The Dolphins come home to Hard Rock Stadium and get an extra day of rest when they face off in a Monday Night Matchup against the Tennessee Titans. For those of you who don’t know, I used to love the Dolphins playing in a Monday Night Football affair. You also know how I lament the fact that it is no longer the NFL marquis matchup it used to be, and if my feelings aren’t enough to prove it, this is actually a Monday Night Doubleheader, the other game being the NY Giants hosting the Green Bay Packers. As a football fan before the likes of the NFL Sunday Ticket, nothing was more exciting than having the Dolphins slotted to play on Monday Night Football. With Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football and soon to come Saturday Football, it’s really just another game, which in my mind is a shame.

The Dolphins have a lengthy injury list, and those include LT Terron Armstead and RG Robert Hunt, and of course LB Jerome Baker, all who did not practice this week. Armstead still has a chance, but if I had to make a guess, I’d say Hunt won’t be playing this week. Good news is G Robert Jones is back at practice and full practice. T Kendall Lamm also did not practice which would give T Kion Smith another start if Armstead doesn’t go. RB Raheem Mostert gets these “maintenance” days which translates to veteran rest, and he’s good to go for Monday night, as well as De’Von Achane who participated in full and is no longer on the injury report. TE Durham Smythe did not practice but I suspect he will play Monday Night.

The Titans at 4-8 are having a miserable season, but QB Will Levis is a bright spot in the murky darkness. WR DeAndre Hopkins is having a nice comeback year, with 50 receptions for 774 yards and 5 TD’s. RB Derrick Henry is 2nd in the NFL just ahead of our own Raheem Mostert with 841 yards rushing and 8 TD’s. I don’t need to tell you all which back leads in the NFL in rushing TD’s, but it’s so much fun to say Raheem Mostert with 14! Mostert trails Henry by only 13 yards so let’s hope Mostert takes over 2nd place after this game. The Titans offense is 25th in the NFL scoring 17.8 points per game and the defense is mid pack at 16th, allowing 21.3 points per game. The Dolphins are 2nd in the NFL in scoring at 32 points per game and on defense, have improved to 21st allowing 22.2 points per game. Our defense has really been killing it, and although it was thought RB Derrick Henry may miss the game with a concussion, he will be playing. First we lost OLB Jaelan Phillips for the season and now LB Jerome Baker is week to week. AVG and Emmanuel Ogbah have done well in Phillips stead, and LB Duke Riley played his best game as a Miami Dolphins last week against the Commanders. It’s obviously a tough task trying to bring King Henry down at 6’3 247, so this defense will have to get to Henry early and not allow him to get a head of steam.

The Dolphins signed DE Jason Pierre-Paul, and also signed big DT Justin Ellis to the PS this week. Ellis is a massive 6’2 350 nose tackle type of DT who may help down the stretch as we know our DT’s all play tons of snaps. I think JPP will be playing mostly on the D-line either at end or maybe even tackle in pass russ situations. Both Sieler and Wilkins have been over 75% of the defensive snaps, so both Ogbah and JPP can give these guys a breather so they’re ready for the championship run. On offense, WR River Cracraft is back, although Tyreek Hill is the show in Miami. WR Jaylen Waddle is a distant 2nd to Tyreek, Waddle has almost exactly HALF the receiving yards (743) of Hill (1481) and 1/4 of the TD’s (3) to Hill’s (12). Still, Waddle is important as he’s always a threat, but he’s had a tough season with some untimely drops. RB Jeff Wilson seems as the break glass in case of emergency back with Mostert and Achane sharing very productive carries. WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. has quietly done some good things although the last 2 games he was not targeted.

Now that the Dolphins are the #1 seed, they have a target on their back, but also have a target set for themselves, to keep the #1 seed and play every post season game, with the exception of the Super Bowl at home at Hard Rock. Will Levis is a capable QB, and while his completion percentage is garbage at less than 60%, he has 7 TD’s and only 2 INT’s, splitting the season equally, and sharing a 2-4 record with QB Ryan Tannehill, who this season had 2 TD’s and 6 INT’s. Titans TE Chigoziem Okonkwo has the 2nd most receptions (35) behind WR DeAndre Hopkins (50) followed by RB Tyjae Spears with 33. We need to shut down King Henry and let our new dominant secondary and pass rush limit the Levis to Hopkins connection and we should be able to win this game. No trap games, every game must result in a W to maintain that all important home field advantage.