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KICKOFF: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. TV: FOX, Chris Myers, Ronde Barber, Jennifer Hale. SERIES HISTORY: 13th regular-season meeting. Dolphins lead series, 12-2. The last time the Dolphins played the Rams at the Coliseum was in 1971 -- Bob Griese completed 13 of 19 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns.
Miami Dolphins (5-4) at Los Angeles Rams (4-5)
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GAMEDATE: 11/20/16
KEYS TO THE GAME:
Rams QB Jared Goff will finally make his NFL debut. The Rams intend to play Goff as the starter the rest of the year.
The Rams insist the playbook will not be scaled back now that this year's first overall draft pick is the starting quarterback. With Goff's arm strength superior to Case Keenum's, expect the offense to expand rather than shrink.
That could mean longer routes and more plays downfield -- the upshot being it could open up things more for RB Todd Gurley and WR Tavon Austin. The Rams need that to be the case against an improving Dolphins defense -- especially in the red zone, where the Rams have traded too many touchdowns for field goals.
Miami won't deviate from its physical running game. And, in the last six quarters, the Dolphins are also stopping the run. That's a formula for success.
Miami, which was 30th in the league in run defense last week at 136.1 yards per game, have limited the New York Jets and San Diego Chargers to 100 yards on 33 carries in the last game and a half.
Stopping the run -- Gurley this week -- allows the Dolphins to get quarterbacks -- Goff this week -- into third-and long situations, where Miami can use its ferocious pass rush.
Welcome to the NFL, Mr. Goff.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH:
--Rams RB Todd Gurley vs. Miami run defense. This is a key category for a number of reasons -- primarily because it seems to be Miami's kryptonite. The Dolphins are 30th in run defense at 128.8 yards per game, but they seem to be improving -- just 100 yards rushing (3.3 per carry) in the last six quarters. Gurley (515 yards, 3.1 yards per carry) is an explosive runner who can exploit the fundamental errors that have plagued the Dolphins all season. If Gurley gets loose, it will be big trouble for Miami. If Gurley is contained, it will be a big success for Miami.
--Rams QB Jared Goff vs. Miami pass rush. DE Cam Wake (seven sacks) and DT Ndamukong Suh (five) get to welcome Goff, the No. 1 pick of the draft, into the NFL as he makes his first start. It will be crucial for Goff to feel comfortable in the pocket, but Wake, Suh and DE Andre Branch (3.5 sacks) will make that very difficult. Their up-field pursuit and ability to collapse the pocket will put immense pressure on Goff.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT:
QB Jared Goff. The No. 1 pick in the draft is making his first NFL start, and all eyes will be on him. The Rams' offense is in need of a spark, and the team hopes Goff can provide it.
INJURY REPORT:
Miami -- Out: T Branden Albert (wrist), CB Xavien Howard (knee). Doubtful: LB Jelani Jenkins (knee, hand), C Mike Pouncey (hip). Questionable: S Isa Abdul-Quddus (ankle), T Jermon Bushrod (shoulder), LB Mike Hull (knee), DE Jason Jones (knee), WR Jarvis Landry (shoulder), G Anthony Steen (neck), WR Kenny Stills (calf), DE Mario Williams (ankle)
Los Angeles -- Questionable: C Tim Barnes (foot), RB Todd Gurley (thigh), CB Lamarcus Joyner (ankle), DE Robert Quinn (illness), DE Eugene Sims (concussion).
FAST FACTS:
Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill posted a 130.6 passer rating in last week's win over the Chargers (17 of 24, 240 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT), his first game with a 100-plus rating this season and the second-highest rating of his career. Tannehill has gone four straight games without throwing an interception for the first time since a four-game streak in his 2012 rookie season.
Miami RB Jay Ajayi has rushed for 608 yards and four TDs in the past four games and leads the NFL with 5.71 yards per carry. He has 26 runs of 10-plus yards, second in the NFL.
The Rams are averaging an NFL-low 15.4 points per game. They have ranked last in the NFL just three times: 1937 (6.8, as the Cleveland Rams), 2009 (10.9, St. Louis) and 2011 (12.1, St. Louis).
Goff will be the first rookie QB to start for the Rams since Sam Bradford in 2010 (also the No. 1 overall pick that year), and first to start for the Rams in Los Angeles since Jim Everett in 1986.
PREDICTION:
While the feature of this game is the unveiling of Goff, the dominant factor could be the defenses and the deciding factor may be the running game. This could be a rude awakening for Goff.
OUR PICK: Dolphins, 21-18.
