When the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars play on Sunday, former Dolphins quarterback and current Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson knows exactly what his team is going to struggle with.
The Dolphins present a problem for many NFL teams, and it is up to Mike McDaniel to create an offensive game plan that makes it difficult for other coaches to stop.
Jacksonville had the No. 22-ranked defense last season and could face a long afternoon against Miami's offense.
Pederson knows this, and he knows what his biggest problem will be. He spoke with the media and was asked about it. His three-word answer was enough.
Dolphins have the offense to make life miserable for Jaguars in Week 1
Stopping one of the Dolphins' weapons won't be easy, but the Jaguars will have to stop six of the fastest players in the NFL. If McDaniel can figure out a way to get three of them on the field at the same time, or more, it will be a long day of chasing and hoping rather than making plays to stop the Dolphins' offense.
Execution for Tua Tagovailoa and the offensive line will be important. If the Dolphins are going to supplement the high-octane passing game, they will need to do so with an equally impressive running game. Last year, the combination of Achane and Mostert was hard to stop.
Miami can't simply rely on the passing game, and Pederson must decide how he will defend McDaniel's offense this weekend. Does he give up the run to cover the receivers and hope that his defensive front can handle the rushing attack, or does he balance his defense and disguise coverages, hoping to throw off Tua?
There is plenty of tape from last year from teams that succeeded in stopping Miami's offense. While Pederson has been exploring those options, McDaniel has also been redesigning his playbook to exploit those types of schemes.
