New England Patriots Week One Preview: Five Thoughts On The Miami Dolphins

Dec 15, 2013; Miami Gardens, FL, Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) throws a pass against the New England Patriots during the second half at Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins won 24-20. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

4. Ryan Tannehill

To be completely honest, I like Tannehill’s game. He is young, and with a few more years of development, he could emerge as a quality NFL starter. He certainly won’t be elite, but he won’t be horrible either. However with that said, I don’t like his chances in this game. He is not only going to have to out-duel Tom Brady, but he is going to have to do it against one of the best defensive units in the league. There will not be much room for error in this game for Tannehill, so he better come ready to play.

One thing he must remember, is to not turn the football over. Playing against this Patriots secondary,there will not be a lot of open receivers. In fact, most of his throws will most likely be in tight spots. And when that happens to rookie quarterbacks, they generally begin to force things, which is what a Bill Belichick-coached team thrives on. If I were a Dolphins fan, I would hope their offense can get the ground game going early, so it’s not all on Tannehill to out-play Brady.