Dolphins-Vikings Preview

By Ronn Burner • on September 16, 2010

Your (1-0) Miami Dolphins hit the road for the second consecutive week to open the 2010 NFL season looking to upset the Brett Favre led (0-1) Minnesota Vikings. As far as circumstances are concerned this one is pretty heavily weighted in the Vikings favor.

Granted, Miami is coming off a road victory within the division but still, it was the anemic Buffalo Bills and we still eeked out a win. At least that’s what the 15-10 score would lead you to believe. Just like the 14-9 Saints-Vikings score would indicate that Minnesota nearly defeated the Super Bowl Champs in their house. Well, I got news for you. Score “indications” are about as reliable as Teddy Ginn on a 3rd and 10. Oh stop it, I’m going to bash him until I scrape every last particle of #9 overall bust out of him like a crack head scrapes out resin.

The point I was trying to make until Ginn screwed that up too was those scores are about as much of a reflection on those games as Rex Ryan is on P90X. The true story is it took the Dolphins four, yes, four incredibly boneheaded plays to keep that Buffalo score from being a 34-3 final There are no “ifs” in sports and obviously you can dissect the crap out of every game but still the point being that Miami dominated the trenches and though they weren’t lighting up the scoreboard offensively they controlled the ball and, therefore, the game. Minnesota was also a couple plays away from being dump trucked 27-9. Again, New Orleans dominated the entire game despite the close score.

The deck is absolutely stacked against Miami when you consider that in addition to “barely” beating the lowly Bill and the Vikings “barely” losing to the Super Bowl Champions on their home field the Dolphins have to travel another 1,500 miles, on top of the 3,000 round trip to Buffalo, to face an angry Vikings team desperately in need of a win, in their home opener on turf with 10 days rest. Mel Gibson has a better chance of winning Husband of the Year than Miami does of winning this game.

What a disaster, right? Wrong. It’s the perfect situation you want to be in. Okay, maybe not the circumstances but as far as the public opinion is concerned it’s ideal. A team that nobody gives a shot to win is a dangerous team. I also refer to Las Vegas because I do study gambling and since I’m still doing this charity work writing these articles it should be crystal clear — scratch that I know who my readers are — that I’m not raking it in. But the one game on the board right now that is getting pounced on like Paris Hilton on… well, any night… is Minnesota -5.5. It’s a colossal landslide in favor of Minnesota. It’s damn year the Stone Cold Lead Pipe Lock of the Century that the Vikings beat the Dolphins on Sunday. I may not win a lot of money gambling and I’m not saying the Dolphins pull off the upset but I can tell you that anytime a game sets up like this one does the underdog always and I mean always makes the favorite sweat like their blind date was just interrupted by Chris Hansen walking into their kitchen.

WHEN MIAMI HAS THE BALL: These are not the Purple People Eaters but they are going to be a purple wall lead by All-Pro Jared Allen. Luckily we got a pretty good one of our own in Jake Long that will have the unenviable task of lining up across from good ole #69. Running lanes will be at a premium for Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams so they have to take advantage of the creases when they are there. Kevin Williams is a run stopping plug in the middle alongside Allen though Miami will have to be balanced and committed to the run I suspect that Chad Henne will be unleashed.

Dan Henning stated he wanted to go deep twice last week but Henne was sacked, which isn’t a ringing endorsement to attempt that again this week but I do think the Dolphins attack the Vikings suspect secondary through the air with 3 step drops. Antoine Winfield is their only established player in their secondary but expect him to be avoided so Brandon Marshall can feast on rookie corner Chris Cook and the pedestrian Cedric Griffin. Marshall could have a monster game here demanding double coverage opening the seam for the revived Anthony Fasano and the underneath stuff for the reliable Davone Bess. Brian Hartline should also get plenty of chances to redeem himself for his lackluster play thus far in camp and last week.

WHEN MINNESOTA HAS THE BALL: Obviously stopping Adrian Petersen is of paramount importance and to do that it will take solid gang tackling from all eleven guys. Without that, nothing else will matter aside from him fumbling 5 times and/or the Dolphins offense putting 45 on the board. Neither of those are going to happen. Number two on the defensive agenda will be to get to #4 as often as possible. Stop the run and rush the passer, it’s not rocket science I know but it is the key to success. Cameron Wake and Koa Misi putting pressure on Favre from the outside and Randy Starks and Kendall Langford inside not only disrupts their offense tremendously but with his gunslinger mentality it greatly increases the chance of a defensive score or at least a turnover that puts the offense in a favorable position. I also expect Mike Nolan to put Karlos Dansby into situations allowing him to make plays all over the field.

Chris Clemons, Vontae Davis and Jared Allen all played great football last week but will have to be better this week. There is no place in the Metrodome that Favre can’t put a football and if he manages to buy himself time it will put a ton of pressure on the secondary to stay with their guys longer. Percy Harvin will be a game time decision leaving Bernard Berrian and our old friend Greg Camarillo as his primary receivers. Not exactly lethal but certainly capable of hurting Miami.

KEY MATCH-UP: Jake Long Vs. Jared Allen – Rarely do you get a match-up of this magnitude. Long has reached the Pro Bowl in both his seasons in the league and Jared Allen is widely considered the best defensive lineman in the game. They have actually banged heads previously but it was in Hawaii so it will be interesting to see what, if any, tricks they have up their sleeves for one another. I can’t even venture a guess as to who will win this match-up, I suspect Allen will find a way to make plays like superstars in this league do but I do think Long will step up and against the best defender he’s ever faced and show why he is easily a top three left tackle in football.

FEARLESS PREDICTION:

MIAMI 20-16

Miami Dolphins Defeated in Victory over Buffalo Bills?

By Ronn Burner • on September 14, 2010

1:00 PM ET, September 12, 2010 Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, NY

Chad Henne and the Miami Dolphins escaped Buffalo with a “W” but didn’t look very good in doing so and at times looked downright awful. I think ESPN uber-dork John Clayton pretty much summed up this entire game recap with his powerful and succinct NFL Power Rankings comment:

“To barely win in Buffalo isn’t a great start for the Dolphins.”

I concur. No matter how you spin this nothing can possibly ring more true than that statement. So what though? Our mission was simple. To get on that plane back to Miami sitting at 1-0 overall and 1-0 in the mighty AFC East, right? Mission accomplished. No matter how dominating Miami played in Buffalo Sunday the best possible result would still have been 1-0.

Not even Dan Marino could do better than 1-0 after Week 1. Put THAT quote in your pipe and smoke it, John Clayton!

The offense appeared stagnant most of the afternoon and although the Dolphins defense played great football during that same span they still collapsed when it mattered most blowing a coverage and allowing Trent Edwards, who only had 21 yards passing in the entire first half, to look like Joe Montana finding Roscoe Parrish running down the field like he was the only one playing on 4th and 11 for a 31-yard touchdown bringing Buffalo within a field goal, 13-10.

Miami came out of the gates with a 5:08 9 play drive for 37 yards capped off with a Dan Carpenter 32-yard field goal. From there Henne and the Dolphins offense struggled to find their bearings amassing only 164 passing yards and 132 rushing yards for 296 total. Not a horrible number but when you consider the Dolphins had the ball for nearly 37 minutes due to the defense forcing the Bills off the field on 11 of 14 3rd downs you would expect the offense to put together more than three scoring drives and only one touchdown.

The Good:

Ronnie Brown looked fresh, healthy and darn good on his 13 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown despite the lack of production out of the Wildcat. I’ll take 5.0 yards per carry any day of the week, especially Sunday and sometimes Monday. Point is, he’s healthy which is truly the key ingredient to the success of the Dolphins offensively regardless of all the Brandon Marshall hype. Okay, it’s close and they both open different things for other players but Ronnie runs the Wildcat, relieves Ricky Williams of shouldering the entire load, punishes opposing defenses and is a threat on every play running, blocking or receiving.

Jason Allen fared very well starting at corner in place of Sean Smith, last years starter benched in the preseason by Head Coach Tony Sparano. Allen had 6 tackles and 1 pass defensed that had he not flat out dropped it he could have skipped into the end zone saying na na na na na you can’t catch me. Baby steps I guess. At least he didn’t get toasted or commit a crucial pass interference penalty.

Three penalties for fifteen yards total. Very impressive for a Week 1 game.

Koa Misi (4 tackles, 1 sack, 2 QB hits), Cameron Wake (3 tackles, 1 sack, 2 QB hits, 2 pass defense) and Karlos Dansby (8 tackles, 1 sack, and 3 QB hits) all put relentless pressure on Edwards and answered the call thus far as to how effective could they be.

The Bad:

Despite the dominance of the defense the game was still very much in question with only a couple minutes remaining in the 4th after a mis-communication between apparently the entire secondary.

Henne to Marshall as made more news because of what they’re not doing rather than the next great quarterback, receiver tandem they are expected to be. Henne badly under threw a wide open Marshall racing down the field and after he adjusted and still should have made and potentially scored on the play Marshall gave his best Ted Ginn impersonation. Result: 2nd and 10.

Benny Sapp and Jason Allen each treated a gift wrapped Pick-6 like it would have given them chlamydia had they taken it. The result a 15-10 nail biter rather than the 27-10 snoozer it should have been, and that’s not even including the defensive blunder given Buffalo their only touchdown and the Moe and Curly put on by Henne and Marshall on that certain touchdown that would have made it 34-3. There are no “ifs” in sports. Just saying. 34 to friggin’ 3 wasn’t only possible but should have been the case. It took 4 Dolphins bone head plays to keep that from happening.

The Ugly:

The rest. It’s been said many times that the NFL is not a Beauty Contest and it’s a darn good thing because we are butt ugly. And you can bet you’re trophy wife there are 16 other teams around the league right now that wished they were as ugly as we are.

Including Minnesota, where we will head to face a grumpy Vikings team licking their chops at the thought of treating us as their “Slump Buster”.

Dolphins Preseason Reveals Questions, not Answers

By Ronn Burner • on August 29, 2010

Hopefully Dolphins Head Coach Tony Sparano has never heard the expression “If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s probably a duck” because if he has than he’s probably not getting much sleep these days. Let’s not sugar coat this and pawn it all off on the preseason though I would hope to god that has a lot to do with it. Nevertheless, significant strides towards ironing out the obvious wrinkles and finding answers for the same questions we had heading into the preseason is the ultimate goal..

There’s no real reason for full on panic but it is undeniable that we need to get a lot better before we head to Buffalo. Without overtly disrespecting the Bills I think it speaks volumes that Las Vegas has set the line for that game at Miami -3. That speaks less to the Bills tenacity than it does to the Dolphins expectations. Vegas also set the Dolphins season win total at 8.5. Another alarming number that is Las Vegas flat our DARING you to take Miami -3 in Week 1 and BEGGING you to bet the over on the win total.

Vegas is one of the most visually spectacular man made places on the planet and guess how they got that money? Yup, because you and every person reading this article is flat out flabbergasted at those lines. It’s easy money! Miami beating the stinking Bills by a measly field goal is a bonafide Stone Cold Guaranteed Lead Pipe Can’t Lose Lock! Eight and a half total wins? So let me get this straight, that’s one win right there and only 8 of the next 15 with Buffalo still scheduled one more time. So all we have to do is go 7-7 the rest of the way? That’s more of certainty than Dan Marino being inducted into Canton 5 years from the moment he retired.

And now to steal a coined phrase from the couldn’t possibly be more annoying Chris Berman, “That’s why they play the game.”

Vegas begging you to do something usually means the other side is the bet. In this case, Buffalo +3 and the Dolphins finishing at 8-8 is what they actually believe will, in fact, happen. I bring all of this up to make the point that despite all of the off season acquisitions that have to be considered huge up grades including Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan, Brandon Marshall, Karlos Dansby and Jared Odrick the Dolphins still may not be very good yet. Now of course I don’t believe that for a second, or at least I didn’t until the sub par if I’m being kind performances we have displayed thus far in the preseason.

What were, say ten, of our most pressing questions heading into the preseason?

1. Will Chris Clemons, Tyrone Culver or rookie Reshad Jones step up and play free safety at the level required to realistically compete for the division title?
2. Who will be the starting guards and center alongside RT Vernon Carey and Pro Bowl LT Jake Long?
3. Can Paul Soliai and Randy Starks effectively man the nose tackle position?
4. Can Cameron Wake earn his way onto the field as an every down player?
5. Can rookies Jared Odrick and Koa Misi step in immediately and help this team win?
6. Is Chad Henne ready to turn the corner and become a top 10 NFL quarterback?
7. Will the presence of Brandon Marshall open up the passing offense for Brian Hartline, Davone Bess and especially the invisible Anthony Fasano?
8. Are 2nd year corners Vontae Davis and Sean Smith ready to evolve into shut down players?
9. Will Mike Nolan‘s defensive scheme resurrect Channing Crowder and lead to a dominating return to the Pro Bowl for Karlos Dansby?
10. Will a healthy Will Allen, rookie Nolan Carroll or the lethargic Jason Allen earn the nickel back position role without allowing it to be the weak link?

After reading those questions and three preseason games not only have they not been answered but more questions have arose? If you take the rose colored glasses off there isn’t a whole lot to be dancing on Don Shula Expressway over. Maybe Vegas has a crystal ball after all. I can not definitively say that even one of the above questions has been answered by what we’ve seen thus far in three preseason games. The offense has been stale and the defense has been gouged, sounds a lot like 2009 doesn’t it? We were 7-9. Oh, and Buffalo kicked our ass once after we imploded in the 4th quarter.

Instead of answering the above questions the preseason has me scratching my head with a whole new slough of questions in addition to those original ten.

1. Will the trade of Greg Camarillo to Minnesota for Benny Sapp solve our nickel back troubles or will the loss of Camarillo destroy our depth at receiver? Sun-Sentinel Times Reporter and Dolphins Blogger Omar Kelly tweeted an excellent point in regards to the inexperience at receiver now should one of the big three go down with injury. Say Hartline’s injury against Atlanta Friday was serious leaving us with Marshall, Bess, Turner and Moore. Frightening thought. (It should also be noted that Omar Kelly does a top notch job of reporting Dolphins news and you can follow him on twitter at @omarkelly.)
2. Why can’t we run the ball? Another tweet from Kelly relayed some disturbing information about the three games so far: 2.6 yards per carry, 100 pass plays and 68 running plays. That’s not Dolphins football.
3. Why has Brandon Fields had a punt blocked in consecutive games?
4. Why has our special teams been awful in both the return game and kick coverage?
5. Are the shocking number of dropped passes just a fluke? Everyone’s guilty.

Are these valid questions and concerns? Absolutely. Is it any reason to think Vegas may be right. You bet. Does it mean we’re in for a long season? Maybe. What do I really think about all this preseason lackluster play and blah blah blah?

Well, I jumped all over Miami -3 and the over 8.5 faster than Paris Hilton yelled “That’s not mine!”

Miami Dolphins Official 2010-11 Season Preview

By Ronn Burner • on August 26, 2010

Quarterbacks: The Miami Dolphins are Chad Henne’s team regardless of any speculation that Tyler Thigpen and/or Chad Pennington are making a push to dethrone him as the #1 quarterback. It’s nothing more than the national media looking to stir the pot. Those closer to home laugh at the notion that he isn’t “the guy”. The regime has given Henne the keys to the castle and there will be no reigns on him as there were last season when he still managed to posted numbers (2,878 yards, 12 TD, 14 INT) in relief of the injured Pennington.

Henne has all the tools to become elite and will be given every opportunity to do so, there are no guarantees he will, however, there is no reason to believe he won’t. He’s a big strong leader with a cannon arm that has displayed he can be an effective gunslinger when necessary while also leading the team efficiently, like his nickname “Robot” would indicate, as he has mostly been asked to do early in his career. The knock has been his touch on his ball and his momentary lapses in decision-making displayed with careless turnovers. Those areas have been his focal point this off-season and are likely to be less of a problem. With another year of the coach’s confidence under his belt and Brandon Marshall in the spotlight as his new toy it’s hard to imagine Henne not putting up significantly better numbers this year.

I think it’s safe to assume Pat White is gone one way or another leaving Chad Pennington and Tyler Thigpen as the backups. Pennington (413 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) is a padded coach and a quality human being and without a doubt a tremendous asset to the entire ball club let alone the growth of Henne. Thigpen (83 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) brings a unique athleticism to the position creating flair when his opportunities arise. So much so that Dolphins brass is reminded of Tony Romo when watching him practice. He’s a skilled wildcard and quality back up quarterback likely to stay ahead of Pennington on the depth chart.

QB BOLD PREDICTIONS: Henne leads Fins to 10 wins with 3,500 yards, 25 TD, 15 INT and in Pro Bowl discussion. Vaults into the top 8 quarterback in the league. White will get released or traded for endzone paint any day. Thigpen catches and throws a TD out of the Wildcat formation. Pennington doesn’t take a single snap this season but coaches Henne throughout.

Running Backs: The two headed monster of Ricky Williams (1,121 yards, 35 receptions, 13 TD) and Ronnie Brown (648 yards, 14 receptions, 8 TD) have gone on record stating that they each plan to break the 1,000 yard barrier and why not? Williams has fewer miles than any other 33 year old back and is in remarkable condition while Brown is the Wildcat formation and has proven that when healthy, he’s one of the best backs in the league.

Patrick Cobbs (36 yards) comes off a major knee injury, but appears healthy and will fight off Lex Hilliard (89 yards, 20 receptions, 3 TD) for touches in that role. If fully recovered, Cobbs is also likely to be the primary kick returner. Lousaka Polite (123 yards, 11 receptions) appeared in all 16 games for Miami at fullback last season, and is expected to remain in that role. He’s become a favorite of Sparano with his uncanny ability to convert on every single “and 1″ situation.

RB BOLD PREDICTIONS: Brown and Williams remain healthy and each have over 1,000 yards and combine for 20 TD’s. Polite converts on 100% of “and 1″ situations. Cobbs score at least 2 TD’s over 50 yards out of the Wildcat formation and one will win the game for Miami.

Receivers: Once the team’s weak link and now may become one of the strongest units on the squad. Adding Brandon Marshall to the mix clearly sways the scales considerably but each player brings a specific skill set that give Miami a well-rounded tenacious corps. Never mind Marshall’s 3 consecutive 100 reception, 1,000 yard seasons but the maturation of last years sole play-maker Brian Hartline (31 receptions, 3 TD), the grittiness of Davone Bess (76 receptions, 2 TD) underneath and the emergence this preseason of Patrick Turner (3^rd pick in 2009 that disappointed with no receptions last year) and the electrifying playmaker, Marlon Moore. Greg Camarillo was recently traded to Minnesota making room for Moore and another skilled but raw play-maker, Roberto Wallace, though I suspect he’s on the outside looking in.

Anthony Fasano (31 receptions, 2 TD) struggled mightily last season and will look to rebound this year and just to be sure the tight end position improves the Dolphins signed our old friend, David Martin, to add depth and competition. Kory Sperry was recently released leaving the door wide open for Joey Haynos (19 receptions, 2 TD) to step in and contribute though the acquisition of Martin immediately places Haynos third. Miami runs a lot of the double TE formation so depth and production is vital.

WR/TE BOLD PREDICTIONS: Marshall’s streak snaps as he only catches 85 balls for 1,100 yards but still catches 14 TD. Turner not only catches a pass this season but a TD. Hartline will make a play that wins a game this season. Bess also catches 80 balls. Fasano shines with the addition of Marshall and amasses 500 yards and 8 TD.

Offensive Line: Jake Long and Vernon Carey will be the starting left and right tackles respectively and beyond that I have no clue. What I do know is despite the musical chairs being played across the line there is really nothing to worry about. It proves we have versatility and depth, which is paramount to succeed the way we like to play football. Jake Grove was expected to be the starting center but Joe Berger had different idea and that appears to be very much still a battle. Grove has been battling injuries, which may have closed the gap a bit.

Last years starting guard, Nate Garner, looks to be the first off the bench at tackle and may still earn the starting guard nod but will be battling the mauler John Jerry (3^rd round pick) and volatile Richie Incognito (FA). Last year’s starter Donald Thomas and Cory Proctor are in the mix as well. A talented and deep unit that will be key to the team’s success..

OL BOLD PREDICTION: Long, Incognito, Grove, Jerry, Carey will start. Long improves yet again entrenching himself as one of the best in the game with another Pro Bowl effort. This unit will be one of the best in the league and will achieve 2,500 yards on the ground and 25 TD.

Defensive Line: The unit with the biggest question mark on the team by far… until I get to the free safeties anyway. The 3-man front that Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan (acquired from Denver) has implemented took a series of serious blows at NT with the sudden retirement of Jason Ferguson and the season ending Achilles injury to Phillip Merling. The line must now be built on the likes of an undersized NT, Paul Soliai (25 tackles), a rookie playing out of position, Jared Odrick (1^st round, PSU) and a player moved out of his original position and asked to plug the middle, Randy Starks (56 tackles, 7 sacks). The good news thus far this preseason is Soliai has been a beast playing considerable better than last season, Odrick looks to be every bit worthy of his lofty draft status and Starks has been up and down in the transition thus far. They are not yet dominating and need to improve to avoid being the weak link and ultimately a big reason why we make the playoffs or not.

Kendall Langford (43 tackles, 2.5 sacks), Marques Douglas (64 tackles, 1.5 sack w/NYJ) and Charles Grant (44 tackles, 5.5 sacks w/NO) are all consistent quality players that will look rotate and wreak havoc up front.

DL BOLD PREDICTIONS: The Dolphins will finish in the top 10 against the run.

Linebackers: Signing Karlos Dansby (Arizona) goes a long way in filling the void left on the outside by the losses of star veterans like Jason Taylor and Joey Porter and lesser known inside linebacker regular contributors Akin Ayodele and Reggie Torbor. Dansby is a high-octane motor that seeks and destroys from sideline to sideline. In addition to being an instant upgrade at the position his presence combined with DC Mike Nolan’s exotic blitz packages looks to be the perfect recipe for reigniting the fire under MLB Channing Crowder (51 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT). Tim Dobbins (53 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT w/SD) was acquired during the draft and will make an immediate impact on special teams and is physical and talented enough to make an impact inside if Crowder’s health continues to hamper him.

On the outside 2^nd Rd. rookie Koa Misi (Utah) has tremendous pressure on him to step in immediately and contribute at a high level. He’s shown flashes in camp and the preseason that he is ready for the challenge. CFL star Cameron Wake (23 tackles, 5.5 sacks) also gets vaulted into the starting lineup expected not only to rush the passer but also to evolve into a run stopping, pass defending player as well, which may be asking too much. We shall see.

Charlie Anderson (17 tackles, 2 sacks) and Ikaika Alama-Francis will be competing for a reserve job on the outside.

LB BOLD PREDICTIONS: Koa Misi is in the argument for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Dansby has a Pro Bowl year. Wake gets 15 sacks and earns his way into becoming every down player. Alama-Francis makes the team and will flash if someone gets injured.

Defensive Backs: Easily the most suspect unit on the team after last seasons embarrassing display of poor tackling, busted coverages and just flat out inability to stop big plays down the middle of the field. Second year corners Vontae Davis (52 tackles, 4 INT) and Sean Smith (39 tackles) are extremely talented with huge upside but they are still young and need to be more consistent. It won’t take long to discover how much progress they made since last season.

Reliable strong safety Yeremiah Bell (114 tackles, 3 INT, 1.5 sacks) made his first Pro Bowl last season and his consistent play should go along way in the progress of the secondary as a whole.

Chris Clemons (13 tackles) will almost certainly be the starter at free safety and has to be considered a significant upgrade at the position after the awful year turned in by Gibril Wilson last season. Fifth rounder Reshad Jones (Georgia) is another high ceiling guy but the pro game has proven to be far more complex than in college and he wasn’t exactly free of mental errors at that level.

Tyrone Culver (32 tackles, 1 INT) and special teams stud Jason Allen are best suited in backup roles. Raw and speedy 5^th rounder Nolan Carroll (Maryland) has showed his NFL potential in camp and was in line to fill the void left by the injured Will Allen (21 tackles, 1 INT) at the nickel back position. That now looks to be the reason WR Greg Camarillo was traded to the Vikings for DB Benny Sapp.

DB BOLD PREDICTIONS: This unit will combine for 20+ interceptions. Davis and Smith will each have at least one pick six.

Special Teams: Kicker Dan Carpenter (25-28 FG) and punter Brandon Fields (46.3 avg.) are both excellent players. It’s not the kicking that’s the problem, it’s the covering and the returning of kicks that worries me.

Reliable returners Davone Bess (7.5 punt return avg.) and Patrick Cobbs (22.6 kickoff return avg.) are likely to retain their jobs from last season. They’re not candidates to break the big one ala Ted Ginn but they can be trusted, which is ultimately the key. The fasted Dolphin Nolan Carroll may find himself in the mix also should he prove consistency in fielding punts.

Outlook: Miami finished last season 7-9 but had a 7-3 stretch that placed them right back in the AFC East title hunt until uncharacteristically imploding in the final 3 games. The good news is they finished 4-2 in the division and 3-1 against the Jets and Patriots including a sweep of the Jets. The pieces are in place aside from a few question marks on the defensive side of the ball so the potential to be a contender is real, however, it would have to be considered mildly surprising for them to contend based on the number of questions they do have. The schedule is a monster the first half of the season before it looks to soften a bit and the schedule maker didn’t do them any favors in regards to weather. They lose the advantage of hot early September games in Miami opening on the road for the first two weeks and they play in the cold at the Jets in December and at New England to close out the regular season. The Dolphins style of football should keep them in a position to conceivably win every game they play so the little things down the stretch will determine their ultimate fate. I have faith and think a 10 win playoff bound season should be the very least to expect. Frankly, anything less should be considered a disappointment.

BOLD SEASON OUTLOOK PROJECTIONS: Finish 10-6 (2^nd in AFC East, Lose tie-breaker to Patriots) and earn Wild Card birth. Predictions end there regarding Playoffs. Miami sweep Jets *again*. Offense and defense finish ranked in top 10. Dolphins lead the league in forced turnovers and sacks. Ronnie and Ricky are best two back combo in league in total yards and TD’s.

Sun Life Stadium
2269 Dan Marino Boulevard (NW 199 St.)
Miami Gardens, FL 33056

2009 Record: 7-9 (3rd, AFC East)

Last Playoff Appearance: 2008, lost to Baltimore, 27-9, in AFC Wild Card

Head Coach: Tony Sparano (18-14 in two seasons with Dolphins, 18-14 Overall Career)

General Manager: Jeff Ireland

Executive Vice President of Football Operations: Bill Parcells

Offensive Coordinator: Dan Henning

Defensive Coordinator: Mike Nolan

Key Offensive Addition: Brandon Marshall, WR (101 rec, 1120 yards, 10 TD (with Denver)

Key Defensive Addition: Karlos Dansby, LB (109 tackles, 1 INT, 1 sack with Arizona)

2009 Offensive Team Ranks: 4th rushing, 20th passing, 15th scoring

2009 Defensive Team Ranks: 18th rushing, 24th passing, t25th scoring

KEY ADDITIONS: WR Brandon Marshall (Broncos), G Richie Incognito (Bills), OL Cory Procter (Cowboys), DE Marques Douglas (Jets), DE Charles Grant (Saints) LB Karlos Dansby (Cardinals), ILB Tim Dobbins (Chargers), DB Kevin Hobbs (Lions), Benny Sapp (Vikings)

KEY LOSSES: WR Ted Ginn Jr. (49ers), G Justin Smiley (Jaguars), NT Jason Ferguson (retired), DE Phillip Merling (out for season/injured), OLB Jason Taylor (Jets), OLB Joey Porter (to Cardinals), LB Akin Ayodele (Broncos), LB Reggie Torbor (Bills), CB Nathan Jones (Broncos), S Gibril Wilson (Bengals), Greg Camarillo (Vikings)

RD	PK(OVR)	PLAYER	POS	SCHOOL
1	28(28)	J. Odrick	DT	Penn State
2	8(40)	K. Misi	OLB	Utah
3	9(73)	J. Jerry	OG	Mississippi
4	21(119)	A. Edds	MLB	Iowa
5	14(145)	N. Carroll	CB	Maryland
5	32(163)	R. Jones	S	Georgia
7	5(212)	C. McCoy	OLB	Middle Tennessee State
7	45(252)	A. Spitler	OLB	Ohio State

Brandon Marshall, Miami Dolphins One Hot Mess

By Ronn Burner • on August 17, 2010

So much for the Brandon Marshall fireworks show scheduled after his first big play in a Miami Dolphins uniform. Don’t fret Dolfans, Miami is only two weeks into the 2010 NFL season with only one preseason game, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, under their belt so there’s no real reason to have emotions swaying heavily one way or the other. Marshall dropped two passes early and it didn’t get better from there but there is no reason to worry. It was a televised practice and like all practices, an opportunity to work on getting better for the games that count.

Our new #19 is not going to drop every pass thrown his way like our old #19 and our new undetermined starting free safety isn’t going to get beat like a tetherball like our old starting free safety. At least I hope not because if they do we’ll be lucky to win 6 games this year.

Preseason football is a necessary evil for the players and coaches and nothing more than a platform for the fans and media to shout, “The sky is falling!” or to break into song with “(Insert team here) is going to the Superrr Bowl!” Both are laughable commentary at this point, if not any point, in an NFL season. All we can do after the first preseason game is report what we see. Unfortunately for Miami there isn’t a lot of positives to report and the only certainty that came out of the game is there are still many questions to be answered and a lot more work to be done.

Miami (1-0) defeated Tampa (0-1), 10-7, in a game sloppier than the field conditions, which were as bad as any NFL game could possibly be. That’s what happens when torrential down pour meets the Dolphins Stadium, I mean LandShark, er wait Sun Life Stadium’s playing surface thanks to the Florida Marlins and that ridiculous infield that inevitably hampers the first month of every Dolphins season, thank god the Marlins are out of the playoff race this year and Phinatics lives forever next year.

The Dolphins played awful and they will be the first to admit that but let’s not lose sight of the fact that the preseason is simply to fill out the back of your roster and shake off the rust for the veterans and do it all injury free. If that’s the ultimate goal, Miami had a successful start to their season.

What I learned watching the Dolphins beat the Buccaneers Saturday night:

• Paul Solai showed his inner beast in dominating at the point of attack and even recovered a fumble.
• Rookie Nolan Carroll lived up to all the hype a 5^th round draft pick can receive by flying all over the field forcing a fumble and breaking up a pass. He is challenging for the nickel corner slot expected to be Will Allen’s, who is still hampered by that knee injury. Carroll also showed the kick return duties are likely his to lose.
• Pat White is history. Tyler Thigpen was clearly showcased for possible suitors as Pat White will be this week but the Dolphins see a lot of Tony Romo in Thigpen and just won’t give him away.
• The offensive line is talented on paper but the shuffling of positions throughout camp was clear by their sub par performance including a drive killer on a Vernon Carey holding call on a 3^rd and 1 and seemingly a first down picked up on a Ronnie Brown run.
• Chad Henne played the first four series without getting past his own 40-yard line. Carey’s penalty, the awful field conditions and several dropped passes certainly didn’t help.
• Marlon Moore and Patrick Turner showed glimpses of their potential and will be duking it out for that 5^th receiver roster spot. (Note: Apparently Greg Camarillo is a roster lock, which I disagree with especially considering his injury history.) I would not be shocked in the slightest to see Camarillo the odd man out.
• Nate Ness was clearly the Dolphins star with 4 tackles, 3 pass defenses and a fumble recovery. Opening the door for a real battle for the starting free safety position with Chris Clemons.
• Rookies Koa Misi and Jared Odrick contributed in a big way with 3 tackles and a fumble recovery respectively. For their first game action in the league they quickly erased any doubt Dolphins Nation had going in. They still have work to do for sure but they were not deer in the headlights, they were young aggressive NFL ready football players.
• Vontae Davis and Sean Smith are potential NFL stars and for every great play they make, they get toasted or make a mental mistake costing the team. They didn’t play horribly but they certainly will have to play better when it counts or it will be a long season. They will continue to get picked on by opposing quarterbacks until they make them pay for it.
• Channing Crowder looked like the man that will reap the benefits the most of Mike Nolan’s defensive schemes. The addition of Karlos Dansby certainly didn’t hurt but it was evident that the Crowder of last season is behind us.

Next up: Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars – Saturday, August 21^st at 7:30 EST

Dez Bryant, Jeff Ireland P.R. Fiasco

By Ronn Burner • on April 30, 2010

I’ve been trying to let this play out until we have truth to what actually occurred in that now notorious pre-draft interview that has forever linked in infamy Oklahoma State wide receiver, Dez Bryant, and Miami Dolphins GM, Jeff Ireland, before I pass judgment. The beat-a-dead-horse topic of the week unless of course you haven’t gotten enough of the “Jimmy Clausen falls out of the 1st round” phenomenon that has swept the sports world.

It seems like profootballtalk.com has been reporting a different version of the story faster than a Chad Henne fastball gets from Ted Ginn’s hands to the ground. I know Ginn is gone now, I’m sorry, I can’t help myself. I just have to learn to let it go. Maybe I should just watch more Ginn game film then. See what I did there? Sorry. It’s really become an annoying habit. Like Ginn dropping passes. Anyhoo…

There has been an uproar from the media and fans that want Ireland’s head on a stake for asking Bryant in some form or another if his mother was a prostitute. Those inside the league and NFL circles actually see it differently with several NFL GM’s and/or Executives stating on record that worse questions have been asked and it is indeed the right of the employer to ask these very difficult questions in order to see if you react rather than respond before they pay a 21 year old $20 to $50 million. Simply pawning it off as old custom where change has yet to be mandated. Fighting is still common practice in the NHL today remarkably so what gives.

In a release, the Dolphins claim the interrogation went down like this: (1) Ireland asked Bryant what his father does; (2) Bryant openly admitted he’s a pimp; (3) Ireland then asked what his mother does; (4) Bryant said that his mother works for his father; (5) Ireland then asked if his mother is a prostitute.

Bryant’s people are claiming that is “bulls@*#” and sticking to the original claim that Ireland directly and spontaneously blurted out the question “Is your mother a prostitute?”

That has been the ongoing debate back and forth since the story broke last week. My initial impulsive reaction was that of disgust that the organization I love so much has been marred in the public eye recently for lacking class recently for their less than tactful decisions – allegedly – to shun franchise icons Jason Taylor by holding him hostage and by dissing Zach Thomas by not allowing him to hold an exit press conference before he went to the Dallas Cowboys. Adding even further insult to injury the Dolphins issued rookie LB A.J. Edds Thomas’s esteemed #54. An obvious intentional slap in the face when you consider that rookies are never issued jersey numbers of players of Thomas’ magnitude, a certain Ring of Honor inductee. Throw in the Ireland fiasco and all of the sudden you have the Dolphins Front Office simmering in huge pot of “No Class Stew”.

All of those things may be acceptable, they all may not warrant punishment since technically nothing was done wrong as it pertains to the letter of the law but the court of public opinion can be equally if not more devestating. Wasn’t it a history of allegations or less than admirable decisions based on hearsay or just putting yourself in a bad light enough to get Ben Roethlisberger suspended by the league and nearly exiled in Pittsburgh?

Lost in the translation here really are the two most important things as far as I’m concerned.

1.) If true, it is profoundly sad that Dez Bryant’s father is a pimp and his mother was a prostitute. Think about that. How deep must the scars run with the lifetime of facing such an awful reality? Again, if true, I have a whole new respect for the person Dez Bryant is because frankly, if your biggest problems in a life raised under these conditions are not being very punctual and telling an occasional fib then he should be commended. Give the man a hug an a Humanitarian Award.

2.) My problem isn’t with the league deciding whether the question is right or wrong? If you want to ask the question, fine. My problem is the class and tact of the person willing to make the decision to ask that question. Should someone ask that question? That is not for me to decide but I will pass judgement on the character of someone that is willing to ask it. My opinion of Jeff Ireland as a man has changed. Would Tony Dungy have asked that question or better yet, would Don Shula or Rick Spielman or Wayne Huizenga? Hardly.

As a Dolphins fan I am currently ashamed of the way our organization is being represented. Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland and Tony Sporano (it may be unfair to link him in this actually) are great talent evaluaters and football minds but they are also employees and I don’t think it’s too much to ask for them to represent the franchise with class, dignity and respect.

And Dez Bryant has character issues.

Dolphins Draft Outlook

By Ronn Burner • on April 27, 2010

The 2010 NFL draft has come and gone and the “grades” are in! I say this with more than a hint of sarcasm since at this point we really know nothing. If we did, would Dan Marino have been the 6th quarterback taken in 1983 and the 27th player selected overall? If you’re thinking about the answer to that please stop reading. You’re not a football fan, in fact, you’re not even allowed to talk about sports. Ever.

How silly does the Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning debate sound now? I’m not going to lie; I was firmly in the Leaf corner at that time and likely the reason I’m sitting in a freezing cold office with no windows writing this instead of a War Room bragging about the notion that I outsmarted the room and found my starting free safety, a Georgia Team Captain in the 5th round while every other team passed on him… 5 times! I hope your right Bill Parcells. Keep in mind so-called NFL draft gurus Mel Kiper and Todd McShay each gave Miami a C for their draft last year, which included Vontae Davis, Sean Smith, Brian Hartline and Chris Clemons. On that scale, I would kill for a C again this year!

There are countless examples of this, yet in our insatiable hunger for immediate justification we feel compelled to grade the process that takes at least 3 to 4 years to truly gauge simply to nurture our self worth. It makes about as much sense as buying a lottery ticket and running out of the Quickie Mart screaming, “I’m rich! I’m rich!” before you even scratch it off.

I refuse to grade the selections because aside from the lunacy of it all the truth is Parcells, Jeff Ireland and Tony Sporano know a hell of a lot more than I do and I’m not going to pretend to know more than I do. Of course I have an opinion and I’m not afraid to voice it so I will. I would just take it with a grain of salt from a fan trying to figure this whole thing out the best we can from a distance.

“For the next three days we are going to draft prototypical players that play football well in their pads on the football field,” the sign in the Dolphins draft room read.

Based on their collegiate careers, that is precisely what they did. They drafted hard-nosed, hard working, high character, high motor, high IQ and quality leaders with McCoy being the only selection that was not a team captain in college.

Without further adieu, your 2010 Miami Dolphins draft picks.

Jared Odrick, 1, 28, DT, Penn St.

Scouting Report: Pass rush: Has good height, strength, agility and length to be a consistent penetrator. Bowled over many college linemen with his bull rush and seems to be in motion with the snap of the ball. Has some shiftiness and is able to penetrate with a swim or an inside-out move when blocked one-on-one. Uses his hands to discard linemen. Disrupts passing lanes with his long arms and big hands, keeping his eyes in the backfield. Can accelerate to the quarterback after initial contact but does not have elite quickness or change-of-direction ability to come back and make the sack or chase down plays in the backfield.

Run defense: Usually holds his ground inside or pushes back against double-teams. Disengages from blocks to get back into the play and has made stops four or five yards downfield. Not quick enough laterally, but uses his strength to move down the line while engaged on stretch plays. Must be more aware of protecting his knees from cut blocks.

Explosion: Good quickness and pop off the snap. Able to knock his man back a step or two into the pocket. Improved his get-off as a senior playing the three-technique and is able to consistently penetrate from that spot.

Strength: Brute strength makes him a tough assignment in pass protection for college linemen. Stacks his man and rips off in either direction to fill a hole. Pushes the pocket as a pass rusher, even when double-teamed. Plays tall but controls the line on almost every snap when straight-up or doubled.

Tackling: Solid wrap tackler inside because of his strength and length at the point. Lacks the change-of-direction ability to regularly rein in elusive ballcarriers or make plays from behind. His height also prevents him from consistently breaking down in space.

Intangibles: Work ethic and consistency of effort have been questioned in the past, but he appeared to turn a corner in 2009. Cited for disorderly conduct and fined for a February 2009 early morning fight in downtown State College.

Koa Misi, 2, 40, OLB, Utah

Scouting Report: Read & React: Very good football instincts — sniffs out screens, misdirection and cut blocks. Reads routes and knows where the hot read is in coverage.

Run defense: Explosive coming off the edge if untouched, flexible enough to chase down backs. Lacks the bulk to play end on early downs at the next level, but is strong enough as a linebacker on the edge to be an effective run stopper. Smart on containment and takes away the cutback lane. Punches linemen coming out to block, can disengage to make a play. Gets through trash to find the ball. Excellent chase and hustle down the line or downfield.

Pass defense: Very fluid in his drops, turns hips and gets deep quickly. Will struggle getting off lineman blocks, but seems to find creases to get to the ball in traffic. Good ball awareness whether blitzing or dropped into zone coverage. Gets his hands up when unable to reach the quarterback. Beats cut blocks with his hands and agile enough to recover. Strong enough to handle tight ends on the edge but needs to improve his hand usage on the line. Hustles back to get to open receivers in zones.

Tackling: Excellent tackler, strong upper body and brings his hips to explode into ballcarriers. Breaks down in space and has the agility to rein in elusive players. Tracks down quicker players from behind in space with pure hustle. Will be a force on special teams, playing inside on coverage units.

Pass Rush/Blitz: Played mostly defensive end for the Utes, quick off the edge and plays through the whistle. When standing up, he has nice closing speed to the QB and some shiftiness to defeat running backs inside or turn the corner on lineman outside. Also uses his hands to keep lineman off balance and get around their outside shoulder. Will need counter moves and learn how to blow up blocks in the backfield.

Intangibles: Team captain. High character player praised by his coaches for work ethic. Suffered back injury in preseason practice, worked hard to miss only the first game of 2009 season.

John Jerry, 3, 73, OG, Ole Miss

Scouting Report: A king-sized lineman who plays RT on the Ole Miss offense, Jerry simply lacks the athleticism to consistently reach the corner vs. speed off the edge. He showcases good lateral mobility and redirection skills for his size but lacks the quickness to hold up on the outside in the NFL. He has the makings of a physical inline guard at the next level where he can use his power and strength to maul defenders in the run game. Jerry possesses long, strong arms and powerful hands. Once he locks on in the run game, he does a great job pumping his legs and driving defenders off the ball. He can certainly anchor at the point of attack in the pass game, and once he gets his hands on an opponent, the battle is over. He is a Leonard Davis-type guard at the next level.

A.J. Edds, 4, 119, LB, Iowa

Scouting Report: A big, thickly built linebacker, Edds displays good power inside the box and has the ability stack and shed on contact. Does a nice job extending his arms, keeping his base low and using his hands to disengage at the point of attack. Reads and reacts quickly to plays at the line of scrimmage and has the initial burst to make his way into the backfield and close on the football. Isn’t a real sudden athlete on contact but fights for every inch and does a great job playing with inside leverage and finding the football. Displaying really impressive instincts and always seems to be flowing toward the action. Exhibits surprising fluidity for his size in space and does a nice job cleanly flipping his hips and getting out of his breaks.

But he isn’t an overly explosive athlete and struggles quickly getting back up to speed when asked to turn and run down the field. Frequently asked to play in space in Iowa’s nickel packages, he possesses good body control and balance in zone coverage. Showcases the ability to bump off the line and takes a liking to really beating on the tight end off the snap. Looks like a guy who could win a spot at as strong-side linebacker in the NFL. Edds is never going to be a star, but he has the ability to beat tight ends in the run game and be a productive starter for an NFL defense.

Nolan Carroll, 5, 145, CB, Maryland

Scouting Report: An intriguing size/speed corner, Carroll is still raw and looks like a much better athlete than a defensive back at this stage. He lacks ideal footwork off the line and has a tendency to open up his hips prematurely and sidesaddle his way downfield. He struggles keeping his feet under him and can be slow to get out of his breaks. He displays good range when asked to track the ball in zone coverage. But he isn’t instinctive and doesn’t put himself in position to make many plays. Carroll missed most of the 2009 season with a broken leg and although he possesses impressive size/speed numbers, he looks like nothing more than a practice squad candidate in year one.

Reshad Jones, 5, 163, S, Georgia

Scouting Report: Jones is a tall, good-looking strong safety who displays a sudden first step out of his stance when asked to attack downhill and generates good power on contact as a tackler. He’s a physical hitter with a strong upper body. He will go for the knockout punch too often instead of wrapping up but overall is a sound tackler when asked to close in pursuit. He’s also a good last-line defender who breaks down well and can wrap up in space. Jones is an above-average straight-line athlete for his size who gets up to full speed quickly and does a good job taking proper angles toward the ball. But he’s still a bit slow when asked to diagnose plays and lacks the second gear to make up for a false step. He showcases a natural initial bend in his stance but allows his pad level to get too high when asked to turn and run. Jones plays too leggy when trying to get back out of his breaks and struggles to stay compact with his footwork and generate a burst when trying to quickly change directions. He possesses good ball skills downfield, and once he sees the play he does a nice job tackling the ball, high-pointing the throw and coming down with the play. But too often he loses sight of the ball when trying to transition out of his breaks and lacks ideal overall ball awareness when trying to get his head around. Jones possesses an intriguing frame and above-average straight-line speed once he gets going but isn’t instinctive and fails to quickly redirect and change directions because of his elongated footwork.

Chris McCoy, 7, 212, DE, Middle Tennessee

Scouting Report: McCoy is an undersized defensive end prospect who lacks ideal girth in his lower half and struggles to hold up vs. the run game when the play comes toward him. He has a tendency to get too high on contact and is easily washed downfield. He works hard to disengage from blocks but struggles to gain inside leverage and consistently allows opposing linemen to get in on his frame. McCoy is slow to find the ball and isn’t the most instinctive defender. He’s asked to drop off into coverage at the line of scrimmage at times and looks a bit stiff off the ball.

Austin Spitler, 7, 252, LB, Ohio State

Scouting Report: An instinctive middle linebacker who possesses a good feel in coverage and knows how to find the ball, Spitler does well adjusting to the throw and possesses the ball skills to reel in the interception. But he isn’t natural when asked to redirect and lacks the kind of footwork and overall fluidity to cleanly get out of his breaks. He has a tendency to get grabby when asked to play on an island and is much more comfortable in zone coverage where he can read and react. He isn’t overly physical when asked to attack the line of scrimmage and struggles to keep his legs clean in pursuit. He displays slightly above-average range for the position but is easily knocked off balance and slowed in pursuit.

Miami also signed undrafted free agent WR’s Roberto Wallace 6’4”, 223 (San Diego State) and Marlon Moore 6’, 190 (Fresno State), DT’s Vince Oghobaase 6’5”, 302 (Duke) and Travis Ivey 6’4”, 341 (Maryland), CB’s Ross Weaver (Michigan State) and A.J. Wallace (Penn State), S Jon Amaya (Nevada) and OL Andy Levine 6’5”, 300 (FIU).

It’s easy to be thrilled and say we will have 4 immediate starters out of this draft but that’s not going to happen. Things never work out like that so I’m not going to expect that to here either. Jared Odrick will start. It’s John Jerry’s job to lose so it’s likely we have two starters right there but the truth is the best guards in mini camp and in the preseason will get the nod and it’s far from a guarantee that Jerry wins that job.

The O-line is a tremendously complicated position that requires cohesion like a dance partner. He’s NFL pedigree and talented, I hope he starts but there will be at least 3 or 4 guys with more NFL experience such as Richie Incognito that will have something to say about that. For sake of argument though, let’s say he wins the job. That’s two drafted starters — one on each side of the ball — a relatively smooth transition.

Now Koa Misi and Reshad Jones are also in position to come into camp and crack the starting the lineup and very well may do so but do we really want three rookie starters on defense? I don’t, even though it’s only one guy at each level and easier to implement than multiple players on one unit. Still, I would guess in an attempt at avoiding mental breakdowns that Misi and Jones will be weeded into the lineup rather than handed a spot. Of course, if they play their way onto the field and Sporano has no choice but to start them then so be it.

It’s a huge step from the college to the pro game both physically and mentally and to think that all four of these guys are going to come in and make an immediate impact from day one is wishful thinking to put it mildly. Law of averages.

Even if they did start would that speak more of them as talented rookies or the lack of talent currently on the roster at their positions?