clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Thursday open thread: Which Dolphins player poses the biggest threat to the Detroit Lions?

Who do the Lions specifically need to stop on Sunday?

NFL: Chicago Bears at Miami Dolphins Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins are a sneaky team. They don’t dominate in any particular phase of the game, but at the same time, they don’t have any true glaring weaknesses, either. They’re a team that looks mediocre across the board but has the capability of blindsiding a team any week of the season.

As a result, they’re 4-2 through six weeks and share a hold of the lead in the AFC East.

Part of the reason they’re able to shock teams—like the Chicago Bears last week—is the handful of playmakers they have on both sides of the ball. We’ve seen the Lions give up a lot of big plays both offensively and defensively, so there’s no doubt that Detroit could be vulnerable this Sunday. The question is, who should they be worried about?

Today’s Question of the Day is:

Which Dolphins player poses the biggest threat to a Lions victory?

My answer: I’m tempted to say Frank Gore, both considering the Lions’ inability to stop the run and the fact that Gore is somehow still extremely effective despite crossing over he dreaded 30-years-old hill five years ago. However, he’s not exactly the type of shifty, quicky running back the Lions have really struggled against thus far.

Instead, I’ll go with the somewhat obvious answer in wide receiver Albert Wilson. Thus far, so goes Wilson, as does the Dolphins offense. Wilson has a catch of at least 20 yards in four different games this season—all wins. When Wilson is held in check, like he was against the Bengals (5 catches, 43 yards) and the Patriots (4 catches, 19 yards), the Dolphins offense was completely stifled. They averaged just 10 points in those two games and lost them both.

But Wilson’s talent is undeniable. That acceleration after the catch is likely only matched by the likes of Tyreek Hill. So the Lions will have to account for that speed, and it won’t be easy without speedster Jamal Agnew in the secondary. Sound tackling and proper angles will be key, which means they’ll need big games out of guys like Tavon Wilson and Glover Quin, who typically defend that sort of thing well.

Your turn.