Miami Dolphins 2024 Week 7 Preview: Raiders Matchup, Bounce-Back Focus, and Turnover Elimination Prep

After a tough loss to the Chiefs that ended their four-game winning streak, the Miami Dolphins turn their attention to a Week 7 home matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders— a team sitting at 2-4, but one that still poses threats with its explosive passing attack and opportunistic defense. For the Dolphins, this game isn’t just about getting back to .500 in the loss column; it’s about applying the lessons from the Chiefs defeat, fixing the issues that cost them that game (turnovers, late-game execution), and proving they can bounce back quickly against a team they should beat. With a divisional showdown against the Jets looming in Week 8, the Dolphins need to regain their momentum, shore up their weaknesses, and reaffirm their status as AFC East leaders. Miami Dolphins 2024 Week 7 Preview: Raiders Matchup, Bounce-Back Focus, and Turnover Elimination Prep breaks down the critical storylines, from key player matchups to tactical adjustments, and explores what the Dolphins need to do to get back to winning ways.

The biggest priority for the Dolphins’ offense this week is eliminating turnovers and improving pass protection— the two issues that doomed them against the Chiefs. Tua Tagovailoa, who threw two interceptions in Week 6 (his first multi-interception game of the season), has spent extra time in practice working on decision-making, with a focus on avoiding forced throws into double coverage. Offensive coordinator Frank Smith has also adjusted the game plan to get the ball out of Tagovailoa’s hands faster, adding more quick slants, screen passes, and check-downs to running backs Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane. “Turnovers kill you in this league, especially against good teams— we need to be smarter with the football,” Smith said during a Wednesday press conference. The offensive line, which allowed three sacks and seven hurries against the Chiefs, has been a focal point in practice too: left tackle Terron Armstead and guard Kevin Zeitler have done extra one-on-one drills to improve their blocking against the Raiders’ edge rushers, including Maxx Crosby (4 sacks, 15 tackles) and Chandler Jones (2 sacks, 10 tackles). The Dolphins plan to balance their attack by leaning on the run game more than they did against the Chiefs— Mostert and Achane combined for just 90 rushing yards in Week 6, and the team wants to boost that number to keep the Raiders’ defense off-balance. Miami Dolphins 2024 Week 7 Preview: Raiders Matchup, Bounce-Back Focus, and Turnover Elimination Prep emphasizes this offensive adjustment because fixing these issues is critical for the Dolphins to get back to their winning form— if they can protect Tagovailoa and avoid turnovers, they’ll have a clear path to victory.

On the defensive side, the Dolphins are tasked with slowing down the Raiders’ high-powered passing attack— a unit that ranks 10th in the NFL in passing yards per game (265) and revolves around quarterback Aidan O’Connell and wide receiver Davante Adams. O’Connell, who took over as the Raiders’ starter in Week 4, has shown promise: he’s completed 64.8% of his passes for 892 yards and 5 touchdowns, with just 2 interceptions, and he’s developed a strong connection with Adams (33 catches, 421 yards, 3 touchdowns). The Dolphins’ secondary, which held Travis Kelce below his season average in Week 6, will need to bring that same intensity to contain Adams— a task that will fall primarily to cornerback Xavien Howard and safety Jordan Poyer. “Adams is one of the best receivers in the league— he can beat you in so many ways, so we need to be disciplined with our coverage,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. The Dolphins also plan to ramp up their pass rush to pressure O’Connell, who has been sacked 8 times in his three starts. Edge rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb (who missed Week 6 with a minor shoulder injury and is expected to return) will lead the charge, with Fangio adding more blitz packages to disrupt O’Connell’s timing. The Raiders’ running game is less of a threat (they rank 24th in rushing yards per game), but the Dolphins still need to maintain gap discipline to avoid giving up big plays to running back Josh Jacobs (302 rushing yards, 1 touchdown). Miami Dolphins 2024 Week 7 Preview: Raiders Matchup, Bounce-Back Focus, and Turnover Elimination Prep highlights this defensive focus because Adams and O’Connell can score quickly— if the Dolphins can limit their production, they’ll neutralize the Raiders’ biggest strength and control the game.

A key focus for the Dolphins’ offense this week is getting secondary receivers involved again— a area that struggled against the Chiefs. In Week 6, tight end Durham Smythe and wide receiver Isaiah Ford combined for just 2 catches and 18 yards, a far cry from their Week 5 performance (9 catches, 116 yards, 1 touchdown). Tagovailoa has emphasized the need to spread the ball around, especially if the Raiders double-team Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle (who combined for 15 catches and 190 yards against the Chiefs). “We can’t rely just on Tyreek and Jaylen— Durham, Isaiah, and the other guys need to step up, and I need to get them the ball,” Tagovailoa said. The Dolphins have added more plays to the game plan that feature Smythe in the red zone (he scored a touchdown in Week 5) and Ford on intermediate crossing routes— plays that worked well against the Patriots and Giants. Hill and Waddle will still be the focal points, but getting secondary receivers involved will make the Dolphins’ offense harder to defend and reduce the pressure on Tagovailoa to force passes to his top two targets. Miami Dolphins 2024 Week 7 Preview: Raiders Matchup, Bounce-Back Focus, and Turnover Elimination Prep explores this receiver depth because it’s a critical part of eliminating turnovers— if Tagovailoa has more options, he’ll be less likely to force throws into double coverage.

Special teams, which had coverage lapses against the Chiefs, is a priority for improvement this week, with the Dolphins looking to fix their return coverage and maintain Jason Sanders’ perfect streak. The Raiders’ return units rank 12th in punt return average (8.1 yards) and 15th in kickoff return average (21.5 yards), and they have a dangerous returner in DeAndre Carter (who has a 9.2-yard punt return average). Special teams coordinator Danny Crossman has spent extra time in practice working on coverage drills, with linebackers Mohamed Kamara and Andrew Van Ginkel leading the charge to limit Carter’s opportunities. “We had some lapses against the Chiefs, and we can’t let that happen again— the Raiders have guys who can change the game with a single return,” Crossman said. Sanders, who has made all 11 of his field goal attempts and 18 extra points this season, will look to keep his perfect streak alive— the Raiders’ kicker Daniel Carlson has missed 2 of his 8 field goal attempts, so Sanders’ accuracy could be a key advantage. Punter Jake Bailey, who averaged 45.6 yards per punt against the Chiefs, will focus on pinning the Raiders inside their 20-yard line to limit their offensive opportunities. Miami Dolphins 2024 Week 7 Preview: Raiders Matchup, Bounce-Back Focus, and Turnover Elimination Prep highlights this special teams focus because fixing coverage lapses and maintaining special teams excellence is critical for the Dolphins to get back to winning— small mistakes in this phase can swing a game, and the team can’t afford to repeat the errors from Week 6.

Finally, the Dolphins are focusing on mental resilience and avoiding a two-game losing streak— a challenge that head coach Mike McDaniel has made a top priority. McDaniel has changed the team’s practice routine this week, scaling back on film sessions of the Chiefs loss to avoid dwelling on mistakes and adding more competitive drills to reignite the team’s energy. He’s also brought in former Dolphins running back Larry Csonka to speak to the team about bouncing back from losses and maintaining consistency in a long season. “One loss doesn’t define us— how we respond does,” McDaniel said. The players have embraced this mindset: veterans like Hill and Christian Wilkins have led extra workouts after practice, and the team’s energy in meetings has been higher than it was in the days after the Chiefs loss. The Dolphins also know that a win over the Raiders will keep them atop the AFC East (the Bills and Patriots are both 3-3) and give them momentum heading into their Week 8 matchup against the Jets. Miami Dolphins 2024 Week 7 Preview: Raiders Matchup, Bounce-Back Focus, and Turnover Elimination Prep concludes with this mental focus because it’s the X-factor in this game— the Dolphins have the talent to beat the Raiders, but they need to be mentally ready to put the Chiefs loss behind them and play their best football. With a chance to get back to winning ways and stay in control of the division, all signs point to a team that’s motivated, focused, and ready to bounce back.