Dolphins' Top 5 Moments from 2013

With the exception of wide receiver DeSean Jackson signing with the Washington Redskins, it's been a quiet week in the NFL. Most teams have turned their attention from free agency to May's NFL Draft. Among the teams having solid offseasons to this point, is the Miami Dolphins. With the start of 2014 still five months away, the Dolphins are coming off of their first non-losing season since 2008. Looking back on what was an up and down campaign in 2013, here were Miami's top five moments:

5. Clay Breaks Free - December 8th
Miami Dolphins 34, Pittsburgh Steelers 28
With a record of 6-6, the Miami Dolphins sorely needed to win in the snow in Pittsburgh in early December. Miami had jumped to a 17-7 lead, but the Steelers had rallied to go ahead on two occasions in the second half. With the Dolphins trailing 28-24, Miami used a 55-yard run from Daniel Thomas to reach Pittsburgh's red zone. Facing a 2nd-and-6, quarterback Ryan Tannehill found tight end Charles Clay in the flat. Clay threw off multiple Pittsburgh defenders including All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu on his way to the end zone. Clay's 12-yard score gave the Dolphins a 31-28 lead. Miami would avert disaster when Steelers' receiver Antonio Brown stepped out of bounds at the 13-yard-line on his way to the end zone on the final play of the game.

(Miami Herald)

4. Tannehill to Sims - September 22nd
Atlanta Falcons 23, Miami Dolphins 27
In Miami's home opener of 2013, the Dolphins' defense bent, but refused to break throughout the day. The Dolphins had faced a pair of 10-point deficits, but got the ball back trailing by just three with under five minutes to play. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill led Miami on a methodical march and after receiver Brandon Gibson was stopped just shy of the goal line, the Dolphins faced a 2nd-and-goal from the Falcons' 1-yard-line. Rather than try to pound the ball in, Tannehill floated a pass to rookie tight end Dion Sim, who made a one-handed grab for his first career catch and touchdown. The pass capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive for Miami. Jimmy Wilson's interception of Matt Ryan on the ensuing possession ensured the victory as the Dolphins began the season 3-0 for the first time since 2002.


3. Grimes Picks Off Luck in End Zone - September 15th
Miami Dolphins 24, Indianapolis Colts 20
As he had done the previous season, Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck was on the verge of leading a comeback against Miami. With the Dolphins clinging to a 24-20 lead, the Colts reached Miami's 34-yard-line. Luck was given plenty of time to throw on first down and went for the reliable Reggie Wayne in the end zone. Despite being at a height advantage, Dolphins' cornerback Brent Grimes out-leaped Wayne in the end zone and recorded his first interception as a Dolphin. The Colts would get one last chance, but Miami sealed the victory with Philip Wheeler's fourth down sack of Luck.

(Getty Images)

2. Wake's Safety Sack in OT - October 31st
Cincinnati Bengals 20, Miami Dolphins 22 (Overtime)
It was fitting that the Dolphins were facing a team wearing orange and black on Halloween night, but scarier was the fact that Miami had let a 17-3 lead slip away and was on the verge of losing a fifth straight contest. After a successful late game drive by Tannehill set up a game-tying field goal from rookie kicker Caleb Sturgis, the Dolphins and Bengals went to overtime tied at 20. Miami and Cincinnati traded punts in the extra period, but after a solid Miami drive to flip field position, the Bengals were pinned deep in their own territory. After a pair of incomplete passes from his own 8-yard-line, Bengals' quarterback Andy Dalton was caught in the end zone on third down and sacked by Miami defensive end Cameron Wake. The play was ruled a safety and Miami became just the second team in NFL history to win in such a fashion.

(TD Daily)

1. Thomas Intercepts Brady to Snap Skid - December 15th
New England Patriots 20, Miami Dolphins 24
The New England Patriots brought a seven-game winning streak against the Dolphins into Sun Life Stadium in mid-December and looked to be on their way to #8 after grabbing an early 10-0 lead. Miami had rallied with 17 straight points, but it took a Tannehill touchdown pass to Marcus Thigpen with 1:15 to play to give the Dolphins the lead for good. As he had done so often during his illustrious NFL career, Tom Brady was leading New England on another clutch drive. New England had reached the Miami 14-yard-line, but after consecutive incomplete passes from Brady, the Patriots were down to one play. On fourth down, newly-signed defensive back Michael Thomas plucked a Brady pass out of the air to seal Miami's first victory over the Patriots in more than three years. Unfortunately, the Dolphins would drop their final two games, but Thomas' late-game interception clinched Miami's first non-losing season in five years.


Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

Believe it or Not, the Dolphins Have Life

What to expect from the Miami Dolphins in any given week is a mystery, but Sunday's 20-16 victory over the San Diego Chargers could be a victory that the Dolphins look back on as a turning point moving forward in 2013. Not only did the Dolphins overcome locker room adversity and a loss to the NFL's last winless team, to top San Diego on Sunday, but Miami with the victory, moved into a tie for the final wild card spot in the AFC.

Thanks to a 37-14 victory from the Buffalo Bills over the New York Jets, Miami and division rival New York are all square for the final wild card spot in the AFC at 5-5. Miami, who entered Sunday with a 4-5 record, also got help from around the league as the four other 4-5 AFC teams entering Week 11 all lost. Miami helped itself by beating a San Diego team that like the Dolphins, entered Sunday 4-5. Losses this week however, by Tennessee, Cleveland and Baltimore have helped eliminate some of the clutter in the race for the final AFC playoff spot as well.

The Dolphins are alive. (Wilfredo Lee/AP)

While the Jets hold the current tiebreaker over the Dolphins, Miami will have every opportunity to change that as the teams face off twice in the final six weeks. Regardless of what happens in Sunday's upcoming contest with the Carolina Panthers, the Dolphins can be at the very least tied for the final wild card spot heading into the final quarter of the season simply by winning in East Rutherford on December 1st, a place where Miami dominated the Jets a season ago.

Sunday's victory was one to certainly be encouraged about as the Dolphins were coming off of a devastating loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a franchise-low 2 yards rushing. Without starting center Mike Pouncey, the Dolphins finished with 104 yards rushing on 19 carries, a 5.5 yards-per-carry average. Tight end Charles Clay had a big day leading all receivers with six catches for 90 yards and the only touchdown of the second half which put the Dolphins ahead for good.

The win over San Diego on Sunday also marked the first time this season in which the Dolphins did not trail in the second half.

With six weeks to go, the Miami Dolphins have life. Despite dropping five of their last seven games after a 3-0 start and having to deal with the first locker room bullying scandal in NFL history, the Dolphins have managed to rally around one another and appear to have as good a chance as any of the teams on the outside looking in in the AFC, to be playing football in January.

Though Miami has played either up or down to its competition all season long, only two of Miami's final six opponents currently have winning records and both will have to come to Sun Life Stadium. Two games with the Jets will prove crucial as will a December 8th visit to Pittsburgh, a team that suddenly sits just a game back of the final playoff spot.

It's hard to envision the final team making the playoffs in the AFC with a record of better than 9-7. For Miami, that would mean a 4-2 finish in its last six games. While we don't know at this point what will happen over the final six weeks of the NFL, what we have learned is that this Dolphins team doesn't look to be one that's willing to roll over and die. For that, head coach Joe Philbin deserves a lot of credit.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

Six Reasons to Not Give Up on the Dolphins

Anyone who reads my posts knows that speaking directly to you guys at Dolphin Shout usually isn't my style. I'm more of a third-person sort of writer with a more informative, hopefully substantive, mildly opinionated style. But after this last month where we've watched our beloved Miami Dolphins go from 3-0 to 3-4, I need to plead with you fine folks at the Shout not to give up on the season. Miami is not yet halfway through the regular season, but to further my plea, here are six reasons why it's too early to give up on this team:

At 3-4, we're down, not out. ( Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

1. We've Been in this Position Before
Like most of you, I came into this season hopeful that this would be the first time since 2008 that the Miami Dolphins made the playoffs. That 2008 team that won the AFC East and completed a 10-win turnaround from the dismal 1-15 season in 2007 didn't start the season with a bang either. In 2008, the Dolphins started 0-2 and through six games were 2-4, even worse than Miami's start to this season. Through seven games, the Dolphins were 3-4, the exact same record that they have now. Miami went on to win nine of their final 10 games that year. It seems like a stretch to think that this team will finish 11-5, but nine wins may be good enough to earn a playoff bid.

2. We're a Game Back of the Final Playoff Spot
Despite losing four straight and sitting at 3-4, the Miami Dolphins are only a game back of the San Diego Chargers for the final wild card spot. The Chargers visit the Dolphins in less than three weeks and will have to fly across the country to face them for what will be a 10:00 AM start their time. The Chargers have one of the toughest remaining schedules while the Dolphins only have three games left against teams currently with winning records. The only team between Miami and San Diego in the standings is the Jets, whom the Dolphins will play twice this season. Both the Chargers and Jets are teams that the Dolphins can take care of themselves without needing help from the rest of the league. Our guys may be 3-4 now, but the final playoff spot in the AFC this season is probably going to go to a team with fewer than 10 wins.

3. We're a Resilient Bunch
The last three weeks have been without a doubt heartbreaking, but this team has shown to be a resilient bunch. The Dolphins bounced back from a 10-point deficit to tie the game against Baltimore and a 14-point deficit to take the lead against Buffalo. After losing both of those heartbreakers, Miami has the mental toughness to come back the next week and start fast against New England. This group has a lot of flaws, but they have not shown to be one willing to roll over and die yet.

4. Our Best Players Have not Played Their Best
There is still a lot of talent on this team and to this point, it has not played its best. Despite that, the Dolphins were able to start 3-0 and become just the second team to beat the Colts in Indianapolis, something not even Peyton Manning and the Broncos could do. As the season goes on, it's hard for me to believe that some of our guys won't start playing the way that they should. While it's been inefficient for the most part, Mike Wallace has led the Dolphins in receiving three weeks in a row. Cameron Wake hasn't recorded a sack since Week 1 against Cleveland, but I refuse to believe that he's done. You can't tell me that a guy who had to go through the CFL just to get a shot at playing in the NFL is going to let one arm injury ruin his career. Also, Reshad Jones, who was an absolute beast a season ago has made really only one play to this point. These guys can get going and if and when they do, the team that we've watched over the last month can hopefully go away.

5. Most of Our Problems are Fixable
The Dolphins are having all sorts of issues right now, but none that aren't fixable. They are not a result of having bad players, they're a result of players playing badly. In each of our last two losses, we have done more to beat ourselves than our opponents have done to beat us. Yes, the offensive line is bad, but our quarterback Ryan Tannehill can cut down on the turnovers by recognizing blitzes better and not forcing throws. The second part of that is mental. We saw what he could do during the early parts of the season and I find it hard to believe that he just became a bad passer overnight. Some of Miami's sore spots have been fixed in recent weeks. Look how far the running game has come since the Dolphins ran for 22 yards against the Ravens. We're starting to use Lamar Miller the right way out of the backfield and over the last two weeks, even Daniel Thomas has averaged better than five yards-per-carry. Those were actually physical issues that our Dolphins were able to fix. The mental ones should be less difficult.

6. A Losing Streak is Not a Death Sentence
Yes, our Miami Dolphins are down after losing four straight, but one thing they are not is out. The last two Super Bowl champions, the Baltimore Ravens a season ago and the New York Giants in 2011, each overcame long losing streaks to win the Super Bowl. The Ravens lost three straight games late last season and four of their last five heading into the playoffs before winning four games, three away from home including the Super Bowl. The year before, the Giants dropped four straight from early November to early December and five of six from November 13th to December 18th. I'm not suggesting that Miami will go on to win the Super Bowl, but turnarounds after difficult skids are not only possible, they've become common.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

25-Year Phiniversary: Marino Passes for Career-High in Loss

1988 was not a good year for the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins entered the season coming off of an 8-7 finish in the strike-shortened year of 1987 and the '88 season began with consecutive losses. Miami rebounded to win four of the next five games and arrived for their October 23rd meeting against the New York Jets with a 4-3 record.

(Allen Steele/Getty Images)

 The Jets came in with a 3-3-1 record and a high-scoring offensive game was anticipated. The Dolphins would not win that day, but in a losing effort, Miami quarterback and future Hall of Famer, Dan Marino passed for a career-high.

Miami grabbed an early 7-3 lead on a 45-yard touchdown pass from Marino to Mark Clayton. The Dolphins led 10-6 after the teams traded field goals, but the Jets closed the first half with 24 straight points with six coming on a Marino interception that was returned for a touchdown by Erik McMillan.

Trailing 30-10 at the break, the Dolphins pulled to within seven early in the fourth quarter as Troy Stradford scored from a yard out to make the score 37-30. Turnovers however, were too much for Miami to overcome as the Dolphins fell 44-30.

In the loss, Marino passed for a career-high 521 yards and three touchdowns, but also threw a career-high five interceptions that day. McMillan finished with three interceptions for New York as the Jets' defense finished the day with six total takeaways.

Jets' quarterback Ken O'Brien, who was actually drafted ahead of Marino in the 1983 NFL Draft, threw for only 174 yards, but also tossed three scores and limited his interception total to one.

Miami would rebound with a victory the following week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but would lose the next five to fall out of contention. The Jets went on to finish 8-7-1, but missed the playoffs as well.

The Dolphins went on to finish just 6-10 and in last place in the AFC East in 1988. The season was one of only two under head coach Don Shula in which Miami finished with a losing record and the only losing season with Marino at quarterback.

For the remainder of the 1988 season and over the next 11 years, Marino was never able to eclipse his passing total from that late October afternoon at a place then known as Joe Robbie Stadium. But a five-interception performance and the 44-30 loss to the rival New York Jets made it an afternoon to forget. Not again until 1999, Marino's final season in the league would Marino throw five interceptions in a single game. Marino went on to lead the NFL that season with 4,434 yards passing, but also tied a career-high with 23 interceptions.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

Five Games, Five Disappointments for Dolphins

After a week without Miami Dolphins' football, Miami will return to the field on Sunday as the Dolphins play host to the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins have dropped two straight after their first 3-0 start since 2002, but with losses by the New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Miami is sitting in sole possession of the final wild card spot in the AFC.

While second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill, rookie kicker Caleb Sturgis and tight end Charles Clay have certainly impressed this season, that has not been the case for every Miami Dolphin. While Miami's season is less than a third of the way over, here are five guys who have been disappointments thus far:

Tyson Clabo, Tackle

Tyson Clabo (Phinsiders.com)

A former Pro Bowler with the Atlanta Falcons, Clabo signed a one-year deal with Miami in the offseason with the Dolphins expecting Clabo to bring stability to a young offensive front. To this point however, Clabo has really struggled particularly in pass protection. Through five games, the Dolphins have given up 24 sacks which is tied for second most in the NFL. Miami is yielding a league-high 4.8 sacks per-contest.


Chris Clemons, Safety
After a career-year in 2012, Miami safety Chris Clemons has taken a bit of a step back this season. While Clemons has been far from horrendous, Clemons hasn't made many plays yet either. Clemons is on pace for about 77 tackles, but has yet to force or recover a fumble, record a sack or an interception. While the Dolphins are on pace to record 29 turnovers and 42 sacks, Clemons has yet to play a significant role in helping out in either category.

Michael Egnew, Tight End
Once offseason acquisition Dustin Keller went down with a season-ending knee injury in the preseason, the Dolphins were expecting former third round pick Michael Egnew to fill some of the void at the tight end position. To this point, Egnew has done almost nothing. While starter Charles Clay has been better than anyone could have expected, Egnew has just a single catch for eight yards this season.

Daniel Thomas, Running Back
While little has come to be expected out of third-year running back Daniel Thomas, Thomas has struggled mightily this season. Despite two rushing touchdowns on the season, Thomas is averaging just 2.6 yards-per-carry and has really struggled in pass protection, an area he was thought to have a decided edge over starter Lamar Miller. On the bright side, Thomas has yet to fumble and has made the reception each of the six times he's been targeted.

Mike Wallace, Wide Receiver

Wide receiver Mike Wallace. ( Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

The most prized signing of the offseason, Mike Wallace has just 22 receptions despite being targeted 44 times. While Wallace does have a pair of 100-yard receiving efforts, Wallace has just six combined catches for 61 yards in his other three games. Wallace also has an inordinate number of drops for a player thought to be an elite NFL receiver. Wallace ranks just fourth on the team in receptions and fourth in receiving yards with 281. Expected to be Miami's deep threat, only two of Wallace's 22 catches have gone for more than 20 yards.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

20-Year Phiniversary: Marino Tears Achilles Tendon

After consecutive wins over the Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins, the Miami Dolphins arrived at Cleveland Stadium on October 10th, 1993 riding high. Miami was 3-1 and in first place in the AFC East.

The Cleveland Browns also entered the day with a record of 3-1 as much of the football world watched one of the more intriguing match-ups of Week 6. The Browns were looking to avenge their first loss of the season, a defeat to the Indianapolis Colts. Cleveland was led by former University of Miami quarterback Bernie Kosar and one of the more versatile running backs in football in Eric Metcalf.

Miami at Cleveland (10/10/93)

The Browns struck first on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kosar to Michael Jackson, but Miami rallied to grab a 10-7 lead after a long field goal by Pete Stoyanovich and a 13-yard touchdown toss from Dan Marino to Mark Ingram in the second quarter.

With Miami driving late in the first half to extend its lead, Marino stepped back to pass and after planting to throw, went to the ground. Marino left the game with a foot injury and would not return and was replaced by left-handed backup Scott Mitchell.

Mitchell's day started poorly as Mitchell had an interception near the Cleveland goal line returned 97 yards for a touchdown by Najee Mustafaa to give the Browns a 14-10 lead at the break. Mitchell however, would rally the Dolphins for a 24-14 victory with third quarter touchdown passes to Tony Martin and Keith Jackson.

Mitchell would finish the day with 118 yards passing while the Miami defense recorded six sacks with three coming from defensive end Jeff Cross and two more from linebacker Bryan Cox. The Dolphins also knocked Kosar from the contest in the second half.

The diagnosis on Marino however, was not a good one. Marino had torn his Achilles tendon and was done for the remainder of the 1993 season thus ending his streak of 145 straight starts for Miami. Mitchell would be one of four quarterbacks to see action that season for the Dolphins along with Doug Pederson and Steve DeBerg.

Mitchell finished 1993 with a 3-4 record as a starter with 1,773 yards passing, 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Despite the loss of Marino, the Dolphins went on to win five of their next six games to get off to a NFL-best 9-2 start. Unfortunately, Miami dropped their final five games to finish 9-7 and narrowly miss the playoffs.

But while Miami was able to finish with a 9-7 record in 1993, many still sit and wonder whether the 1993 squad was one of Super Bowl caliber had it not been for a season-ending injury to their future Hall of Fame quarterback that mid-October Sunday.

Marino would return the following season to lead the Dolphins to a 10-6 record and an AFC East title while being named to the Pro Bowl. Mitchell would go on to sign with the Detroit Lions the ensuing offseason where he helped lead Detroit to three playoff appearances in five years.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

The Last Time the Miami Dolphins were 3-0...

There is much to celebrate through three weeks for Miami Dolphins fans. The team is 3-0 for the first time since 2002. Ryan Tannehill is playing like a seasoned pro and guys are showing up and making plays all throughout the roster. While there is a good feeling surrounding this team, 11 years is a long time, although to some it may not seem that long at all. Here's a look at what was going on in the world the last time the Dolphins were perfect through three games:

Ricky Williams was in his First Season with the Dolphins
The 1998 Heisman Trophy winner at Texas was in his first season with the Miami Dolphins and largely responsible for the 3-0 start. In his first three games with the team, Williams rushed for a combined 394 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards-per-carry.

Neither Dolphin Shout, MySpace, Facebook nor Twitter Existed
It was almost a year before MySpace, started by some guy named Tom, began the social media revolution. In 2002, none of the major social media sites were in existence and Dolphin Shout, at the time, was probably some sort of sonar reference.

LeBron James was a senior in High School
Now the best basketball player on the planet, a two-time gold medalist and two-time NBA champion with Miami's professional basketball team, the Heat, LeBron James was just a senior at St.Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. The Heat were coming off of a 36-46 season and led in scoring by Eddie Jones. Dolphins current quarterback Ryan Tannehill was just 14 years old at the time.

The Camera Phone was Brand New
2002 was also the first year that Nokia released the camera phone in the United States. The phone was brand new and at the cutting edge of technology. Interestingly enough at the time, most people used their cell phones for making phone calls. What a concept!

The Red Sox were Cursed and the Florida Marlins had Only One Championship
In 2002, the Boston Red Sox were still under the "Curse of the Bambino" and the then Florida Marlins had just one World Series title to their name. The Marlins won the World Series the following year over a New York Yankees team that beat the Red Sox in seven games in the American League Championship Series. In 2004, the Red Sox finally broke the curse by erasing a 3-0 series deficit to the Yankees to become the first team ever to win a series after trailing three games to none. Boston went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series and won a second championship three years later. Unfortunately for the Chicago Cubs, their "Curse of the Billy Goat" remains alive and well.

Nelly and Spider-Man Topped the Charts
At the time of the Dolphins 3-0 start in 2002, the #1 single in America was "Dilemma" by Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland. Spider-Man starring Tobey Maguire was the top grossing movie at the box office. Hannah Montana at the time was a town of about 150 people...probably.

College Football was "All About the U"
The Miami Hurricanes topped both human polls in college football after a 4-0 start and were coming off of their fifth national championship and first in 10 years. The 2002 team was led by stars like Ken Dorsey, Willis McGahee, Andre Johnson, Kellen Winslow Jr., Antrel Rolle, Jonathan Vilma and Sean Taylor. Miami went on to lose to Ohio State in double-overtime in the Fiesta Bowl for the national championship. The Hurricanes won the Big East the following season finishing 11-2 and beating Florida State in the Orange Bowl. Since then, Miami has not won as much as a conference championship as a member of the ACC and has failed to lose fewer than three games in any season.

Pluto was a Planet
That's right. The relatively small ball of gas known as Pluto was regarded as the ninth planet in our solar system and the furthest from the sun. Schoolchildren memorized the order of the planets by reciting My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas instead of My Very Educated Mother Just Sold Urine to Nancy, or whatever mnemonic they're using today. It was 2006 when Pluto stopped being considered a planet.

Hopefully this trip back in time was entertaining, but it's interesting to think about how long ago 2002 really was. As the Miami Dolphins visit the New Orleans Saints on Monday night, Miami will be facing a former league MVP in Drew Brees and looking for its first 4-0 start since 1995. Think about how fun that trip back in time could be...

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

5-Year Phiniversary: Ronnie Runs (And Passes) Miami past Pats

The day was September 21st, 2008 as the 0-2 Miami Dolphins arrived in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Miami was coming off of a 31-10 blowout loss in Arizona and entered Week 3 of the 2008 season having lost 20 of their last 21 football games.

2008: Dolphins 38, Patriots 13 (Boston.com)

The New England Patriots were fresh off of a perfect regular season and had won seven straight AFC East titles. The Patriots had fallen short to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII the previous season, but arrived for that late September contest with a record of 2-0 and winners of 21 straight regular season games.

Although the Patriots had lost quarterback Tom Brady for the season in Week 1, New England was still heavy favorites over the seemingly lowly Dolphins. Behind backup Matt Cassel, the Patriots had begun the season with victories over the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets with the defense allowing just 10 points in each.

But while most thought that the Patriots would leave Gillette Stadium that day with a 3-0 record and a 22nd straight regular season win, New England had no idea what was in store for them. In a game that would change the direction of the season for the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots and the NFL was introduced Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning's new offensive gimmick known affectionately as the "Wildcat".

Much like the zone-read is run today, the Wildcat featured an option type scheme, but rather than having quarterback Chad Pennington take the snaps, the Dolphins' shotgun snaps went directly to running back Ronnie Brown. Brown took the snap usually with Miami's other talented running back, Ricky Williams, in motion. Sometimes Brown would keep the ball, sometimes he would hand it to Williams, but whatever he did that day, the Patriots had absolutely no answer for it.

Brown rushed for three first half touchdowns to give the Dolphins what was an unthinkable 21-6 lead at the break. With just under six minutes to play in the third quarter and the score unchanged, Brown added a fourth touchdown, this time with his arm. Brown's 19-yard touchdown toss to Anthony Fasano gave the Dolphins a 28-6 lead.

New England scored on its ensuing drive to cut the lead back to 15, but Brown put an exclamation on what was a stellar day on the first play of the fourth quarter. From the Wildcat formation, Brown took the first play of the final period 62 yards for his fourth rushing touchdown of the day and fifth total. Dan Carpenter would add a field goal later on for the Dolphins and Miami left Foxboro that day with a 38-13 thumping of rival New England.

Brown finished the day with 113 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 17 carries while Williams added 98 yards on 16 carries. As a team, the Dolphins rushed for 216 yards while averaging six yards-per-carry. Chad Pennington, in what would be his first win as Miami's quarterback, also had a stellar day completing all but three his 20 attempts for 226 yards.

For just the second time in 22 games the Miami Dolphins were winners, and for the first time in that same regular season span, the Patriots were losers. For the remainder of the season, Miami's Wildcat helped keep opposing defenses off balance as the Dolphins reeled off 11 wins over their final 14 games to finish 11-5 and complete the NFL's best single-season turnaround after just a 1-15 campaign in 2007.

Miami captured the division title that season, their first in eight years. The division title also meant that the Dolphins were playoff bound for the first time in seven seasons. The Patriots went on to finish 2008 with an 11-5 record as well, but missed out on the playoffs and an eighth straight AFC East championship thanks to that September afternoon in Foxboro.

Fortunes have certainly been different for the franchises since as New England has claimed each of the last four division crowns while Miami has had four straight losing seasons. But September 21st, 2008 was a day that stemmed the tide for the Miami Dolphins and it remains one of the team's best victories in recent memory.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

30-Year Phiniversary: The Debut of Dan Marino

The day was September 19th. The year was 1983. The opponent was the Los Angeles Raiders and the scene was Monday Night Football. It was a day that would change the Miami Dolphins franchise forever and for the better.

The Dolphins did not win that humid, September night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but what they did witness was the debut of the greatest quarterback ever to take snaps for their franchise.

After Greg Pruitt's five-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter gave the Raiders a 27-0 lead, Dolphins head coach Don Shula decided that it was time to sit starting quarterback David Woodley. Woodley had helped lead Miami to the Super Bowl the previous season and was having far from a terrible night going 10-for-18 passing with 144 yards and an interception. But nevertheless, Shula decided that it was time to give the rookie from Pittsburgh a chance.

Dan Marino, a draft pick taken by Miami late in the first round, walked onto the field for the first time and while he was unable to rally the Dolphins from a 27-point hole, the sense that Miami had something special came immediately.

Marino finished the night 11-for-17 for only 90 yards passing, but led two scoring drives against a Los Angeles defense that had shut Miami out for three quarters. Marino's first career touchdown toss went to tight end Joe Rose from six yards out to make it 27-7.

Later in the quarter, Marino added a second touchdown pass, this one to a player he would end up playing the next 10 years with, wide receiver Mark Duper.

The Dolphins fell to 2-1 on the season that night losing 27-14, but the Marino era in Miami had arrived. Marino went on to finish his rookie season with 2,210 yards and 20 touchdowns compared to just six interceptions and the rest was history.

With Marino at the helm, Miami had just one losing season over his 17-year career. Marino finished his NFL career with 61,361 yards passing and 420 touchdowns, both were league records at the time of his retirement following the 1999 season. Today, the stadium where the Miami Dolphins play their home games sits on Dan Marino Boulevard with a statue of the great number 13 just outside of it.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

Tannehill Gaining on 2012 QB Class

The 2012 NFL Draft class of quarterbacks has already been drawing comparisons to the 1983 class that produced future Hall of Famers John Elway, Jim Kelly and, of course, Dan Marino. The comparisons came with good reason a year ago as Andrew Luck guided the Indianapolis Colts to an 11-win season after just a 2-14 finish the year before. Robert Griffin III delivered the Washington Redskins their first division title since 1999 while Russell Wilson, although not a first round pick, helped bring an 11-5 campaign and a playoff appearance to Seattle.

A largely forgotten man in that draft class was eighth overall pick Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill, a former receiver at Texas A&M, was taken by the Miami Dolphins and led Miami to a 7-9 season as a rookie. Through two games in 2013 however, Tannehill is being overlooked no more. The second-year man has led his team to victories over two of his counterparts from the 2012 draft, Luck and Cleveland's Brandon Weeden.

Most would agree that Tannehill is not yet as accomplished in his young career as Griffin, Luck or Wilson, but through two games this season, Tannehill has his team 2-0. Wilson's Seahawks also are 2-0, but every other quarterback taken from the 2012 draft class has at least one loss while Griffin's Redskins and Weeden's Browns are each 0-2. Head-to-head against other members of that class, Tannehill has the best record as a starter at 3-1.

Record as starter vs. QBs from 2012 class
Tannehill (MIA) 3-1
Griffin III (WAS) 2-1
Luck (IND) 2-1
Kirk Cousins (WAS) 1-0
Wilson (SEA) 1-1
Nick Foles (PHI) 0-2
Weeden (CLE) 0-4

While Russell Wilson is leading a team in Seattle that many believe are destined to appear in the Super Bowl, his numbers this season in terms of passing yards and completion percentage are behind Tannehill's. The two each have two touchdown tosses on the young season and each has one interception.

Wilson has won seven straight regular season games as Seattle's starter, but his last loss came to Tannehill in Miami last November as Tannehill rallied Miami for a 24-21 victory. But while Wilson and the Seahawks were impressive in a 29-3 victory over San Francisco on Sunday night, Tannehill became just the second visiting quarterback to win in Indianapolis in 12 tries.

Both of Miami's wins this season have come on the road and both with the Dolphins trailing in the second half. While the Dolphins are 2-0 on the road in 2013, the rest of the league is a dismal 9-21 away from home. As far as the Dolphins' quarterback goes, Tannehill is winning games in the second half as opposed to last season when his biggest task was not to lose them.

Without a running game in Week 1, Tannehill led the Dolphins on two touchdown drives in the second half including a 10-play, 85-yard march in the fourth quarter that all but put Cleveland away.

Last week, Tannehill drove Miami for its only touchdown of the second half with just under five minutes to play in the third quarter. But in the final quarter, Tannehill converted enough third downs in the second half to keep Luck and the high-powered Indianapolis passing attack off the field.

While big things have come to be expected out of 2012 draftees Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson, Miami's Ryan Tannehill is making up ground on his draft class in a hurry. Tannehill is averaging just under 300 yards-per-game passing through two weeks and is making plays when his team needs him the most. Tannehill is also 10th in the league in terms of completion percentage thus far, tops among quarterbacks taken in the 2012 NFL Draft. Making that statistic more impressive is the fact that Tannehill has done so while ranking eighth in the NFL in yards-per-attempt.

Luck, Griffin and Wilson all appear well on their ways to long successful careers, but the stellar quarterback class of 2012 has just gotten deeper. Since the retirement of Dan Marino following the 1999 season, the Miami Dolphins have been perpetually searching for a franchise quarterback. If the first two weeks of the 2013 season are any indication as to how good Ryan Tannehill can be, Miami fans should be very optimistic that their franchise quarterback has arrived.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

Dolphins Defensive Front Proves to Be Deep and Talented vs. Browns

While it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows in the Miami Dolphins 23-10 season-opening victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, their first opening day victory since 2010 at Buffalo, there were a lot of positives and some negatives. The 23 rushes for 20 yards stuck out as a sore spot, but the play of Charles Clay at the tight end position was encouraging for Miami as was the maturation of quarterback Ryan Tannehill and the three forced turnovers from a defense that took the ball away just 16 times all last season. As nice as it is for the Dolphins to be 1-0 with a brutal upcoming schedule, Sunday afternoon belonged to the defensive line.

Wake had 2.5 sacks on Sunday. (Photo: Cleveland.com)

Expected to be one of the brighter spots for a team with playoff aspirations in 2013, the Miami Dolphins defensive line far from disappointed on Sunday. The Dolphins finished the afternoon with six sacks and kept pressure on Cleveland's second-year quarterback, Brandon Weeden, for much of the day. What makes Sunday's effort from the front four even better was the fact that it wasn't a one-man, two-man or even a four-man show. While it's only one game, Miami looks to not only have one of the best, but one of the deepest defensive lines in the NFL as well.

It was business as usual for Cameron Wake, who finished with 2.5 sacks on Sunday while Randy Starks seemed to put any issues he may have had with the organization aside to record a sack and a half of his own. On the interior with Starks, Paul Soliai showed that he was more than just a run-stuffer as Soliai batted down two passes and drew plenty of attention to open things up for other pass rushers.

While Olivier Vernon and the versatile Jared Odrick combined for just one tackle, the combo spent much of the day in the Cleveland backfield. Also getting in on the sack action was defensive end Derrick Shelby, who entered the preseason far from a lock to make the team. Shelby finished the day with a sack and a forced fumble which he nearly ripped from the hands of Weeden.

Although the final sack of the day for Miami was marred by a 15-yard facemask penalty which gave Cleveland a first down, it may have been the most encouraging. Rookie and third overall pick Dion Jordan, who had his preseason reps limited due to injury, corralled Weeden on a speed rush for his first career sack with roughly two minutes to play.

While Miami allowed 289 yards passing to Weeden, it came with a completion rate of less than 50 percent (26-for-53). The Dolphins' defensive front was also largely responsible for holding the Browns' talented second-year back Trent Richardson to a pedestrian 47 yards rushing on 13 carries with just 14 yards coming after halftime.

While Sunday was not a perfect day for the Dolphins, their record after one game is. Miami erased a 7-6 halftime deficit to outscore Cleveland 17-3 in the second half with the front four looking even better than advertised. It won't easy to record six sacks every week for Miami, but with the depth and talent that was on display on Sunday, the Dolphins look to be frequent visitors to opposing backfields. With so much depth and versatility as well, this won't be any team to pound away at late in games either.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.

10-Year Phiniversary: Epic Fail to Houston in Opener

2003: Texans 21, Dolphins 20 (Photo: AP)

Today, Saturday, September 7th marks the 10th anniversary of one of the worst opening day losses in Miami Dolphins history. On the eve of the 2013 opener against a Cleveland team that finished just 5-11 a season ago seems like a bad time to bring this one up, but it happened nonetheless. Here is a look back:

Expectations were high for the Miami Dolphins entering the 2003 season. A late-season letdown in 2002 and a loss to the New England Patriots in the season finale kept Miami from a second division title in three years and a third straight playoff appearance. With running back Ricky Williams in his second season in Miami and coming off a franchise-record 1,853 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns, many believed that 2003 would be the Dolphins' year.

The Dolphins were also stacked on defense with stars like defensive end Jason Taylor, linebacker Zach Thomas and the cornerback duo of Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain. Miami had even upgraded an already stellar defense in the offseason with the additions of future Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau and former Pro Bowl safety Sammy Knight.

The Dolphins were set to open the 2003 season at home against the Houston Texans, a team in its second year in existence. The Texans had won just four games in their inaugural season and the expectations weren't high for 2003.

Miami came into the contest as a 14-point favorite and at the time, the Dolphins had the league's longest opening day winning streak at 12. While number 13 seemed like a sure thing, it was far from the case that day.

Houston jumped to a 6-0 lead, but a pair of touchdown passes by Miami's Jay Fielder in the second quarter gave the Dolphins a 14-6 lead at the break.

The Texans scored nine points in the third quarter on a long touchdown pass from David Carr to Corey Bradford and the third field goal of the day from Kris Brown to grab a 15-14 lead after three.

Miami answered with 12:24 to play in the final period on Jay Fiedler's third touchdown pass of the day, a 35-yard toss to Williams. The score put Miami up 20-15, but the two-point conversion was failed.

After Brown's fourth field goal of the day made it 20-18 with 4:55 to play, Fiedler threw his second interception of the day which proved to be the most costly. Fiedler was intercepted by Marcus Coleman, also his second pick of the day, at Miami's 36-yard-line with under three minutes to play.

It took Houston seven plays to reach Miami's 18-yard-line before Brown knocked home his fifth field goal with 25 seconds remaining which gave the Texans a 21-20 lead and the eventual victory. The season that began with such high hopes started with an unthinkable loss for the Dolphins. The game however, did serve as a wake-up call as Miami won each of its next four games by double figures.

That season, Miami finished 10-6 to notch their seventh straight winning season. Unfortunately, the Dolphins fell one win shy of the playoffs and the opening loss to Houston would turn out to be the one that slipped away.

The Texans finished just 5-11 that season, but improved to 2-0 in season openers. To this day, they remain the only NFL team that the Miami Dolphins have yet to defeat.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.

Tannehill vs. Weeden: A Matchup of Second-Year QBs

On Sunday, the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns will kick off the 2013 season against one another in Cleveland. Starting for both squads will be a second-year quarterback taken in the first round of last year's NFL Draft. While neither Ryan Tannehill nor Brandon Weeden had the type of rookie season in 2012 as say, Indianapolis' Andrew Luck, Washington's Robert Griffin III or Seattle's Russell Wilson, Sunday's contest should be a solid indicator of how far each has come as a NFL quarterback from year one.

(Photo: Brett Davis/US Presswire)

For the Miami Dolphins, big things are expected out of Ryan Tannehill in year number two. Tannehill threw just 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions a season ago, but improved as the year went on. Tannehill led the Dolphins to a 7-9 season, but kept them mathematically alive in the playoff race until Week 16. Tannehill also led Miami to victories over playoff teams Cincinnati and Seattle after the Dolphins failed to beat a playoff team the previous year.

The Dolphins have upgraded the supporting cast of last year's eighth overall pick from Texas A&M bringing in Brandon Gibson and former Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Wallace to compliment last season's leading receiver Brian Hartline. Balance and protection will be the biggest questions for the Miami offense, but if Tannehill can get time to throw and the running game can keep opposing defenses honest, there is a strong possibility that he can be the most improved quarterback in the entire NFL in 2013.

For Cleveland, who finished just 5-11 in 2012, the expectations aren't as high, but significant improvement is expected from Brandon Weeden, the 22nd overall pick in last season's draft. Like Tannehill, Weeden threw more picks (17) than touchdowns (14) as a rookie. Weeden however, did lead the Browns to three wins over the final five games and complete better than 63 percent of his passes during that stretch.

Unlike Miami, who will be expecting big numbers from Tannehill, the bigger task for Weeden will be not losing games. With another second-year man in running back Trent Richardson, likely to carry the offense, Weeden and the Browns' passing game should have less on its shoulders.

Both quarterbacks were impressive in the preseason as Weeden finished 30-for-50 with 344 yards and three touchdowns in three preseason games. In four games for the Miami Dolphins, Tannehill was 34-for-56 with 387 yards and three scores. Neither Weeden nor Tannehill threw an interception this preseason.

Weeden will likely need to convert third downs for the Browns to have success against a revamped Miami cornerback duo on Sunday while the Dolphins are hopeful that Tannehill can utilize his new weapons and make big plays that were so few and far between last season against a Browns' defense that finished just 25th against the pass in 2012.

One thing is for certain and that is that both quarterbacks will be looking for better starts than each had in last season's opener. Tannehill threw three second quarter interceptions while the Miami offense was held without a touchdown in a 30-10 loss to Houston. Weeden and the Browns came up just a point short to Philadelphia to kick off last season, but in that contest, Weeden was a dismal 12-for-35 passing with only 118 yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions. Miami and Cleveland are set to kick off on Sunday at 1:00 P.M. eastern time.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook! Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.

Five Unsung Dolphins That Will Have Solid Seasons

The Miami Dolphins were very active this offseason with the signings of Mike Wallace, Philip Wheeler, Dannell Ellerbee and Brent Grimes among others. Another popular topic of conversation has been how quarterback Ryan Tannehill will improve from a rookie season in which he led Miami to a 7-9 record. While Tannehill, Cameron Wake and the newcomers will get most of the spotlight and with it, much more scrutiny, here are five unheralded Miami Dolphins who will have solid seasons for the 'Fins in 2013:

Right tackle Tyson Clabo. (Photo: Brownsville Herald)

Tyson Clabo, Tackle
While most of the offseason focus for the Miami offensive line has centered on second-year tackle Jonathan Martin replacing former All-Pro Jake Long, the other tackle for the Dolphins, Tyson Clabo, looks to be one of the more overlooked signings of the offseason. Clabo is a former Pro Bowler with the Atlanta Falcons and thus far, has handled the right side nicely. While Martin will continue to get much of the focus, the Dolphins should have little to worry about at the other tackle position.

Chris Clemons, Safety
While Miami safety, Reshad Jones, had a Pro Bowl caliber year in 2012, the Dolphins other safety also put together a career-year. Chris Clemons, a fifth-year man from Clemson, is Miami's leading returning tackler from a year ago with 98 combined tackles. Clemons was also tied for second on the team with two interceptions. In addition to being a solid tackler, Clemons rarely got lost in coverage a season ago and seems to have a firm grasp on Kevin Coyle's defense.

Brandon Fields, Punter
Brandon Fields led the NFL last season averaging better than 50 yards-per-punt and looks to have another big year. In Miami's 17-16 preseason loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday, Fields averaged nearly 53 yards-per-punt and had two of his five kicks downed inside the 20 including a coffin corner punt that went out at the three-yard-line. While Fields won't get much recognition, he should help serve as a de facto 12th defender for what should be a very good Miami Dolphins' defense in 2013.


Koa Misi, Linebacker

Linebacker Koa Misi (Photo: MiamiDolphins.com)

With the signings of Dannell Ellerbee and Philip Wheeler and the selection of Dion Jordan third overall in the draft, the lone returning starting linebacker, Koa Misi, has become a forgotten man for the Dolphins. Misi however, may greatly benefit from the new additions. Misi has always been a better blitzer than a sideline-to-sideline linebacker and with the speed and play-making ability of Ellerbee, Wheeler and Jordan, teams likely won't focus as much on Misi which should allow him to be very effective when it comes to rushing the passer.

Jared Odrick, Defensive Tackle
With the additions on defense, Jared Odrick, a former first round pick of the Dolphins, has the versatility to become very valuable. Whether at end or tackle, Odrick's biggest strength has always been his ability to bull-rush the passer. Odrick could find himself on the inside in obvious passing downs and while teams will look to slow down the Wheelers, Ellerbees and Wakes of the world, Odrick should find himself often in one-on-one situations and will be able to get pressure regardless of where he's lined up.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook!  Also, follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

Ranking the Dolphins Schedule by Difficulty

The start of the NFL season is now less than two weeks away as the Miami Dolphins look to improve on a 7-9 season. Based on last year's standings, the Dolphins have the eighth toughest schedule in the NFL. With 16 games on the schedule in 2013, here's how they rank from easiest to most difficult.

16. at Cleveland Browns (September 8th)

QB Ryan Tannehill. (Photo: Miami Herald)

It's the season opener and for the Dolphins to prove themselves as a viable playoff contender, it's a must-win. The Browns finished just 5-11 a season ago, but did defeat the Dolphins in Miami's last visit to Cleveland back in 2011. It should give fans an early look at the maturation of second-year quarterbacks Ryan Tannehill and Brandon Weeden.


15. vs. Buffalo Bills (October 20th)
The Dolphins have won four of five at home against the Buffalo Bills and will look for that trend to continue. The first of two meetings this season will come at home after a tough five-game stretch to open the season and a bye week.

14. vs. New York Jets (December 29th)
While on paper it looks like one of Miami's easier games, it may wind up being one of the more important. The Dolphins could be fighting for their playoff lives in the regular season finale. While the Jets have won three of the last five in Miami, the Dolphins have taken the last two season finales against the Jets and have won six of the last nine overall.


13. at Buffalo Bills (December 22nd)
Despite falling 19-14 last November, the Miami Dolphins have still managed to win three of their last five road games against the Bills. This will be the Dolphins' next-to-last game this season and they could arrive at Orchard Park with a lot on the line.

The Dolphins have won 6 of 9 vs. the Jets. (Photo: ESPN)

12. at New York Jets (December 1st)
The Dolphins have won four of the last five against the Jets in New York including a 30-9 thumping last season. But with a December trip to cold weather, this one should be a bit more difficult than the game in Miami despite the fact that the Dolphins have played the Jets better in East Rutherford than in South Florida.


11. vs. San Diego Chargers (November 17th)
The San Diego Chargers finished 7-9 a season ago and have won the last two against Miami, but have already lost Danario Alexander for the season and will have to travel across the country to face the Dolphins. The last Miami victory over the Chargers came in 2008 at Sun Life Stadium.

10. at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (November 11th)
Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman has a number of weapons around him and the Buccaneers' offense could give Miami trouble. The good news for Miami is that the Tampa Bay defense struggled a year ago and the Dolphins will have 11 days to prepare for this one and a short distance to travel.

9. vs. Carolina Panthers (November 24th)
The Carolina Panthers finished just 7-9 a season ago, but won their final four games. The Panthers have a dynamic quarterback in Cam Newton and are expected to be improved defensively.  Miami does have history on its side as the Dolphins are 4-0 all-time vs. Carolina.

Miami beat Cincinnati in 2012, 17-13. (Photo: Sun Sentinel)

8. vs. Cincinnati Bengals (October 31st)
The Cincinnati Bengals were one of two playoff teams a season ago defeated by the Miami Dolphins. Miami won 17-13 in Cincinnati last season, but both teams have big expectations this year. This looks to be a low scoring Thursday night battle, but both teams have explosive receivers in A.J. Green for the Bengals and Miami's Mike Wallace. With this game being at home, the short week could be an advantage for the Dolphins.


7. at Pittsburgh Steelers (December 8th)
 Mike Wallace's return to Pittsburgh could have huge playoff implications. The Steelers underachieved last season going 8-8, but getting a win in the steel city won't be easy. The Dolphins have lost four straight to Pittsburgh and have not beat the Steelers since 1999.

6. at New Orleans Saints (September 30th)
Despite just a 7-9 finish a season ago, the New Orleans Saints managed to lead the NFC in points scored as Drew Brees and a talented corps of receivers will test the seemingly suspect Miami secondary. A Monday night game, the Superdome crowd will be lively as well. This will also be Miami's second dome game in four weeks.


5. vs. Baltimore Ravens (October 6th)
The defending champs have seemed to have their way with the Dolphins in years past and this looks to be another challenge for Miami. It will also be linebacker Dannell Ellerbee's first game against his former team. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco has become one of the league's best, but Baltimore did lose a number of key players on each side of the ball. Since collecting their only win of 2007 against the Ravens, the Dolphins have lost three straight to Baltimore and by an average margin of 16 points.

4. vs. New England Patriots (December 15th)
The Miami Dolphins have lost six straight to New England and many believe that this game could decide the AFC East. The Dolphins last beat the Patriots in 2009 and have lost 10 of 12 overall. Miami has also dropped five of the last six in South Florida. This game could have huge playoff implications and a win won't come easy. Tom Brady, Bill Belichick  and New England always seems to play their best football in December as well.

Luck (right) and Tannehill (left) meet in Week 2. (Photo: Zimbio)

3. at Indianapolis Colts (September 15th)
The Dolphins let one slip away in Indianapolis last season falling 23-20 to the Colts. This should be an exciting showdown of second-year quarterbacks as Andrew Luck leads his Colts against Ryan Tannehill and Miami. The Colts were tied for the second best home record in the league a year ago finishing with a 7-1 mark at Lucas Oil Stadium.

2. vs. Atlanta Falcons (September 22nd)
The Dolphins' home opener pits them against the team that finished with the best regular season record a season ago. The Falcons went 13-3 a season ago and finished just yards shy of making the Super Bowl. Matt Ryan is loaded with a corps of weapons and will certainly test Miami's secondary. Brent Grimes will be facing his former team as he looks to help Miami beat the Falcons for the first time since 2001.

New England has won 6 straight vs. Miami (Photo: Zimbio)

1. at New England Patriots (October 27th)
The Miami Dolphins have not won in New England since 2008 and this has a chance to be a real statement game for Miami. The last time the Dolphins won in Foxborough, they won something even more significant, the division. The Patriots are 16-2 against the AFC East over the last three years.



Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook!

Replacing Keller Won't Be a One-Man Job

In Saturday's 24-17 preseason loss to the Houston Texans, the Miami Dolphins were dealt a big blow in the second quarter as tight end Dustin Keller took a shot in the knee from Houston safety D.J. Swearinger. Keller suffered three torn ligaments and is out for the season.

Dustin Keller is done for 2013. (Photo: BleacherReport)

Keller shined in his brief stint in a Dolphins uniform. In just over three quarters of preseason action, Keller caught three passes for 60 yards which included a 22-yard touchdown grab in Miami's 27-3 victory at Jacksonville on August 9th.

Keller is just two years removed from a career-year with the New York Jets in 2011, a season in which he caught 65 passes for 815 yards and five touchdowns. Keller is also a tough cover for opposing linebackers and a smooth route runner and would have fit in very well with second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill and a new-look Dolphins' offense. While Keller's season is over, all hope is not lost at the tight end position, but replacing Keller won't be a one-man job.

Unless the Dolphins go out a sign a free agent tight end like Chris Cooley, Kevin Boss or perhaps even former Dolphin Randy McMichael, the biggest added responsibility looks to be on H-back Charles Clay.

Clay certainly has versatility and he has had to. In college, Clay was a fullback in a spread offense at Tulsa, but in the NFL, has taken the bulk of his snaps at the tight end position. In two NFL seasons, Clay has spent most of his time as the second tight end behind Anthony Fasano and has recorded 34 receptions for 445 yards with five catches going for touchdowns.

This preseason however, Clay has taken the bulk of his snaps from the backfield and performed pretty well. But with Keller out, Clay looks to be their best option right now which means that Clay will either split time between fullback and tight end which is essentially what a H-back does or he will take the bulk of the snaps at tight end which will put Jorvorskie Lane as the team's primary fullback.

While Clay likely won't be able to replace Keller's production, Clay can have a career-year. Recording 30 receptions for 350 yards is a realistic and reasonable goal for Clay. That should also take much of the pressure off a pair of younger tight ends that the Dolphins will need to step up.

Clay will need help from either or both second-year tight end Michael Egnew and/or rookie from Michigan State, Dion Sims. Egnew went without a reception last season as a rookie after a stellar career as a pass-catcher in college at Missouri. Egnew is more of a receiving tight end and has a lot of improving to do as a blocker. Sims on the other hand, is more of a complete tight end and looks to have an edge right now for playing time over Egnew.

If Clay can have the career-year that was mentioned, Egnew and Sims would only have to combine for about 20 catches and 225 yards to reach Keller's career averages which would also give Miami more production than it got last season from Fasano and Clay. It is worth mentioning however that Fasano and Clay combined for seven of Miami's 13 receiving touchdowns a season ago.

Second-year tight end Kyle Miller is also on the roster, but like Egnew, Miller went without a reception as a rookie. Miller appeared in just one game for the Indianapolis Colts in 2012.

While Keller could have been a real game-changer in the passing game, the Dolphins have the bodies on the roster to make up for his absence. Miami will miss his big-play ability, veteran presence and the depth that came with being able to use Charles Clay at fullback.

Clay should still be able to have a career-year for the Dolphins and Miami should be able to retain the production it had from the tight end position last year. This of course, is all possible even without mentioning the upgrades made to the Miami receiving corps. Few will argue that Keller won't be missed, but the Dolphins certainly have the bodies to replace his production. It however, won't be a one-man gig.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook!

Five Things Miami Dolphins Must Do in 2013

After a 7-9 campaign in 2012, the Miami Dolphins are seeking to reach the playoffs for the first time since winning the division in 2008. This offseason, the Dolphins made a number of big changes including big free agents signings such as Mike Wallace, Philip Wheeler, Tyson Clabo and Dannell Ellerbee. Wallace, Wheeler and Ellerbee have all played in Super Bowls while Clabo was one game away last season with the Atlanta Falcons.

The Dolphins have certainly brought in players with winning mentalities, but new-look Miami will still need to back it up on the field. Here are five things that the Miami Dolphins absolutely have to do to make 2013 a success:

1. Protect Tannehill

Tannehill will need to be kept upright. (Photo: RantSports)

Despite his mobility, Ryan Tannehill was the eighth most sacked quarterback in the NFL in 2012. The offensive line has a new look with the addition of Clabo and the subtraction of Jake Long. Jonathan Martin, a second-year player from Stanford, will be tasked with protecting Tannehill's blind side. Miami has surrounded Tannehill with new weapons in receivers Mike Wallace and Brandon Gibson and former Jets' tight end Dustin Keller to help compliment last season's leading receiver Brian Hartline. But for Tannehill to utilize his weapons, the offensive front will have to keep him upright.


2. Be Balanced Offensively
The Miami Dolphins' offensive line may have a new look, but so does the backfield. Reggie Bush, who averaged better than 1,000 yards rushing and was Miami's leading rusher in each of the last two seasons, is now in Detroit. Replacing Bush will fall in the hands of second-year speedster Lamar Miller and underachieving power back Daniel Thomas. Between the two, Miller and Thomas have just 1,156 yards rushing in three combined seasons of work. If the Dolphins are to reach their full offensive potential, they cannot allow opposing defenses to sell out on the pass. This preseason, Miller and Thomas have combined to rush for 51 yards on 12 carries, a 4.25 yards-per-carry average.

Will 2013 be another big year for Jones? (Photo: SportsSpyder)

3. Force Turnovers
Last season, the Miami Dolphins forced a grand total of 16 turnovers with six coming from safety Reshad Jones. The Dolphins ranked just 28th in the NFL in taking the football away last season. While the Dolphins weren't overly careful with the football themselves last season, the offense was given very few opportunities with a short field which was a big reason why the Dolphins ranked just 27th in scoring a season ago. In the takeaway/giveaway department, Miami was -10.

4. Generate a Pass Rush
This Dolphins finished 14th in the league in sacks last season with defensive end Cameron Wake finishing fourth in the NFL with 15 sacks. This season, Miami may be even better with the additions of Wheeler and Ellerbee, who replace Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett at linebacker. Teamed with Koa Misi, the Dolphins have an excellent trio of linebackers when it comes to rushing the passer. With the third pick in the draft, Miami moved up to take Oregon's defensive end/linebacker hybrid in Dion Jordan. Jordan should excel as a pass rusher in the NFL right away. Opposite Wake last season, Olivier Vernon and Jared Odrick combined for a respectable 8.5 sacks. With strong-armed quarterbacks like Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger on the schedule along with Tom Brady twice, reaching the opponents' backfield needs to become routine for the Dolphins.

5. Beat New England
Since the 2001 season, the New England Patriots have claimed 11 of a possible 12 AFC East titles with the lone exception being 2008 when the Miami Dolphins completed a 10-win turnaround to steal the division. But of late, the Patriots have had their way with Miami. The Patriots have won the last six meetings and 10 of the last 12. Not since a late Dan Carpenter field goal in December of 2009 has Miami topped New England and if the Dolphins want to be a playoff team or take the division title in 2013, they will need to beat the Patriots. The first of two meetings between the teams this season will be in Foxborough on October 27th.



Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook!

Protection and Health Will Key Dolphins Passing Game

Keller (81) and Wallace (11). (Photo: El Nuevo Herald)

While the Miami Dolphins offense struggled early on once again in Friday's 27-3 preseason victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the starting unit finally got it together on its final drive which resulted in a touchdown. But despite the early struggles, it has become apparent that this will be a far more dangerous team when it comes to throwing the football in 2013.

The Dolphins look to be a more dangerous passing team this season despite the prized signing of the offseason, Mike Wallace, going without a catch in his first game in a Dolphins' uniform. But who needs a receiver that can stretch the field when you have a tight end that can do it?

In his Miami debut, former New York Jet tight end Dustin Keller shined. Keller recorded two receptions for 46 yards including a 22-yard touchdown on what would be quarterback Ryan Tannehill's final pass of the night. While Wallace was shut out, Brandon Gibson had a 14-yard reception to give Miami its initial first down of the night.

It's hard to imagine that Wallace will have anything but a productive season. Bundle that with the additions of Keller and Gibson and the team's leading receiver from a year ago, Brian Hartline, Miami has plenty of weapons for Tannehill to get the ball to. While tight end Anthony Fasano led the Dolphins with five touchdown receptions a year ago and receiver Davone Bess was a machine when it came to converting third downs over his five-year career with the Dolphins, both Gibson and Keller look to be upgrades.

Gibson may not put up the sort of numbers that Bess did with the Dolphins, but he looks to be a player that can better stretch the field vertically along with speedsters Wallace and Hartline. The same is true with Keller. While Fasano was a dependable big body at the tight end position, Keller is a walking mismatch in the passing game. That was evident as he averaged 23 yards-per-catch on Friday.

But while the Dolphins have playmakers in positions where they did not a season ago, the success of the passing game will hinge more largely on pass protection and health rather than personnel.

The biggest reason for Miami's early offensive struggles on Friday was the inability to protect Tannehill. A Jacksonville defense that ranked just 30th in the NFL a season ago and last in sacks was able to get constant pressure on Tannehill early on which led to one sack, a pair of three-and-outs and another possession that lasted just four plays eventually resulting in a Brandon Fields punt.

Coming into the season, the offensive line was a major concern and to this point, it still is. The Dolphins went out and shored up the right tackle position with the signing of Tyson Clabo, but Jonathan Martin will have to step up his play as the full-time left tackle protecting Tannehill's blind side. The guard position opposite Richie Incognito still remains a mystery at this point as well.

The second key to Miami's passing game this season will be the ability to stay healthy. Both Keller and Wallace fought through injury a season ago which led to down years for each. Protecting Tannehill will also be instrumental if the second-year quarterback is to start all 16 games as he did in 2012.

The Dolphins certainly have the personnel to be explosive in the passing game this season, but personnel won't be the big concern. If the offensive line is unable to protect Tannehill, the playmakers surrounding him won't be able to make an impact and with Wallace and Keller coming off of injury-plagued seasons, that once again looks to be a concern. While the play of Keller in Jacksonville and the starting offense's final drive were encouraging, the pass protection up front early on still leaves much to be desired.

Mike Ferguson is a staff writer at Dolphin Shout and the founder and editor of Outside the Redzone. Like Outside the Redzone on Facebook!