The most optimistic answer to that question could be shown by taking a look at the teams in the AFC and NFC Championship games.  The Dolphins played 3 of 4 of these teams during the regular season.  I believe the phins would have been swallowed whole by the Vikings defense had they played so we will assume that game a loss had it occurred.  The phins beat the Jets twice (in competitive games that could have gone either way).  They lost to the Colts and Saints in South Florida in games that they should have won (possessing the ball for almost 3 quarters in the Colts game and being up by 21 on the Saints).  In short, the Dolphins were only a few plays away from going undefeated versus the Jets, Colts, and Saints in 2009.  Key acquisitions this off season could put the phins over the hump.

As far as the draft goes, the Dolphins are in good position despite winning 4 of 6 AFC East games last season.  The Dolphins pick 12th in this years draft.  The Bills (who seem to be a step behind Miami in rebuilding) pick 9th, the Pats 22nd, and the Jets 29th.  Thanks to the Jets playoff push, the phins pick 17 spots (!!!) ahead of a team that they beat twice during the regular season.  All season we watched the Dolphins lose close games and this is where those losses help a good team turn into a championship contending team.  The phins should be able to address needs at WR, OLB, and potentially bolster the defensive line with their draft position.

Barring unforeseen changes the Pats will be a force next season.  Brady will be Brady and Welker will be back from injury.  Lord knows that Belichick will address weaknesses in the secondary via the draft/trade and that the defense will be much less porous than this season.  The Jets will also be a force next season.  Even if Sanchez stays where he is now, it appears that the gang green defense can win games when the offense is rather ineffective.  I also expect Gholston to overcome some growing pains and show some of that skill he represented back at Ohio State.  The Bills?  Who knows?  All I really know is that no matter what happens to their coaching or roster in Buffalo they give Miami fits.  Since 2002 the Dolphins are 6-10 versus Buffalo.

It looks like Joey Porter will be heading elsewhere as soon as this maneuver fits into the new uncapped salary rules.  Is Porter’s departure a loss of talent?  Yes, but I’ve always wondered how Joey’s attitude, personality, and age fit into the system in South Florida lacking any true superstars (via skill or personality) and predicated upon work ethic and rebuilding.  This move will free up about $1.2 million in off season costs.

So, “How will the Dolphins fair in 2010?”  We have to answer that question with some questions: How will Pat White develop (and overcome that hit in week 17)? What will Henne look like in his second season starting? How will the young secondary grow? Will Patrick Cobbs return to all-everything? Where will Ted Ginn Jr., Will Allen, Jason Taylor, and select others end up?  As of February it seems that the future is bright.

This is the first time in a long time that I have a smile on my face when the Dolphins have missed the playoffs.  First, and perhaps as a way to justify three losses to end the season, the Dolphins moved way up the draft board.  At this point they should pick 12th.  Had they won even one of their last three games they may have been picking 16th or later.  You may be saying, “Well, had they won even one of those last three games they may have made the playoffs.”  My response would be that even though a team can win on any given Sunday the odds of Miami winning even one playoff game with so many injuries (including Henne and Williams) and so few standout players would be slim to none.  A higher pick is also crucial for a team that is continuing to rebuild with young talent.

The Pittsburgh game showed a few glaring weaknesses that the Dolphins must address starting today (the offseason).

Enough with the big pass plays already!  They are coming from all angles including linebackers that can’t run with tight ends, a young secondary learning technique, and safeties slow to get to the ball.  We saw Heath Miller run away from Ayodele and Wallace get behind the phins secondary in the first half today.  Though Big Ben was sacked a few times during the game, he wasn’t harassed enough to warrant many errant throws.  He pretty much shredded the Dolphins D in the first half.  Much of this can be blamed on the lack of a pass rush.  It appears that players like Jason Taylor and Joey Porter are beginning to show their age as players like Kendall Langford and Cameron Wake have shown flashes of being ready to take the torch from the older guys.  Another veteran in the secondary, a few more pass rush threats, and linebackers with a little more speed must be attained this offseason.

The Miami offense has moved the ball decently all year with one major problem.  You can’t drive the ball down the field for touchdowns with 15 play drives with great frequency.  Penalties, turnovers, and other mental errors are bound to happen when the offense spends that much time on the field.  Also, long drives that end in field goals are equally deflating.  Also times two, long drives don’t help much when facing large deficits.  Miami was very consistent this year on offense and moved the ball for over 300 yards against Pittsburgh with Henne out the entire second half and no production from Pat White in the 3rd quarter.  Problem is the lack of explosive plays.  Who is a real threat to break a gain of more than 20 yards?  Ginn?  Hartline?  Bess?  If I were an opposing secondary I would be scared of Miami methodically moving down the field, but totally unafraid of the explosive play.

Pat White got into the final game with consistency for the first time all year and the coaching staffs’ lack of confidence in his throwing abilities were evident.  We all hope that his injury (which appeared concussion like) isn’t too severe.  If there is anything positive out of White’s appearance it’s the fact that he is as quick as expected, but that he can’t run against 8-9 men in the box.  Also, the huge hit by Ike Taylor, and I by no means wish injuries upon any player, will show White that he can’t run around like he did in college and survive to play in the NFL.  I’m excited to see a refined Pat White next year, if anything, to run the wildcat.

Overall it’s difficult to see the season end on a down note, but the future for Miami is as bright as any team in the NFL.  Next year the Jets, Pats, and Bills will be better, but so will Miami.  Depending on additions in the offseason they should be predicted to make the postseason in the 2010-11 season.  I realize I’m jumping the gun, but what else are fans of non-playoff bound teams supposed to do?

I would be lying if I said that I didn’t watch the last two phins games because I was opening massive amounts of Christmas gifts, engaging in awkward conversations with family, or sleeping away the new found time off of work.  What the aforementioned did do was provide some respite from both bone crushing losses over the past two weeks.

It is true that Miami has one of the toughest schedules in the league this season, but the true test over 17 weeks is when you play certain teams.  It does seem that Miami got shafted by circumstance in certain cases: 1) A Falcons team with healthy Turner and Ryan 2) A Saints team dead in the middle of a red hot streak 3) A Colts team playing before they make the playoffs 4) A Titans team in the middle of a late season surge.  I realize the same can be said for most teams, but looking at the Dolphins schedule shows few games where the Dolphins were blessed with injuries or an opponent that was considered “down” at the time.  Is this why Miami has played close games in 14 of 15 games this season (minus the first Buffalo win)?

Fact of the matter is the Dolphins have put two very different teams on the field not from game to game, but from series to series.  How else do you explain being down 14 points to New England in what seemed like 2 minutes early in the game a few weeks back, then holding Brady & Co. to zero points the entire second half?  How else do you explain being down 18 to the Titans before absolutely dominating a fourth quarter and forcing OT?  How else do you explain being down 27 points to Houston (at home) and scoring 20 unanswered in the second half?  Where is the consistency?  The Dolphins have shown that they can field not only a playoff caliber team, but a playoff caliber team that could make an AFC Championship game.  Problem is the Dolphins have also shown that they can field not only a non-playoff caliber team, but a non-playoff caliber team that would be hard-pressed to win four games in a season.

The Dolphins are where they should be at this point in the year based on their play. They have a minute chance to

make the playoffs with a win and at least four other teams losing.   Finishing 8-8 would be a perfect assessment of this years team because about half the time the Dolphins look great and half the time the Dolphins look horrible.

At this point the best thing to do is hope for a win this week versus Pittsburgh and see if the Ravens, Broncos, Jets, and Texans all lose.  Sad thing is that there seems to be a lack of a truly dominate team this year.  Anyone that makes the playoffs has a chance to go all the way.  Who would you say is the best team in the league today?  The Chargers?  Eagles?  Who was best last week?  Indianapolis?  The week before?  New Orleans?  Minnesota? If Miami does find a miracle and make the postseason the good news is they have been playing playoff games for the past 8 weeks and all those playoff teams look o so beatable.

You can start with Ricky Williams rushing for over 100 yards for the third time in four weeks.  Add to that the fact that the defense held Jacksonville to 10 total first downs, the offense held the ball for over 35 minutes, and Henne tied a team record with 17-straight completions and you get a glimmer of how Miami pulled out this win.  Those bright spots and the defense’s magnificent play for a WHOLE FOUR QUARTERS are why the Dolphins are 7-6 going into Tennessee next week.

Despite the win, this team is consistent if anything.  I can’t think of a game this year where this squad was out-muscled in the trenches.  It’s also hard to think of a game this year where the Dolphins showed some killer instinct.  Time after time we’ve seen teams come from behind to win late in games (New Orleans and Indy come to mind real fast).  There is absolutely no reason why a 14-0 lead against a run-heavy Jacksonville team should be threatened late in the second half.  This is no slight to Jacksonville’s offense…they were going to score sometime in the game.  This is a slight to the lack of composure seen in the Miami offense to put the game out of reach.  Take a look at Bess’ late first half fumble or Carpenter’s boink off the upright AFTER a 10 yard draw play from Ricky on third down to create an incredibly makeable try.  This is a field goal kicker that hadn’t missed in 13 tries (correct me if I’m wrong) and the phins most clutch receiver coming off of a career game against a hated rival.

The most ironic thing is that these two consistencies render the Dolphins incredibly inconsistent.  You can manhandle teams physically, dominate time of possession and run at will, but if you give up big plays on defense, turn the ball over, and act tentatively with any lead you will either lose or win by a slim margin.  Playoff teams win close games (which Miami has shown they can).  Playoff teams also put their foot on the throats of teams that they should beat or teams that they have beaten at any point during a game.

Needless to say, the Dolphins win another big game…it seems every game has been “big” for the past 2 months.  I’ve personally lost months to years at the end of my life based on this season alone.  There’s no need for the phins to get lackadaisical at this point as only step 1 of 4 has been completed.  Next up comes Tennessee; a surging team with a small slip up versus an Indianapolis team that…if my memory serves me correctly…hasn’t lost a game yet.  This

Tennessee team also drubbed the Rams today.  I realize it’s the Rams, but it’s also the NFL and it’s difficult to beat anyone by 40 points.

Cameron Wake explained the situation perfectly today, “If you look back a few weeks ago the fourth quarter was the problem.  The last couple of weeks we’ve been focusing on finishing.”  Excellent point Cameron.  It seems like the defense has bought into this premise over the past few weeks.  Lets just hope the offense can keeping moving the ball effectively, but find that focus on finishing.

Almost every football fan takes issue with the other teams in their division, but there is a special form of hatred for each of those opponents.  Every Dolphins fan in 2009 has a special place in their hearts for the Patriots, Jets, and Bills.  Personally, I have a healthy respect for each of these three teams, but it is very different for all three.

I dislike the Bills only twice a year when we play.  For most of my recent lifetime they have been a mediocre team, which has squelched my jealousy.  I dislike the Jets all the time, but it is an underlying, smoldering disdain that bubbles to the surface, once again, on the two weeks we play per season.  On those two weeks the hatred is extreme, often based on player to player banter during the previous week, but after the game I am usually appreciative of three hours well spent on a thrilling game.  The Patriots are a different story.  I dislike the Patriots all the time, but mostly because they are everything I want my franchise to be and everything I don’t want my franchise to be at the same time.  I want a franchise that wins Super Bowls, scares opponents, has a “genius” coach, a sure-handed quarterback, makes the playoffs annually, and when someone beats us they jump a minimum of five positions in the power rankings.  On the other hand I don’t want to be the team that everyone has to find a reason to hate.  For the most part, if you aren’t a Patriots fan, you don’t like the Patriots.  Why so??  Envy.  Beating the Bills and Jets makes me very happy, but beating the Patriots is like knocking out the biggest, meanest kid on the block with the sexiest girl at school smiling with approval.

Christmas came early this year to Land Shark Stadium.  Not only did Santa bring a win over the Patriots, but he also filled everyone’s stocking with so many treats:

1. A 14 point Patriot lead that didn’t turn into a blow-out and instead turned into a New England tease
2. A lack of opponent fourth quarter domination, which was becoming a common theme this year
3. Less than 100 yards and less than 2 scores for Randy Moss
4. Henne’s first 300 yard passing game and a win without run success
5. A seemingly effortless 41 yard field goal for Carpenter against a bitter rival with 1:00 left in the game to salvage any shot at the playoffs
   
6. A .500 record to pull within one game of New England
7. Enough hits on Tom Brady for a video montage late in the game
8. Another hit on Tom Brady to force an interception and seal the victory

I’m not going to get ahead of myself and say that the Dolphins are better than the Pats or that this early present fulfills me and if the Dolphins don’t win another game I’ll be happy.  This win is like a new toy that is the most amazing gift to play with today, but by tomorrow you’re sick of it.

The reality boils down to the likelihood that the Patriots will win the AFC East, BUT at least they can feel the Dolphins (and Jets) on their heels.  The phins are also looking better in the wild card hunt, especially considering the fact that all four remaining games are against teams that can still make the playoffs.  I realize Tennessee and Houston are probably out of things, but they still have a glimmer of hope and something to play for, while Jacksonville and Pittsburgh have as much to play for as Miami at this point.  The good news is that every win counts double from here on out.  The bad news is that every loss counts doubly worse from here on out.  After the games this week it looks like having the Raiders, Browns, or Skins on the schedule wouldn’t make things any easier…at least this team can hurt other teams vying for playoff spots.  For the Dolphins…it’s pretty much win and your in (x4).

Not convinced at just how “middle of the pack” the Dolphins are?  Lets look at 10 key statistical rankings for the

Dolphins out of 32 teams:

1. Total Yards Per Game – 22
2. Passing Yards Per Game – 30
3. Rushing Yards Per Game – 3
4. Points Per Game – 13
5. Total Yards Allowed Per Game – 19
6. First Downs Allowed – 17
7. Give/Take Differential – 19
8. Punts Inside 20 – 7
9. Field Goals Made – 14
10. Record – 16 teams with better records / 15 teams tied or worse

Of course there are hundreds of statistics to analyze but out of these big 9 (the 10th is based on record) the Dolphins averaged…you guessed it…16th in the league.  The Dolphins find themselves outside of the surprise contender role this year and just another member of teams that could make a wild card spot with a flurry of wins only to be promptly eliminated from the playoffs in an away game.  They aren’t relevant enough to warrant national attention nor pathetic enough to warrant national mockery.  They are the guy or girl in your college class that greets you the last week of the semester and knows you from class, but you have absolutely no idea who they are because there is absolutely nothing outstanding about them.   

I’ve been very supportive of the Dolphins throughout the season, but there are some glaring flaws on this team.

Injuries are starting to pile up in ways that only a team with a plethora of very skilled players could push through.  The defensive line is getting pressure in sporadic bursts and then fades away for long periods of time.  The 4th quarter efforts over the entire season have been abysmal, but 24-0 on Sunday probably took 5 years off of coach Sparano’s life.  Buffalo is a team with it’s second string quarterback (though Fitzpatrick isn’t a far fall from Edwards), an interim head coach, a mediocre offensive line at best, and one of the worst secondaries in the league.  How??  After Sunday the Dolphins don’t even deserve to be mentioned as wild card contenders.

To end that sour note, the first piece of good news is that the AFC east could be a race again if Miami can pull off the upset versus New England.  The Dolphins would be one game back of the mighty Patriots in the AFC East and have the tie-breaker against the Jets.  The second piece of good news is that the AFC wild card race is coming down to a bunch of shaky teams.  Assuming that the Patriots win the AFC east, which is highly likely, and the Colts, Chargers, and Bengals all win their divisions, that means the Dolphins are in a wild card pool with the Broncos, Texans, Steelers, Ravens, Jaguars and Titans.  The difference between Miami and all of these teams is that the Dolphins have been relatively consistent all year (consistently average), whereas the other five have been consistently inconsistent.  Whether this is good or bad is up for debate.  At least the other contenders have looked really good for at least a few games this year.  At this point it boils down to putting them all in a bag, shuffling, and dealing two into the playoffs…good news for the Dolphins.

Last week the Bills did their job and pushed Miami half way into a long off-season.  Hopefully Miami can play bully this week and send Brady & Co. home with another road loss.

]]> http://dolphins.gearupforsports.com/blog/2009/12/defining-word-for-dolphins-season-average/feed/ 4 http://dolphins.gearupforsports.com/blog/2009/11/can-miami-stay-afloat-with-gimpy-fins/ http://dolphins.gearupforsports.com/blog/2009/11/can-miami-stay-afloat-with-gimpy-fins/#comments Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:34:24 +0000 Ian Jewett http://dolphins.gearupforsports.com/blog/?p=58 No true NFL fan wants to hear another NFL fan whine and cry about how a few key plays or a few less injuries here or there could change the entire season.  Fact of the matter is that it takes a miracle to avoid narrow defeats and tears, bruises, and breaks to key players for a full 17 week season.  It is, on the other hand, okay to discuss the ramifications for your football team based on these occurrences.  You won’t see any tears here…just thoughts on how the Dolphins will keep on winning.

Last week we watched a Miami squad go into the Panther’s den and beat another desperate team.  At the beginning of the game the Dolphins were down a starting corner, quarterback, running back, and tight end.  By the end of the game you can add two centers and a defensive tackle out of the line up.  The key question is how can a team without these key elements continue to be in games.  The answer is depth.  Who are the Colts without Manning?  The Jets pass defense with Revis?  The Cowboys without Witten?  I know these are just three examples, but the results are usually catastrophic with the loss of a starter at any one of these positions, let alone four.  This team is built around movable parts where players are versatile and can come off the bench and perform.  If you aren’t willing to switch positions or seem ill-equipped to step off the bench, you can probably say good-bye to your time spent in south Florida.

We see what can happen when injuries stack up as shown by the Dolphin’s predicament at center in the 4th quarter at Carolina.  With Berger’s injury following Grove’s injury, the Dolphins had to pull Nate Garner from right tackle.  We next witnessed a fumbled snap and Carolina’s interior lineman getting extreme penetration.  Garner did his best but the

phins were on life support until Ricky sprung his long touchdown run (could it be because the line was getting too much penetration and lost its gap assignments?).  Sometimes it takes a little lucky or a big play to get a team through a game with backups for backups in the game.

What makes matters even more insane is the waiving of linebacker Matt Roth.  Admittedly he has been a pain (both literally and figuratively) all year after sitting out of training camp with an illness turned into groin injury turned into groin soreness that top medical professionals couldn’t even identify.  Or maybe he was disgruntled about position, playing time, money…who knows.  I trust our leadership in their decision making, but it seems scary when so many players are being carted off the field.  Hopefully Cameron Wake can get some more playing time.

The phins limp up to Buffalo this week to take on the Bills who are coming off a close loss to a Jacksonville team that I just can’t seem to figure out.  I guess we will see how good the Jags are in a few weeks.  For now it’s Ryan Fitzpatrick and gang.  This guy scares me more than Trent Edwards; I’ll blame it on his Ivy League IQ and the fact that he and T.O.

connected for almost 200 yards last week.  The weather forecast calls for partly cloudy weather and temperatures in the mid to high 40’s.  This far surpasses the potential lake effect snow and blustery temperatures in the single digits that oftentimes envelop Northwestern New York this time of year.  I’m predicting Fasano and Grove to play in this game so the Dolphins will only have to focus on the loss of Jason Ferguson.  It’s time for the big talkers at linebacker (Porter, Crowder) to put up or shut up in another AFC East must win.  It’s also time for Pittsburgh, Houston, Baltimore, and company to stop looking in their rear view mirror and realize the Dolphins are side-by-side in the sprint, or shall I say “swim”, to the playoffs.

mistake (singular) that made the difference.  Penalties being nearly equal, it was Delhomme’s one interception in the red zone that left Carolina staring up at Miami for the entire second half.  Approaching Thanksgiving it appears that Carolina just removed themselves from the NFC playoff race and Miami put themselves right back into the thick of things in the AFC.

In this critical game a few facts came to the surface:

1) Joey Porter should be pulled out of the starting line-up from time to time.  After being benched versus Tampa Bay, Porter promptly stepped up with seven solo tackles, two sacks, and three quarterback hits; Flashbacks to the Porter of 2008.

2) Chad Henne is a legitimate starting quarterback in the NFL.  He is now 5-2 as a starter and we see none of the drop-off we usually see when defenses become privy to a young quarterbacks tendencies (example: Mark Sanchez).  Watch Henne roll out of the pocket towards the sideline and throw the ball just before stepping out of bounds to avoid a 3 yard loss.  Watch Henne throw incompletions on covered out-routes that are far out of reach of lurking corners ready to take one the other way.  Watch Henne put the ball where only Bess, Hartline, and other receivers can catch it.  When Henne has a stable pocket and a throwing lane he rarely misses the mark.  If this guy were playing in New York, Dallas, or Washington people would be hyping him as the next superstar.  Don’t get me wrong, he isn’t throwing for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns, but he is avoiding fumbles, interceptions, and making enough plays to win.

3) Yeremiah Bell, Sean Smith, Vontae Davis, and this young secondary can play.  Do they make mistakes like turning the wrong way or playing too soft in coverage?  Yes, but a majority of the time this secondary forces the opposing quarterback into their check down receiver or an errant throw.  Watch how Davis played Steve Smith tonight (who couldn’t wait to jaw about his touchdown catch) and how Yeremiah chased down DeAngelo Williams, which saved a touchdown and led to an interception a few plays later.

4) The Miami system works.  No Ronnie Brown.  No problem.  First, second, and third string centers injured in the span of a quarter.  Little problem.  Moral to the story is that Sparano and Parcells have an every-man attitude.  If you are signed off the practice squad and make a mistake you’d better believe Sparano is going to be in your earhole.  No excuses means everyone is accountable and what we have seen for the past two years is that a team lacking one legitimate superstar continues to be in every game and, more often than not, find a way to win.

5) Play Miami and you are going to get bruised.  This is not an explosive squad and the coaching staff knows it.  Short routes are going to pick up first downs while you’re getting pummeled by Brown, Cobbs, Williams, Hilliard, or Polite.  That offensive line investment is starting to gain interest.

6) BROADCASTERS LISTEN!!  We understand that it is ironic that a guy named Polite plays the most physical position on the field as a fullback.  How many times do we have to hear, “Lousaka wasn’t being very polite on that play…ha ha ha”??  Please stop!

On that note, how can you not be excited about this team?  Legitimate playoff chances this year.  A young roster.  5-5 has never looked so good.

nearly escaped the St. Louis Steven Jackson’s and the once undefeated Broncos who fell to the once totally defeated Redskins.

The Tampa game showed a lot of glaring weaknesses in the Dolphins that will hopefully be mended by Thursday in Carolina.  The defensive line pressured Freeman in the first half of Sunday’s game, but seemed to avoid him like the swine flu in the second half.  With Jake Delhomme playing well it will be important that Porter (who should be rested after not playing last week), Taylor and gang put in a full 60 minutes.  Sean Smith gave up a big play to Stovall this week that put the Bucs right back into the game.  Like I say every week, it will be important that our secondary limit Carolina’s big play ability and keep the ball in front of them.  Henne made his first “rookie mistake”, which should have cost Miami the game.  He more than made up for his errant throw with a poised drive with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter against a defense that doesn’t reflect the team’s poor record.  Henne should continue is streak of solid play, but watch out for the rookie “what in the world was he thinkings”.  The most significant weakness is Miami’s abysmal play in the fourth quarter.  The Dolphins boast the worst points for/against ratio in the fourth quarter and are lucky to have four wins based on this statistic alone.  I highly doubt conditioning is an issue under a Sparano/Parcells regime.  Do offenses find glaring holes in the Miami defense in the first three quarters?  Is the young secondary susceptible to being “set-up” throughout the game and exposed late?

From where I’m sitting, Thursday night’s game has two main points of emphasis.  The first is that Carolina and Miami are both 4-5.  Loser is out of the playoff hunt barring a late season run of six straight wins (very unlikely for both squads).  The winner reaches .500 and is in the wild card hunt.  Both teams look like playoff teams on the rise for one quarter and bottom dwellers the next.  The winner of Thursday’s game will have to play consistently from start to finish.  The second point is the Dolphin’s loss of Ronnie Brown.  The NFL network may be disappointed to see a gimpy

version of the wildcat unless Pat White and Ricky Williams are prepared to carry the load.  My guess is we will see the wildcat, but more in the form of a gimmick to soften Carolina’s D than as a staple.

The best aspect of the game in Carolina is that it is against a surging squad on the road without the top offensive threat.  How is this the best aspect?  This game is essentially a practice wild card game (I realize the Panthers are in the NFC, but they are a wild card caliber team) and should be played as a must win.  If the phins win, it will mean Chad Henne played lights out and the supporting cast stepped up.  It will also mean an extended week of rest and an added boost of confidence for a late run.  If they lose, it’s time to start the try outs for next year’s squad.

No, I am not referring to this game as an intra-Florida battle that the Dolphins have had circled on their calendar since day one.  In fact, every single game on the calendar thus far (against playoff caliber teams or AFC East foes) has seemed more critical than this week.  I am referring to the fact that the Dolphins must be elated to be playing at home against a team that they are expected to beat.  For the first time in 10 weeks of football this team may be breathing a little bit too easy going into Sunday.

There are, as always, some causes for concern.  For starters the Bucs whipped out their vintage Peach (I capitalize peach in this case because the color of these jerseys is especially awesome) unis last week and pulled out their first win against the Packers.  I actually watched the Bucs/Packers game and, though sometimes inept on offense, their were moments when the Bucs offense showed signs of life while the defensive and special teams units were flying around.  I can find no other reason than a uniform change as to why a previously 0-7 team would come out and play such inspired football against a non-divisional rival.  Maybe the boys from the frozen tundra overheated in that balmy November Floridian weather?  The Bucs are also 10th in total defense and tied for 7th in turnover ratio in the league with an even number of giveaways and takeaways.  It’s safe to say the Miami offense needs to be careful with the ball (something that Sparano preaches about daily).

That being said, the Dolphins should handle the Bucs at home.  Tampa’s offense leaves little to the imagination and hosts a barrage of rookies and players that the every day fan has yet to hear of.  The Bucs have attempted only nine field goals all year and missed six of those attempts.  Without turnovers and big plays on special teams it will be difficult for a young Tampa squad to outscore Miami.  I realize that the Dolphins aren’t scary or explosive on either side of the ball, but they are fire tested thus far this year.  They have been in every game against a strong strength of schedule.  Josh Freeman won’t compare to Brady, Manning, Rivers, and Ryan.  Winslow, Stroughter, and Bryant won’t compare to Gonzalez, Clark, Moss, Jackson, and so forth.

It may seem like I am bashing the Buccaneers, but what I’m trying to eloquently say is that the Bucs are the Dolphins of two years ago and the Dolphins are, by logical deduction, two years removed from that point.  Whereas Miami has a group of young, core players that far exceeded expectations last year and challenge any team any Sunday, the Bucs

are just trying to find a rhythm and find out which players will build a strong future.  While the Dolphins are searching for a second half run, the Buccaneers are searching for uncovered talent on their roster.  Hopefully the Bucs come to town in their away peach jerseys and the same pep in their step the Packers experienced last week.  My bet is the Dolphins won’t overlook this team, if for any reason, because it’s hard to miss such sexy throwbacks.