NFL Miami Dolphins

Cameron Wake Will Be X-Factor for Miami Dolphins in Week 9

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By @CouchGuyFB

Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins, Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

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This weekend the Miami Dolphins take on Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers at Sun Life Stadium and hope to move to 5-3, and secure a place in the playoff conversation. To do that however, the Dolphins must corral everybody’s favorite bolo-tie-wearing quarterback in Rivers.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the bolo tie. It is up there in the realm of awesomeness alongside Philip Rivers’ 95.6 QBR against the blitz this season, but before we go down the rabbit hole and turn this into a defense of the bolo tie, let’s look back at Rivers’ extraordinary numbers this season. Yes, you did read the last sentence correctly. That is a 95.6 QBR against the blitz. Not only is that unheard of, but it’s remarkable considering the QBR against the blitz of quarterbacks who have faced the Dolphins so far this season, which is a paltry 9.5. One of these things is not like the other, and with a Miami defense that blitzes the ninth-most in the league, an interesting scene is poised to play out. To blitz, or not to blitz — that is the question.

This is where Cameron Wake comes into play. Wake has been having a monster season so far this year, and along with Olivier Vernon, has taken up residence in opposing backfields throughout the first seven games, and looks to continue his success against the ever-dangerous Rivers. If Wake can get to Rivers consistently and allow the Dolphins to drop seven men in coverage, Miami, owner of the third-ranked pass defense in the NFL, will be sitting in perfect position to exploit San Diego’s lack of a dependable rushing option.

Rivers’ fiery personality has been highly publicized over the course of his career, and Cameron Wake has a perfect opportunity to frustrate one of the league’s best passers. Last year, Wake manhandled D.J. Fluker and was able to force Rivers into a number of bad situations. While Fluker has improved slightly, Wake has continued to dominate far better tackles than him, so the matchup is one to watch. If the Chargers elect to double-team Cameron Wake, it will take a tight end or running back out of the passing game, and, if Wake stunts, it will allow a defensive tackle or linebacker to have a clear shot at Rivers.

Dolphins defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle has done a good job this season utilizing his stars and putting them in the right positions to succeed. Expect him to do the same against San Diego this weekend, and, with a strong performance by Cam Wake, allow Philip Rivers to walk the “primrose path” against a four-man rush and bait him into bad throws as his frustration mounts.

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