Tony Sparano: Reggie Bush to get the "Most Carries" for the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins will be giving Reggie Bush more carries than Daniel Thomas this year, according to Tony Sparano and per the Miami Herald.

Here is what Sparano said when asked if Bush would get the most carries:

"I would think he's probably going to have the most touches and the most carries. We're going to try to get Reggie involved different ways. That's not a secret, you know. But I think a good way to get him involved is to turn and hand him the ball."

Even though he said probably, we know that Sparano means that for sure. That's just how he talks during interviews.

Bush is a dynamic player, and I am glad that Sparano and OC Brian Daboll are trying to incorporate him into the offense as much as possible. Daniel Thomas is a good running back, he just won't be able to do as much as Bush with the ball in his hands, especially after receptions.

I have a feeling that this offense will revolve around Bush. During the Panthers game he played really well, and I could see Miami trying to do that during the season. Think about it, if Bush is in the game defenders will have to worry about him catching the ball, which will open it up for the rest of the team.

Bush has surprised me since he's gotten here. I didn't expect that he would be as big in the offense as he is, and I definitely didn't expect him to be considered the top back. I'm glad he's doing so well, though. He is a hard worker and will be able to contribute a lot to the team.

Thanks for stopping by, and let me know what you think.

Welcome to the Blackout Rules Miami Dolphin Fans

Miami Dolphin fans are about to get a first hand look at the foolish greed of the NFL. The Dolphins have been fortunate to sellout Joe Robbie Stadium for more than one hundred straight games. That may end this season, as many thousands of seats are still available for numerous home games.

The antiquated rules stipulate a blackout in a seventy-five miles radius around the stadium, unless the stands are full. With the proliferation of the NFL Sunday Ticket, the NFL has decided not to televise any game on Direct TV that is not sold-out. For remote Miami fans, this could be a frustrating season.

Over 50 million NFL fans watch televised football games each week. If all 16 stadiums were sold-out with 75,000 fans, the total number watching the live games would be 1.2 million. Divided equally the fans watching each team on TV is over 3 million. This means only 2.5% of the NFL audience is actually watching the game live.

It certainly does not take a mathematical genus to figure out the NFL is risking the allegiance of 97.5% of its fan-base by maintaining these ridiculous rules. Miami has one the best remote fan-bases in the NFL but over 3 million of us will be doing something else come Thursday.

We could lash out at the locals who are too financially strapped to pay the exorbitant prices for tickets, parking and concessions. We could aim our frustration at a Dolphin team that went 1 – 7 at home last year, but the onus for this falls squarely on the greed that has overtaken the owners and the players alike.

The economy in this country is as bad as it has been in decades but the NFL does not even recognize the impact it has had on its fan base. Numbers like a billion dollars in revenue, or 100 million for player contracts, roll off the tongues of the talking heads like another day at the office.

Earth to the NFL, we watch this game because it helps us forget the hardships we face each day. Taking it away will not make us break our piggy banks to flock to the stadiums. It will only serve to remind us of all the things we don’t have and all that you do.

Amid the lockouts and blackouts, it’s time for a Dolphin shout out… Do away with the antiquated blackout rules before you turn away the goose that laid the golden egg. Have empathy for the fans that have made you rich and give back to the people who need this diversion to maintain sanity in an ever more difficult world.

Shout out folks! Let them know, when the decision between football and family becomes an unfortunate reality the NFL will lose…

The Miami Dolphins 2011 Schedule, a Tedious Chase to 9-7!!

Mannn, why is it that The Miami Dolphins schedule never seems easy, even as a third-place team??

Once again it appears on paper as though we'll likely be chasing 500. throughout the year..
Obviously, we're not aware of the possible all important intangible factors that might be in store for any of the Thirty-Two league teams including OUR MIAMI DOLPHINS!!
However, lets go-ahead and suggest and/or pretend that it all evens-out in the end..??

We start-out the 2011 season at Home on a Monday night September 12th with what would traditionally (before the season begins)appear to be an opening-day match up versus an extremely scary opponent referred to as the New England Patriots.. After what might be an ugly start to the season we then face somewhat less frightening games at home vs Houston and at Cleveland, followed by a tough trip to San Diego.. Then we have a bye to prepare for a nemeses-trip to the New York Jets violent atmosphere, previous to what appears as an easier one, tougher, tougher, easier, easier, tougher, easier, tougher, easier,(you get the jest of it),with an extremely tough final two at the Patriots and versus the Jets to close the season!!

Now trust me, I realize that there aren't any "easy" games on an NFL teams schedule, though in the manner I illustrated the schedule above was the simplest option of exhibiting the unlikeliness of our Dolphins going on a four, or five-plus game winning streak without the redundant mention of every team we play!!
From this observers point of view it doesn't seem to set-up well for a momentous stretch of victories, or losses, but more of a tedious chase of 500. in the pursuit of one game at a time while trying to win nine or ten in executing plays when rare opportunities present themselves!!

Beyond the norm of Road games with-in the division (NY week six Monday-night),(Buffalo in December week 15),(NE in December Christmas-Eve week 16)!! We also have extremely tough road match ups at San Diego week 4, NY Giants (Halloween)week 8, KC Chiefs week 9, and Dallas Cowboys(on Thanksgiving Day)week 12!! AGAIN we're supposed to get an easier schedule as a third-place team!! Does at Cleveland in week three as the only appearing to not be treacherous road game Qualify as an easy third-place road schedule?? I think not, I mean a road-game is one thing, a road-game on a Holiday versus premiere teams with-in the league provides an even more nightmarish scenario for a visiting teams potential victory!!
However,I'll make no-excuses, we have to beat those that are on our schedule that we're able to beat!!

Besides the norm of inner-division Home games on week one versus NE, week eleven vs Buffalo, and week 17 vs NYets on (New Years Day)!!
We get somewhat of a home schedule reprieve with only the Philadelphia Eagles in week fourteen being a ridiculously scary match up, which follows less intimidating Home games in week two vs Houston, seven Denver, ten Washington, and week 13 vs Oakland!!
Guess the schedulers didn't want us going 1 - 7 at Home, and/or 6 - 2 on the road??

Like I suggested, on paper!!
Our schedule ("a Tedious Chase of 9 - 7")doesn't look intimidating due to who we were(a 3rd place 2010 team), it would look intimidating for most ANY TEAM, other than possibly the elite, IMHO!!
I'm one of the belief that our New and Improved 2011 Miami Dolphins will execute a majority of the rare opportunities required to win the games they're supposed to win along with a defeat or two of the teams that are more than likely to beat us considering times and destinations!!

Minus knowing what all important intangibles will assist and/or befuddle each and every team!! This is how I'd suggest it all might turn-out!?!???

14 - 2 Patriots (division winner)
12 - 4 Steelers (division winner)
11 - 5 Ravens (fifth seed WC)
10 - 6 Chargers (division winner)
9 - 7 Colts (division winner)
9 - 7 DOLPHINS (Sixth-seed WC Tie-Breaker Scenario's Below??)
9 - 7 NYets ( head to head in week 6 at NY and week 17 in Miami)!!
9 - 7 Chiefs ( we play'em head to head in KC week 9 ) !!
9 - 7 Texans ( we play'em head to head in Miami week 2 )!!
7 - 9 Jags
7 - 9 Titans
6 - 10 Bills
6 - 10 Raiders
5 - 11 Broncos
5 - 11 Browns
3 - 13 Bengals

Miami Dolphins Schedule

THANK-YOU for an open-minded reading, and PLEASE give us your analogies and/or predictions!!

GO M I A M I D O L P H I N S !!!

Chad Henne is Looking Better and Better for the Miami Dolphins

I don't care if it is preseason. Chad Henne has looked good for two straight games in a row, and it looks like he will continue to play well for the Miami Dolphins. Henne finally seems comfortable in this offense, and it has begun to show with his production.

I'm not even looking at his numbers either. I am just looking at his decision-making, composure, and leadership. I don't know if you guys have noticed, but Henne is much more active pre-snap than he has ever been. He has started directing the offense, and not just doing exactly what he is told.

One of my biggest fears with Henne is his inconsistency. He will bait us in with a good game, but then he regresses and throws multiple interceptions. I was afraid that would happen in yesterday's game against the Buccaneers, but it didn't and he hasn't thrown an interception in two straight weeks.

What's more? Henne and Brandon Marshall have really started to make a connection. Do you guys remember all of that talk about how well Henne and Marshall would do at the beginning of last season? Well, maybe those talks were a year premature. Maybe this year will be the year that they do really well. I'm not going to say it is for sure, but I think there is a good chance. The two really do look good together. Henne is a much better leader, Marshall is more "stable", and they are talking more now than they ever did before.

Henne didn't even need a good rushing attack to do well passing the ball. That is extremely encouraging. A good quarterback doesn't need to rely on a top-notch rushing attack to do well. He can go off of his own arm, and the rushing attack will follow.

Is Henne at that level where the rushing attack relies on him instead of him relying on it yet? I can't say for sure, but he is closer than he has ever been.

Thank you guys for reading and let me know what you think.

The Miami Dolphins vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Post Game Analysis

There is a tendency to read too much into pre-season games, even a game labeled as the dress rehearsal for the season. The Dolphin offensive line has much to prove heading into the season opener against the Patriots. If this was the proving ground, the Miami Dolphins could be in trouble.

Lydon Murtha playing in place of Jake Long was clearly overmatched. The numerous penalties called on Murtha highlighted his inability to keep up with the speed of the Bucs defense. Murtha and his line-mates left the Dolphins backed up near their endzone several times and only allowed the offense to get on track once after an early Brandon Marshall touchdown.

The right side of the Dolphin line was nothing short of pathetic. The wisdom of signing Marc Columbo and making him the instant starter at right tackle is questionable. Beaten off the snap many times, his first step was constantly behind his opposition.

Vernon Carey looked as if he was playing in quicksand. He spent more time in the backfield than Reggie Bush and he was knocked on his backside on several occasions. Carey and Columob looked old, slow and fat. On the goal line, they were beaten off the ball so badly the defense was tackling the back before he took the handoff.

The bright side will be the return of Jake Long and that both Richey Incognito and Mike Pouncey played excellent football games. Pouncey laid out Bucs DT Brian Price with a devastating second level hit. With only two weeks remaining until the regular season, it is hard to imagine the Dolphins being able to fix the right side of the line. This does not bode well for the season ahead.

The following statistics agree with the analysis.

1st downs rushing – 0
3rd down conversions – 2 - 12
4th down conversions – 0 - 1
Yards rushing – 22
Yards per Carry – 1.3
Sacks – 5
Penalties – 11 - 76

The offensive line was the prime focus going into the game but there were many positives. Chad Henne played a much better game than his lofty 10 – 13, 175 yard, 1 TD numbers would indicate. His sideline pass to Brandon Marshall was a thing of beauty, along several other quick decisive throws.

Facing a constant onslaught from the Bucs defense Henne maintained his poise and showed a maturity rarely seen in the past. Aside from one fumble brought about by the sieve on the right side of the line, Henne never allowed the pressure to force him into a bad throw. His decision making under pressure never wavered. He did not make the costly turnovers that had plagued him in the past.

Henne’s performance kept the Dolphins in a game that could easily have gotten out of hand, had he turned the ball over. It may seem hard to fathom judging by the score, but it was one of Henne’s finest games in a Dolphin uniform. If Henne maintains this level of play, he may have finally turned the corner as an NFL QB.

The starting defense played a good game, but a vanilla game plan was evident. The Dolphin defense showed very little to the NFL in this game. If the New England Patriots hoped to get some film of what they could expect from the Dolphin defense they will be disappointed.

With this in mind, the defense held up-and-coming Bucs QB Josh Freeman to a pedestrian 12 – 23, 149 yard, 0 TD performance. There were a couple lapses in the secondary included the dreaded dropped INT by Yeremiah Bell, but most of the Bucs big plays came from QB scrambles. Noticeable missed coverages on the backside of the formation led to wide open check down receivers. Shawn Smith’s open field tackling leaves much to be desired. Overall the Dolphin defense performed well, while divulging little of what can be expected once the regular season begins.

Special teams did nothing spectacular and it could spell the end for Philip Livas who did not distinguish himself as a punt returner. Dan Carpenter had two field goals, including a 47 yarder that easily cleared the bar. The Dolphins did not return a kickoff in this game, a reflection of the new kickoff rules. The Bucs attempted two kickoff returns but averaged only 17 yards. Brandon Fields had an excellent night punting, including a clutch 69-yard punt when the Dolphins were pinned deep in their own territory.

In the final analysis, the right side of the Dolphin offensive line could spell big trouble if play does not somehow improve. The penalties must be cleaned up. If Chad Henne continues to build on the past two weeks, he will put all the naysayers to rest and finally solidify himself as the Miami Dolphin QB. Once the Miami defense opens the playbook, they will be the backbone of the team and should keep Miami in every game.

MIami Dolphins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Live Chat

Good news guys. I have upgraded the chat so we don't have a 100 post limit anymore!

Here's the link to the game

Dolphins at the Bucs

Folks, I will be heading to the Dolphins - Bucs game tonight... If there are specific things you would like my impression of, please post and I will reply tomorrow in a seperate article.

I will also give a full report on the game...

My main focus during the game will be on the offensive line. My opinion is, if this team has a chance to be better than the last couple years the improvement will have to come on the O-line. Moving Carey to guard, how Colomubo plays at RT and the play of Pouncey are the what I believe to be the most important match-ups, not only for this game but for the season as well.

Secondly I would like to see how Henne has matured and if he can follow up on last week's performance. I have been one of the few fans who has maintained that QBs take at least 3 years to develop in the NFL. For that reason I have not been on the train of Henne bashers, but this year he must make the progression to being a good NFL QB or I will jump on board. I don't believe he has to be Tom Brady, but he must at least be able to limit his mistakes and make big plays in timely moments.

The 3rd pre-season game is the most important one as far as assessing the starters and getting a good idea of how the team will play this year. It's still a pre-season game so drawing too many conclusions from it is probably a mistake, but this one has a game plan and the starters should come out to start the 2nd half.

GO FINS!

How Will the Change in Leadership Affect the Miami Dolphins

Some of the off-season moves have brought a significant difference in the Miami Dolphin leadership and this change of the guard has flown under the radar of most fans and media. The Dolphins have not been near the top of the NFL since Dan Marino hung up his cleats but they may be closer now than at any point since. Tony Sparano did some soul searching this off-season and from that introspect he realized his team lacked explosion due to his conservative coaching; he also came to the conclusion his team leaders were not what he needed them to be.

Ricky and Ronnie may not inspire Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid like Czonka and Kick once did but Dan Henning’s offense was clearly centered around their talents. Channing Crowder never seemed to be in the right place at the right time to make big plays but he was the defensive play caller and the defense seemingly played better when he was in the game. Chad Pennington’s body never allowed him to play for consecutive seasons his entire NFL career, but his knowledge and presence loomed large on the sideline, in the locker room and in the meeting rooms.

Fans may notice of the absence of Henning, Williams, Brown, Crowder and Pennington because each had past moments of greatness but there will be no press conferences honoring their time in the Dolphin organization. There is probably a thought about where this is leading and the word “leading” would be the clue. What happens when a team has enigmatic leadership? What happens when a team has blasé leadership? What happens when a team has leadership that cannot stay healthy enough to remain on the field?

Dan Henning covers the enigmatic pretty well. He was a mysterious cantankerous dictator who was beyond reproach. If his offense was not performing it was not his system or his play calling, it was because the players were not good enough to make it work. How dare the media or even his boss insinuate he change something in his system, if ten offensive linemen cannot seem to make it work, bring in more. If Chad Henne’s strengths do not fall in line with this playbook, Chad Henne needs to be gone. Henning was an inflexible tyrant and that is exactly what a coach in the modern NFL cannot be. Many of the lowest paid players make more money than Henning but he could not see this polar shift from coach centric to player centric football. Removing this influence was pivotal for Sparano and it will show.

Ricky Williams never wanted to be a leader. Ricky Williams is a philosopher in a football player’s body. Thrust into the position of leadership under Dave Wannestedt, Ricky balked and worse, he quit. When a team deals two first round picks for a player there are bound to be expectations and if the player is not on board with those expectations, issues are soon to follow. Even though Ricky put that chapter behind him, the shadow of it lingered in the sense that Tony Sparano knew he could never place too much responsibility on Ricky’s shoulders. It is clear to see Ricky was not a leader but there was no way his presence and veteran wisdom could not be influential. Ricky was not a bad influence but he quit once and there was always the sense that if too much responsibility fell on Ricky’s shoulders he would just as soon live in a tent then get too caught up in leading a football team. On a veteran team Ricky would have been fine but on a young team Ricky’s presence drew players to him and he was not a person who would carry the banner into the fight.

Ronnie Brown is a prime example of why many NFL people view running backs as a dime a dozen. Ronnie was a good back who had moments of brilliance, but he was never worthy of the second pick in the draft. It is hard for players picked early in the draft to live up to their draft status. Being picked high is a guaranteed pocket full of jingle but the danger of the jingle is the incentive lost once the prize is won. One of the reasons Nick Saban thought Brown would be a good pick was because he had shared time in college with Cadillac Williams and did not have the wear on his body that a pure feature back would have had. It turned out not to matter as Brown spent as much time injured as he did on the field. Even when healthy Brown’s personality never was an inspiration to the players around him and hence he was never a leader. Being a veteran on the team Brown was looked up to by the younger players but his example was not one Sparano felt could provide the leadership his young team needed.

Dreadlocks, tattoos and his mouth moving a mile a minute are the lasting impressions Channing Crowder left on Dolphin fans. There are few who would argue the Miami defense played better when Crowder was on the field, but the oft injured Crowder exemplified a defense that never seemed to make big plays. Crowder was somewhat of an enigma, he could get his teammates properly lined up and had a good sense of what play the offense was about to run, but somehow he was never in position to make the play. Compared to a player like Zach Thomas who could line up the defense and fly to the ball, Crowder was missing half his game. Crowder was always willing to speak his mind and he was the center of attention in the locker room but big plays and nose for the football eluded him on the field. His off the field banter and on the field jawing were not backed up by big plays, which led to Crowder not being respected by his peers around the league. The leader of a team must not only be respected by his own team but by his opponents as well. Crowder was not and Sparano knew it was not going to change.

Whenever I think of Chad Pennington I think of Herdfan and it is hard to be too critical of a player who could bring such a great fan to the Miami Dolphin faithful. The truth is there is not much to be critical of; Pennington’s was a career of what could have been. He is one of the most accurate passers in NFL history. Every year he stayed healthy he led his team to the playoffs. Pennington was the consummate professional and a great leader, but he could not stay healthy. Pennington never completed back to back seasons without injury and because of that he could never guide an offense long enough to make it to the big show. He certainly had the tools and leadership to get there but his body would not allow it. If Pennington had a flaw during his final seasons in Miami it was the notion that he could be some form of a player-coach. Pennington wanted to play and being a leader in the locker room caused his teammates to follow him even though he could not take the field. Chad Henne could not take over the reins of leadership because of the respect everyone in the organization held for Pennington. If Pennington had remained healthy he would definitely be a part of this football team today, but he could not.

When Tony Sparano and Jeff Ireland got together after the tumultuous beginning of the off-season that saw Steven Ross courting an unproven college coach, they knew the veteran presence on the team had to change. For Henning it was his inflexibility to modernize his offense in accordance with the changes taking root in the NFL. For Williams it was his lack of buying in to the coaching staff and his willingness to voice his opinion in his own subtle way. For Brown it was his natural timidity, injuries and poor practice habits born of those injuries. For Crowder it was simply about putting his play where his mouth was and staying healthy. For Pennington it was a matter of health. The team was desperately in need of a change in leadership.

Sparano knew he had to change, he knew he had to become less conservative and more explosive. He also knew it was essential his coaching staff spoke with one voice and for those reasons he replaced Dan Henning with Brian Daboll. Daboll was fresh, his ideas were explosive and he was not a renegade. Drafting Daniel Thomas and picking up Reggie Bush brought in fresh running backs with something to prove. Why Larry Johnson, because Larry Johnson has a chip on his shoulder a mile wide. Channing Crowder worked out with one team before deciding to retire. That’s because there were not many teams beating down his door and that should say a mouthful about what the rest of the league thinks about Crowder. Aside from his injuries, letting Pennington go would allow Chad Henne to finally step up without constantly looking over his shoulder.

The issue of loyalty cannot be understated… Williams, Brown and Crowder were not their guys. Draft picks have a natural allegiance to the coaches who drafted them, but even free agents feel a breath of new life when a team seeks them out and pays them for their services. The number of players left from previous regimes should be a good indicator of how important this is to Sparano and Ireland. Pennington is the exception but in his case injuries were his undoing. It is clear, if Sparano and Ireland were going down they were going down with players of their own choosing. Everyone on this team is now under the same onus... Win or else. Don’t be surprised to see a team with a little more sense of urgency and a lot more will to win.

My question to you is, who will emerge as the new leadership core of the Dolphins?

Miami Dolphins CB Vontae Davis Expresses Confidence in Him and Sean Smith

While talking to the media, Miami Dolphins CB Vontae Davis had this to say about him and Sean Smith, courtesy of Matt Forman of the Miami Herald:

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say we're the best tandem in the league. That's what I'm going to say. You can name all of the other tandems across the league. I'll put it out there: We're the best tandem."

Whether you agree with him or not, you have to like that he has confidence in him and his partner's abilities. I kind of agree with him because I think that they are among the best tandems, but I don't know if they are the best quite yet. Can they be? Absolutely, but they aren't number one quite yet.

That doesn't mean I have a problem with what he is saying, because I don't. I love what he is saying, and they are going to get the chance to prove that they are the best early on against the Patriots Week 1.

Davis is not really a household name like Revis or Asomugha, though I believe he should be considered up there with them. Sean Smith is even less of a household name, but that will probably change after this season. Most people don't realize how good these two are individually, and together they can be really dangerous.

Who knows? Maybe they'll be just like Patrick Surtain and Sam Madison? I believe it is very possible, and we could see that happen as soon as this season.

Thanks for stopping by, and let me know what you think about what Vontae said and about Davis and Smith together.

You Tell Me: Where Does Chad Henne Rank Among Starting Quarterbacks in the NFL?

This week's "You Tell Me" is going to be about how good that you think Miami Dolphins QB Chad Henne is compared to other starting NFL quarterbacks.

I have put together a list below of where I believe starting quarterbacks in the NFL belong, and I want you guys to look at the list and tell me where you think Henne should go in it. Some of you may not completely agree with where I rank the quarterbacks, but that isn't the point. I just want to know roughly where you would rank Henne.

Here's the list:

1. Tom Brady
2. Peyton Manning
3. Aaron Rodgers
4. Philip Rivers
5. Michael Vick
6. Drew Brees
7. Matt Ryan
8. Ben Roethlisberger
9. Sam Bradford
10. Matt Schaub
11. Eli Manning
12. Josh Freeman
13. Joe Flacco
14. Jay Cutler
15. Tony Romo
16. Kyle Orton
17. David Garrard
18. Ryan Fitzpatrick
19. Matt Cassell
20. Matthew Stafford
21. Mark Sanchez
22. Alex Smith
23. Jason Campbell
24. Tarvaris Jackson

I may have left some quarterbacks out, but I am pretty sure that is a good enough list.

Now, I want to know around where you would put Chad Henne in that list.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Questioning the Competence of the Dolphins Front Office

Hello Dol-Fans!

The Miami Dolphins Front Office has made another classic blunder. They released a young budding talent for a big name veteran free agent with little hope of productivity remaining.

In case you haven’t heard… our beloved ‘Fins brain-trust just signed RB Larry Johnson. While I applaud some of GM Ireland’s recent veteran acquisitions (i.e. RB/WR/PR Reggie Bush, ILB Kevin Burnett, and DE/OLB Jason Taylor), I really must question what he believes he gains by adding Johnson to the Dolphins Offensive arsenal? Remember him? Former K.C. Chiefs star workhorse, who had two magnificent back-to-back 1,750 yd. rushing seasons (in 2005 and 2006), then disappeared. Yep; that’s the one!

Like many RB wonders of the modern football era, Johnson hit his prime, peaked in the rushing world, then vanished, amongst the likes of: Ahman Green, Jamal Lewis, and Shaun Alexander. He hasn’t accomplished anything of substance in over 5 years, and now he’s 31 years old and undoubtedly in decline. If the Dolphins are lucky, he may have enough gas left in this overused tank to be a viable fourth RB option, and/or Scout Team tackling dummy. Beyond that… I see no further value here.

To raise eyebrows even further, Miami’s head shed then released the young and blooming RB Kory Sheets to clear the way for Johnson’s arrival. Take a moment to logically weigh this decision. Our team lost a younger RB that’s just beginning to show flashes of his potential and hasn’t yet reached him prime, for an over the hill RB that has the well documented history of being a poor teammate, social outcast, and trouble maker. Does this make sense to you?

I understand that teams require depth at every position, but is the market so depleted that our ‘Fins must go shopping for a RB other teams put out to pasture years 5 years ago? What’s next? Should we ask Emmitt Smith or Curtis Martin to return to action for Miami?

This roster move may not seem significant to many, but think about this for a second. Goodness forbid our RB’s get bitten by the injury bug this season, and Larry Johnson's next up on the depth chart. Do you really want him carrying the rushing load this season? I don't!

What are your thoughts?

Miami Dolphins Release Kory Sheets and Sign Larry Johnson

The Miami Dolphins have released 26 year old RB Kory Sheets and signed 31 year old Larry Johnson to replace him, per the Miami Herald.

This is disappointing news for a lot of us fans who thought highly of Sheets, but I have to say that I agree with the move after what I've heard about Sheets recently. From what I can tell he has lost a step and isn't as shifty since he was out for the season last year with a torn achilles tendon. You can't help but feel bad for the kid because he had a lot of potential that he may never be able to reach because of an injury.

I don't believe that the signing of Larry Johnson will have much effect on the Dolphins offense. He may get a few touchdowns (or just carries) on the goal line, but don't expect anything more from him. I still think that Lousaka Polite (arguably the best fullback in the NFL) will be the main short yardage runner in Miami.

There was talk about the Dolphins possibly signing Clinton Portis after releasing Sheets, but they ultimately decided to bring Johnson in instead.

All in all, I like this move. Bring in Johnson, who has been very successful before, and let him battle for a better spot in the lineup. If he doesn't end up doing well, then who cares? It's not like Miami was relying on him anyways.

We'll see what happens. Thanks for stopping by, and let me know what you think.

Dolphin "Pod" rescue attempt of Chad Henne.. Part Two: Tailbacks!!

Hey Fellow Fin-fo-addicts, hope this comes to you when feeling all bright-eyed and BUSHY-TAILED.. Speaking of tail, that's about the only view many opponents will have (from on their butts and/or from behind) when attempting to face-up against
Reggie,Reggie,Reggie,Daniel,Daniel,Kory,Kory!!

They say that "a bird in hand is worth two in the Bush"!!
In this case, I think it goes a flock of birds on the offensive-line are worth "two in a Bush"!!

From my birds-eye view from within my mind, I'm envisioning a healthy Reggie Bush being the starter for our Miami Dolphins!! Now that's not suggesting that he'll always get the bulk of the carries from the tailback position, just that he'll start at tail-back, and likely get between fifteen to twenty carries!! I believe that 2011's second round draft pick Daniel Thomas will pretty-much match the repetitions/carries of Reggie Bush at tailback, while Bush will gather total yards in manning other positions as well (flanker, receiver, wildcat back, etc., etc..)

Here's where I see the two in a Bush theory (if Reggie Bush and the OLine can stay healthy)!! I see no reason why Reggie Bush can't single-handedly come within a few hundred yards of the production of both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined 1790 total yards of offense and only 8 Touchdowns in 2010!!

I can also easily envision Daniel Thomas equaling the 2010 production of one or the other in Ricky or Ronnie (they were basically the same production-wise).. Ronnie had 734 rushing with 242 receiving yards and 5 TD.. Ricky had 673 rushing to go along with 141 receiving yards and 3 TD.. After occasionally being able to watch Thomas play on television over the last two years for Kansas State, thoroughly evaluating him through the draft process, and during his few Dolphin moments it's quite evident to this hawk (me) that he doesn't possess the bad hesitation habits that Cam Cameron instilled in Ronnie while trying to turn him into a much slower LaDanian Tomlinson!! I believe that Thomas is already every bit the tailback that Ronnie ever was, and that not being the feature back and/or being the focal-point of opponent's game-planning should keep him fresh, while opening lanes that Ronnie never hit quite quick enough!! He, in turn, is highly capable of doing anything else that Brown was able to do if'ya know what I mean!!

No, no, don't say-it, it'll have a small paragraph in "part three"!!

Speaking of part three.. As the three we then have the return from injury of 26 year old Kory Sheets who's a burner that can score from anywhere on the field, and likely would have taken some of Ronnie's 2010 reps while running circles around 2010's number three in Patrick Cobbs (another favorite, but c'monn mannn)!! Oh yeah, we currently still have Lex Hilliard, and we all know who Lex is, should he be needed!!

All in all, 2010's entire running back unit (fullbacks included) accumulated 2,007 total yards rushing/receiving, and a mere eleven Touchdowns!!

I personally have strong confidence in 2011's tail-back unit surpassing 2010's unit by four to five hundred yards while producing quite a few more touchdowns in the process!!

Now, don't misunderstand me. I have great appreciation and respect for both Ronnie and Ricky!! It's just that both were far beyond their prime, extremely predictable, bored, and easy for the opposition to gameplan against, whereas this new stable is full of prime, young, unpredictably difficult to corral wild stallions in search of a Mare and/or Pigskin in the heat!!

AGAIN, this is all contentious to the flock of birds on the power line staying energized/healthy while transferring that cohesive electricity to the ground-game resulting in a "Burning Bush,"and the condemnation of Chad Henne's demons!!

Thank you for the open-mindedness in reading, and for what ever opinions you'd like to add!!

GO M I A M I D O L P H I N S !!!

Chad Henne Really Could Be The Miami Dolphins Answer

The Miami Dolphins may finally have their quarterback. After all of our debating about Chad Henne and other quarterbacks that we wanted the Dolphins to get, we may have finally found our answer.

Chad Henne played really well against the Panthers last Friday. He didn't throw a single pick in 24 attempts, and he threw for 194 yards with a 62.5% completion rate. Yes, it was the Panthers, but he still did a lot of good things and was on target with pretty much all of his throws. My favorite part about everything Henne has done so far is how he has taken over the offense, but don't just take my word for it. Here is what Miami receiver Brandon Marshall had to say about it after the Panthers game courtesy of the Miami Herald:

"I love how Chad took over the offense. He's just done a tremendous job of taking over the huddle. You need that in a quarterback."

Hearing that from Marshall is incredibly exciting. Think about it, Marshall was the most outspoken player against Henne at the end of last season. He would have taken practically any other quarterback over Henne, but not anymore. Marshall now supports Henne, and that has been crucial to their relationship. They are talking more than ever. For proof just read this quote by Chad Henne again courtesy of the Miami Herald:

"We talk more than we ever have before. Every play, we're talking. If I miss a pass and he runs a route, we talk about it. We're making sure we're both aware of what happened."

So according to Marshall, Henne is really becoming a leader, and according to Henne, he and Marshall are really starting to work well together. I don't know about you guys, but that really might be the best news we have heard all offseason. The common opinion throughout the NFL is that the Dolphins lost out during free agency by not trading for Kyle Orton, but that may not be the case. Maybe Chad Henne really is the quarterback that he was hyped up to be at the beginning of last season. Do I think he is going to be THAT good? No, but I still think he can be a good NFL starter.

This next game against Tampa Bay will be crucial, though. Henne has been known to regress after a good game like this one, so it will be important for him to play against the Buccaneers just as well as he did against the Panthers.

Let's cross our fingers and hope he can, because I would like to root for a winning team this season and this next game will be a good indicator.

Thanks for stopping by, and let me know what you think.

The Miami Dolphins Played The Carolina Panthers, I Think...

The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) has decided on a name change, it will now go by ESDN, The Entertainment Spin Doctor Network… Anyone who actually watched the Dolphins and Panthers game would not have guessed it was the Cam Newton show.

It was a pleasant shock to see the Miami game as the lead story this morning until the talking heads started spinning. In the real game, the Dolphins out gained the Panthers by more than 200 yards in the first half, with the Panthers never making it past mid-field. In the spin doctor game Cam Newton was busy making three plays that were replayed from six different camera angles. Cam is the man, we were informed and he was able to go through a three receiver progression. ESDN walked us through that play from the endzone, from behind the offense, from the sideline, from the blimp, from the ultra-high-res NSA spy satellite.

Oh, and Reggie Bush had a pretty good game, Chad Henne… Did Chad Henne play in that game? Jimmy Clausen brought the Panthers back from 17-0 in the second half to make it 20-10, did he outperform Cam Newton? According to the interview with Ron Riviera, Newton is right on schedule. Newton was able to make plays against the Miami defense with his arm and his feet and showed great poise in the pocket.

When three plays are viewed from different angles, am I not supposed to know they are the same three plays? The ESDN spin doctors made up the news this morning because they don’t care about the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins don’t have Newton, or Brady, or play in New York - they have Chad Henne - they don’t have the legendary Belichick or the obese big mouth Ryan - they have Tony Sparano – there is no sparkle or glitz, nothing to talk about here.

It’s time for Miami to serve notice to the spin doctors, the Dolphins are coming and the boat is closed. Don’t even think about jumping onboard, ESDN is not welcome in Miami where the concept of team overrides the concept of me. The Dolphins don’t need the spin doctors fabricating stories in search of ratings. The Dolphins don’t need fat coaches, or glamour boy QBs or any form of ESDN slight of hand… Clear the water ESDN, the Dolphins are coming!

I Think I Saw a Football Team Last Night

A few wins can really make a difference can't it? The only thing that seemed to be missing last night were a few turnovers and a little more pressure on their QB.

This night belongs to Chad Henne. Who was that impersonator out there? He had, what, one throw that was off to the left sidelines, and even that was more like a throw away pass. He really took care of the ball. I can't remember a time when he was more accurate. The crossing patterns he threw were right on the money and for once the check down throws were taken because no one was open down field, not because they were his primary option as I have seen in the past. Good job Henne, good job!!!!

Kudos to the offensive line, Pouncey and the interior lineman made it easy for Bush, Thomas, and Hilliard to run. Also did it look like Big Lou Polite was his old self to you? It did to me. He cleaned up anything the offensive lineman missed. Just a great job by that unit. They set the tone for the entire game.

Can anyone cover Clyde Gates on the deep pass routes? I don't think so. Every wide receiver looked good. Henne and Marshall looked to be getting better. Bess and Hartline? Doesn't seem to me that there is anyone who can cover those guys. Even Fasano looked good.

Some credit must go to Daboll. There seemed to be a purpose to each and every play, and the spread formation made easier to run the ball. I have no idea what the rushing average per play was but it wasn't 3.4 yards a carry, I can tell you that. It looked closer to 5 yards a pop. Now that is a running game!!! Plus, since when did Tony Sparano go from the Scare Crow to the Lion? I did not see a yellow brick road. :)

I didn't mention the defense, actually I didn't need to. The corner backs didn't let anyone get open. For that matter did the Panthers even have any WRs on the field? If so they were taken out of the game by two erasers, of Davis and Smith. Who is that guy #47? I think his name is Justin? from San Diego? He was all over the field.

Yes I know, look at who we played, but you know what? The guys still executed the plays, the offensive line blocked, the runners found the holes, the passer made the throws, and the wide outs made the catches. Plus the defense stopped all of those things.

It's a good day in Dolphin Land.

Miami Dolphins Carolina Panthers Live Chat

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Terrelle Pryor to the Miami Dolphins?

Terrelle Pryor has become somewhat of an enigma… Coming out of high school he was the first player in Pennsylvania history to rush for 4,000 yards and throw for 4,000 yards. He led his team to the Pennsylvania state championship and set a state season record scoring 860 points. The sky was the limit for Pryor with scholarship offers coming from all over the country. While locals thought he would go to Pitt or Penn State, Pryor could not resist the big time allure of Ohio State and decided to take his talent across the three rivers into Ohio.

As a freshman he led Ohio State to an 8-1 record, his only loss coming against the school he had left at the alter, Penn State. He reportedly ran a 4.33 forty, before his sophomore season in a timed race against several of his teammates. He went on to lead the Buckeyes to a Big Ten Championship, and earn the 2010 Rose Bowl MVP trophy after leading Ohio State to a 26-17 victory over Oregon. That’s when things began to unravel for Pryor.

In every BCS college across the country there is an element outside the locker-room waiting to pounce on young impressionable athletes. Money, cars, women are always available when unscrupulous vultures wish to have the biggest trophy at the party. This has been going on forever in one form or another and the NCAA will do nothing real about it because, after all, the NCAA is the biggest greedy vulture of them all, but that is another tale. Pryor basically got caught. His glamour was a little too obvious to fly under the radar and he ended up taking his coach and his school down with him.

The carnage is well documented and the larger question is whether and/or where the Dolphins should pick Pryor in the supplemental draft. Here are his passing stats…

SEASO--CMP---ATT---YDS----CMP%--YPA----LNG--TD---INT--SACK--RAT
2008----100----165----1311---60.6----7.95---56-----12----4------21----146.5
2009----167----295----2094---56.6----7.10---76-----18----11-----22----128.9
2010----210----323----2772---65.0----8.58---65-----27----11-----19----157.9

It is well known Pryor has the ability to scramble and take off down the field and his rushing stats play little in determining his potential as an NFL QB, therefore they are not relevant in this assessment.

His passing numbers are excellent and would indicate he is not prone to making poor decisions with the football. On film, he has shown he can set up quickly and get rid of the ball on quick hitting passes. He has the arm strength to make every NFL throw but his footwork and mechanics are still a work in progress. In his junior year he became more patient and started showing some ability to go through progressions and find receivers. He does a good job of keeping his head up and eyes downfield when scrambling and can be an accurate thrower on the move. His throwing motion is somewhat long but his delivery is very similar to Cam Newton and is not as much of a liability as some scouting reports have indicated.

There are signs Pryor has the ability to read defenses, look off defenders and find secondary targets but he was rarely called upon to use these skills. He often looked to make plays with his feet when finding his primary target covered. In college, his athletic skills were mostly superior to his competition and he took advantage of those skills, in the pros that will be a recipe for disaster. Given that he chose the path to easy money and he did not use the opportunity to hone his NFL caliber skills, there are natural questions as to whether he could handle an NFL contract.

Had Pryor remained out of trouble and finished his career at Ohio State there is little doubt he would have entered the NFL as a mid to low first round draft choice. The reports that he should come into the league as a WR are completely ridiculous and either obvious stupidity or a blatant smoke screen. Pryor will be an NFL QB there is no doubt…

It is this writer’s opinion Pryor will not make it out of the second round. The 5 game suspension is a meaningless slap on the wrist. This season should be treated as Pryor’s senior year in college and he should spend it learning the pro game. The team that picks him will essentially be getting next year’s pick a year early and be given the opportunity to groom the young man for an extra year. I believe the Miami Dolphins should use a second round tender on Pryor. QB is the highest valued position on the field, even if Chad Henne were to have a breakout season Pryor’s value would only rise and he would become prime trade bait.

I’m sure there will be a lot of criticism for this assessment, bring it on!

Terrelle Pryor is Eligible for the Supplemental Draft, Should the Miami Dolphins Try and Pick Him Up?

Terrelle Pryor is officially eligible for the Supplemental NFL Draft next Monday, and I want to know if you guys think that the Miami Dolphins should offer up a pick for him.

Pryor decided to attempt to enter the supplemental draft because of the whole mess with the NCAA, Ohio State, and improper benefits. The supplemental draft was actually scheduled to take place Wednesday, but the people in charge of deciding whether players were eligible ended up postponing it to Monday next week in order to have more time to decide on the Pryor situation.

The only catch with Pryor is that he has a five game suspension, so while he will be able to practice once he joins a team, he won't actually be allowed on the field for five games. He can play in the preseason, but once the regular season starts he will have to serve his suspension.

Now, to the question: should the Dolphins try and get Pryor? I will say right now that I don't think he will be worth it. In the supplemental draft teams offer the best pick that they are willing to give up for players, and if their offer is the best then they get that player and lose that pick in the NFL Draft the following year. I have heard that teams may offer as high as a third or fourth round pick for him, and that is too much in my opinion. The third pick of next year's draft is way too valuable for a player that won't even be available during the beginning of the season.

So basically the Dolphins will be getting a backup quarterback for this year if they draft Pryor. He definitely won't be the starter because of the simple fact that he won't be able to be on the field when he is needed. You don't want your starting quarterback finally coming in after missing five games.

What Miami needs to do is go all in with Chad Henne. I wouldn't mind if the Dolphins offered a 6th or 7th round pick for Pryor, but they would still need to leave Henne as the permanent starter. It's too late to make any big changes, especially at quarterback when are talking about completely different style quarterbacks who require completely different gameplans and offensive structure.

Thanks for stopping by, and let me hear your reactions.

Matt Moore Outshines Chad Henne in Miami's Pre Season Primer

Hello Dol-Fans!

Miami’s Pre Season debut was a football horror show the first half, but fortunately the Defense (and Matt Moore) rallied in the second to salvage the game.

Matt Moore “looked the part” over Chad Henne last Friday, which will do absolutely nothing to bolster the teams (nor fans) confidence in him, or his ability to lead the Offense this season. He appeared off balance and awkward at times, showed moderately poor progression with his reads, and struggled again controlling the velocity on his short to intermediate throws, consequently resulting in his first pick. He did surprisingly make a positive play with on a seven yard scamper for a first down; that’s refreshing! It’s crystal clear that dusk is rapidly approaching on Henne’s time as the starting QB, unless he miraculously improves in the next two weeks. I fully expect HC Tony Sparano and OC Brian Daboll to give him at least two more Pre Season games, to “show his stuff” before they’ll be forced to make “the call.”

On a more positive note, I was very encouraged with Matt Moore’s performance and command of the Offense. He was able to connect on some downfield passes, stood tall in the pocket and delivered accurate passes with defenders in his face, and energized me as a fan. Though he wasn’t razor sharp, I hope to see more of him running with the first stringer’s in the remaining Pre Season games.

Whom do you prefer leading our Offense in 2011, Chad Henne or Matt Moore?

What Is Happening To The Miami Dolphins Offensive Line?

The Miami Dolphins offensive line is starting to concern me a little bit. They didn't play well against the Atlanta Falcons, and they were torn up by the Dolphins defense in yesterday's practice.

I know that Miami doesn't have Jake Long in, but the LT wasn't the only problem. One big problem that might not be changed once the season starts is Marc Colombo, who is currently at the starting Right Tackle spot. Colombo has not been very good, and I am concerned that the Dolphins won't have anyone to replace him.

So all of this is happening, and you're probably wondering what's happening to Miami's offensive line?

In all honesty, I don't know. I believe Tony Sparano is trying to give the line some time to gel and work together well before making changes. That's something that he didn't do last year, and he is trying to do it this year.

I understand what he's doing, but I think he should make the changes now instead and allow the line time to work together afterwards. It is a much more manageable problem to fix now than it would be during the beginning or middle of the season.

One move that the Dolphins made that they might start to regret is moving Vernon Carey from right tackle to right guard. I know Carey wasn't the best tackle ever, but I am pretty sure that he was better than Colombo is.

We'll see, though. Hopefully things will pick up, because if they don't then there will be no point in us debating about quarterbacks because whoever is back there will just get sacked every time.

Thanks for reading, and let me know your thoughts and observations of the line.

You Tell Me: Chad Henne Or Matt Moore?

I wanted to do my first "You Tell Me" in a long time just to see where everyone stands on the Miami Dolphins quarterback situation.

For those who are new to the blog, every once in a while I will do a "You Tell Me" where I ask you guys a question and I don't provide my own opinion. The reason I do this is to see what your opinions are without me influencing them at all.

So, today's question is who would you rather start for the Miami Dolphins? Chad Henne or Matt Moore?

I am just doing this to get a feel for what everyone is thinking about the Dolphins quarterbacks at this time.

Thanks for stopping by, and let me hear it!

Miami Dolphins "Pod" Scheme To Rescue "Tredding" Chad Henne Part 1: Mike Pouncey

Here's a lil' something to think about that I wrote the day after the draft about the Miami Dolphins and Mike Pouncey!!

FYI: For those who don't know, a Pod is a group of Bottle-Nosed Dolphins.

John Gruden, former NFL head coach, who is now an ESPN analyst suggested about Mike Pouncey,
"Size wise he's a perfect center. He's a little over 300 pounds. This guy can pull. He can get on the perimeter and run. He's going to be a factor in the second level."

"The Dolphins figured the best way to enhance the offense, which averaged 3.7 yards per carry and allowed 38 sacks, was to find a player who could make the second level blocks that were missing from the running game. Berger struggled in that category, and Incognito struggled pulling!!"

"The team's line of thinking was that if they improved the running game, the load would be lightened for whoever is playing quarterback next season."

Interesting concept!!
Where have I heard that before? Hmmm?? Along with the hopes of some offensive line health and reliability equaling cohesion, that couldn't help but "lighten the load" from any QBs shoulder's (including the deaf, dumb, and blind)!!

The acquisition of Mike Pouncey along with the hopes of his success was made with the intention of "killing three birds with one stone." By that I mean the inconsistency of the O-Line, running backs, and quarterbacks would all be improved upon in one POUNCE!!

"Pouncey, who is 6-5, 303 pounds, was universally rated as the top interior lineman in the 2011 draft because of his ability to pull and anchor the pivot of the offensive line. During former czar Bill Parcells' ESPN special Pouncey was the only interior lineman with a first-round grade."

Very Cool! At pick number 15 we get THE BEST GUY at his position and at the position of most need to us!! In 2010 the opposing defenses could simply eliminate half of the play possibilities coming at them just by realizing which Center was in and what his particularly extreme weaknesses were!! The opposition won't have that advantage with a center like Mike Pouncey, who can do it all from the Center position while keeping defenses guessing, rather than knowing the likelihood of what type of play is coming at them!!

Chad Henne played behind nearly 14 different starting offensive lines in 2010, so some consistency on the line will only help him!!

We just may end-up having something in Chad Henne after all?? With a true, well-rounded center, a reasonably healthy and cohesive O-Line, QB friendly play-calling, Speed abound at every offensive position, Special Teams Kick/Punt returners, and Dolphin Defensive Backs that actually catch interceptions. None of that was present in 2009 or 2010, but it should be in 2011 because of Miami's offseason acquisitions.

And, if that is indeed the case, I'd personally guarantee that we will have "something" special in Chad Henne, or whoever for that matter!! In my honest opinion 2011's Miami Dolphins Quarterback can't help but be time and a half more productive should a majority of the above come to fruition!!

So, WHATAYA think about the Mike Pouncey pick and Part One of The Dolphins scheme to rescue the Miami quarterbacks??

THANKS for reading with reason and including your input!! GOFINS!!

Stay tuned for Part Two on running backs and overall offensive team speed soon!!

Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons Live Game Chat

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Does the Miami Dolphin Coaching Philosophy Lack Confidence

Kenny went through a number of games where the ball seemed to bounce the wrong way for the Dolphins last year. I tend to believe being lucky and unlucky are directly proportional. If one were to look at it mathematically the sum would always be zero. More importantly the question would seem to be, does a person or a team place themselves in the position of being lucky or unlucky when the happenstance occurs?

Take the Pittsburgh game for example. If we had been winning by 9 points the touchdown would not have made a difference. In this circumstance when Roethlisberger fumbled before crossing the goal line and the official blew the call, he would have gotten the same lucky break, but we would have been in a position where his luck didn’t matter. At what point does conservative coaching have a negative effect on mitigating luck?

The most successful team in the last ten years is the NE patriots. The Patriots never take their foot off the gas and I agree with them. Ask the Huston Oilers what can happen when the cruise control button is pushed. In 1993 the Oilers were winning a playoff game 35 to 6 at halftime and the Bills scored 35 second half points to win 41 to 38. I won’t go into the Dolphins Monday night game against Vinny and the Jets because I choose to forget that game and the TV that did not survive. I liked that TV…

Vince Lombardi once said, “Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.” How often have we seen a team go into the prevent defense only to prevent themselves from winning? The Patriots try to maintain their confidence and never allow the opponent to gain confidence.

This is why I have a problem with the conservative coaching philosophy Tony Sparano seems to endorse. He will let off the gas and try to run time off the clock, while in the meantime the opponent starts to pick up confidence. Before long the game turns into a Michael Vick dog fight (couldn’t resist that!) and comes down to the final possession, much like the Pittsburgh game…

Henne falls victim to the same coaching philosophy. He gets on a roll, throwing with confidence and then the wildcat comes in or two dive plays gaining nothing and suddenly he’s in a 3rd and long. The defense has the upper hand because he has to throw and they know it. How often did Henne throw on 1st down and for that matter, when was the last time he threw deep on 1st down?

Confidence is a fickle thing, getting it and keeping it are the keys to winning at anything. Playing conservative allows the other team to gain confidence, switching momentum and bringing luck into the equation. Confident teams do not worry about running the clock. Confident teams score enough points to mitigate luck. The Dolphins were not unlucky last year they were too conservative and thus allowed the other team’s luck to come into the equation.

The Miami Dolphins Need to Consider Bringing Channing Crowder Back

The Miami Dolphins released LB Channing Crowder at the end of last month, who was a starter and vocal leader of the team. Miami then followed up by signing Kevin Burnett of the Chargers to take his place.

Cutting Crowder saved Miami $5 million, which is probably the main reason for them releasing him in the first place. What I am suggesting is the Dolphins should try and bring him back, just for less money.

After being cut by the Dolphins Crowder went to work out with the Patriots, but he didn't like the workout saying that it "felt dead." He then decided to retire, which was pretty surprising considering he is only 27, which is surprising in the NFL.

I am willing to bet that Crowder would like to return to the Dolphins if given the chance. He has been with Miami since they drafted him in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft, and I am getting the impression that he is waiting for the Dolphins to call him up and give him an offer.

He would obviously need to be willing to take a pay cut and he wouldn't be the starter anymore, but I don't think that would be too much of a problem for him, and it would sure help the Dolphins. It would give them extra depth at inside linebacker, and it would bring back a favorite in the Miami locker room.

This would be similar to bringing back Jason Taylor, except that Crowder probably wouldn't be as big of an influence on the field as JT.

I want to know your thoughts. Should the Miami Dolphins reach out to Channing Crowder and see if he is willing to take a pretty significant pay cut to come back to play for the Dolphins?

I have also added a Fan Tab Confidence meter at the bottom of the blog, so feel free to check that out and see how confident Dolphins fans are of their team and to add your own confidence level. You can vote as much as you would like I believe.

Thanks for stopping by.

Miami Dolphins QB Chad Henne Exudes Maturity and Confidence!

This quote alone does warrant some positive consideration in regards to the mentality of Chad Henne, the Miami Dolphins current QB!! It is courtesy of Andrew Carter of the Sun Sentinel

"Well I mean, everywhere you go you're going to get critiqued and obviously I know I need to improve as a player. But I'm still young and I've taken steps forward to improving and I work hard at it and I take pride in what I do out there. And obviously I take all the risk and critiques about it but overall I just want to improve and help the team win and get to the playoffs and one day a Super Bowl."

I also thought this next quote was accurate and was a positive display of his mature mentality (also courtesy of Andrew Carter)!

Henne on the draft going by without the Dolphins drafting a QB and whether that made him happy:
"Sure, I mean, it does. And that shows the coaching staff has confidence in me, still, and my abilities. But at the same time, it's the NFL, it's a business, you're always going to be competing for your job unless you're Tom Brady and Peyton Manning out there that are on top of the world. But for myself, I want to get to that level and I believe in my ability that I can."!!

I'm not saying he can, it's just good to know that he thinks he can become Brady or Manning. I honestly don't think he has a chance, but Brady and Manning don't win the Super Bowl every year either!!

Chad Henne has a very productive mentality that makes people successful in different phases of life. He's intelligent, mature, poised, and easily meets the NFL's arm requirements. Now, he needs to understand the speed of the game while improving upon the mental prowess and footwork required to be an NFL pocket passer!!

If he can accomplish my bold sentences to some extent he'll become a far better than average NFL QB, especially with a lil help from his friends!!
If he isn't able to improve upon his weaknesses (highly unlikely) and/or get a lil help from his friends, he'll fail!

Intelligence, maturity, and poise are good starting points for an NFL QB, but damn I wish he had the natural pocket awareness and footwork too!!

Now let's compare Henne with Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. Who says that Matt Ryan is that much better than Chad Henne? I mean, both Ryan and Flacco fell into great situations with star players on both sides of the ball!!

If Henne had what Ryan and Flacco have had to work with, and vice versa, their status as NFL players early in their careers could also, quite possibly, have been reversed!! Had we taken Matt Ryan over J Long we might be saying, "Damn we shoulda taken Jake Long and CH in the 2nd" (considering what Henne might have been able to accomplish in ATL as their 2nd round pick)..

With that said, I believe that Ryan is better than Henne, but not by as much as it seems. Most are a product of their environment, and Henne's surroundings to this point haven't been advantageous!! He did, however, out-produce six playoff QBs yardage wise last year, and had only 400 yards fewer than Ryan, who has superstar's @ every skill position and an OLine!!

JUSAYIN.. It's something else to consider!!

Here's an example of how much luck is involved in finding an elite, Francise QB:
I just watched "Dan Marino Heart of a Champion" and Shula said, "In the '83draft we didn't even consider taking a QB. We had David Woodley and had just played in the SB. We were set on taking a defensive lineman, but when Marino fell to us we thought, 'well maybe we should go another direction,'
and thank heavens we did cuz the DLineman turned-out to be a bust." Danny also turned out to be a bust, just that his bust is in the Hall Of Fame instead!!

One last thought to leave you guys with: Miami would be wise to take a chance on Terrelle Pryor, because the opportunities at elite/francise QB's are too few and too far between!!

THANKS for reading, and THANKS for your input!! GOFINS!!

Who's the Face of the Dolphins Franchise?

Hello Dol-Fans!

With the whirlwind of roster changes in Miami (and every other NFL franchise) this year, my lovely bride asked me, “who will be the ‘Face of the Franchise’ for the Dolphins now?” I have to admit… that’s a great question, and deserves to be addressed, Here goes...

Key veteran departures of RB’s Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams leaves an obvious franchise marketing void, and this wasn’t addressed through electric FA acquisitions, or a sexy First Round Draft pick. So who will be “that guy” now?

Before I proceed… please allow me to go on the record by clarifying that I firmly believe in drafting the “best player available”, and I applaud Miami for selecting OL Mike Pouncey for that very reason. I simply don’t believe he’s worthy of such a high profile honor at this point.

Logic would dictate that an easily recognizable figure like newly acquired RB Reggie Bush, Miami’s prodigal son DE/OLB Jason Taylor (“J.T.”), Pro Bowler OLB Cameron “Earthquake” Wake, high profile WR Brandon Marshall, or even Defensive leader ILB Karlos Dansby could potentially assume the part, but would that be prudent for the Dolphins Organization? Do they want fans to cling to the ghosts of seasons past (“J.T.”), unproven commodities of the present (Bush), or boldly leapfrog into the future(Pouncey)?

Many NFL franchises splatter the image of their sexy First Round Draft selections all over the media, as to boldly announce… this is our future! Stereotypically, these are Heisman Trophy winning QB’s (i.e. Cam Newton) or RB’s (i.e. Mark Ingram) that franchises mortgage their futures against, hoping to boost ticket and merchandise sales. Rarely do you see a franchise market an Offensive or Defensive Lineman as their representing “face” (aside from the Detroit Lions of course). If Miami were to use a Lineman, wouldn’t it make sense to use back-to-back Pro Bowler OT Jake Long? Nah, Jake’s not that kind of player; he’s a blue collar kind of guy – thank God!

So who will hail as face of South Beach football? If it were up to me… I’d pick a motivated, fearless, team-first player like WR Davone Bess, FB Lousaka Polite, or CB Vontae Davis. Thank goodness I’m not the Head of Dolphins Marketing and Sales huh’!

What’s your take?

Forget Kyle Orton, Miami Needs Tim Tebow!

Hello Dol-Fans!

It’s been widely reported that Miami is (or was) actively seeking a deal that would bring Kyle Orton to South Beach to replace Chad Henne as the starting QB. Many ‘Fins fans are publicly clamoring for this to happen, and while the theory has some merit, I believe I’ve discovered a better solution; trade for Tim Tebow!

I can hear the collectively panicked “what?” already, but if you take a moment to think about my suggestion… I’ll show you why this actually makes a lot of sense.

1. “The Price is Right” - Denver’s not budging on their trade demands (1st or 2nd Round Draft Pick) for Kyle Orton, but would their demands be as high for Tim Tebow? Doubtfully. Miami would most likely acquire Tebow for a 3rd Round Pick, plus he wouldn’t command the same size contract Orton would ($8 - $9 million/yr.). This provides Miami a rising star, for probably half the price.

2. Tebow doesn’t fit in Denver – John Elway is making all of the personnel decisions in Denver now, and it’s clear that Tebow doesn’t fit Elway’s QB mold. I know he’s publicly stated that he wants to give Tebow a shot,but I sincerely believe that’s all “lip service.” He knows who he wants, and Tim Tebow isn’t it!

3. Talent Level Comparison - Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow are eerily similar statistically, yet no one seems to be drawing the parallel. Here’s the 2010 breakdown:

Kyle Orton – QB Rating: 87.5, Completion %: 58.8, Avg. Yards/Completion: 7.34, TD’s: 20, Interceptions: 12, Rushing Avg.: 4.5 Yds/Carry; 0 TD’s, Fumbles: 3, Games Won: 3, Games Lost: 10 (.230 Win %)

Tim Tebow – QB Rating: 82.1, Completion %: 50.0, Avg. Yds./Completion: 7.98, TD’s: 5, Interceptions: 3, Rushing Avg. 5.3 Yds./Carry, 6 TD’s; Fumbles: 1, Games Won: 1, Games Lost: 2 (.333 Win %)

Judging by the numbers… Tebow actually out performed Orton in his limited opportunities (3 games vs. 13) last year, and he was a Rookie! Imagine the damage he could inflict if he was given the nod to be the full-time starter!

4. Growing Ability – Kyle Orton’s been playing in the NFL since 2005, and his “M.O.” has always been the same. He’s steady yet predictable, and he simply does not have any room to grow. Tim Tebow is a clean slate with incredible talent, heart, athleticism, ability, and intelligence. He’s a dual threat QB that can electrify any crowd, and has nowhere to go but up. Mark my words… he will learn, he will improve, and he will succeed somewhere in the NFL. Why not Miami?

5. Leadership – Every team needs a proven leader. A guy that every exhausted player in the huddle can turn to for inspiration, motivation, and direction. While Kyle Orton has displayed some leadership qualities, Tim Tebow commands them. His ability to energize, inspire, and lead are well chronicled. Are Kyle Orton’s? If so, I’ve never seen them!

6. Revenue – Which player will put more butts in Sun Life Stadium seats? That’s a landslide victory for Tim Tebow. Not only is he the “hometown kid” (native Floridian), but he leads the entire NFL in jersey sales. Hey Dolphins Front Office…can you say, "cha-ching!"

I could go on-and-on of why this makes perfect sense, but I believe I’ve made my point. If Miami can’t make a trade for either player, I would ask that true ‘Fins fans refrain from booing Chad Henne. Until he’s replaced by a more talented QB... he’s “the man”, so we might as well support him thus our team.

What do you think?

Miami Dolphins Scrimmage Recap: Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall Connection Grows Stronger

Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall had an extremely good connection during the Miami Dolphins intra-squad scrimmage yesterday, and Chad Henne himself looked really good throughout the game.

Henne and Marshall connected for three touchdowns, and they would have had a fourth but Marshall dropped a pass in the end zone. Henne threw very well throughout the scrimmage, with only one bad throw that was intercepted by Karlos Dansby and would have resulted in a pick six in a real game.

Overall, this was a very positive practice for the entire Miami Dolphins. Optimism is growing among fans, and Henne seems to have the starting spot locked up now. Here are some more notes from the scrimmage:

• Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas played exactly how we can expect them to play during the season. Thomas was solid and Bush added some big play ability and looked good catching the ball.
• Clyde Gates had a 26 yard kickoff return until he was touched, and he could have easily taken it for more if they were playing tackle on kickoffs. He will be a threat to defenses with his speed, and it was apparent during the scrimmage.
• Jason Taylor had a great showing. He was very explosive off of the line, and he will be a mismatch against most right tackles in the NFL. You might not like him because he went to the Jets, but I promise you that you will warm up to him after you see him in the first few games.
• Safety Reshad Jones has a real shot to replace Chris Clemons as the starting Free Safety. Clemons hasn't been playing poorly. Jones has just been playing really well. This is a good situation to have, because each will try and outwork the other.
• The Dolphins defense is elite. We are going to see a very dominating group this season, and I am getting really excited just thinking about them shutting down opposing offenses.

That's all I've got for now. Things are looking up for us. Thanks for reading, and let me hear your reactions.

The Miami Dolphins Have and Will Compete with the BIG BOYS!!

"Missed it by that much!"

Ok everybody, into the "Cone of Silence." I wouldn't want this to fall upon deaf-ears, or into the hands of the evil empire known as KAOS!! Ok ok ok ok, can you hear me hear me hear me hear me?? Damn Echo echo echo echo!! CLICK!! Okayyy can you hear me now??

THE MIAMI DOLPHINS are plenty good enough to play with, compete, and beat the Big-Boyz or anybody on most given Sundays!!

In 2010 with chaos abound from top to bottom, beginning to end, while having to alter the week to week game plan and roster due to a second year in a row with a multitude of injuries, OUR MIAMI DOLPHINS were still able to give most every opponent "all they could handle" statistically, while coming-up just one play short (in any one phase of the game) of victory in most cases!! Hence the "Missed It By That Much!"

In Week 3 we lost to the NYets by one score despite out-producing them in every offensive category. We held the ball for five minutes longer than the NotYets!! We lost the Turn-over battle 0 to 1, and special teams were not so special in being absolutely brutal!!

In Week 4 we were smoked by New England on the scoreboard while we smoked them in every offensive category and held the ball for 5 minutes longer than them. We lost the turnover battle 0-4 and special teams were again absolutely brutal!!

In Week 6 we BEAT the eventual Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers by three points while out-producing them in every offensive category. We held the ball for 9 minutes longer than Super Bowl Champs Green Bay!! We (tied them 1 to 1 in the Turn-over battle)!!

In Week 7 we lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, no thanks to the Zebras!! We kept pace with them in every offensive category including time of possession and turnover battle!!

In Week 9 the Baltimore Ravens kicked our butts by 16 while painting our defenders jerseys with white yardage chalk!! We lost the time of possession battle by 17 minutes, and the turnover battle 0-3. Our special teams were absent again, too!! I also seem to recall a questionable incident that changed the flow and momentum of that game in the Ravens favor (can't recall the incident), but they kicked our butts fair and square which resulted in the beginning of the end (if the Steeler fiasco hadn't already done that)!

In Week 13 we BEAT the NYets despite losing the yardage, time of possession, and turnover battles!!

In Week 17 we didn't show up because the game was meaningless to both teams and the league. It would have been senseless to play with reckless abandon and risk the possibility of some of our players going into the off season with an injury!!

Pretty Impressive considering the offensive line and what looked to be a chaotic situation from top to bottom and beginning to end from our (the fans) point of view!!

OUR MIAMI DOLPHINS were able to compete with the BigBoyz, for the most part, through an indescribable set of circumstances in 2010!!

We can play with, compete, and will beat the Big-Boyz on a regular basis in the near future with cohesion throughout all three phases of the game!! While adding ridiculous speed (which was non-existent in 2010) at every offensive skill position, an aggressive 2011 offensive approach, and another year under the Head-Coaches belt can't hurt either!!

All the above with an offense and quarterback that some suggest to be incapable and a defense that dropped twenty interceptions off the hands and/or chest, SEVEN of which that were guaranteed pick sixes, and half of them would have resulted in walk off victories equaling 10-plus wins and a couple more wins vs the Big-Boyz!!

Even if the Dolphins have an unheard of 3rd consecutive year of magnified, unfavorable luck on the injury front and the same players as last year (which obviously isn't the case) our Dolphins simply have to turn the ball over less, and make the most of the turnover opportunities offered to them to win in a more fashionable and consistent manner!!

I don't see how every phase of our game doesn't get remarkably better, regardless of the unforeseen circumstances of the lockout!!

So, do you think we fans should go into the 2011 season waiving a Miami Dolphins Hankie or a surrendering white flag??

GO M I A M I D O L P H I N S !!

After viewing the stats be sure to read the AP's recap story, where in most cases it's explained that it was a total team effort in shooting ourselves in the foot, and not that of any one individual in any particular game!!

Week 3 Jets
http://espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=300926015

Week 4 Pats
http://espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=301004015

Week 6 Packers
http://espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=301017009

Week 7 Steelers
http://espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=301024015

Week 9 Ravens
http://espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=301107033

Week 13 Jets
http://espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=301212020

THANKS for reading with an open mind,
and THANKS for whatever opinions you'd like to contribute!!

"GET SMART", minimize KAOS and WIN the WORLD OVER, GOFINS!!

Analyzing Miami Dolphin QB Chad Henne

There is so much talk about Chad Henne’s mistakes that it is easy to focus on his weaknesses and overlook his strengths… In scouting Henne there is one obvious flaw in his passing, he does not throw the ball with a lot of touch. His tendency, under pressure, is to throw the ball on a straight line and lock his eyes on a receiver. His strength is his ability to throw the ball, with velocity, to placements many average passers cannot and to do so very quickly.

Many folks would call it blasphemy to compare Henne to a young John Elway but the similarities are quite distinct. Elway had the same issues early in his career. John Elway was in the NFL for 11 seasons before his TD to INT ratio was better than 1 to 1. In year 11 Elway was 158 to 157. 83.4 was his highest QB rating in that span and most of his QB ratings to that point were well below Henne’s.

In our world of instant gratification we often forget great QBs are not born, they are taught. Dan Marino was taught by the greatest QB coach in NFL history, Don Shula. Does anyone remember who Shula had as a QB coach? Probably not because he didn’t have one, he coached his own QBs. So did Joe Gibbs, Bill Walsh, Vince Lombardi, Chuck Knoll, Tom Landry, Andy Reid and many others. Each of these coaches had (has) a gift for putting their QBs in a position to be successful.

This is a simplified NFL pattern tree. The names and numbers change depending on the offense but the idea remains the same.

The receiver is lined up on the left side in this example. When you hear a QB barking out signals at the line of scrimmage the patterns he is audibling to are represented by the pattern tree. Forgive me if this is rudimentary football but I wanted to use this example to demonstrate Chad Henne’s strengths and weaknesses. In the example below, the patterns circled in blue are the routes Henne throws well and those circled in red are the routes he has trouble with.



The patterns Henne throws well are timing routes to a spot and quick hitting passes. The patterns Henne has trouble with are the deep routes that require a receiver to run under the ball and passes that must be thrown with touch over a linebacker and in front of a DB. Most of the deep passes Henne throws well are post patterns to a spot. There is a little deception here because a lot of Henne’s interceptions come on out patterns which are passes he throws well. That is because defenses know this and they bait him to throw it by hanging underneath or making a break after hanging back.

Obviously we can see why Henne does not complete a lot of deep passes and why he has been called check down Chad. The question is can Henne learn to throw the ball with touch. I will go back to my Elway reference; John Elway had the exact problem when he came into the NFL. He had a rocket arm but he could not put “air” under his passes. It took Elway 11 years to change this and it only came after he tore his biceps muscle and never had it repaired.

In my opinion Elway is extremely overrated as far as great QBs are concerned. He only won after he had broken himself to the extent that his one man show wasn’t much of a show anymore. Henne does not have the Elway “it” factor, but Henne is much more coachable. He may take a year or two more to fully come into his own, but I don’t see it taking 11 years.

Arm strength and demeanor are not things that can be taught, but putting air under the ball can be taught. Looking off defenders can be taught. This is an extremely complicated game for a QB and it happens in split seconds… Great coaches have a way of teaching a QB not only what he is seeing but how to react to it when he sees it. Only a few ever catch on in less than 3 seasons. Comparing Chad Henne or any QB to Dan Marino is not only foolish but shortsighted.

I don’t know if Henne will ever be a great QB… I have my doubts like everyone else but I think he can learn and I think he has the physical tools and the demeanor to surprise people. Does Kyle Orton have those physical tools? No… Does Vince Young have the demeanor? No... It’s obvious Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano went through this exact exercise and they came to the same conclusion. Henne’s strengths still outweigh his weaknesses and he is still the QB of the Miami Dolphins. I don’t ever see Henne being a one man show but as a team oriented QB I still think he has potential.

Come Watch The Miami Dolphins Scrimmage On Sunday

The Miami Dolphins will be holding a scrimmage Sunday at 1:50 pm for anyone who is interested. The scrimmage will be held at the Davie practice facility, and I encourage anyone who can show up to go and show your support. This will be our last chance to see the Dolphins in a full-on game situation before they go to Atlanta to play their first preseason game against the Falcons.

It would also probably be better if you don't chant anything negative about Chad Henne, because there is a good chance that it will get the attention of the entire country and make Tony mad.

I am hoping to get some pictures from the scrimmage as well, so anyone who takes some pictures from the scrimmage and emails them to me at paul@dolphinshout.com will get complete credit for the picture(s) and a few Dolphin Shout bumper stickers for free. I will even pay to mail them!

Even though I know you guys are stoked about the chance to get free Dolphin Shout bumper stickers already I will provide you with some extra motivation! Here's a picture of the bumper sticker that you could get:

Incredible huh? I know you guys are excited about this chance, so be sure to go and check out the scrimmage.

Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to your pictures.

Free Dolphin Shout Bumper Stickers From Build A Sign!

Hey guys, I wanted to take some time on this less eventful day to give away some high quality Dolphin Shout bumper stickers that I received for free from Build A Sign.

All you guys have to do is send me $.50 through Paypal to pay for mailing the bumper sticker. I am not making any profit from this at all. This is just a way for me to get Dolphin Shout out there and visible to as many people as possible.

And the bumper stickers themselves are extremely high quality and would look great on your car. I customized them with Build A Sign, and they came to me a few days later looking really great.

Here is a picture of the bumper sticker (and the letter that it came in) that you would receive:

If you guys would like a bumper sticker just send the fifty cents through Paypal to paul@dolphinshout.com, and also email me at paul@dolphinshout.com to tell me the address to mail it to.

Thanks you guys for stopping by, and if you want custom bumper stickers, custom signs, custom banners, or anything else just go to buildasign.com. They really do have very high quality stuff. I promise that you guys will like what they have.

Thanks again, and be sure to check them out.

Are Chad Henne and the Miami Dolphins Victims of the Mob Mentality?

Brett Favre, are you kidding me? You’re kidding me, right? You are kidding me!

I’ve come to think that the Miami Dolphins have the worst media in the NFL, pure sensationalists without any home town spirit or passion. One supposed journalist openly professes his dislike of a quarterback when this journalist has never stepped one foot on a football field, except to wave a microphone in someone’s face. It’s called preening to the audience, and it’s getting worse by the day.

The problem stems from the internet taking over for hardcopy news print. In the past when an article was written and a person wished to make a comment on it, they actually had to write a letter to the editor and hope the paper printed the rebuttal in the “Letters to the Editor” section. This is all different today and it has created a new form of reporter.

Sensing they were on the path of the dinosaur newspapers adapted to the internet by creating blogs that would drive hits and hence page views for advertisers. In the past very few people ever went so far as to write a letter to the editor, but with blogs every person with a computer on the internet has the ability to instantly respond to every article written on the web.

The object of the game for the blog writer is to drive page views and these come mainly through cultivating a somewhat permanent audience (some would call it The Mob). These are folks who either have no life at all or who are independently wealthy and can spend all day bantering amongst themselves on a blog. The insidious part of this mob mentality is that it requires the writer to sell out to the passions of the mob. When the number of hits escalates in direct proportion to a certain topic then the writer knows he has hit the hot button and continues to pound on it.

Thus is the case with Chad Henne and the Miami Dolphins. The small percentage of folks in this mob drive what the media puts out in the blogs and it is all about hate. A blog writer knows when one topic will increase his viewers. He also knows the newspaper blog down the street will not hesitate to write the same article in different words and they will continue to write these inflammatory articles until the object of their obsession is run out of town by the noose carrying mob.

Do these writers and blog posters truly represent the majority opinion of the average fan? No, these are people on the fringe, the wannabe players, coaches, or writers who are so obsessive they would spend all day, every day, on a blog. Yet, these are the folks who are driving the media that the average person reads every day for information. This information is being distorted by the few folks on the fringe and the average person is led to believe that Chad Henne is the worst QB in NFL history…

Listen up folks, football is a team game played by eleven men from each team on the field for each play. While the QB is the fundamental piece on the field, he is nothing without the rest of his team. If the Dolphins understand their own strengths and weaknesses and have the chemistry to believe they can execute those strengths better than the other team, Miami will win, ask Mr. Shula…

So while the mob sits around and bashes OUR QB, this writer refuses to be used as a hit for the sensationalist media blogs and will continue to be a true fan of our Miami Dolphins!

Miami Dolphins QB Chad Henne Has Great Practice Following Criticism

Chad Henne had his best showing so far this preseason during the Miami Dolphins practice yesterday, and he couldn't have picked a better time to do so well.

During the Dolphins practice on Monday fans booed and chanted "We Want Orton" after a bad pass by Henne, and since that time the chants have caught the attention of the national media. This was Henne's first practice after the story really took off, which is why his timing could not have been better.

I am encouraged to see Henne do so well with the media breathing down his back and grossly exaggerating what really happened at the practice. He is showing his composure, and I am glad that he is able to do so well. Maybe he really can be the answer at quarterback.


There's also been some speculation about Brett Favre coming to the Miami Dolphins, and I just want you guys to know that it is only speculation and nothing more. Brett Favre is NOT coming back to play in the NFL. Please ignore anyone who says otherwise, because it is not going to happen.


It is also possible that Kendall Langford will get a contract extension with a signing bonus in the near future. Langford is only due to make $550,000 this year, but the Dolphins will probably use some of their extra cap space to pay him for his performance last year.


That's all I've got for now. Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think about anything I've discussed.


UPDATE: The Dolphins have signed QB Kevin O'Connell, who has been with both the Jets and Patriots before.