By
Hailee Miguel on Saturday, September 27
th 2014
The 1-2 Miami Dolphins will take on the 0-3 Oakland Raiders in London this Sunday. Miami is coming off a 34-15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs while the Raiders are looking to bounce back after a tough 16-9 loss to the New England Patriots. These two teams are evenly matched for the most part, and should play a good game across the pond.
For the Raiders, there is a lot of concern with the defense due to injury. Nick Roach’s status is still unknown, Sio Moore will be out for the second week in a row, and Miles Burris is listed as questionable. Not to mention Tyvon Branch is out for the year after breaking his foot. Despite being bit by the injury bug, this Oakland defense performed extremely well last week against the Patriots and Tom Brady.
When it comes to the Dolphins, there has been a bit of drama regarding the quarterback situation, but head coach Joe Philbin has officially named Ryan Tannehill the starter for this week’s game despite initial reports that Matt Moore may be given the opportunity.
The time change is a concern for both teams, but more so for the Dolphins who traveled on Thursday. The Raiders, on the other hand, flew out immediately after their game in Foxborough. Oakland has an advantage when it comes to the jetlag, but they must execute on the field this week to take advantage of that.
Players to Watch
Derek Carr, Quarterback, Oakland Raiders
Carr is a joy to watch and you can see him improve and develop every week. The rookie quarterback has an opportunity to have a big week against the Dolphins and a defense that is struggling right now.
Ryan Tannehill, Quarterback, Miami Dolphins
With the reported uncertainty at the quarterback position, added pressure is now on Tannehill to perform well. The Dolphins quarterback is currently on pace for career lows in completion percentage and passer rating. Against a poor Raiders secondary, Tannehill could be effective in the passing game this week.
James Jones, Wide Receiver, Oakland Raiders
Rod Streater is out indefinitely with a fractured foot which means Jones will be more involved in the offense and passing game. As it is, he is one of Carr’s favorite, and most reliable, targets. Expect Jones to have a big game this Sunday.
Since NFL teams have started playing games in London, the losing team has not finished the season with a winning record. There was some hype surrounding the Dolphins before the season started, and many thought they would be a factor in the AFC and AFC East, but so far that hasn’t been the case.
Final Prediction
Dolphins 17 Raiders 23