Red Right 88

Browns vs. Dolphins – Week 13

The Browns head to Miami today looking for their first win on the road against the Dolphins since 1970.

The Opposition

Miami: 6-5
Offensive rank: 16th overall/15th passing/19th rushing
Defensive rank: 6th overall/4th passing/12th rushing
Strength of schedule: 5th
All-time record: Miami leads 9-6, including playoffs. The Browns haven’t beaten the Dolphins in Miami since 1970, their first meeting.
The line: Browns +4.5

What to Watch For

The Browns actually have a better chance to win this game than they are getting credit for as, in a lot of ways, these teams mirror each other.

The Dolphins are only 1-4 at home and their only quality win this season was an OT victory over Green Bay in Week 6.

After leading the league in rushing last year, the Dolphins haven’t had a 100-yard rusher this season and currently sit 19th in the league. But they did run for a season-high 186 yards while controlling the ball for more than 41 minutes in last week’s victory at Oakland. The Browns defense will have to get over its tackling problems for the Browns to have a chance to win this game.

The Dolphins are 0-5 when they have less than 25 rushing attempts this season, so the Browns need to be solid against the run and get the Dolphins into more passing situations.

The Browns should be able to run the ball with Peyton Hillis, as the Dolphins are giving up over 100 yards a game on the ground. Getting the running game going is the biggest key for the Browns, as in their last eight wins, dating back to last season, they have averaged 190 yards rushing. In the seven losses during that same time they have averaged only 95 yards.

So both teams will be looking to run the ball, hoping that they will not have to rely on their erratic quarterback play.

For the Dolphins, Chad Henne returned last week from a knee injury. He’ll make the start again today, the first time the Dolphins have started the same quarterback two weeks in a row in several weeks.

On the Browns side, Jake Delhomme will once again be back under center, which means we will:

• See more activity from the wide receivers. We won’t use the word production because five-yard completions to the wide receivers are not really all that exciting or different than the eight-yard completions to the tight ends the Browns were getting with Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy at quarterback.
• A thrown-off-the-back-foot interception, a horrible throw while scrambling or being pulled down by a Miami defender, and an interception that is the result of locking onto one receiver.

At this point of the season and his career, there is no reason to expect anything else from Delhomme. He did it his last year in Carolina and he’s still doing it now. You want Delhomme as your starting quarterback you get the good – the use of the no-huddle offense for example – but you also have to live with the interceptions and just hope they don’t come at a bad time or that the defense can overcome them.

We would like to think that, facing the fourth-best passing defense in the league, the Browns will do their best to limit Delhomme’s passing attempts.

The Best Browns vs. Dolphins Game I’ve Ever Seen

The 1979 game the Browns won in overtime, 30-24. The Plain Dealer‘s game story is available here. Video highlights are available here and here.

The Prediction

Cue the record: the Browns can win if they don’t hurt themselves with turnovers or costly mistakes. While the Browns are improved (and improving) their margin for victory is so small they simply can’t afford mistakes.

Unfortunately, until he shows us otherwise, there’s no reason to think Delhomme can avoid those mistakes.

We’ll take the Dolphins minus the points in another entertaining, but close loss for the good guys.

Record picking the Browns this year: 2-8-1