Atlanta Falcons 4 keys to victory: Falcons @ Dolphins

Following an 8,408 mile round trip to London, and a much-deserved week off after the fact, the Falcons travel to Miami with aspirations of reaching .500 for the first time since September 15th, 2019. They will face the Dolphins, themselves coming off their own trip across the Atlantic, albeit having picked up a different result.

Given the sheer number of injured Falcons, there’s an argument to be made that the bye week couldn’t have come at a better time. Given they lined up with Olamide Zaccheaus and Tajae Sharpe as their top two receivers less than a fortnight, getting Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage back should be huge. It should also give us more of an idea of what this new look Arthur Smith-led side can achieve following a pair of promising games offensively. And, with a number of sides around them faltering during the bye week, Atlanta can come into their week 7 match-up with optimistic thoughts of post-season football feeling a little more realistic.

At 1-5, the Miami Dolphins are well behind where many thought they’d be at this stage. A 10-6 2020 led us to believe they were on the brink of breaking out into a true playoff contender. A mixture of injuries, coaching issues, and downright bad football, have resulted in a scenario where a loss at this stage may trigger wholesale changes. It’s fair to say, there’s a lot on the line for the Dolphins.

No matter which way you look at it, this is a must-win for both sides.

It won’t be straightforward. The Falcons are the Falcons, of course. But with a window of opportunity in front of them, here are the areas the Falcons must take advantage of if they’re to escape the Hard Rock Stadium with a win.