Breaking down the Dolphins-Broncos matchup.
MIAMI DOLPHINS (4-7) vs. DENVER BRONCOS (3-8)
GAME FACTS
DATE: Sunday, Dec. 3
TIME: 1 p.m. ET
SITE: Hard Rock Stadium; Miami Gardens, Fla.
TV: FOX
TV ANNOUNCERS:(Dick Stockton, play-by-play; Mark Schlereth, color analyst; Shannon Spake, sideline reporter)
DOLPHINS RADIO NETWORK: KISS (99.9 FM); WQAM (560 AM); WQBA (1140 AM-Spanish)
RADIO VOICES: English broadcast — Jimmy Cefalo, Bob Griese, Joe Rose, Kim Bokamper; Spanish broadcast — Raul Striker Jr., Eduardo Martell
THE SERIES
SERIES RECORD: Miami leads 11-6-1 (including playoffs)
AT MIAMI: Dolphins lead 7-1
AT DENVER: Broncos lead 5-4-1
LAST MEETING: 2014 at Denver; Broncos 39, Dolphins 36
HISTORY LESSON: The last time the teams faced each other in December in South Florida was in 2001 when the Dolphins earned a 21-10 victory. The Dolphins trailed 10-0 heading into the fourth quarter before scoring three touchdowns in a span of 4:46 — on an 11-yard pass from Jay Fiedler to Chris Chambers, a 56-yard interception return by defensive end Kenny Mixon, and a 1-yard run by Lamar Smith after Jeff Ogden recovered a fumble on the kickoff that followed Mixon's score.
SERIES TREND: The Broncos have won the past two meetings, both by three points. This will be only the third meeting in Miami since that 2001 game.
SCOUTING REPORT
DENVER'S RECORD: 3-8
LAST GAME: Lost 21-14 at Oakland
OVERVIEW: Two seasons after winning the Super Bowl, the Broncos are suffering through a disappointing campaign under first-year head coach Vance Joseph, who was the Dolphins defensive coordinator in 2016. They'll come to Hard Rock Stadium on a seven-game losing streak, which began with a loss against the New York Giants. Denver has used through three quarterbacks — Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch — but they have combined for a mediocre 73.7 passer rating. The Broncos have the third-ranked defense in the NFL in terms of yards allowed, but they're 26th in points allowed. Linebacker Von Miller is having another Pro Bowl-caliber season, leading the team with 8.5 sacks.
KEY NEW FACES: T Garrett Bolles (draft-1st), OLB DeMarcus Walker (draft-2nd), CB Brendan Langley (draft-3rd), G Ron Leary (Dallas), NT Domata Peko Sr. (Cincinnati), RB Jamaal Charles (Kansas City), G Allen Barbre (Philadelphia)
KEY VETERANS GONE: S T.J. Ward, LB DeMarcus Ware, T Russell Okung, DT Sylvester Williams, DE Jared Crick (IR), T Menelik Watson (IR), DE Billy Winn (IR)
FINAL INJURY REPORT
DOLPHINS
Out – G Jermon Bushrod (foot), QB Matt Moore (foot), S Maurice Smith (abdomen), RB Damien Williams (shoulder)
Questionable – DT Davon Godchaux (knee), RB Senorise Perry (concussion), S Michael Thomas (knee)
BRONCOS
Out – G Ron Leary (back), QB Paxton Lynch (ankle), NT Domata Peko Sr. (knee), DE Derek Wolfe (neck)
Questionable – ILB Todd Davis (ankle/shoulder), TE Jeff Heuerman (knee), OLB Shane Ray (illness/wrist), OLB DeMarcus Walker (illness)
