At this time last year most of us Dolfans were simply hoping to erase the memories and the horrible taste left in our mouths after the atrocious 1-15 season we barely endured. What we got was an amazingly dynamic season that not only brought us a new regime almost entirely, a new quarterback, a new formation and a new attitude but it also brought us an 11-5 record, a playoff birth and our first Division Championship since 2000. Yes, the Miami Dolphins, our Miami Dolphins are the defending AFC East Champions. It still doesn’t even sound right as I write it down now eight months later. It is a fact though, which means the Patriots, Bills and that other team will be circling Miami on their schedules… ok, I doubt they’re overly concerned but rest assured they’ll be ready this time around and more than happy to knock us off of what they would consider our “default” pedestal.
So here we are and for the first time in three years we will be heading into a season with the same GM, coaching staff, offensive and defensive schemes and maybe more importantly with swagger, attitude and confidence. The Dolphins will be healthier, more prepared, and with expectations that exceed just trying to not go winless but to defend their reigning crown as division Champs. Then who knows? Why can’t they win the Conference? Then what? Only one game left to play at that point, right? Anything can happen in one game. The ball bounces funny ways and all that. The point is, the Dolphins are no longer a pushover, an easy W on the opposition’s schedule, in fact, they are quite the contrary. If you win, you will have earned it. They will be a physical, hard-nosed team that will bring a smash mouth style from both sides of the ball and win, lose or draw the imposing of the Dolphins will be felt into the early parts of the following week. The momentum and results of last year will carry over and I assure you that every last man on the final 53 will wholeheartedly believe that they can win any game on their schedule. And for good reason, they can….. well, not in a row.
Now before you accuse me of being two sheets to the wind from drinking too much of the Bill Parcells and Tony Sporano punch let me set the record straight. I do not think the Dolphins will go 12-4, win the AFC East, march through the playoffs enroute to their 3rd Super Bowl title. I do, however, think they will be a very solid football team that should have no excuse for not competing for the division crown and at the very least a wild card birth. Most so-called experts expect nothing more than an 8-8 season and despite facing the Patriots twice and boasting the toughest schedule in the NFL I think a 9-7 season is reasonable and a lucky bounce here or there and now we’re looking at 10-6 and in most cases that’s a playoff birth.
Defensively, in 2008, the Fins were smack dab in the middle almost across the board ranking 15th in overall defense while only allowing 19.8 points per game, finishing ninth, which I’m sure they’d take again this year but will obviously be looking to improve upon it. The defensive line returns NT Jason Ferguson, who is more than capable at both stopping the run and creating a push up front with the help of DE’s Kendall Langford and Randy Starks, although Sporano would love for practice under achiever Phillip Merling to beat Starks out for that spot but he has been less than spectacular thus far in camp showing little signs of urgency. Channing Crowder looks to follow up his sensational year in the middle alongside the steady Akin Ayodele. OLB Joey Porter will be reunited with the last of the Dolphins to play with Dan Marino, Jason Taylor. Reportedly JT is looking like the JT of old and if Porter returns to the Porter of the first 10 games last year than they should be kissing the ear holes of opposing quarterbacks every 30 seconds.
Obviously, the secondary was not our strong suit last year but with the addition of JT and another year of perfecting the 3-4 the Dolphins should be improved up front from last season giving quarterbacks less time in the pocket resulting in taking some pressure of our secondary, which is vital considering Rookie Sean Smith (Utah) looks like the likely starter opposite Will Allen. With headhunter Gibril Wilson sitting in the middle and FS Yeremiah Bell re-signed and returning center field there is a lot of expectation and promise from this unit.
Other hopeful contributors on the defense include 1st Round draft pick, Vontae Davis (Illinois), who is likely to get a lot of playing time in both the Nickel and Dime packages. OLB Cameron Wake, the beast from up north in Canada that came into camp with huge buzz that we have yet to see fully unleashed in game action. At the very least he, pres-season stand out Quentin Moses and Charlie Anderson will be better than average rotating dance partners for Taylor and Porter with the idea of having 4 fresh pass rushers at all times.
Offensively, the Fins are by any other standard, still a mess. At the very least they are inconsistent with a lot of questions at every unit except the backfield where it looks like CP10, Ronnie Brown and FB Lousaka Polite are etched in stone with the occasional spell of Ricky Williams and Sporano favorite Patrick Cobbs, who benefited as much as anyone from the “Wildcat” formation. Chad Henne will have his time to be sure but that time is not now. Chad Pennington is the guy and rightfully so. With a revamped and healthy o-line I don’t think there isn’t any reason (ok, other than WR) to believe that we can’t improve on the 21.6 points per game and 21st overall offensive ranking.
The offensive line is anchored by Pro Bowl LT Jake Long who is as solid as Miami could have ever hoped for drafting him #2 overall in 2007, scary to think how great he could become after his dominating year last year and still but a baby. Next to him is returning starter Justin Smiley, who is now healthy. Free agent acquisition via the Raiders Jake Grove, and significant run blocking upgrade, will be snapping to CP10. Vernon Carey returns to RT and the surprisingly effective RG Donald Thomas is back healthy and having a great pre-season completes the line. High praise and even bigger expectations ride with this line, and more importantly as this unit goes, so goes the Dolphins.
The biggest mess sans Special Teams on the entire squad is the receiving core. At this point, we’re not even sure if Sporano is keeping 5 or 6 receivers. My guess is Ted Ginn, Davone Bess and Rich Camarillo are safely making the team and I expect Brian Hartline and Patrick Turner will also survive the cut. There’s a wrinkle if Camarillo is on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list which would then allow Miami to keep 5 active WR’s and that would likely be Brandon London. We shall see, the bottom line is Ginn MUST step up and be a major contributor this year. Miami needs production, play making threats and consistency out of whoever is on the field or the offense will sputter all year long which equates to a bad season. Get open, catch the ball and make a play… if that doesn’t happen we are in for a long frustrating season.
Anthony Fasano will be the pass catching threat from the TE position but near the goal line David Martin and the strongest blocker of the group, 6’8” John Nalbone are great weapons.
Special Teams was a circus last year to put it nicely. They stunk, period, at covering kicks. That has to improve because frankly, they couldn’t possibly be as bad again this year. Brandon London launches booming punts but it’s a useless weapon when we can get down and cover them. Dan Carpenter, who may lose his job to Connor Barth though I doubt it, is a fine kicker with an above average leg but again, kickoff coverage is unacceptable and must improve.
Please, God, let the Fins block, run, catch and tackle their way to 10 wins… or a sweep of “them”. Thank you and Amen.
Ronn Burner
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