When the Miami Dolphins take the field this Sunday in Chicago, they will do so without running back Knowshon Moreno. Moreno is out for season after he suffered a knee injury in the game against Green Bay last Sunday in Miami. 3rd year running back Lamar Miller will be Miami's best hope for an effective running game, but waiting in the wings is rookie running back Damian Williams, who is probably one game away from making the Sunday night highlight reels. Looking at the upcoming game this Sunday against the Bears, the Dolphins' offense will have little or no room for anything other than perfection and total execution, since Chicago's formidable defense ranks 8th in sacks and 4th in interceptions in the NFL.
Miami's biggest challenge however, may be coming from within. There has been rumored dissent coming from inside the team, following the decision by Dolphins' head coach Joe Philbin to take over the role as the play caller for Miami's final possession against the Packers, has raised concerns of distractions and fragmented authority. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, is said to be less than happy with losing, albeit for a series, his play calling responsibility to his boss, and a Lazor quote published in the Sun Sentinel by reporter David Hyde, seems to support that perception. “We could have started taking a knee two drives earlier and run the clock earlier, but that’s not how you play.” There's little hope that the Dolphins coaching staff will pull themselves together before the upcoming game at this point. So, the best the average fan can hope for is that those assigned a certain role will be allowed to perform their duties with minimal interference from a micromanaging head coach.
Execution of called plays will rest on the shoulders of the players as it invariably is. Therefore the match ups between these 2 teams and identifying them potential weaknesses earlier on will be crucial. How well Miami defends Bears' running back Matt Forte who leads the NFL in receptions, can also be a difference maker in the outcome. But the Bears weapons are many, including former Dolphin wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who may just have an old ax to grind and is expected to be more motivated than usual when he faces his old team mates.
The Dolphins are going to aggressively establish the running game and rely on short high percentage passes but the challenges facing the Dolphins this week against the Bears are many and too complex perhaps for even the most skilled analyst to examine. But Miami's biggest challenge of all, may end up being its leaders. Will the players rally and come together in a display of solidarity and resolve? Will the team instead, be demoralized and concede defeat from the offset? These questions will be answered come Sunday. This writer's final score prediction is Miami 17, Chicago 24.