Week 5 was a game that, before the start of the season, looked like a foregone conclusion. It's since gotten much closer to being winnable for the Carolina Panthers.
The Miami Dolphins have had one of the most rapid and shocking falls from grace in recent NFL memory. That path went ever deeper with the loss of All-Pro weapon Tyreek Hill. With an injury that may end up threatening the speedy receiver's career, it's yet another problem for head coach Mike McDaniel to deal with.
Miami's offense must adjust accordingly. Others have to step up, and the Panthers have a new problem to deal with after tight end Darren Waller's surprising breakout in Week 4.
Carolina Panthers could be vulnerable against Darren Waller in Week 5
That is not to say that Waller was an afterthought by any means. Yet on a team with someone as dangerous as Hill, everyone plays second fiddle one way or another.
However, with just how porous this Panthers defense has become in recent years, it should come as no surprise if the Dolphins lean heavily on the tight end without Hill to lean on in the passing game, especially when you look at Waller's physicality and athleticism.
The Panthers have one of the best interior linemen in the NFL with Derrick Brown. However, the same cannot be said for the linebacking corps. The team has consistently struggled against the run, and their coverage has been even worse. That won't go unnoticed by McDaniel and Waller in the lead-up to this one.
Simply put, Waller is precisely the type of player who can exploit Carolina's weaknesses.
Waller was considered among the league's most prolific tight ends once upon a time. Regression and retirement quickly followed, but he felt there was unfinished business this offseason, as evidenced by his signing with the Dolphins. It took a while, but his performance in Week 4, coupled with Hill's injury, makes him a threat that defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero must counteract effectively.
Waller is the perfect player to exploit this Panthers team's flaws, given the issues they have demonstrated throughout the campaign thus far. If they cannot find a way to contain him, it will be a long afternoon for players and fans alike.