Miami offense vs. Seattle defense

	DOLPHINS OFFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	Run	22
	Pass	12
	Tot. Yds.	21
	Scoring	13
	Int's allowed	21
	Sacks allowed	37
	SEAHAWKS DEFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	vs. Run	24
	vs. Pass	16
	Total yds. allowed	23
	# of Ints.	30
	# of Sacks	38
	Turnover differential	+3

If one positive can be taken out of last week's loss to the Redskins, it is the fact that the Dolphins were allowed to rest a lot of players on the offensive side of the ball that were hobbled by injury.

Even though running the ball is going to be the key to the Dolphins success, the biggest concern heading into the showdown in the Kingdome is how well QB Dan Marino is going to bounce back after a disastrous 1999 regular season. Marino is experienced, playing in his 16th playoff game, but the veteran is clearly not playing at a high enough level to lead his team to victory. Marino is making a lot of poor reads, forcing the ball into coverage and making throws that his arm is simply not capable of completing any more.

The play of the Dolphin receiving corps is critical. Tony Martin has done what has been asked of him. Despite not putting up the numbers he would have liked to, the speedster is getting vertical and opening up a lot of room for his complementary receivers to work. O.J. McDuffie and Orande Gadsden are both ailing, but it is critical that they step up as go-to receivers in the short-to-intermediate zone.

Seattle is going to look to pressure Marino and force his receivers to make a lot of hot-read recognition and create production off the line of scrimmage. The Seahawks have played tough defensively down the stretch because they have turned up the heat on opponents more by using more aggressive blitz schemes and stunt action underneath. The Seahawks, especially against a Miami offense that has struggled lately, need to put the pressure on QB Dan Marino and force the Dolphins to guess in the passing game.

The Dolphins welcome the return of RB J.J. Johnson, who has been battling a nagging hamstring problem. Johnson needs to stay healthy for the entire game if Miami is to sustain drives and keep the Seahawks potentially high-powered passing attack on the sidelines. Johnson is a big back with a bruising running style, and will face a physical front four in the Seahawks.

The key to running the football against the Seahawks is to neutralize DT's Cortez Kennedy and Sam Adams. The Dolphins have had some trouble up front this season, particularly in the interior, but the unit has seemingly settled into their respective roles and look to be playing their best football as a collective group all season. OG's Kevin Gogan, Mark Dixon and OC Tim Ruddy need to step up their play by taking the Seahawk defensive tackles out of the game.

Seattle has an extremely active defensive front, but they tend to wear down as games progress. If Johnson can carry the ball around 30 times, he will give the Dolphins the type of offensive attack that will keep them in the game down the stretch.

Despite all the problems the Dolphins have endured down the stretch, the one consistent aspect of this team has been the play of the run defense, which held Washington to just 68 yards on 29 carries, aside from a 37-yard reverse. Miami has benefited from tremendous play from its defensive tackles, especially Daryl Gardener.

The reason that this unit is so dominant is that they clog holes in the middle and force teams to run wide on their extremely active and speed-oriented linebacking corps. MLB Zach Thomas is the anchor of this unit against the run, and he will need to be a playmaker in the middle of the field. Often times, teams try to use their center to get out and seal the linebacker, but he is too athletic and quick to get held up by an offensive lineman.

The Seahawks are going to need a big game out of FB's Reggie Brown and Brian Milne as an isolation blocker. If Brown and Milne do not get through traffic and reach Thomas, the already hobbled Ricky Watters is going to be forced to create running room to the outside and he will likely be unsuccessful in that role.

The one advantage the Seahawks have on offense is that the Dolphins are struggling at the left cornerback position, which is forcing the unit to play a less aggressive scheme. Kitna should find some time to throw in the pocket this week because the Dolphins are having to keep their safeties and linebackers back in coverage more often instead of incorporating them in the blitz package.

The Seahawks are going to look to spread the field using mostly three-receiver sets with Joey Galloway, Sean Dawkins and Derrick Mayes. This is an explosive receiving trio, but they have not been as productive as originally thought because the timing has not been there since the return of Galloway.

Kitna is going to be the difference in the passing game because he is the one that makes everything happen within the "West Coast" system, spreading the ball around to his weapons. Kitna has benefited recently from a more simplified and shortened passing game, but he is still inexperienced and shows a lot of that inexperience when teams blitz him. If Kitna forces things early on, it is going to put the Seahawks in a predicament because they will be forced to fight an uphill battle against a defense that has the potential to capitalize on mistakes.