Mitglieder » The Dolphins were a yard away from beating the Bears toda

y when running back Kenyan Drake inexplicably fumbled just before crossing the goal line. Drake was beside himself on the sideline after his fumble Chandler Cox Miami Dolphins Jerseys , but teammate Brock Osweiler gave him some words of encouragement.Osweiler, starting at quarterback today in place of the injured Ryan Tannehill, said after the game that he approached Drake on the sideline and told him that the Bears would miss their field goal attempt, and the Dolphins would need Drake to make a big play.“I went up to Drake right before Chicago kicked the field goal, and I just said, ‘Listen, they’re gonna miss this field goal, and I need you to bring the swagger and confidence you’ve been playing with all day.’ He looked me in the eye and said, ‘OK.’ And sure enough, he’s the guy that made the big play to get us into field goal range. So if that doesn’t talk about working through adversity and mental toughness Miami Dolphins Jerseys Stitched , I don’t know what does. That’s an example of mental toughness at its finest,” Osweiler said.Drake confirmed after the game that teammates picked him up after the fumble. Osweiler showed some leadership in his first start as a Dolphin. The Dolphins have lost four of their past five games after starting the season 3-0, 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”, 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 Chandler Cox Jersey nfl draft ,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, 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 Super Bowl Chandler Cox Jersey , 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, 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.