Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing Dolphins’ Week 9 game with Chiefs Wire
The 6-2 Miami Dolphins are set to meet the 6-2 Kansas City Chiefs at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany for a game that will be huge for both sides.
Miami’s offense has looked impressive through the first eight weeks of the season, but they have two losses that came against their only two opponents that had a winning record heading into the matchup. They need to earn a win to change that narrative before it starts to become a real trend.
The Chiefs have almost become a defensive-led team, as they’re top-five in both yards and points allowed. And, the scary thing is that the threat of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce still looms large on the other side of the ball, which is why they’re 6-2 despite the offense having fewer weapons than they’re used to.
As we continue our previews for this weekend’s game, we spoke to Chiefs Wire managing editor John Dillon to learn some more about Kansas City.
1. Kansas City struggled against the Denver Broncos last week, who gave up 70 points to Miami earlier in the season. In your estimation, what plagued them in the contest?
“It certainly didn’t help that Patrick Mahomes was sick, but either way, the game was a bad sign for Kansas City moving forward. The Chiefs’ offense has been plagued by inconsistency all season, and the loss to Denver was yet another example of how frustrating this team can be when the offense isn’t firing on all cylinders. When the reigning MVP looks average it becomes very difficult for Kansas City to do much on offense, given Andy Reid’s inability to commit to establishing a running game.” — JD
2. If Miami is able to contain Travis Kelce, a feat that not many teams have accomplished, who should Dolphins fans be keying on to be Patrick Mahomes’ next favorite target?
“Rashee Rice has been Mahomes’ favorite target when Kelce is double-covered or off the field, though his production dipped a bit against Denver. Kadarius Toney seemed to have some chemistry with him last year but hasn’t been a major part of Kansas City’s game plans in 2023 after his putrid showing in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions.” — JD
3. It seems like the Chiefs' defense has really stepped up this year. What’s been the biggest difference for Steve Spagnuolo’s unit?
“An effective pass rush makes a huge difference on defense. Second-year lineman George Karlaftis has looked like a world-beater up front, Chris Jones is still an All-Pro talent in the middle of the line, and free agent addition Charles Omenihu has been a valuable contributor since coming off of suspension in Week 7. The Chiefs’ defense thrives when opposing quarterbacks are harassed in the pocket.” — JD
4. This is Tyreek Hill’s first game against his former team. Is the feeling from the team or fanbase that the trade was a success from Kansas City’s perspective?
“Given the utter lack of production from the Chiefs’ receivers this season I’d say the Dolphins made out like bandits in the Hill trade. He is, bar none, the best receiver in the league and a threat to score on any play, which is something that Kansas City lacks, even if Travis Kelce is an incredible asset for Mahomes in the passing game. In hindsight, it would have been worth paying Hill whatever he wanted, and no return in a trade is worth losing the best player at a given position.” — JD
5. Who will win this battle in Germany and why?
“Unfortunately, I think Miami will take this one, likely by a wide margin. Mahomes has just looked… off, and as incredible as the Chiefs’ defense has looked, there is no accounting for Tyreek Hill’s speed when formulating a strategy for deploying effective coverage in the secondary. If I were a betting man, I’d say the Dolphins win with a final score of something like 28-16.” – JD
