SO SHOCKED:As the Miami Dolphins are facing serious problem today because of their skillful players has gone for…

Dolphins have the potential to win 13 games in 2023, but team needs to get healthy on the offensive line and tighten the screws at linebacker

There are two concerns I have about the Miami Dolphins heading into the closing stretch of critical December games, which will determine Miami’s seeding in the AFC hierarchy and dictate how many home games the Dolphins host in the postseason.

Injuries continue to handcuff the offensive line, and that’s watering down the offensive product.

Never mind the ridiculous amount of yards ranked first and points ranked second, behind Dallas Miami is averaging, and the 45 burger the Dolphins just put up on a Washington Commanders team that’s circling the drain.

Terron Armstead is not the same caliber of elite performer he’s been throughout his career because of the knee, quadriceps, and now ankle injury he’s nursing.

I’ve watched Armstead closely for two games now and I’m starting to think it would be wise for the Dolphins to rest the four-time Pro Bowl selection for the next two weeks to allow his ailments to heal.

This Dolphins team doesn’t win the Super Bowl without a healthy Armstead, in my opinion.

Robert Hunt, one of the team’s most forceful run blockers , just suffered a setback with the hamstring injury, and Kendall Lamm, who has been a reliable backup, is nursing a back injury that has kept him in a break in case of emergency seal for two weeks.

While Liam Eichenberg has played admirably the past few weeks, there’s only so many trips we should take on the Eichenberg Express before something troublesome can be expected.

For the record, Eichenberg has been solid for the past five starts. But I’m far more comfortable with Eichenberg at right guard than I am at left guard.

The point is that games in the NFL are won and lost in the trenches, and the weaker that unit is, the less Miami gets out of the run game and the more pressure quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is under.

In my opinion, juicing up the run game, which is averaging 143.3 rushing yards per game (second in the NFL) and 5.28 yards per carry (ranked first) is what will get the Dolphins to 13 wins, and create a pathway to the Super Bowl.

History says teams win Super Bowls with elite quarterback play, stingy defense, and physical run games.

There is a statute of limitations on how much one team can lean on backups, and a cap on how much they should expect out of them.

What Miami is getting now from Butch Barry’s offensive line might be good enough against the Commanders and Jets, but I doubt it will be good enough to beat the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills, who consistently harassed Tagovailoa with four rushers in Miami’s lone embarrassing loss earlier this season.

Linebacker play needs to tighten up

My other concern is the expected absence of Jerome Baker, who isn’t a sexy player, but has been super steady during his Dolphins tenure as a six-year starter.

More will be placed on David Long and Duke Riley’s plate, and it could lead to some loosening of the seams on the Dolphins defense, which heads into Monday night’s game against the Titans game ranked seventh in the NFL.

Miami has the capabilities of being a top 5 defense when it’s all said and done because of the front-line pressure being applied, and the back end coverage Miami is getting from the secondary.

Where the Dolphins are weak is pass coverage from the linebackers and run gap filling.

There were plenty of instances during the Commanders game where Riley and Long easily were blocked and taken out the play. A good offensive coordinator would create a game plan that attacks them.

That means Vic Fangio needs to protect them.

The Dolphins also lack desirable options after Riley and Long, which means Andrew Van Ginkel, who has been dynamic on the edges, will have to continue playing inside linebacker in the nickel packages.

Is Miami ready to trust Channing Tindall? The jury is still out on that.

The Dolphins are working out former first-round pick Reuben Foster, who has history with Mike McDaniel, but that’s likely for a practice squad and special teams role because of the expected elevation of Alexander Johnson, a former University of Tennessee standout who has spent all season on the practice squad.

That means also the Dolphins need to find and develop a third-down pass-rushing specialist, which will either be Emmanuel Ogbah (who struggled on run-specific downs but has contributed five sacks, an interception, a force fumble and a pass deflection on his 169 defensive snaps this season), or Jason Pierre-Paul, who is beginning his second week of practice with the team.