Dark Horse Tavern » The Dolphins have lost four of their past five ga

mes after starting the season 3-0 Christian Wilkins Jersey Mens , leaving the team at a crossroads. While those four losses have come against competent opponents (Patriots, Bengals, Lions, and Texans) Miami must get a divisional win at home this week in order to get back on track. In order to do so, the Dolphins need to find a way to stifle New York’s rookie gunslinger.Each week of the 2018 season, I’m highlighting one player on the opposing team that Dolphins fans should be watching out for. This week, that player is New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold.Fact CheckPosition: QBExperience: 1st seasonAge: 21Height/Weight: 6’3” Miami Dolphins Jersey 2019 , 225 lbsCollege: USCStat ReviewDarnold’s rookie season has been largely what you’d expect with regards to his statistical proficiency. He’s completing just 55.2% of his passes over eight starts and has thrown for 1,705 yards at the season’s half-way mark. Darnold has also posted an 11-10 touchdown-interception ratio. He’s been sacked a middle-of-the-road 17 times this season. Darnold is essentially hitting the status quo when it comes to how rookie QBs generally play in the NFL. He has a flare and spark about his play that allows him to make some “wow” throws, but his accuracy and decision making could be improved upon. In short, there’s plenty of room for him to grow, but given his supporting cast, or lack thereof, he’s by no means been disappointing under center for Gang Green.Key MatchupsDuring the opening weeks of the season Walt Aikens Jersey , Miami’s defense was playing lights out against opposing offenses. The Dolphins held opponents to 20 points or under from Weeks 1-3. Against the Jets back in Week 2, Miami’s defense clamped down for their best performance of the season, holding Darnold and co. to just 12 points in the Meadowlands.Unfortunately for the South Florida faithful, the defense has unraveled and defensive coordinator Matt Burke has struggled to find ways to keep the unit together. Since the team’s 3-0 start, the Dolphins have allowed 27 or more points to every single opponent, and though each of those teams are current playoff contenders, Miami must find a way to stifle their competition moving forward. Cornerbacks Xavien Howard and Bobby McCain make for a talented duo on the perimeter Kiko Alonso Jersey , and Reshad Jones, T.J. McDonald, and Minkah Fitzpatrick constitute what may be the best safety group in the NFL, but communication gaffes have led to far too many big plays allowed by Miami’s secondary. If Darnold finds a way to exploit that weakness and Burke doesn’t manage to clean up the mistakes, Miami’s defensive backfield could be in for another long night. Ensuring McCain has help over the top will be of vital importance, as many of us saw how Deshaun Watson and his pass catchers exposed the former slot corner during last week’s primetime matchup with the Texans. The Miami Dolphins will be without Darren Rizzi for the first time since 2009 when they open the 2019 season. Rizzi joined the Dolphins as the team’s special teams coordinator in 2010, holding the position through multiple head coach regimes Davon Godchaux Jersey , and eventually adding the title of associate head coach in 2017. As the Dolphins prepare to hire Brian Flores after the Super Bowl as their next head coach - a position for which Rizzi interviewed but was not hired - it now appears that Rizzi is headed somewhere else in the league.Rizzi, who has some of the best sideline facial expressions ever seen, is in “advanced talks with another team,” according to the Miami Harold’s Barry Jackson. The decision for Rizzi to leave Miami seems to be a mutual decision as the Dolphins were not looking to retain him and Rizzi did not want to stay in Miami after being passed over for the head coaching position.ESPN’s Field Yates indicated the Dolphins will hire Danny Crossman, who served as the special teams coordinator for the Buffalo Bills from 2013 to 2018, the Detroit Lions from 2010 to 2012, and the Carolina Panthers from 2007 to 2009 Chase Allen Jersey , as their new special teams coordinator. He also reported former Detroit Lions quarterbacks coach George Godsey will be hired as the team’s new tight ends coach - a position he held with the New England Patriots from 2012 to 2013 - and former New York Jets wide receivers coach Karl Dorrell as the new wide receivers coach. Dorrell worked as the Dolphins’ wide receivers coach from 2008 to 2010 and as the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2011.