Three Things to Look for as the Dolphins Take on the 49ers

The Miami Dolphins were dominated by the Las Vegas Raiders in week one but that doesn’t mean that there weren’t positives. As we have discussed before, it is a season of growth, and with growth comes growing pains, something that the Dolphins, and their fans will have to endure. So with the focus not always on the win loss column, what can we look for in week to against the 49ers?

How Does Jeff Hafley Adjust

The Miami Dolphins defense actually got better as the game went on, the Raiders didn’t move down the field nearly as easy in the second half, but this week presents another challenge with Christian McCaffery and the 49ers offense. So how does Jeff Hafley approach this challenge. Does Hafley force the Niners to throw the ball and trust his young secondary, does he stick to his roots, and how does he make adjustments as the game goes on. Miami clearly missed Kenneth Grant last week up the middle, and the Dolphins have to get better defensively.

Is the Willis to Douglas Connection Real

The Miami Dolphins receiving core is young, and they have two receivers with potential to be really good in this league, including week one standout Caleb Douglas. Douglas had 5 catches for 94 yards in week one and was the Dolphins best receiver. The routes, the hands, the trust Willis had in his young wide receiver was huge, and it showed. The 49ers defense held the Rams to only 7 points in week one –albeit on another Continent– and another good showing from these two would prove it wasn’t a one time thing.

Get Back to De’Von Achane

De’Von Achane can’t touch the ball 15 times. The Dolphins went away from the run game in the second half, and Achane has to get 20+ touches per game. He is the Miami Dolphins best player, he is one of the NFL’s most explosive players, and if the Dolphins do want to win any games this year, your best player has to make an impact. Whether it’s in the air or on the ground Achane has shown the ability to dominate NFL defenses and Jeff Hafley has to let him shine.

While the 49ers present a really tough challenge for the Miami Dolphins it is one they should embrace. It doesn’t matter that they have 50 more pro bowl selections, it doesn’t matter that they are favored, and it surely doesn’t matter what the media thinks. The Dolphins have to take this game as a challenge and continue to focus on getting 1% better everyday.

These three things are crucial for the Dolphins success today and down the road. Hafley is a defensive mind, and albeit the talent differences, they can’t get picked apart week in and week out, there has to be improvements. On the offensive side, it is about building the future, and after one week it seems Miami has a few guys that should stick around for awhile