the New York Giants (5-7) on Monday night.

The Dolphins will need a lot of help to get back into the playoff chase, as they're not mathematically eliminated just yet. They are two games and four teams behind the final spot with only four games left to go. In fact, if the Dolphins lose, combined with wins for the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers, they will be eliminated from playoff contention. 

A win keeps Miami's playoff hopes afloat, but they'll have to beat a team in the Giants who can best be described as a cornered animal. On a three-game losing streak, the Giants are locked in a three-way tie for first in the NFC East.

Here's a preview of the mayhem we should expect to see come Monday.

Location: Sun Life Stadium; Miami Gardens, FL

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN (WFOR CBS4 in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale TV Market)

Week 13 Results and Recap

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The Dolphins played a depleted Baltimore Ravens team in Week 13 and managed to come away with a victory despite scoring only one offensive touchdown and gaining 61 yards on offense in the second half. 

The victory also came despite only getting eight first downs, 86 yards passing and only one wide receiver who gained more than five yards. 

It was an ugly win spearheaded by a much-maligned defense, which picked off Matt Schaub twice, sacked him three times and held the Ravens to only 13 points. 

It was the type of win you can't feel good about for any reason, as it showcased the worst that the Dolphins had to offer and the worst that Ryan Tannehill could possibly play. 

AFC East Standings

1. New England Patriots (10-2)
2. New York Jets (7-5)
3. Buffalo Bills (6-6)
4. Miami Dolphins (5-7)

AFC Wild Card Standings

5. Kansas City Chiefs (7-5)
6. New York Jets (7-5)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)
8. Buffalo Bills (6-6)
9. Houston Texans (6-6)
10. Oakland Raiders (5-7)
11. Miami Dolphins (5-7)

News and Notes

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Landry, Beckham Jr. Plan a Pregame Show

The most entertaining aspect of this week's game comes from the top receivers of the Dolphins and Giants. 

For the first time since jumping to the NFL, Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. will be on the same football field, only this time as opponents. Per Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post, the two plan a "pregame extravaganza" for the fans that get there in time to watch them warm up. 

“We’ll get together earlier that day before pregame, and we’ll put something together,” said Landry, who like his former teammate has 78 receptions this season. 

Both players have been looking forward to this matchup, with Beckham saying: 

"

An opportunity like this to play against my brother in the National Football League, it’s something that I don’t want to say I never imagined possible, but finally being here, it’s just all so surreal. It should be a wonderful opportunity.

 

"

Dolphins Release Jordan Kovacs

Miami's rather thin at secondary, and has had a hard time finding the right player to play alongside Reshad Jones at safety. 

One possible candidate that never quite got the opportunity was Jordan Kovacs. I say "was" because per Omar Kelly of the Sun-Sentinel, Kovacs was released on Tuesday. 

Kovacs is eligible to be placed on Miami's practice squad. However, that can't happen until Thursday at the earliest and only if he goes through the waiver-wire unclaimed. 

Kovacs mainly contributed on special teams, but a knee injury has kept him in the back of the line in terms of potential Dolphins safeties. 

The move was made because the Dolphins are also thin at defensive tackle and on the offensive line.

Campbell Assesses The Play of Ryan Tannehill

I read the comments despite all warnings telling me I shouldn't. One common thing I always hear about in the comments is the play of Ryan Tannehill. 

Readers either blindly bash him or blindly defend him, regardless of his play. It's almost like there's no nuance to the discussion. He's either the best thing since Dan Marino or the worst thing since Cleo Lemon with no in-between. (Note: he's in-between.) 

Your evaluations of Tannehill don't matter. Mine doesn't either. The evaluation of Dan Campbell does, since he is currently Miami's interim head coach. 

Per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, here's what Campbell had to say about Tannehill's play: 

"

I feel like he's played solid football for us and I feel like with where we're trying to go now is to give him the best opportunity to have success. I think that there's a certain way to use Ryan Tannehill and that's what we're trying to do with him and set him up to give him the best chance of success possible. I'm glad he's our quarterback right now.

"

I can't disagree with a single thing that Campbell said. 

It doesn't come off as typical "coach speak>" It feels a lot more sincere. The only problem is I haven't really seen the Dolphins give him the best opportunity to have success, as the play-calling remains imbalanced, and the attempt to fix that imbalance against Baltimore resulted in a forced, rhythmless offense that had one outstanding play, (Tannehill's touchdown pass to DeVante Parker). 

That should get better as the season goes on, but let's be honest here: Using Ryan Tannehill in a Bill Lazor offense was not the best thing for him. Nor is having a guy who never called plays before (Zac Taylor) take over as offensive coordinator after firing Lazor three-quarters into an already-failed season. 

Let's hope the Dolphins get a coach that can get the most out of Tannehill the next go-around, and let me explain why: It will be difficult to find a better quarterback in the next couple of years, and if a coach can't at least make Tannehill look decent, how would you expect him to properly develop Tannehill's replacement? 

Injury Report

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The only two key names to look for on the Dolphins injury list, (which won't be published until Thursday afternoon), are the two players named specifically by Dan Campbell on a conference call, (details courtesy of the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson). 

Ja'Wuan James

The sorely missed right tackle has been on the sidelines since injuring his toe against New England in Week 8, and it will remain that way on Sunday. 

In his place will be, once again, Jason Fox. Fox has improved at right tackle since taking over for James but will face a big challenge against Cullen Jenkins, a player who can be a handful but hasn't quite performed up to his normal standards this season. 

Rishard Matthews

You'd like to have Rishard Matthews on the field against the Giants and their poor pass defense; however he will most likely miss the game, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.

In Matthews place will once again be DeVante Parker, who is coming off the best game of his young career and is a good candidate to have a coming-out party on national television. 

As for both players missing the Monday Night game, Campbell flat out said, per Jackson: "At this time, I don't feel great about either one of them playing," meaning between now and Monday, a lot can change. 

Key Matchups

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Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul vs. Dolphins LT Branden Albert

You'll likely see this only on third downs, but this matchup between Jason Pierre-Paul and Branden Albert will be a big one. 

Since coming back from that horrific fireworks-related-,njury, Pierre-Paul (a Miami-native) has been held to 12 tackles and no sacks in four games. You don't want his first sack of 2015 to come against Albert, who started the season off slow but is morphing into the Pro Bowl left tackle Miami signed in 2014. 

Giants G Justin Pugh vs. Dolphins DT Ndamukong Suh

Ndamukong Suh doesn't get enough credit for the way he has played the last eight weeks, which has allowed Miami's pass rush to get constant pressure on the quarterbacks. 

Here's how good Suh has been: He only finished with a negative Pro Football Focus grade once in 2015, and it was last week in a game where he played very well. 

This week, it will be Justin Pugh's responsibility to keep Suh contained. Pugh has been sharp throughout 2015, and a case can be made that he's the Giants' best offensive lineman. This trench matchup will be an exciting one to watch, as the last time the two met was in 2013. 

Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Dolphins CB Brent Grimes

Brent Grimes has really struggled of late and will again have his hands filled with superstar Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. 

Obviously if Beckham goes up and makes another spectacular catch, (similar to the one he made last week vs. the Jets), there's not much Grimes can do to stop him. What he will have to do is contain Beckham on routes and keep him covered to the point where quarterback Eli Manning will have to look for other receivers or face the wrath of Miami's pass rush. 

Easier said than done, but Grimes has been able to contain the best of the NFL's receivers in the past and will have to do that come Monday. 

X-Factors

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Miami Dolphins X-Factor: Ryan Tannehill

We all want to see Ryan Tannehill play better this week. 

Well, at least those that would like to see the Dolphins win. There are Dolphins fans out there who don't, due to draft position. I don't blame them, but it's not 2011 with an Andrew Luck-type, franchise-saving quarterback on the horizon. 

Tannehill can outdo his performance against Baltimore in the first quarter alone. In fact, I fully expect him to do just that against the Giants and their last-place pass defense. 

If Tannehill is efficiently productive, Miami should win the ball game. 

New York Giants X-Factor: Dwayne Harris

Dwayne Harris could very well swing the game. 

Miami is poor against kickoff returns, while Harris averages 29.5 yards per return and has already taken one to the house this season. This could be a good situation for him to do it again. 

Harris is also the Giants' second receiver, and with Odell Beckham Jr. getting most of the attention from the secondary, he could wind up silently killing the Dolphins with underneath routes. 

Keep an eye on Harris on both offense and special teams. 

Prediction

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This game shouldn't be as intimidating as it seems. 

The Dolphins actually come in as the hotter team by virtue of winning their last game. The Giants are more desperate since they are still in serious contention for the NFC East, as opposed to the Dolphins only barely being mathematically in the playoff chase but with many obstacles ahead of them, many of them self-imposed. (They would lose a tiebreaker to every team ahead of them except for Houston.) 

The Giants' weaknesses do play to what Miami wants to do on both sides of the ball, and the Dolphins should be able to exploit said weaknesses. 

That won't be enough on Sunday, though. The Giants have the edge at head coach and at quarterback and are more equipped than the Dolphins for a possible shootout. 

The first team to hit 30 will win the game, and Miami will get close—but not quite there. 

Prediction: Giants 31, Dolphins 27

Statistics provided by NFL.com, advanced stats provided by Pro Football Focus.