Miami Dolphins vs. Baltimore Ravens: Will Ravens Win in Blowout Fashion?

On Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens (5-2) will take on the Miami Dolphins (4-3) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, where the Ravens hold an undefeated record during the 2010 season.  As for the Dolphins, they are currently undefeated on the road—very different from their winless record at home.

So which Miami team will show up on Sunday?

It is easy to say the Dolphins have been inconsistent, at best.  They are also a team that has struggled mightily against the Ravens in recent years—most notably in 2008, when Baltimore defeated Miami in the regular season and AFC Wild-Card round—outscoring Miami by a combined total of 57-22.

The Dolphins offense isn’t scaring anyone either.  Ever since their 2008 campaign that ended in a playoff berth, Miami’s offense has all but phased-out their Wildcat attack.  Part of this change in philosophy has to do with third-year QB Chad Henne, who is still learning a complex offense after taking over for QB Chad Pennington in 2009, when Pennington suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.

Since the start of the 2010 season, Miami has only utilized the Wildcat formation 20 times—yes, 20 total plays from scrimmage.

The Ravens will surely take advantage of the Wildcat-less Dolphins and the inconsistency of Henne at quarterback.  Henne has all the tools to be an elite quarterback in the NFL, but he lacks accuracy and sound decision-making skills—something Baltimore’s defense will likely exploit on Sunday.

Baltimore’s Bye Week should also play a factor in how well the team comes out to play this Sunday.  The Ravens are 7-1 coming off their Bye since 2002, and with the return of WR Donte’ Stallworth, they will be a healthier team.

The role Donte’ Stallworth will have in the Ravens offense on Sunday has yet to be determined. 

Ravens WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh has been vocal about his insignificant part in the offense thus far, so expect Houshmandzadeh to remain the No. 3 receiver until further notice.

One of the astonishing stats that many overlook when analyzing the Dolphins, is the amount of points the team has allowed to opponents this season.  During Week 3, Miami surrendered 31 points to an average Jets offense.  Week 4 was an out-and-out embarrassment for the Dolphins defense, yielding 41 points to a Patriots team that shellacked Miami on both sides of the ball.

Those 72 points allowed to division rivals won’t get you into the playoffs and certainly doesn’t bode well when you’re about to face the Ravens—a team that is fixated on forcing opponents into mistakes, especially with safety Ed Reed in the backfield.

More worrisome for Miami is their inability to score touchdowns.  In their last two games alone, the Dolphins had to rely on their kicker Dan Carpenter for 10 field goal conversions.

Last week, Miami was able to hold off the Cincinnati Bengals solely because of Carpenter’s foot.  However, field goals won’t be enough if the Dolphins find themselves in an early hole against the Ravens and their high-octane offense.

Let’s face it, the Dolphins were a much more exciting team when they ran the Wildcat offense.  Running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are still with the team, but their presence on the field has been greatly reduced. 

So far, both backs only account for two touchdowns in Miami’s offense—an offense that’s relying more heavily on the pass.

Chad Henne and the Dolphins will have an uphill battle this Sunday if the inconsistency of the past continues on their end.  The Ravens feast on teams that cannot throw the deep ball, and Henne has proven to be ineffective in that area.

With Williams and Brown still trying to find their groove in Miami this season, and the fact the Ravens have dominated the Dolphins in recent years, this game could be over by the fourth quarter.

Such a prediction might come across as bold to many, but it’s not farfetched given the track record of these two teams and the players that will be taking the field on Sunday.

To those who believe the Ravens defense is regressing, well, you’ll be in for a big surprise this Sunday.  Fabian Washington having one bad game does not constitute a breakdown in defensive principles.

Most people know the Ravens do an excellent job of fixing mistakes made in the past.  With the timing of the Bye Week, you can bet Baltimore has made all the right adjustments in order to continue their winning ways through the second half of the season.

At 5-2, the Ravens are poised to make a deep run into the playoffs—and beyond. 

With a win against Miami on Sunday, Baltimore will own a 4-1 record against AFC East opponents this year, and more importantly, own tiebreakers over those same teams if they too find themselves in the playoffs.

Todd McGregor is a Baltimore Ravens Featured Columnist here on BleacherReport.com

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