SB Nation - Gibril Wilson

Henne leads comeback as Dolphins defeat Patriots to remain in playoff hunt

Matty I — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:02:35 -0000

More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP

Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne walks off the field after the Dolphins defeated the New England Patriots 22-21 on Sunday. And notice - the robot still refuses to show any emotion. Is he a machine?

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Just a little over fifteen minutes into Sunday's game and it seemed as though the Dolphins' slim playoff chances were fading away right before all of our eyes. But then something happened. On the brink of disaster, the Dolphins - led by their passing attack of all things - finally fired back, showing the kind of intensity that this team lacked last week in Buffalo. By halftime, it was just a four point game. The second half then saw the Dolphins go toe to toe with a perennial championship contender as the team rallied back from an 11 point third quarter deficit to knock off the Patriots in thrilling fashion - thrusting themselves right into the thick of things in the AFC playoff picture.

Henne has career day
Sure - it isn't saying much that a second year quarterback with just nine career starts had his best day as an NFL starter. After all - it has only been nine starts. So how's this for a better statement? Chad Henne has his first career-defining game in the NFL. I think that explains it better. After all, it's not every day that a quarterback goes punch for punch with Tom Brady in a quarterback duel - and actually wins. And it's even more rare that the quarterback out-gunning Brady is in his first year as a starter.

Coming into the game, I wrote that I really wanted to see the Dolphins attack New England's secondary. But I really didn't expect Tony Sparano and Dan Henning go with that kind of aggressive, attacking game plan on offense. So I was absolutely thrilled to see the Dolphins come out firing on Sunday. This was the first time that the coaching staff really took the training wheels off of Henne and he didn't disappoint.

Were there times when he made mistakes or missed on throws? Of course. That interception was both a bad decision and poorly placed throw. His accuracy is still inconsistent at times - which you can say about most rookie quarterbacks. That inaccuracy almost cost the Dolphins - when Henne missed an open Lousaka Polite on a 3rd & 6 play with 2:15 left. Henne explained after the game that Polite was the "hot" receiver. With the blitz coming, he anticipated Polite running to the flat. But Polite cut it up field - as he had open field in front of him. That explains why Henne double-clutched before throwing that pass over Polite's head.

With that said, it's no secret that Henne still has to work on avoiding tipped balls at the line of scrimmage and improving on those passes that require some "touch."

But still, Henne made up for these mistakes and missed opportunities, showing the kind of mental toughness a quarterback in this league needs. On the very next play - on a 4th & 6 with the season basically on the line - Henne rolled right and fired a bullet to Greg Camarillo for the first down, getting his team into field goal range. After the game, Tony Sparano praised Henne for his ability to overcome these kinds of things:

"He's a pretty resilient guy. He missed a couple of throws there. But Chad just keeps battling. He made some big throws, and the one to Camarillo down there at the end, that's a heck of a throw.''

A "heck of a throw" indeed.

All told, Henne threw for 335 yards while the running game ran for less than 100 - accomplishing one of the things I've been waiting to see from the young quarterback. He was finally asked to win a game with his arm from start to finish. He passed this test with flying colors, leading his third career fourth quarter comeback in just nine career starts.

After his busy day full of 52 pass attempts - the most pass attempts by a Dolphins' quarterback in a win since 1990 - Henne was asked how his arm felt. You got to love his response:

"If you want to, we can throw all day. I love it. Put it in my hands. Put the pressure situations upon me. I really thrive on that."

Defense steps up in fourth quarter
The day got off to a rough start for the Dolphins - allowing a 58 yard touchdown pass a little over three minutes into the game. On that play, we saw terrible coverage by rookie Vontae Davis and poor deep help from Gibril Wilson.

Then less than three minutes into the second half, on the Pats' first play of the half, we saw more ugly defense as fellow rookie corner Sean Smith had outstanding coverage on Sam Aiken but still couldn't even break up the pass along the right sideline. The 6'2 receiver made the catch over the 6'3 1/2" corner and then sprinted down the sideline - as Gibril Wilson basically stood and watched at mid field - for just his second career touchdown. I'm confident that Smith breaks up that pass 99 times out of 100. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, this was that one.

At 21-10 just minutes into the second half, it was beginning to look like more of the same from this defense in the second half. And the fourth quarter - also known as the quarter in which this defense likes to collapse - was still 12 minutes away.

However, rather than fold like a cheap suit, this defense stepped up. Coming into the game, the Dolphins were allowing 118.4 yards per game and 40.7 yards per drive in the fourth quarter alone. On Sunday, of the 448 yards of offense that the Patriots gained on Sunday, only 60 of them came in the fourth quarter (15 yards per drive).

It all started with NE's first possession of the final quarter. The Pats only needed four plays to get inside Miami's 5 yard line. But then Tom Brady made a terrible decision and a poor throw - allowing Vontae Davis to redeem himself for his bad play on NE's first drive by having perfect coverage on Randy Moss and making the key interception. In my opinion, this play was the turning point of the game.

As far as New England's fourth quarter offense goes, that one drive was about it. The Dolphins forced two consecutive "three and outs" on their next two possessions. And those "three and outs" were huge - getting the ball back to the offense as the Dolphins trailed by two points.

Following the Dan Carpenter field goal, the Pats had one more shot. But again, the defense made a stand. Following an 11 yard completion and an incompletion, Cameron Wake used a quick first step to get around Nick Kaczur and get Brady in his arms. Brady then threw up an ill-advised desperation pass hoping to at least stop the clock. But Channing Crowder (of all people) was "Johnny on the spot" - making the interception on a pass thrown right to his gut. Hell of a time for Channing's first career interception - who then showed excellent football intelligence by going to the ground rather than trying to return the interception.

Some will tell you that the Dolphins caught some lucky breaks. That's true. One of them was a huge break - as Sain Aiken had gotten by Sean Smith by about five yards but was overthrown down the left sideline on what would have been a touchdown to put the Pats ahead by nine points. Yes - the Dolphins caught a break there. But we've seen a ton of breaks go against the Dolphins this year. For once, they caught one of their own. It's about time.

Great job by the defense in the fourth quarter. The unit still isn't where it needs to be. But that late game performance is definitely something to build on.

QUICK HITS
More quick hit thoughts on Sunday's game. Let's start with the positives and end with some "not so positives":

Final thought for right now about Henne. He just seems to have that "it" factor that no Dolphin quarterback has had since you know who. That's what is most exciting about him, in my opinion. He has "it."
Bill Belichick will be questioned again for going for it on a fourth down. This time it was inside the 10 yard line late in the second half. Three points there would have been huge for the Patriots. But Belichick went for it on 4th & 1 and Paul Soliai, Joey Porter, and others came up huge in stopping Sammy Morris. The Dolphins would then march down the field and get a FG of their own - resulting in what was essentially a critical six point swing.
Dan Carpenter is money. There's nothing more to say. Is his leg the strongest? No. But a reliable kicker from inside 50 is even more important than a big leg. And DC$ is just that - reliable. Think Tony Sparano trusts Carpenter? On 3rd & 5 from the 23, the Dolphins ran the ball and gained nothing before DC$ drilled home the 41 yard FG to put the Dolphins ahead. If he has any doubts, the Fins pass the football there. That says a lot about the second year kicker.
The Dolphins may not have any number one receivers. But they have a plethora of reliable number two receivers. Davone Bess is essentially a poor man's Wes Welker, making clutch catch after clutch catch. Brian Hartline is on his way towards becoming a very good complimentary receiver. Greg Camarillo - or "Old Reliable" - always tends to make a clutch catch. None were bigger than his 4th & 6 completion along the right sideline to keep that game-winning drive alive. And even Ted Ginn got in on the act - making two critical receptions. His first catch was on that final drive of the first half, converting a 3rd & 2 into a 19 yard gain along the left sideline. His other reception was a 15 yard gain on a 3rd & 10 in the 4th quarter. At least that's progress, folks.
Anthony Fasano has looked like the TE we knew and loved last season. He has back to back 5 reception, 65+ yard performances.
The offensive line was excellent in pass protection. For the most part, Henne had all the time he needed in the pocket.
Ricky Williams. There - I just wanted to get his name involved here. He had a "workman-like" 75 yards, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. When that's a "ho-hum" kind of game, you know you have a good back.
Want more reasons to like Hartline? The kid has become a special teams monster. You can't help but appreciate tough kids like that.
While I'm not saying Yeremiah Bell has been very good this year, Gibril Wilson has, by far, been the worst safety. He just can't cut it as a free safety. A true coverage free safety would make this defense instantly better.
Not enough pressure at all on Tom Brady. Can I see more Cameron Wake, please?
Better play-calling out of Dan Henning today. But one major gripe still remains: ENOUGH WITH PAT WHITE! Listen - I'm not a "Pat White hater." I actually wanted the Dolphins to draft him. But I just don't think he's ready...yet. Now he's just an instant drive killer. So let's give it a rest.
I really didn't like the decision to go for two with three minutes left in the third quarter. It's too early to start chasing points at that point. If the Patriots score a touchdown on their first possession of the fourth quarter, the Dolphins would have been down by two scores instead of just one. Luckily, though, this decision didn't come back to bite the Dolphins on the ass.

FINAL THOUGHT
What more can you ask for? The Dolphins are 6-6, one game out of the playoffs, and have a meaningful month of football ahead. And for us fans, we not only have meaningful December football to look forward to - we also get to enjoy the maturation process of a young quarterback week in and week out.

Enjoy the ride, everyone. And for those of you who were crying about how the season was over after last week's ugly loss in Buffalo - welcome back aboard the bandwagon.

Sunday Fish Fry Part 2: Man the Longboats! Patriots offense v. Dolphin D

JohnHannahRules — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:36:34 -0000

More photos » by Matt Dunham - AP

New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson (84), left, crosses to score a touchdown game at Wembley. Pats' tight ends could play a key offense role against the Dolphins this week. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

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The Dolphins will let you score. Well, they won't let you, but teams do seem to rack up the points on Miami. Even teams with rookie quarterbacks who ultimately lose. Miami allows just over 25 points per game, good enough for 23rd league wide and a tie with Jacksonville.

Their D ranks 18th overall when adjusted for strength of schedule. Not horrid, I guess, but not scintillating either. Since playing Buffalo, the Phins have surrendered 27, 46 and 30 points (Jest, Saints, Jest). But the question tonight isn't "how good is Miami generally," but rather "How good will Miami be against New England?" On paper, at least, the answer is "not good."

According to Football Outsiders, Miami has the worst pass defense in the league against Tight Ends. They're quite good against other receivers, but simply cannot seem to locate that skinny-looking lineman when he runs out for a pass. On a per game basis, they allow almost seventy yards receiving to the TE. That's a lot.

Sticking for the moment with FO's system, New England has one of the best tight ends in the league right now and two in the top 30. Ben Watson ranks 6th overall in his value over a replacement player. His per play value over an average player ranks him first in the league. While Chris Baker doesn't rank as high as Watson overall, both players suffer in the rankings somewhat because they aren't used all that often. Expect that to change on Sunday. Note, however, that Watson is listed as questionable.)

For the first time in its history, Miami is now starting three rookies in its defensive backfield. Young cornerbacks Vontae Davis and Sean Smith have been thrown into the fire this year, and have been described by Coach Tony Sparano as forgetful youngsters. In other words, they're cocky SOB's who remember their successes and instantly forget their mistakes. Perfect CB material, but young is young.

At the safety position Miami entered the season with maturity, and could have felt about as good as any team about the two rangers. Yeremiah Bell and Gibril Wilson were expected to be steadying hands on the tiller. The high-priced Wilson struggled, however, and Sparano boldly elevated rookie Chris Clemons against the Jest, the same week Davis got the full time nod due to WIll Allen's season-ending injury.

The upshot? Mark Sanchez went 20 of 35 for 265 yards. Ouch. Still, as the Phaithful will quickly remind you, they won. (Thanks, boys.) Although Smith was drafted to handle the tall guys, Cotchery torched him and now he gets Moss. There's no one in the league who can cover Welker.

Why they won is mostly to do with special teams (about which more briefly). But let's not rush to phase three. Our running game is average; their run D is average. (Though FO ranks our run game a defense-adjusted seventh, so it's more effective than given credit for.) But like I said in Part I, running isn't going to be the whole story and when Miami is on defense it isn't going to be half of the story. Injuries are why.

Nosetackle Jason Ferguson and old friend Channing Crowder are both listed as questionable for the game. Coach Sparano states confidence in Crowder's replacement, Reggie Torbor, but NT understudy Paul Soliai would be making his first start. (Bonus: Joey Porter still tender in the hamstringal region.) But those aren't the injuries I'm most interested in.

I know Matt Light doesn't have many fans anymore. But no one does very well against Jason Taylor, which is a left-handed way of saying Light does as well as anyone. Light will sit with a bum knee and rookie Sebastian Vollmer will get his second start. He did pretty well in his first shot of big playing time against Tennessee, but struggled against an underwhelming Tampa Bay from time to time. On Sunday he'll confront the toughest competition he's ever faced.

How he performs may well determine the outcome of the game. Just as safety play by the Patriots will key the defense, I think that our offensive success rides on how well Vollmer handles Taylor -- or fails to. Miami has been very frank about the need to get pressure on Tom. Indeed, it's the only way they'll likely accumulate enough of an edge to win (more, again, below). Expect them to bring the house.

Finally, the "more." The Jets dominated the game in every category last week, yet still came up short. Key plays by the defense were a big reason -- including one from JT -- but the numerical advantage came on the feet of Ted Ginn. The Patriots absolutely must contain him in the return game. If things are going well, GInn is going to get the ball a lot. New England can not afford to let him do a lot with it.

That's all I've got time for and I'm sorry. Blogging from the road isn't a joy, but I'll be back in time to watch the game tomorrow. Add your own analysis in the comments and thanks to you all for helping Marima and me keep the place warm for MaPatsFan. Family issues are front and center for him right now, so let's all hold him warmly in our thoughts. I'm sure we'll have him back before long.

Enjoy the balance of your weekend -- see you at Game Time!

Ginn paves way as Dolphins sweep season series against Jets

Matty I — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:26:23 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Ginn...gone. What a day for the young man!

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This time last week, Ted Ginn Jr. was drawing the ire of Dolphin fans everywhere. So it figures that it was Ginn who would be the most important player in the Dolphins' 30-25 win over the Jets on Sunday - without even catching a single pass. And thanks in large part to Teddy, the Dolphins have done something they haven't done wince 2003: sweep the season series against the hated division rival Jets. More importantly, perhaps, the Dolphins are now back within a game of .500 and are 3-0 within the AFC East.

Ginn puts the "special" in "special teams"
This past week, much of the talk was centered on what the Dolphins should do with their former number one pick. The Dolphins decided to bench Ginn, who started every game this year at wide receiver, in favor of rookie Brian Hartline. Ginn admits, too, that this past week was the toughest of his professional career.

But Ginn reminded us all of just how damn good he can be as a return man, taking two consecutive kickoffs all the way to the house. And his 100 yard and 101 yard kickoff returns for touchdowns made NFL history. Teddy became the first player in NFL history to score two touchdowns of at least 100 yards in the same game. He's also the first player to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same quarter since Travis Williams did it for the Packers in 1967. Not a bad way to gain some confidence.

If you're human, you can't help but be happy for the embattled Ginn. And perhaps what is most telling is how his teammates spoke of Ginn after the game, including Jason Taylor - whose fumble return for a touchdown was overshadowed by Ginn's big day.

"That's all right. That's all right. After everything Teddy has been through, he deserves all the glory," said Taylor. Here are some more quotes about Ginn:

"People should respect him more, and, now, maybe they will," Brian Hartline said. "It was good to see him play so well."

"He loves the game. This is what he does," Justin Smiley said. "He's a professional. It's his life. I see him every day and how hard he works. He takes a lot of flak, but he had a great day."

But I think Ginn himself said it best. He said after the game that he convinced himself following his demotion that "big things might happen." Ginn added, "It's probably one of the toughest weeks I've ever experienced playing football. Last week was one of my toughest games I've ever had, the worst game in my career."

And now?

"I feel at peace more than anything. I made plays for my team. I stayed confident. My team believed in me," said Ginn. "To make them see that smile and have that happiness, to go from 2-4 to 3-4, that's great."

Now let's see if this confidence can translate into more production as a wide receiver.

Defense makes just enough plays to survive
Midway through the 3rd quarter, the Dolphins had only surrendered 6 points to the Jets. But then Davone Bess muffed a punt, the Jets recovered and the wheels came off for the defense. The Dolphins would surrender three touchdowns over the final 20 minutes of the game and nearly surrender a fourth that would have given the Jets the lead with under two minutes to play. It was the kind of performance to make even the most optimistic Dolphin fan think, "here we go again."

Second half defensive collapses have become all too familiar this season. And the Dolphins did just enough to avert another disaster. But man, it was not easy to watch.

Let's start with the good. The Dolphins did an outstanding job of stopping the Jets rushing attack. Yes, the Dolphins allowed a 100 yard rusher and a total of 127 yards on the ground. But that was with the Jets running the ball 40 times. Miami held New York to just 3.2 yards per attempt - which is damn good.

From individual standpoints, Jason Ferguson, Paul Soliai, and Randy Starks were outstanding. Give credit to Soliai for not only playing stout at the point of attack but also for ripping the ball away from Shonn Greene, leading to a fumble recovery that Jason Taylor returned all the way.

Gibril Wilson also looked like a different guy out there. Tony Sparano needs some credit here for deciding not to start Wilson. Chris Clemons was on the field for the first play of the game. Sparano said after the game that they "shook some things up this week, purposefully so. There's no reason for anybody to feel comfortable when you're 2-4.''

That strategy worked well, as Wilson was far more productive today than in any of his previous games as a Dolphin. Now he still wasn't perfect in coverage, but he was active against the run, effective as a blitzer, and didn't miss any tackles (that I can recall off the top of my head).

But it's Starks who was the man on defense, picking up 7 tackles, a sack (which we'll highlight in a minute), and two quarterback hits. He, too, had his best game as a Dolphin on Sunday. All told, it looks like the Dolphins have a damn good defensive line rotation - and will continue to do so for years to come.

Besides the rushing defense, though, I think the other key stat for the defense was how good they were on 3rd downs - holding the Jets to just 21% efficiency (3/14). And on the biggest third down of the game, it was Randy Starks coming through with a huge sack to push the Jets back to Miami's 15 yard line with under two minutes to go. That play is my "turning point of the game" - which we'll get to momentarily.

But, obviously, there were some defensive issues. The tight end position continues to kill this defense. Yeremiah Bell just doesn't look quick enough or fluid enough to stay with these athletic pass-catching tight ends when he's asked to. And the linebackers aren't nearly athletic enough to keep up with a tight end like Dustin Keller, who went for 76 yards receiving and a touchdown.

I also think that there was far too little pressure on Mark Sanchez, especially in the second half. There were countless plays that saw Sanchez have seemingly all day to throw. And for the most part, if the Dolphins didn't blitz, they didn't get pressure on Mark.

The rookie corners played as well as you could expect. They had their ups and downs. Each had at least one glaring mistake. For Vontae Davis, it was trying to undercut a ball thrown to Jerricho Cotchery on a drag route. Davis couldn't break up the pass and Cotchery took it 53 yards before being shoved out of bounds. For Sean Smith, it was a play in which he let Braylon Edwards get inside too easily, resulting in a 20 yard gain on an eventual scoring drive.

With that said, both made enough positive plays to keep me excited for their futures. I think they're going to be very good for a long time.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
If the Dolphins ended up losing, the turning point would have definitely been the muffed punt by Davone Bess. But Davone is off the hook. And part of the reason why is because Randy Starks came through in a big way. It was 3rd & 6 from Miami's 8 yard line when Starks beat one of the best guard's in football, Alan Faneca, one on one and laid a big hit on Mark Sanchez, resulting in a 7 yard loss and making it 4th & 13 from the 15 with 1 minute and a half to go. Those were a big seven yards, people. Just think of the difference between a 4th down from Miami's 8 to a 4th from the 15. There are a million more options for the Jets if Sanchez is able to even throw the ball away. But Starks came flying through the line seemingly out of nowhere to make a game-saving play for this defense.

TOOL OF THE GAME
Bart Scott - you're an idiot.

Even after losing to the Dolphins for the second time this season, Scott still ran his mouth after the game, sarcastically mocking the Dolphins:

"They're a great team. They'll probably contend for the Super Bowl. They have a tremendous offense -- great running backs, a great quarterback, a great tight end. They are stacked across the board. I'm serious. They are great.

"They have a tremendous offense and they showed it today. They are Super Bowl contenders and they will probably take it all the way."

Leave it to a New Yorker, of all people, to say it best. On his Sunday night sports show on NBC in New York, Mike Francesa blasted Scott, calling him a "total fool" and "total jerk" - among other things. And he said he's the kind of player you don't want on your team. Can't disagree with any of that.

QUICK HITS
Some more quick thoughts on the game:

I love love love the defensive back blitzes that Miami used on a lot of their 3rd downs today. I recall seeing, on any given 3rd down, Yeremiah Bell, Vontae Davis, Gibril Wilson, and Nathan Jones all have a chance to blitz. And it seemed to work. Don't know why they got away from it late in the game.
The Jets call the 'Wildcat' a gimmick? The Jets ran a flea-flicker and an end-around, both more "gimmicky" than the Wildcat.
Speaking of the Wildcat, the Jets did a good job of stuffing it all game.
Which brings me to the offensive line. They played poorly today, no doubt about it. They gave Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams no running room and really struggled to protect Chad Henne. I hope this is just a bump in the road.
As far as Henne goes, it was an "ok" performance. But I get the feeling he might be over-thinking some throws, especially when he's under pressure. He needs to get rid of the ball quicker. And he simply can't afford to go backwards when under pressure. That's always a "no-no." But at least there were no mistakes. All in all, not bad for his first career road start.
Boy does this team need a go-to receiver. There were too many times where no receiver at all could get open.
Is Reggie Torbor better than Channing Crowder? I would have laughed at that question a week ago. Now it's not a no-brainer anymore, folks. He isn't any worse, that's for sure. Just something to think about, I suppose.
Davone Bess hasn't looked like himself these past two weeks. But even with that said, I'm not worried about him at all. That's the kind of trust I have in him after his impressive rookie season last year.
Even with the poor defensive performance today (allowing 378 yards of offense), that unit did something it hadn't done all season - it finished. That's certainly a building block for the rest of the year.

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Miami Dolphins Pass Defense

John B — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:30:39 -0000

by Ben Margot - AP

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I think it's fair to say the coaching staff lost a bit of confidence in Mark Sanchez after the 5 interception performance against the Bills. The almost 4-1 run to pass ratio indicates that. So do the almost exclusively safe, simple reads he was given on the pass plays. The Jets are probably going to run first and second, but they'll need more from Sanchez this week. They won't be able to run the ball on Miami's physical front to the degree they did on Buffalo and Oakland.

The Jets should have some areas to exploit in the passing game. Braylon Edwards had that big debut a few weeks back working against Miami's secondary. He'll work against rookie Sean Smith. The Dolphins need the big and athletic Utah product to hold Edwards in check. If Edwards goes off like he did in the first meeting, Miami will have to double him.

On the other side, Jerricho Cotchery will probably be back for this one. He'll operate against rookie Vontae Davis. Starter Will Allen is gone for the season for Miami with a torn ACL. Davis has looked pretty good for the Dolphins and has plenty of athletic ability, but the Jets have to like this matchup. Cotchery was getting open even when he was the focal point of the opposing passing game, and he'll have the opportunity to work against a guy making his first NFL start and who is still learning technique at the position.

David Clowney has put up a big performance in two of the past three contests. He burned the Dolphins deep in Miami and will see action against a relatively slow straight line corner, Nate Jones.

The real question is whether the real Dustin Keller will please stand up. The Dolphins have had trouble with athletic tight ends this year. There may be no bigger disappointment on the team than Keller. This is a matchup made in heaven for him. Channing Crowder and Akin Ayodele are subpar linebackers in coverage. Neither Gibril Wilson nor Yeremiah Bell is spectacular as safeties. Edwards and Clowney will have a great chance to force those safeties to stay deep and give Keller room against the linebackers.

The offensive line will need to hold up against Jason Taylor, Joey Porter, and Cameron Wake. Sanchez will need to have it in his head that throwing it away quickly instead of forcing a throw under pressure is not a bad thing.

Tale of two halves as Dolphins collapse in loss to Saints

Matty I — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:27:55 -0000

More photos » by Jeffrey M. Boan - AP

I think this photo says it all. Darren Sharper would catch this ball off of Ted Ginn's hands and return it for a touchdown.

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With less than two minutes to go in the first half, it seemed like the Miami Dolphins were on their way to one of their best wins in years, holding a 24-3 lead over the undefeated New Orleans Saints. Unfortunately, football games require a full 60 minutes. The Dolphins put together an outstanding 28 minutes - followed by about 32 minutes of complete disaster - which is what makes this game so hard to swallow.

Defensive breakdowns in second half
Even after that disappointing end to the first half - which we'll get to in a little - the Dolphins still held a 14 point lead at halftime. But Miami's defense collapsed in the second half, allowing the Saints to just march up and down the field on seemingly every possession.

There are a number of places you can lay some blame for this loss. But the defense certainly has to get a lot of blame. They played so well in the first half only to allow 23 points and 317 yards on just 38 plays. Worse yet, the Dolphins surrendered 285 yards of offense and 9.83 yards per play over the final 20 minutes of the game. So while a lot of you will point the finger at others - who do deserve some blame as well - don't let an outstanding defensive first half taint your view of how this defense performed. The final quarter and a half was just disgusting.

What exactly was the problem? Some of it was probably execution and players not being where they were supposed to. That could explain why Saint receivers were running wide open down the field for much of the second half. Missed tackles were also a problem - such as Gibril Wilson's whiff on Reggie Bush on a key 3rd down. There was a lack of pressure on Drew Brees in the fourth quarter as well, which is not good. We saw in the first half how much consistent pressure on Brees makes him uncomfortable.

But the biggest issue might be what we don't know and likely will never know: did the Dolphins coaching staff go into halftime anticipating the adjustment New Orleans would make in the second half? During our live game thread, somebody said at halftime how it would be important to see how the Dolphins react to the halftime adjustments the Saints make on offense. That's hitting the nail right on the head. We won't ever know for sure - especially without being able to see the film. But there were clearly issues in the second half. We didn't see nearly the amount of receivers running wide open - especially over the middle - in the first half as we saw in the second.

Questionable play-calling a factor
I generally try not to harp too much on in-game play-calling because we simply don't know as much as the guys on the sidelines making the decisions. But it's impossible to not question a number of decisions regarding play-calling on Sunday.

Some will point to the play-calling on Miami's final possession of the first half as bad. Some will say Miami's decision to try passing on a 1st & 10 at NO's 40 yard line with 1:51 left was a bad decision - made worse by the screen pass to Davone Bess on the next play that resulted in a fumble. But let's be fair. If the Dolphins run the ball three times and then try a long field goal, many fans would be complaining about how conservative the Dolphins were playing it. Instead, the Dolphins were clearly going for seven before the half - the right move when you're facing a potent offense like the one the Dolphins faced on Sunday. Hindsight is always 20/20, though, and that's why some will probably complain about Miami's decision not to just run the ball and get into position for a long field goal.

However, a couple of possessions certainly deserve some criticism. The Dolphins' second possession of the 3rd quarter - the one following the Darren Sharper pick six - was terrible. If you have the top rushing offense in the league, it might be a good idea to run the football after your young quarterback, making only his 3rd career start, threw a pick six to cut your lead from 14 to 7. He might be a bit gun-shy. It might be a good idea to use your best offensive players - Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. But no - the Dolphins come out and go with three passes, resulting in a sack, a short completion, and an incompletion - a lovely little three and out.

The other possession that really bothers me was the one following Reggie Bush's touchdown to cut Miami's lead to 34-31. Again, the Dolphins should have attempted to get back to what they do best and run the football. Instead, the Dolphins go with three passes - all incompletions - and punt the football away. And they would never again have a possession where they weren't trailing.

Too many miscues
From missed tackles to blown coverages to penalties to dropped passes, the Dolphins made mistake after mistake to help aid the epic collapse on Sunday. You can't commit eight penalties - especially dumb penalties like personal fouls. Channing Crowder and Joey Porter each had one of those on Sunday. Porter, meanwhile, who is supposed to be a leader, left the locker room on Sunday without speaking with the media. Good leadership.

As far as drops go, there were a ton of them. Some of the bigger ones include Ted Ginn's drop on a beautifully placed ball on the first possession of the second half as well as Anthony Fasano's drop on a pass by Ronnie Brown. Ginn's drop resulted in an interception as Darren Sharper plucked the bobbled ball from the air and took it into the endzone. Fasano's drop would have been a 20+ yard gain and would have helped swing the momentum back a little.

But even after all those mistakes, the Dolphins still found themselves with the ball, needing a touchdown to win, and having 3:23 to accomplish that. But that drive had even more mistakes. On 2nd & 3, Ginn again dropped a pass - this time with nobody even bothering him. It would have been a first down plus a little extra. Luckily, Chad Henne connected with Greg Camarillo on the next play for a first down. But on the next play, Camarillo made the mistake of attempting to fumble the football out of bounds after a 7 yard reception. He was trying to get to the sideline to stop the clock, couldn't make it, and then then basically flung the ball towards the sideline as he fell - which is illegal and resulted in a penalty. After the game, Camarillo admitted that he was trying to do that and wouldn't do it differently now if he could. On the ensuing play, Ricky Williams dropped a pass in the flat that would have sent for a likely first down. And then on the very next play, Jake Grove was called for a false start - making a 3rd & 8 now a 3rd & 13.

That's not how you execute the two minute drill. And miscues like these cost the Dolphins a potential win over an unbeaten team on Sunday.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
The turning point of the game is pretty easy. The Dolphins had a 24-3 lead with less than two minutes to play in the 2nd quarter. That's when Brees and the Saints' offense got going, driving down the field and getting down to the one yard line in about a minute and a half - converting two third downs along the way. Then, following an official review, the Saints had the ball inside the one but were seemingly going to settle for a field goal before the half. That is, until Tony Sparano called an ill-advised timeout. That gave the Saints the time they needed to change their mind and go for the touchdown. The end result was Brees taking a QB sneak over the top and into the endzone for a touchdown.

Whether you want to call the turning point of the game the Davone Bess fumble that led to this possession, either of the 3rd down conversions by the Saints, or the timeout by Sparano - most probably agree that this possession was the turning point - and the beginning of a disgusting collapse.

QUICK HITS
Some more quick thoughts on this game:

Will Allen was lost for the season with a torn ACL. This is a big loss, but gives Vontae Davis and Sean Smith a great opportunity to both start and learn as much as possible on the fly.
Say what you want about Ted Ginn, the bottom line is we can't just get rid of him this year. Yes - he's far too inconsistent. But he's also the only deep threat this team has. Without him, opposing defenses have no reason to be worry about the long ball. If nothing else, he's still a necessary decoy until the Dolphins can find another deep threat. Also - wasn't it just last week many raved about him after making a huge play against the Jets?
I was disappointed with the offensive line today. They didn't play as well as they have in the run game and had issues protecting Chad Henne in the second half. Let's hope this was just a one-game issue.
Related the the OL problems, the Wildcat only gained 30 yards on 14 carries on Sunday.
I don't have a problem with Chad Henne's performance on Sunday. He hung tough in the pocket and did make some nice throws. But he also had his receivers drop at least five passes. He'll also learn a lot from this game once he goes back and watches the film. Now I'm anxious to see how he does in his first career road start next week against the Jets.
Jason Taylor - you still got it. I apologize.
I do love the safety blitz. Both Yeremiah Bell and Gibril Wilson seem to be very good blitzers. I hope to see more of that in the coming weeks.
Nathan Jones - who knew? He had his best game as a Dolphin. And now he will see even more snaps with the injury to Will Allen.

Dolphins vs Saints: Three Key Matchups

Matty I — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP

Donald Thomas and company will face their toughest challenge yet against an underrated Saints defensive line.

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After a bye week that felt like forever, the Dolphins will get back to their regular practice schedule beginning on Wednesday as preparations for Sunday's big game against the Saints rev up. And with that, our preparations for Sunday's big game will rev up as well.

I already talked yesterday about how some might feel that tthis game on Sunday is this team's "defining game" of the first half of the season. Even if you disagree, there's no way around just how big of a game this is. With that, let's focus on three key matchups. And allow to to point out that the Dolphins did indeed win two of the three matchups I highlighted against the Jets two weeks ago - resulting, of course, in a classic Monday Night Football victory. Hey, I'm just sayin'...

Dolphins offensive line vs Saints defensive line
The key to all of Miami's offensive success this year has been their offensive line's ability to dominate the line of scrimmage. They have shown their ability to just physically dominate the trenches and provide that initial surge Miami's talented running backs need to get going.

However, they also haven't exactly faced top rushing defenses. In fact, statistically speaking, the best rushing defense Miami has faced this year happens to be the Colts - who rank 14th in the league, but themselves allow 4.1 yards per rush. Meanwhile, the Saints are actually 5th in the league against the run, allowing 83.4 yards per game and just 3.8 yards per carry.

More importantly, the Saints front four is probably bigger and more physical themselves than any Miami has faced this year. Their starters weigh in at an average of 298 pounds and they are a talented, underrated bunch. A lot of Dolphin fans seem to think the Dolphins will be able to just run over every team they face this year with their physical ground attack - especially in this upcoming game. But I'm not entirely sold. Sunday's game is a big test for this unit.

Saints passing attack vs Dolphins secondary
Obviously, this is going to be perhaps the most important matchup on Sunday. The Dolphins have struggled defending the pass and they are yet to face a passing attack that is as dynamic as this one. The Saints can go four deep at receiver, have a talented pass-catching tight end, and have backs who can catch the ball out of the backfield. The Dolphins, meanwhile, have two rookie corners - one of which is a starter - and a very suspect safety tandem. On the surface, things don't look good for the Dolphins.

Drew Brees leads the Saints' 7th ranked passing attack. Sure, the Dolphins faced the Colts back in week two - and Indy currently ranks first in passing offense - and they were exposed despite owning a three to one advantage in time of possession. So some Dolphin fans might say that stopping the Saints aerial assault won't be as tough as it was back in week two trying to defend Indy's attack. But the Saints are much deeper than the Colts at the skill positions and Brees is every bit as good as Peyton Manning.

In that game against the Colts, Sean Smith did a very good job when he was matched up on Reggie Wayne. And on paper, Smith matches up well with Marques Colston - the Saints top receiver. But the Saints have a unique offense and a great offensive mind calling the plays. And I expect the Saints to dictate who covers Colston by keeping him away from Smith's side. Instead, we'll probably see Devery Henderson and/or Robert Meachem - both of whom possess blazing speed - on Smith's side of the defense, allowing the 6'4 Colston to be matched up on the smaller Will Allen.

But the biggest matchup problem probably comes from two guys - Jeremy Shockey and Reggie Bush. The Dolphins have had a tough time defending athletic tight ends and versatile running backs. I fully expect the Saints to find ways to get Shockey matched up on either of Miami's safeties and Bush matched up with a linebacker - clearly presenting matchup nightmares for the Dolphins.

I'll tell you one thing - if ever was there a time for Yeremiah Bell and Gibril Wilson to step up their performance - Sunday is the time. If they don't, this game could turn into a high-scoring affair - which is not a good thing for the Dolphins.

Chad Henne vs Darren Sharper
The offseason move of the year could very well be the Saints acquisition of safety Darren Sharper. He has been absolutely outstanding for New Orleans and could very well be the front runner for Defensive Player of the Year. He already has five interceptions and has returned two of them for touchdowns - each returns of at least 97 yards, by the way. And he's been a young quarterback's nightmare. All five of his interceptions have come against inexperienced quarterbacks - two against Matthew Stafford, one against Kevin Kolb, and two against Mark Sanchez.

Chad Henne, meanwhile, is virtually of a rookie himself. He's making only his third career start. And while he's been excellent in his first two starts, he has shown in the past that he does have a tendency of staring down his receivers. That crap won't fly against Sharper on Sunday. Henne will have to make sure he is able to effectively manipulate the safeties.

The Dolphins can't afford to make any mistakes on Sunday. And it all starts with our young quarterback.

A way too early look at offseason needs

Matty I — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:09:33 -0000

More photos » by J Pat Carter - AP

Ted Ginn might become a very good number two receiver in this league - but I don't ever see him becoming a true number one. And that's what the Dolphins need the most.

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The dreaded bye week is upon us. While it's great having the bye coming off of a win - a Monday Night Football win over a hated division rival, by the way - these off weeks still anger me. After all, there's only so much talking we can all do about the Dolphins' win over the Jets last week before we're all itching for another game. But we have to deal with it - and the "bye week Friday" is always a crappy day. Now when the work/school week ends, we have no Dolphins football to look forward to.

So as I was racking my brain trying to figure out what to talk about today, I had an idea. It's never too early to talk about what kinds of offseason improvements the Dolphins need to make to get better for 2010. And with these latest rumors that the Dolphins might be "buyers" here as the trade deadline approaches, I figured we should quickly touch on what needs this team has that have to be addressed in the offseason. And to spark some debate, I've ranked the needs in order of priority - as I see it, anyways. Below are my thoughts. Be sure to share yours in the comments.

Priority #1 - A true #1 receiver
This is obviously the top need on the team. While I love the guys this team has (to varying degrees, of course), you simply can't argue the fact that the Dolphins do not have a true, legitimate number one receiver on their roster.

This isn't a knock on any of the guys who are here right now. In fact, there was never a time in which I did think any of these guys were going to eventually become a number one receiver. Even when Ted Ginn was drafted - or "over-drafted," as he was - I never thought he'd become a true number one guy, despite the slot he was selected in the draft. He just doesn't have "it." But I do think he's an ideal number two receiver - and has a lot of value on this team as the only receiver on the roster who can stretch the field.

Guys like Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess are also potentially great number two or number three receivers. Bess, for example, will become one of the best slot receivers in the league as he progresses. And Camarillo, before his injury, was well on his way to becoming a terrific complimentary receiver - and still might become one. But there's nobody on this roster who you can rely on making big catches in big spots - like Dwayne Bowe did for KC this past weekend or like Braylon Edwards did for the Jets on Monday night.

Priority #2 - Upgrade at inside linebacker
I'm not here to crap all over Channing Crowder and Akin Ayodele. They've both had their good moments in these first five weeks and their bad moments. But we're kidding ourselves if we think these two are anything special. Crowder is what he is - a run stuffing inside linebacker who is a liability in coverage. Ayodele, meanwhile, is a serviceable starting linebacker with a lot of experience and who will perform well enough to keep his job for now.

But Ayodele is now 30 years old and will only lose more of his athleticism as time goes on. And Crowder isn't exactly a quick linebacker himself. There's the problem. Neither of these guys are good in coverage nor are they particularly good at blitzing. In a 3-4 defense, you don't need two great inside linebackers. You can have one slower one who can stuff the run as long as the other can cover and has good range. Neither of these two can do that.

Just imagine how much better this defense would be with a linebacker who is even 75% of what Patrick Willis is.

Priority #3 - Another young pass-rushing outside linebacker
Joey Porter and Jason Taylor haven't exactly been dominant this year. Taylor has 3.5 sacks - but 2.5 came in one game against a terrible offensive line - and Porter has been slowed by a hamstring injury. Neither are exactly spring chickens, either. And while Cameron Wake has shown some promise, he, too, has only put together one great game. Whether it's lack of playing time or not, Wake is still far from a sure thing - though there's a lot to potentially be excited about.

Regardless, you can never have enough pass rushers in this league. The Giants proved that when they went out and shut down one of the best offenses ever on the biggest stage of them all. And remember, you can't get beat deep when you don't give the opposing quarterback enough time to throw.

Priority #4 - Return specialist
Let's face it - the Dolphins have a problem on special teams. We saw just how bad the return teams are last week when Patrick Cobbs couldn't even get the ball to the 20 a couple of times. For the year, the Dolphins are averaging just 22 yards per kick return. Last year, they were even worse - averaging just over 20 yards per return. I know we're all excited about the potential of this offense now with a stronger armed quarterback leading the way, but can't we try to make it a little easier on the offense by giving them better starting field position?

I think that the value of a return man is still underrated, even after Devin Hester proved to the world that return specialist can be dangerous weapons. But the Dolphins obviously realize this fact - as proven by their rumored interest in Joshua Cribbs. And whether it's before the trade deadline or next offseason, I hope the Dolphins find somebody who can become that dynamic return man this team hasn't had in a long while.

Priority #5 - Safety
Some will probably rate this position higher on their lists, but I'm not going to do that. I know that this position has been the obvious Achilles heal of the defense. Anybody with at least one eye can see that just by watching a quarter of Dolphins football. But I didn't rank it higher for two reasons.

One - the money already invested into the position. The Dolphins re-signed Yeremiah Bell to a 4 year, $20 million deal and signed Gibril Wilson to a 5 year, $27.5 million deal. That's a ton of money invested into two safeties.

Two - the Dolphins have two young safeties whom they like. Tyrone Culver was signed to an extension that keeps him in Miami through 2011. He's been getting on the field more and more in recent weeks and his role could continue to increase. Meanwhile, rookie Chris Clemons shined during offseason practices and has all the physical tools you want in a safety. He's got great speed, good hands, and can tackle. But he's very raw and is still learning the mental aspect of the position. And we don't really know yet if he has the instincts that safeties need to play in this league.

But with all that is invested in the position already, I just don't think this front office will make a big change at safety. That is - unless things get terribly worse.

Henne, Brown, and Williams lead Dolphins to outstanding comeback win over Jets

Matty I — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:26:46 -0000

More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP

Ronnie Brown celebrates after scoring the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Jets (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

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After the last Jets touchdown, the one that put them ahead by three points with 5:19 left, those thoughts about how much I hate writing these posts after losses started creeping into the back of my head. Thirteen plays later, I was quickly reminded that I should really never doubt the Miami Dolphins - when they wear the orange jersey, of course. That's when Ronnie Brown took the 'Wildcat' snap with ten seconds remaining and powered his way into the endzone to give the Dolphins a 31-27 win over the Jets in what will become a Monday Night Football instant classic.

Now us Dolphin fans can go into the bye week with our sanity intact.

So it is with much joy that we know talk about what we saw a few hours ago at Land Shark Stadium.

Henne has huge game in just second career start
Remember I said before Chad Henne's first career start that I wasn't going to buy into any of the hype? I said I'd wait until I saw something out of Henne with my own eyes. Well, my wait is obviously over.

While Henne did a decent job against Buffalo in his first career start at managing the game, he displayed some "special" qualities in Monday night's win over the Jets. He showed the poise of a veteran. He showed the arm strength of a great gun-slinger. And all told, he showed that he just might be the long awaited solution to Miami's long-term quarterback problem.

There were numerous defining moments in this win that involved Chad Henne. Let's talk about just some of them.

How about the two types of Henne's arm strength, which he displayed on back-to-back plays in the fourth quarter. The first is the ability to zip it into a tight spot, which he showed on that critical 3rd & 3 play with 11 minutes left in the game - throwing a bullet to Anthony Fasano, who had David Harris draped all over him. On the next play, Henne then showed that ability to fling it deep but with great touch and accuracy - dropping a 50 yard pass right into the arms of Ted Ginn. It was perfectly in stride and was just an outstanding throw.

How about the ability to make perfect throws in the most pressure-packed moments late in a football game? Yup, he showed that the moment isn't bigger than he is. I think back to two critical plays on that eventual game-winning drive. The first was a 3rd & 5 play from NY's 30 with 2 minutes left. Henne took the snap and quickly floated a beautiful pass out left that was perfectly placed into the arms of Greg Camarillo. Three plays later, Henne rolled out right on a 3rd & 10 play, and threw a perfectly accurate pass on the run to Camarillo for another first down.

All game long, Henne also showed great awareness in the pocket, went through his progressions well, made good decisions, and showed that he has the toughness in the pocket to deliver an accurate ball with a defender bearing down and knowing a hit was coming.

Let's talk some numbers now. The Jets came into the game with the 6th ranked passing defense in the NFL, allowing just 177 yards passing per game. Henne threw for 241. The Jets were second in the league in QB rating against, with opponents having a combined QB rating of 56.4 when facing the Jets. Chad Henne's quarterback rating on Monday night was 130. That's better than Drew Brees (78.9) and Tom Brady (53.1) - despite those two teams having far better receivers.

Of course, don't underestimate the effect Miami's terrific ground attack has. Chad Henne was 7 for 7 when using play-action for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns.

I did just need to point out one thing from after the game. Rex Ryan, when speaking to the media, said, "We made that quarterback look like Dan Marino." Three problems with that. First of all, no. Marino would have put up even more yards and points. Second of all, "that quarterback" has a damn name - I suggest learning it. And third of all, could it be that Chad Henne made your defense look foolish rather than your defense making Henne look great? Just a thought.

Defense disappoints, but isn't as terrible as it looks
Obviously, the Dolphins didn't play very well defensively. They let one of the NFL's worst offenses (though they did have a new play-making receiver making his Jet debut) put up 27 points and gain over 300 yards of total offense. But before I talk about the negatives, let me just defend them a little.

Ten of New York's points came on drives in which the Jets picked up first downs out of their punt formation. In theory, those drives "should have" been over. Another three points came before the half when the Dolphins were clearly playing too conservative, giving the Jets the football at their own 44. And another touchdown came courtesy of a phantom pass interference call on Will Allen, who was defending Braylon Edwards but did nothing to even remotely deserve that flag. Even ESPN and NFL Network analysts agreed. That gave the Jets the ball at Miami's three. Who knows how that drive ends if that call isn't made.

I also wouldn't blame the defense for that ridiculous catch made by Edwards along the left sideline early in the fourth quarter. Perhaps Vontae Davis could have played the ball better in the air. Perhaps Gibril Wilson should have gotten over there quicker. Regardless, it was an amazing catch that only a handful of receivers probably make. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap and that is an example of when to do so.

With all that said, there are still issues. Sean Smith, who put together a solid game all told, did miss a tackle early in the game turning a short pass into 19 yard gain. But that'll get corrected.

Will Allen did struggle. Even with that phantom pass interference call, Braylon still beat him and a more accurate pass results in a catch. He was also beat inside by Edwards for NY's first touchdown. He needs to step up. He played much better last year.

Vontae Davis also had some very bad plays. The most glaring was when he was caught peeking into the backfield on the play-action completion to David Clowney that resulted in 53 yards. Davis should have never gotten beat that badly. But he's an aggressive corner who will have to learn not to peek and bite on the play-action. Rookie mistake right there.

The rushing defense also struggled against what is a very talented NY offensive line. I really didn't envision the Jets gaining 138 yards on the ground (though to be fair, 26 of them came on a run by the punter). It seemed like every time Leon Washington touched the ball, he made had a hole to squeeze through, made a defender miss, and was one or two missed tackles away from a huge gain.

The biggest issue I had on the defensive side of the ball, however, was Miami's inability to get to Mark Sanchez. The Dolphins had one sack and forced one intentional grounding penalty. But on Mark's 20 or so other drop-backs, he had all the time in the world. Where were Joey Porter, Jason Taylor, and Cameron Wake? Did Porter even play tonight?

Ronnie & Ricky: What more can you say?
What is there to say about these two that hasn't already been said? They are simply outstanding. I'm now ready to call the Dolphins the best rushing team in the NFL. They ran for 150 yards on a talented Jets defense. That's just impressive - with a nod to the offensive line, of course, which just dominated the trenches.

Nobody runs the 'Wildcat' like Ronnie Brown. It's a beautiful thing to watch, to be honest. He has the vision, patience, burst, and power needed to effectively orchestrate the formation. I just hope the Dolphins' front office and coaching staff realize how special Ronnie is.

And did anyone see Ronnie up on the bench when the defense was on the field, trying to fire up the fans? I love it!

Ricky Williams, meanwhile, continues to thrive in his role as the complimentary back. He still has that terrific acceleration and power. But we saw on that screen pass that his long speed isn't what is used to be. In his prime, Ricky takes that to the house. But the man is 32 years old - which makes what he can do even more impressive.

One thing he shouldn't do anymore, though, is take the snap out of the 'Wildcat.' He just doesn't have what it takes to be consistently effective as the "quarterback" of that formation. Leave that role to Ronnie.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
If the Dolphins didn't pull out the win, I knew exactly what the "turning point" was going to be - the first fake punt that resulted in a 26 yard gain. But the Dolphins did win - and the turning point of the game, in my opinion, was that beautiful pass to Greg Camarillo on 3rd & 5 from NY's 30 with two minutes left. If Henne doesn't make that absolutely perfect throw to Camarillo against NY's jailbreak blitz, the Dolphins are facing a 4th down with 1:55 left and a 48 yard field goal needed to tie the game. But the Jets would have gotten the ball back with over a minute and a half left and some timeouts in hand, only needing a FG to win.

So Henne to Camarillo on 3rd & 5 with two minutes to go was Monday night's "turning point."

QUICK HITS
Some more quick thoughts on the win:

The Dolphins desperately need a kick returner. Patrick Cobbs will never get the job done. He averaged just 18 yards per return on Monday. And on his three returns, the Dolphins began their drives at their own 21, 16, and 16 yard lines. At least Ted Ginn got it across the 30 on his lone return. He should probably handle the duties until the team finds a better option.
Some cool stats. The Jets came into the game ranked 4th in total defense, surrendering 277 yards per game. They were also 5th in 3rd down conversions allowed, only letting opponents convert 31% of their 3rd downs. The Dolphins gained 413 yards and converted 64% of their 3rd downs. That's impressive.
I alluded to it earlier but will say it again. I hate the conservative play-calling on Miami's final 1st half drive. Take some shots at at least converting a first down. Don't let the Jets get the ball back near midfield. That was playing "not to lose." And it almost cost them.
Too many penalties almost cost the Dolphins.
Ted Ginn made one play. Yes, it was a big one. But let's not go overboard. Let's just hope this starts to build his confidence back up and is a sign of things to come from the speedster.
Nice to see Anthony Fasano making some plays again. But still, tight end will be a position of need next offseason.
Was that really Channing Crowder making a play in the backfield? Yes it was, folks. But it was also Crowder getting lit up by little Leon Washington.
Why did it seem like the ESPN announcers were making verbal love to the Jets all game long? Oh - because they were, that's why. I felt like I was listening to New York's local radio announcers all game long.
Speaking of the telecast, I'm all for recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month. Hell - my girlfriend is half Cuban. But holy crap - do we need to see Spanish graphics and hear penalty calls in Spanish during the game? Really? During "Asian Heritage Month," do I get to look forward to hearing the ref speak Mandarin, too?
Injury updates after the game, via Ethan Skolnick. Patrick Cobbs left on crutches. Teammates don't think he'll play again this year. Tough loss for sure. Meanwhile, Ricky Williams - who was seen limping off the field, but did return later in the final drive - "looked fine" leaving the locker room. That's good news. But now Lex Hilliard will have two weeks to get ready to roll as the third back in the 'Wildcat.'

Jerricho Cotchery Makes Trip To Miami

Xander Diaz — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:30:15 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

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It looks like Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery will be a game time decision for Monday nights game with the Miami Dolphins. Cotchery and the team flew down to Miami in the early afternoon on Sunday.

Cotchery is currently listed as questionable on the team injury report. "Questionable" means there’s a 50-50 chance that a player will play.

Cotchery, suffering from a hamstring injury, has had hours of treatment for several days. Cotchery has told friends he expects to play and the extra time off should help his chances.

The Jets’ debut of Braylon Edwards may severely test the skills of the newly acquired wide receiver if Cotchery doesn’t play. Edwards is facing playing a Monday Night Football game against a division rival with a new team, a rookie QB and a couple of back ups tag teaming the other receiver spot.

That sounds like a heck of a trial by fire to me.

Edwards has reportedly been a hit with his new team mates and has been impressive in practice. The 6-3, 215-pounder is making circus catches in practice and displaying the potential to open up the entire offense.

This is great news if he is doing this against the first defense. With Edwards having come from a similar offense in Cleveland, it is obviously a great advantage as he tries to transition.

Cotchery is the Jets’ leading receiver with 23 receptions for 356 yards and one TD.

The Dolphins are sure to play us tough. They come into this match up with a rookie QB who just led them to their first victory of the season. They haven’t won a prime time game since 2004, losing just 3 weeks ago on MNF to the Colts. This means they are coming in on a high and maybe with a bit of a chip on their shoulders too.

I think that our back ups, David Clowney, Brad Smith (the likely starter) and Wallace Wright, can get the job done but I also think they will need to bring their ‘A’ game. Perhaps even their ‘A+’ game. There is no doubt that Edwards presence should greatly improve how they look on the field.

Look for Edwards ability to threaten Miami deep to really help the Jets open things up for tight end Dustin Keller. The Miami defense has been very weak against tights end so far this season. The Dolphins’ defense made Dallas Clark look like a Hall of Famer during that week 2 Monday night loss to the Colts.

Clark had 7 catches for 183 yards including an opening drive 80-yard scoring pass where he got behind linebacker Akin Ayodele and broke the tackle of safety Gibril Wilson.

I’m guessing that Keller may end up playing the biggest role of the night in defeating the Dolphins.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

Poll

Jerricho Cotchery is currently listed as "questionable" and will be a game time decision for the Monday night game against Miami. Do you think Cotchery will play?

Bet On It! He's not as hurt as it seems and he will be ready to join Braylon Edwards.

194 votes

No Way. Hamstring injuries can follow a guy if he doesn't let it heal up...Cotchery sits this one out.

46 votes

240 votes | Poll has closed

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Miami Dolphins Pass Defense

John B — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:00:23 -0000

More photos » by Patrick Semansky - AP

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Two words: Dustin Keller. The Dolphins have been abused by tight ends this season. Tony Gonzalez had 5 catches for 73 yards for Atlanta against Miami. Dallas Clark went off with 7 catches for 183 yards in Week 2. Antonio Gates had 5 for 64 the next week. This means this week's gameplan is probably going to be Keller heavy. The Dolphins cover the tight end like they're the 2008 Jets. The middle linebackers, Akin Ayodele and Channing Crowder, and the safeties, Yeremiah Bell and Gibril Wilson, have been bad in coverage. An athletic tight end like Keller is a matchup problem.

Jerricho Cotchery might face his toughest test of the year facing Sean Smith, a rookie corner from Utah, who is huge at 6'3" and has displayed great cover skills in the early going. A lot does depend on how much Braylon Edwards will play and how much the playbook he feels comfortable with. If he can actually get on the field and make an impact, Smith is the best fit to match up with his physical tools. That would leave Will Allen on Cotchery, which is a matchup the Jets want. In not, Jerricho is in for a tough matchup against Smith, and Brad Smith will go against Allen, which seem to favor Miami.

Mark Sanchez is going to have to make sure he protects the football this week. It seems likely for the Jets defense to hold Miami down. Miami's easiest path to victory will be forcing turnovers to produce a short field. On obvious passing downs, they will have three terrific pass rushers on the field, Joey Porter, Jason Taylor (ironically the one Miami linebacker who has kept his mouth shut this week), and CFL sack king Cameron Wake. Miami's coaches have watched tape on Sanchez. They have seen how loose he is holding the ball. I can guaratee you the defensive coaches have been preaching to their guys to go for the strip.

The Jets don't necessarily need their passing game to win this game. They just need it not to lose the game.

Damien Woody's status is up in the air. He left the game against the Saints and didn't practice on Friday with a foot injury. You would have to think the game being on Monday would be a benefit since it gives him an extra day of rest, but there's a real possibility he's sitting this one out. Robert Turner would start in his place. Considering the way Woody handled Joey Porter in Week 17 last year, it would be a big loss. The Jets would definitely have to give Turner extra help handling Porter.