Miami Dolphins vs. San Diego Chargers: What's the Game Plan for San Diego?

The San Diego Chargers play their home finale—possibly the last one ever at Qualcomm Stadium—against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday with the team's future in San Diego still undecided.

But on top of wanting to win one for their fans, the Chargers should also want to win for themselves after the way things played out against the Dolphins in Miami last season. San Diego suffered its most lopsided defeat since 1996 and probably the most embarrassing one under head coach Mike McCoy when it lost 37-0 to the Dolphins.

Both teams were mathematically eliminated from the postseason with losses last week. The Chargers (3-10) were edged 10-3 by the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, and the Dolphins (5-8) dropped a 31-24 decision to the New York Giants on Monday night.

And now for this week's game plan. 

Offensive Game Plan

Protect Rivers from Suh

All-Pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is 6'4" and 320 pounds of big strong man for the Chargers offensive line to deal with on Sunday. And while his sack numbers have been down this year, he's a force to be reckoned with along the interior. Suh has 48 combined tackles, four sacks and he's currently Pro Football Focus' fourth-highest graded interior defender.

Right guard D.J. Fluker, one of the players that will be assigned to blocking Suh, isn't intimidated by the matchup. He told reporters on Monday, per Chargers.com:

"

I know he’s a great player.” I know everybody brags on him. He’s strong, powerful and quick. I get it. But any day, it’s going to come down to the man who wants it more, and that’s going to be me or him. So we’re going to have to see how things go.

"

But even more concerning than Suh making plays on defense is his reputation of being a dirty player.

He's been fined eight times and suspended twice by the NFL for his mistreatment of quarterbacks, which, as seen in the following videos, has been well-documented in incidents with: Jake Delhomme, Andy Dalton, Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers, just to name a few. San Diego's offensive linemen need to have Philip Rivers' back in case Suh tries something.

One way Rivers might be able to keep Suh off balance is by making use of the hard count. Suh has been flagged for defensive offsides or neutral zone infractions eight times in 2015, per Pro-Football-Reference.com.

Run it up the Gut

Miami's defensive line will be without starting defensive tackle Earl Mitchell (calf) on Sunday, and four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Wake is out for the season with a torn achilles, leaving Suh and Olivier Vernon without much help up front.

The Chargers haven't had much success in the running game, but with the Dolphins thin on the D-line, that might open up some holes for running backs Melvin Gordon and Danny Woodhead to get to the second level.

The Dolphins rank 30th against the run—at 131.5 yards allowed per game—and opposing backs average 4.1 yards against them.

Name	Position	Injury	Status
Jelani Jenkins	LB	Ankle	Doubtful
Bobby McCain	CB	Concussion	Questionable
Earl Mitchell	DT	Calf	Out

Challenge Miami's Corners

Sure, Brent Grimes is a four-time Pro Bowler and among the top corners in football. But the truth is: He's struggling this season.

To put it into perspective for Chargers fans, he's allowed just as many receiving touchdowns as Brandon Flowers, with five. So while Grimes is a big name, he's not untouchable.

And at the opposite corner, Miami will start one of two rookies—Bobby McCain or Tony Lippett. McCain suffered a concussion against the Giants and is questionable to play Sunday, which could force Lippett into making his first career start.

Either way, it should be a big day for Rivers going against the 26th-ranked pass defense, even though his receiving corps will be missing Stevie Johnson, who has a groin injury, and Keenan Allen, who is out for the season with a kidney ailment.

Week	Game	Thrown At	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
12	Dolphins at Jets	12	9	131	2
13	Ravens at Dolphins	6	5	56	0
14	Giants at Dolphins	7	6	82	1

Defensive Game Plan

Wrap up Against Miller

Dolphins running back Lamar Miller gains the second-most yards after contact (3.22) and is among the top 10 elusive running backs in 2015, according to PFF. In this 38-yard touchdown run against the Giants, he changes direction quickly at the line of scrimmage and shows breakaway speed. San Diego's defenders can't get lazy with arm tackles—not against a guy who can do this.

The Chargers have missed 102 tackles on the year, which averages out to almost eight whiffs per game. That's way too many chances to allow Miller to break one.

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Take Away Landry

It's no secret who Ryan Tannehill likes to throw to nowadays. Jarvis Landry has been targeted 133 times—72 more than the next closest receiver on the Dolphins—and for good reason. The former second-round pick out of LSU is a playmaker with the fifth-most yards after catch. And with two more catches, he'll set the franchise record for most receptions in a single season, set by O.J. McDuffie with 90 in 1998.

Take him away, and Tannehill's options in the passing game become extremely limited, as second-leading receiver Rishard Matthews is questionable to play Sunday with a rib injury.

Rank	Player	Targets	Receptions
1	Julio Jones	169	109
2	DeAndre Hopkins	159	89
3	Antonio Brown	149	100
4	Demaryius Thomas	143	88
5	Odell Beckham Jr.	142	85
6	Brandon Marshall	141	89
7	Jarvis Landry	133	89

Don't Forget Tannehill Can Run

Miami's quarterback hasn't run nearly as much as he should this season, with only 25 attempts and 92 rushing yards. But that doesn't mean he can't run.

Tannehill, a former receiver at Texas A&M before he switched to quarterback, set career highs in rushing last season with 56 attempts and 311 yards. Against the Chargers, Tannehill had a 22-yard run and rushed for 47 yards in all.

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Key Matchups and Players to Watch

Jason Verrett vs. Jarvis Landry: 

Selected in the first two rounds of the 2014 draft, Verrett and Landry will square off for the first time as pros, as Verrett was on injured reserve the last time San Diego played Miami. Verrett is used to going up against the opposing team's top receiver. But Landry is unique in that nearly 70 percent of his routes run have come from the slot, per PFF. So Verrett will shift inside for most of this game.

Malcom Floyd vs. Brent Grimes: 

Sunday will be an emotional day for sure when Malcolm Floyd takes the field for his last home game, as he's set to retire after this season.

The 34-year-old has assumed the role of No. 1 receiver with Johnson and Allen out, which means he's likely to be defended by Brent Grimes. It's 6'5" going against 5'10": You do the math. Floyd proved last week at Kansas City he can still go up and get it with this tremendous 41-yard catch, so look for Rivers to try to go to the well again.

Denzel Perryman: 

Back in May, Perryman told Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune just how anxious he was for this game:

"

I can't wait to play the Dolphins. December 20. I've already got it circled on my schedule. It's the hometown team, and it's one of the teams that passed me up. ... They were talking to me, telling me all this good stuff. We're all grown. You can tell me you're going to take me or not. Don't sugar coat with me. It is what it is. But December 20, it's on and popping.

"

Now a starter at inside linebacker, Perryman gets a chance to stick it to the Dolphins.

Chris Hairston: 

King Dunlap is officially out for Sunday's game, so it will be Chris Hairston starting at left tackle for San Diego. Last game, Hairston came in for the injured Dunlap in the first quarter and allowed three sacks to Chiefs pass-rusher Dee Ford.

Vernon, Miami's right defensive end, has 6.5 sacks this season and will be a greater challenge than Ford was.

Prediction

It's potentially the last Chargers game in San Diego, with the team possibly relocating to Los Angeles next season, so the Bolts have to get a win for old times' sake, right?

It seems that way. The Dolphins defense isn't what it was last season, so Rivers and Co. can't expect to be shut out again. And with San Diego's defense performing better in the red zone the last few games, the Chargers should be able to hold on and win a close one.

Predicted Score: Chargers 20, Dolphins 17

All injury information courtesy of Chargers.com and MiamiDolphins.com