San Diego @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 2, 2011 ) Miami 16, San Diego 26

The Miami Dolphins are falling apart on and off the field, and losses in four of the last five games are tumbling the team out of playoff contention in the AFC. The Dolphins will attempt to put their off-field issues aside when they host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. The Jonathan Martin story continues to follow Miami’s players, coaches and front office, with the league getting involved this week by interviewing the offensive lineman.

Martin was due to meet with the Dolphins on Wednesday, only to have that meeting pushed back at the request of the league until the NFL could discuss the bullying accusations. Meanwhile, coach Joe Philbin created a new task force to oversee the culture of the locker room and met with team leaders this week to discuss issues inside and outside the locker room after a loss to previously winless Tampa Bay on Monday. The Chargers hope to take advantage of some of that turmoil to snap their own two-game slide and jump back into the wild-card race.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Chargers -1. O/U: 45.5

ABOUT THE CHARGERS (4-5): San Diego is in the midst of stretch of four out of five on the road and dropped the lone home game last week to the Denver Broncos 28-20. The Chargers fell behind early in that one and never recovered, allowing Peyton Manning to pass for 330 yards and four touchdowns in a scene that is becoming common for a pass defense that ranks near the bottom of the league. Philip Rivers (71.6 percent) is on pace to set career highs in completion percentage but recorded as many interceptions (five) as touchdowns in San Diego’s last three losses.

ABOUT THE DOLPHINS (4-5): Miami is down two offensive linemen with Martin and alleged tormentor Richie Incognito away from the team and that loss was felt in the running game on Monday, when the Dolphins managed a total of two yards on 14 carries. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was sacked twice on the team’s final possession. “We have good guys on this team who understand adversity and understand how to handle it,” Tannehill said after the loss. Tannehill has taken 37 sacks this season - the most in the NFL.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Chargers have not won at Miami since 1982.

2. Dolphins DE Cameron Wake recorded three sacks in Miami’s last home game - a 22-20 overtime victory over Cincinnati on Oct. 31.

3. Incognito reportedly filed a grievance against Miami stemming from his suspension in relation to the Martin case.

PREDICTION: Chargers 24, Dolphins 13