SB Nation - Phillip Merling

Dolphins Mid-Season Review: Shifting expectations

Matty I — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:15:18 -0000

by Lynne Sladky - AP

Can this head coach/quarterback (Sparano/Henne) duo eventually do what the greatest head coach/quarterback (Shula/Marino) duo in team history couldn't do?

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We've officially hit the halfway point of the 2009 Miami Dolphins season and are now a season and a half into the Bill Parcells-Jeff Ireland-Tony Sparano era in Miami. Considering where we were when the "trifecta" took over, nobody should be disappointed about where this team is in terms of the long haul. With that said, of course, it's difficult to not be disappointed with Miami's current 3-5 record.

In this league, you are what your record says you are. That's generally true. But in the grand scheme of things, the Dolphins are much more than just an average run-of-the-mill 3-5 football team.

A shift in expectations

Entering the season, I was among the many who declared we wouldn't just be satisfied with an 8-8 or 9-7 season because of the "tougher schedule" the Dolphins faced in '09 as compared to '08. I wanted to be a playoff team once again and I honestly thought this team could pull it off. But lo and behold, wouldn't you know that it was indeed these "tough games" that have dug the Dolphins into a deep hole in the AFC playoff picture.

Now I'm not saying that I'm giving up on the playoffs in 2009. In fact, if the Dolphins take care of their next three games (against Tampa Bay, Carolina, and Buffalo) and they get a little help from New England's tougher opponents (@ Indianapolis and @ New Orleans), the Patriots could potentially be heading down to Miami on December 6 with a 7-4 record to face the 6-5 Dolphins. While those are a ton of "ifs" that must break in favor of Miami, it's not totally out of question.

With that said, my own personal expectations have shifted. I'm no longer as concerned with making the playoffs in 2009. If the Dolphins somehow pull it off and reach the postseason, that's terrific. But if they don't, that's fine too. Why? Because injuries and a lack of talent at critical positions have made me more concerned with developing this team for the long haul - not just for the immediate future.

The injuries to Chad Pennington and Will Allen, in particular, have changed what this season means to the Dolphins. I'd say that most fans would agree. But it's been these losses to teams like the Colts, Saints, and Patriots that have made me realize that this Dolphins team just isn't ready to really compete with their talent level. However, the strides that this franchise has made since the 2007 disaster are remarkable.

Integration of young players

Want to know why I'm not as distraught as some other Dolphin fans seem to be about this 3-5 season? It's because of how the Dolphins are setting themselves up for the future. The coaches are doing something that you don't see too often - they are trusting a number of rookies and young players. And the result is that we're seeing tangible reasons of why we should be excited for the future of this franchise.

First and foremost, there's Chad Henne. As you all know, I was squarely on the "start Chad Pennington" bandwagon all offseason long. While I hate to see what happened to CP - he deserves better but his body continually lets him down - letting Henne play and gain experience has been huge, and will continue to be huge, for this franchise. Ffor the first time in a long time, fans, coaches, and the front office can all be excited about the quarterback position. Folks, I really think we've found "our guy."

Has he been great? No. Has he been terrible? No. Has he shown flashes of greatness? Yes. Think back to just his second career start when Henne put together one of the best fourth quarters a young quarterback has put together in recent memory.

Does he have a lot to work on? Of course. His accuracy is shaky at times. He holds the ball too long sometimes. At times, he runs backwards when pressure is closing in - especially when he's pressured on those designed roll-outs.

At the same time, I've seen just as many positives. I've seen that strong rocket arm. I've seen some perfectly thrown balls. I've seen a toughness to hang in the pocket and deliver a pass with pressure bearing down on him. I've seen him get back up after taking a nasty shot in the pocker - like Sunday's "roughing the passer" hit by Patrick Chung. Most of all, I've seen the poise and mental toughness necessary to lead a team in hostile situations. Sure, against both the Saints and Patriots, Henne was unable to lead a game-winning or game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter. But both times, it wasn't because Henne failed. His teammates failed him.

There's a lot to like about Henne, that's for sure. But there are also other young players with a lot to like.

You got two rookie corners who are being trusted to start. And neither of them have played poorly. Both Sean Smith and Vontae Davis have had their ups and downs. But there have been more positives than negatives and they will only continue to get better. Over the long haul, the Dolphins are set with their starting cornerbacks.

The offensive line is also set for the foreseeable future. Only one starter, Jake Grove, is over 28 years old. And two, Jake Long and Donald Thomas, are only 24 and in just their second season. The way an offensive line gets better is by playing together for a long time, and that's what we're going to see in Miami over the next few seasons.

The defensive line also suddenly has a nice young core to build around. Kendall Langford, Phillip Merling, and Randy Starks all look like long-term contributors at defensive end for the Dolphins. And none of them are older than 25 years old (Starks). Tony McDaniel also looks like he could become a solid backup and he's only 24 himself.

The Dolphins also have other young contributors who could become major long-term factors. Chris Clemons and Tyrone Culver are two young safeties who will probably see more and more opportunities as the season goes on. Davone Bess and Brian Hartline are two young receivers who, ideally, would be very good complimentary receivers. Greg Camarillo is also relatively young and is looking more and more recovered from his knee surgery every week. I will continue to stand by my belief that Camarillo, once he's healthy, can be a starting #2 receiver in this league.

And let's not forget our favorite former CFL stand-out, pass rusher Cameron Wake. He's only 27 and has the potential to be a pass-rushing force for years to come. But he is still raw, which is probably why he hasn't seen the amount of snaps many would like him to see.

Clearly defined needs

One of the positives - if you can call it that - to come from Miami's 3-5 start has been how well defined this football team's needs have become. We all know what this team needs - some needs more pressing than others, of course.

Perhaps the most pressing need is at the wide receiver position. This offense will never be what it needs to be to get to that next level until they get a true "go-to" number one receiver. Opposing defenses have no reason to respect Miami's passing attack, allowing them to go all-out to stop the only real threat this offense has - their ground attack. But Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams will become less and less effective on the ground as teams continue to put eight, and sometimes even nine, in the box to shut them down. In all honesty, can you blame them? I'd do the same thing. None of these receivers would even scare me a little bit.

This need has been magnified even more the past few weeks, too. In their last two losses, the Dolphins have been within a touchdown and had possession of the ball with over three minutes left. But each time, the Dolphins failed to move the ball, thanks in large part to receivers who just can't make the plays necessary to win football games.

But there are other needs as well. The Dolphins need upgrades at both inside and outside linebacker. A play-making free safety is another obvious issue. And we saw on Sunday that Paul Soliai might not be anything better than a back-up nose tackle. He underwhelmed as a starter, replacing the injured and aging Jason Ferguson. So nose tackle is also a need.

See this team for what it is

As a fan, we all want to see our team win championships. Year in and year out, we all look through "aqua and orange colored glasses" and view our team as either championship caliber or playoff caliber. But let's be real - this team just isn't as talented as the league's elite teams. That's why it's so impressive that the Dolphins were able to play teams like the Colts, Saints, and Patriots and nearly knock them off. Is it frustrating to lose those games? Of course. But we need to see what these losses show.

The Dolphins played teams with superior talent and gave them all they can handle - with a number of rookies and second-year players being key contributors. That says a lot about where this team is.

It says a lot about this coaching staff. Say what you want about some of their questionable play-calling and their gameday decisions. But this staff knows how to prepare to play more talented football teams.

It also says a lot about the mental toughness of these players. Some young players will go into a shell and back down to the elite NFL teams. But not this group of guys. They battle. And they're only going to get better.

The future is bright, people. We just need to give this front office time to address those remaining needs and the young players on this team more time to mature. But we're clearly on the right path.

New York Jets Run Offense vs. Miami Dolphins Run Defense

John B — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:54:44 -0000

More photos » by J. Pat Carter - AP

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Miami ranks second in the league against the run, only surrendering 61 yards per game. The average against them is 2.9 yards per rush. This is going to be a tough team to get the run game going against, but the Jets' offensive line needs to start living up to its potential. The Dolphins are one of the rare teams to operate primarily out of a traditional 2 gap 3-4 defense. Every coach with such a scheme is from the Parcells-Belichick school. In this system, the linemen are responsible for tying up defensive linemen, holding the point of attack, clogging 2 gaps, and freeing others up to make plays. Other teams with a base 3-4 like the Jets want their linemen to pick a gap, win a matchup, penetrate, and make a play.

Former Jet Jason Ferguson anchors the middle. Paul Solai is his backup at nose tackle. This will probably be the area to watch in the run game. It's up to Nick Mangold to win battles up front by himself. He's certainly capable of doing so. If that happens, the other linemen get freed to hit the second level. It comes down to whether Channing Crowder and Akin Ayodele can get off the blocks of Jets linemen. Advantage New York if that's the case. I'm sure we'll see plenty of 8 man fronts. Yeremiah Bell is strong in run support. If Mangold wins his battle, though, the Jets are going to be able to get the ground game going.

At end, Miami will rotate Randy Starks, Kendall Langford, Tony McDaniel, and Phillip Merling. Langford is the starter opposite the right side of New York's line, where the Jets like to run a lot. Damien Woody' status could be a key here. I know how much everybody loves Brandon Moore, but he's looked very ordinary when the man next to him hasn't been good. Moore has been something of a liability without a strong tackle like Kareem McKenzie or Woody. He hasn't been able to help compensate for weaker players like Adrien Jones and Anthony Clement.

It's also time for more Shonn Greene. Teams are stacking the box against the Jets. There hasn't been a ton of room to run. Get the physical rookie in there to grind out yardage.

Dolphins vs Colts: Three Key Matchups

Matty I — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

The Dolphins must find a way to prevent Dwight Freeney (93) from doing to Chad Pennington what he's doing here to David Garrard.

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It's time now to put last week's debacle in Atlanta behind us and move forward by turning our attention to Monday night's home opener against the Indianapolis Colts. This will be the first meeting between the Dolphins and Colts since New Year's Eve 2006, won by the Colts in Indianapolis. The Colts have won the last two meetings between these two teams. But the Dolphins have won the last four meeting prior, dating back to that classic playoff game in 2000.

We'll kick off our coverage of Monday night's game by talking about three critical matchups. Just how critical? The Dolphins lost two of the three I listed last week - and we saw how that game turned out.

Jake Long/Vernon Carey vs Dwight Freeney/Robert Mathis
This is a big one, isn'it it? Last week we saw Jake Long look very bad against one of the best pass-rushers in the league. Things don't get any easier in week two. He'll likely be up against Dwight Freeney all game long. While Freeney may be under-sized, he's not any smaller than John Abraham. And we saw just what Abraham did to Jake last week.

For all the criticism that's been thrown Jake's way after last week's game, people seem to be forgetting Vernon Carey also surrendered two sacks on the Falcons. Both Jake and Vernon didn't look like themselves last week and the Colts have some tape to review now that exploit these tackles' weaknesses.

Freeney, historically, has been a thorn in Miami's side. In three career games against the Dolphins, Freeney has three sacks and many, many more hurries. Robert Mathis, though, has never gotten a sack of a Dolphins' quarterback in two career games against Miami.

Over the past four years, Freeney and Mathis have quietly become one of the best pass-rushing duos in the league. Over that span, they have combined for an average of 17.5 sacks per season between the two of them.

This will be no easy task for Miami's two bookends who must protect Chad Pennington far better than they did last week. Expect to see some help in the form of chip blocks from Miami's backs to give Pennington enough time to survey the field. With that said, though, Long and Carey will still be asked to block these two pass-rushers one-on-one at times. And they simply cannot allow themselves to get beat as often as they did last week. If they do, it could be a long day.

Dallas Clark vs Yeremiah Bell/Gibril Wilson
The problem that the Dolphins had covering opposing tight ends in the preseason carried over to the regular season last week when Tony Gonzalez made big play after big play en route to a 5-73-1 performance on Sunday. And even when one of Miami's safeties had good coverage on the big tight end, Gonzalez found a way to make the grab on perfectly thrown passes from Matt Ryan.

Things don't get any easier on Monday night for Yeremiah Bell and Gibril Wilson. These two players will be asked to defend Colts tight end Dallas Clark for most of the game. Clark, though, presents a different challenge than Gonzalez did. Clark is shorter and faster than Gonzalez. And with starting receiver Anthony Gonzalez on the shelf for Indy, there's a good chance Clark will be used even more split out wide as a slot receiver. This poses an entirely different issue for the Dolphins. Clark is too big and strong to matchup a cornerback with him. But he's too quick for safeties. So whoever gets the job of covering Clark play in and play out will have their hands full.

With Anthony Gonzalez out and Marvin Harrison gone, Peyton Manning will rely on Clark and WR Reggie Wayne more now than ever. If the Dolphins can find a way to neutralize Clark, this dynamic Indy offense suddenly doesn't look as terrifying as it has in years past.

Dolphins pass rush vs Colts offensive line
The best way to attempt to contain Peyton Manning is to not let him physically throw the ball. Of course, that's impossible. But the next best thing is consistent pressure in Manning's face. Last week, Manning was sacked just once by the Jaguars and was hit just two additional times. That's three times Manning got knocked around on 30 drop backs. You let that happen, and Manning will do just what he did to the Jaguars - complete 74% of his passes for over 300 yards.

This Indianapolis offensive line is far from a rock solid unit. There's no reason the Dolphins shouldn't be able to get pressure on Manning on a consistent basis. Joey Porter and Jason Taylor both should receive ample opportunities going against Indy's far from spectacular tackles. Last week, Taylor did pick up his first sack of 2009 - but was relatively quiet for most of the afternoon. Porter was just as quiet for the entire game - rarely even getting close to Matt Ryan. Both of these guys must step up on Monday night.

But it goes beyond just Porter and Taylor. Phillip Merling had an outstanding game last week and will look to build on that with another on Monday. He got pressure on Matt Ryan three or four times. From what I can tell, Merling is a "gamer" and I do expect another solid performance.

But what about everybody else? Channing Crowder blitzed a couple of times with no success last week. Charlie Anderson needs to get in on the act. Kendall Langford was invisible in week one from his defensive end spot - which was a disappointment for all of us after hearing such great things all offseason and camp long about how he has improved. And what about Cameron Wake? Will he be active on Monday night?

Somehow, some way, the Dolphins must get to Peyton Manning early and often. If he's comfortable in the pocket right from the start, it could be a long night for this defense.

What we learned in week one

Matty I — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:15:09 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

I suppose having a stronger arm would help you make a throw from this position, right?

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Now that we've had some time to digest what happened on Sunday afternoon in Atlanta, let's talk a little bit about what we "learned" from this game. And keep in mind that you can't really "learn" anything from just one game. But you can start to form some thoughts. Please feel free to tell us all what you think you learned as well.

We learned that Miami's offensive line is nowhere near as good as we thought it would be. Chad Pennington dropped back 33 times - and was sacked four times, hit four times, and hurried 13 more times. That's 21 of 33 drop backs in which CP was under immense pressure. So even if the Dolphins wanted to take some shots deep, there wouldn't have been time on most plays.

We learned that the secret is out on Jake Long. John Abraham said after the game that he watched a lot of film on Jake Long and figured out how to beat him. "It's going to be a bull rush and inside move," said Abraham. "It seemed to work today." And things aren't going to get any easier for Jake. He'll go up against Dwight Freeney next week and then face San Diego's pass-rushing linebackers off the edge in week three. Long better get back to work this week and sure up his technique.

We learned that Bill Parcells and company might not be as smart as we all want to believe. This is a regime that selected Jake Long over Matt Ryan in 2008 - and while it's far too early to put that decision in the "loss column," Sunday's game was certainly discouraging. They also handed big paydays to Justin Smiley, Jake Grove, and Vernon Carey. And all three were pretty bad on Sunday.

We learned that there will always be Dolphin fans who are calling for Chad Pennington to be benched in favor of Chad Henne even though Henne was far from impressive in the preseason. I expect that after every loss this season, we'll have fans posting that we need to bench CP - even if the loss wasn't his fault. But that's fine with me. Truth be told, I'm also inching closer and closer to calling for Penningtin's benching. However, I still remember what Pennington means to this football team. He is the leader of this offense - both on the field and in the locker room. I'm not ready to give up on him yet. And remember - the grass isn't always greener on the other side. What happens if Henne comes in to start the final eight games of 2009 and he just stinks it up each and every game? Just something to think about, that's all.

We learned that both Ronnie Brown and Anthony Fasano need to step it up if they want contract extensions from this front office. Brown did run hard, though, and I'm not sure we can blame him for the lack of the running game. It's impossible to run the ball when there are no running lanes. Fasano, though, was probably one of the biggest culprits to Sunday's loss. I don't want to hate on him too much because it was very uncharacteristic of him, but Fasano's first fumble really turned around this entire game. If he doesn't cough it up, who knows how the game plays out.

We learned that the Dolphins can struggle on the road against one of the NFC's best teams and still be in the game well into the second half. For all of their struggles, the Dolphins had the football in Atlanta territory trailing by 10 with 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. Sure, a loss is a loss. But just think about that fact for a minute. The Dolphins had already turned the ball over twice, including once in the redzone, and were still only trailing the Falcons by 10 points, had possession inside Atlanta's 40, and had over a quarter to win this game.

We learned that the Dolphins should be able to stop the run pretty darn well in 2009. This defense held Michael Turner, a guy who ran fo 1700 yards and averaged 4.5 yards per carry in 2008, to just 65 yards rushing and less than 3 yards per carry. That's impressive work - especially from the outside linebackers who had to set the edge. It was believed that teams would try to run right at Joey Porter and Jason Taylor because neither was particularly effective stopping the run. But both held their ground at the point of attack and each even made a tackle in the backfield. That's certainly a good sign.

We learned that Phillip Merling is indeed a "gamer." For all the talk about how he doesn't practice well, this guy just seems to make play after play on gamedays. He was a force last season as a reserve and again was a dominant force on Sunday as a reserve. Now you just have to wonder for how long he remains a reserve. Randy Starks should be on notice.

We learned that effectively covering opposing tight ends is going to be a problem. It was a problem all preseason long and it continued to be a problem on Sunday in Atlanta. Yes, Tony Gonzalez is an all-time great. But it's not like it's going to get much easier in the coming weeks. On Monday night, Dallas Clark comes to town. Six days later, the Dolphins will head to San Diego to face Antonio Gates.

General NFL Thoughts

We learned that while Adrian Peterson is really good, his offensive line is even better. There were a number of runs where AP wasn't even touched for 5 to 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Could you imagine how great it would be if Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams could get close to that kind of blocking?

We learned that strong arms mean little a a quarterback when you make bad decisions and inaccurate throws. Just ask Bears fans who had to watch Jay Cutler throw interception after interception.

We learned that Rex Ryan, at least for now, was able to back up his words. His defense dominated the Texans offense on Sunday. It makes you wonder why the Dolphins can't get the same kind of pressure on the quarterback that the Jets did on Sunday. Joey Porter, Jason Taylor, and company are every bit as good - if not better - than the pass-rushers the Jets were throwing at the Texans. Remember - they were without Shaun Ellis and Calvin Pace.

We learned that it's sometimes better to be lucky than good. My example - the Broncos. Could some of that New England luck have followed Josh McDaniels to Denver?

We learned that Tony Romo continues to be a great September through November quarterback. But we all know he'll crumble in December - as usual.

Turnovers doom Dolphins as Fins fall in Atlanta

Matty I — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:13:52 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

Can you just imagine what Tony Sparano was thinking on Sunday as he watched his team make mistake after mistake?

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In what seems like it's becoming a yearly tradition, the Miami Dolphins lost yet another season-opening game on Sunday. The Atlanta Falcons beat the Dolphins in every phase of the game - offense, defense, and special teams. And there's plenty of blame to go around for this ugly 19-7 loss.

What makes this loss especially tough to swallow, of course, is how uncharacteristic the offense performed. Four turnovers? Really? And Anthony Fasano, as sure-handed as they come at the tight end position in 2008, losing two fumbles? No team can overcome these miscues - let alone one that isn't exactly explosive on offense.

Wasn't the offensive line supposed to be a strength of this team?
The Dolphins have invested $70+ million in guaranteed money into this offensive line. This unit was supposed to be one of the strong points of this team. But their play on Sunday was downright offensive. And while it's only one game, you can't help but wonder if this regime's decisions on the personnel of the offensive line were the right ones.

It's not like this offensive line is made up of a bunch of players left over from the previous regime. Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland, and company hand-picked this group. They drafted Jake Long first overall and made him the highest paid offensive linemen in the league. They signed Justin Smiley and Jake Grove to big contracts to bring them to Miami. They re-signed Vernon Carey to a hefty contract this past offseason.

Yet all these decisions and all that guaranteed money means nothing once these players take the field for a game. On Sunday, we saw Jake Long get beat over and over. We saw Vernon Carey also get beat for QB hurries and sacks. And we saw very little push up front when the Dolphins tried to run the football. On most of the backs' 19 carries, there was no hole to run through - not even a little crease. And we know that this is not an offense that can rely on passing the football time and time again. To be honest, though, I'm not sure what concerns me more. Is it the inability to open any running lanes for their running backs? Or is it their inability to keep the quarterback upright?

Key stat: the offensive line surrendered four sacks, four additional QB hits, and 13 total hurries. How can you expect any quarterback to do much of anything when he's under that kind of pressure?

Too many big plays surrendered through the air
On the surface, giving up less than 230 yards passing and 6.4 yards per attempt isn't a bad thing. But it's not about the sum - it's about individual moments. For example, on Atlanta's first touchdown drive - a drive that began at their own 11 yard line - the Falcons were 2/2 on 3rd downs. The first was a 14 yard completion to Roddy White and 3rd & 11. The other was a 15 yard completion to Tony Gonzalez on 3rd & 8. Those kinds of plays kill you in the course of a game. What good is it putting your opponent in a 3rd & long situation if you just fold like a cheap suit when it matters most?

Of course, it wasn't all bad defending the pass. Here's a nice little stat: the Dolphins held Atlanta's receivers to just 83 yards receiving in the entire game. That means it wasn't necessarily the cornerbacks who were getting beat. Sure, there were a couple of throws that Matt Ryan missed when receivers were open. But we can play the "what if" game all day long if we really wanted - both good and bad. But in general, the cornerbacks played fairly well. Sean Smith had a solid rookie debut, deflecting away two passes. Will Allen, outside of a pass interference penalty in which he got to the intended receiver a second too early (Atlanta didn't score on that possession anyway), also played well.

But it was the linebackers and safeties - those responsible for covering Tony Gonzalez and the running backs - that struggled all game. But even so, regarding Gonzalez in particular, there were two catches by him where the defender (Gibril Wilson, if I recall correctly) had perfect coverage but the pass was still completed. You can just chalk that up to Gonzalez being a great player and making great individual efforts.

All in all, let's be fair here about the defense. The Falcons had 11 possessions. Of those 11, seven of them saw the Falcons gain 20 yards or less. And only two possessions saw the Falcons gain over 45 yards. So I guess we shouldn't really kill the defense here. Would it have been nice to force a turnover or get more pressure on the quarterback? Of course. But it is what it is. The defense certainly did not lose this football game for Miami.

Don't make this a quarterback debate
Yes - the blame for this loss is squarely on the offense. But let's not make this a quarterback issue. Could Chad Pennington have played better? Of course. But it simply doesn't matter who the quarterback is when he's under he's hurried 13 times on just 33 drop backs.

Would I have liked to see Chad Henne get some reps late in the game? Sure. It might have been a good idea to put in Henne with 7:30 left and the team trailing by 19. But I can understand why the coaching staff didn't make the move. Pennington is still the offensive leader of this team - both on the field and in the locker room. So it's hard to take him out - and essentially make it look like you are blaming CP for this loss. In reality, maybe Tony Sparano should have replaced his entire starting offensive line. But I think the bigger reason why a switch wasn't made was to get CP more snaps with the starters in hopes of at least getting in some work and finding some kind of rhythm that they can build on heading into week two. That and the need to not get shut out to begin a season.

But regardless of how you feel about this topic, let's not make this another tired "CP vs Henne" debate. The bottom line is I'm just too pissed about the loss. No need to start another worthless, tired debate.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
This will be a new weekly feature of these post-game recaps. Sunday's turning point of the game was, without question, Anthony Fasano's first fumble. The game was a 7-0 game and the Dolphins had moved into the redzone with two minutes to go in the half. At worst, the Dolphins head into halftime trailing 7-3. But a 7-7 tie was a real possibility. Then Fasano takes that big hit from Mike Peterson. The fumble is taken back to Miami's 31 yard line. The Falcons kick a FG and what could have been a 7-7 game at the half was instead a 10-0 Atlanta lead.

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
In another new weekly feature, I highlight a Dolphin who made some kind of bonehead mistake. On Sunday, this "honor" goes to Brian Hartline. It was 10-0 Falcons in the third quarter. The Dolphins, though, were driving and had the ball 2nd & 9 at Atlanta's 37 yard line. This is when Hartline decides to essentially block the cornerback covering him 10 yards down the field...on a passing play...and then clearly push off when he broke to the sideline to make an eight yard reception. It was an easy pass interference call for the ref. And that put the Dolphins in a 2nd & 19 hole - with the next play being Pennington's interception.

QUICK HITS
Other observations from Sunday's loss:

The blocking on kick and punt returns by the Dolphins was just terrible. It wouldn't have mattered if Usain Bolt was back there returning kicks. Just awful.
I like the creativity in the play-calling. The pitch to Ronnie Brown, throwback to Pennington, and completion to Joey Haynos was well designed and executed. I also liked seeing Pat White out there. Nothing really materialized from it. But if White throws that ball 5 yards shorter, Ted Ginn catches it for a touchdown. If nothing else, just more opposing defenses have to worry about in practice in the week leading up to facing the Dolphins.
Greg Camarillo can indeed catch passes with his legs/butt. Good for him. And great job by the coaching staff to recognize that and challenge the play.
Who would have thought the Dolphins would hold Michael Turner to just 65 yards on the ground and less than 3 yards per carry? Terrific performance against the run. Hopefully this becomes a theme in 2009. If the Dolphins can hold opposing offenses to under 70 yards rushing, they will have a chance to win a lot of games - assuming the offense doesn't cough up the ball four times.
Phillip Merling really came to play. He should have been credited with a sack. He also had a tackle for a loss. And he just generally looked like a force along the defensive line. I hope that's another sign of things to come from this young kid.
Jason Taylor picked up a sack and a tackle for a loss. That's great and all. But he and Joey Porter were both invisible too often on Sunday.
Davone Bess can catch the football, huh? He just always seems to get open more often than not. Unfortunately, he needs to produce more yards on those receptions. And the receivers as a whole must play better. It's hard to tell during the broadcast if receivers are open or not down the field. So I don't want to criticize them too much. But some big plays would be nice from time to time.

FINAL THOUGHT
It was ugly and the Dolphins are 0-1 with Indy coming to town next Monday night. Things don't particularly look good right now. But it's very early and there were some positives. Let's see how they do in coming back from this game before we declare that the season is over. I trust this coaching staff - something I haven't been able to do too much of in recent years. So let's see just where this ride takes us from here before we hit the panic button and jump off the bandwagon.

Keys to a successful season for Dolphins

Matty I — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:35:19 -0000

We can finally put training camp, the preseason, and the roster cuts behind us now and look forward to the 2009 regular season. It feels like forever since the Dolphins last took the field for a meaningful football game. That all comes to an end on Sunday when the Dolphins take the field in Atlanta. Between now and then, we'll talk about both the upcoming season as a whole and the actual game itself.

To kick things off, I wanted to provide my thoughts on what the three keys to a successful season are for the Dolphins. Once you read my thoughts, of course, please tell us what your keys to the season are for our Fins in the comments below.

Run the ball effectively out of base formations
As much as I love the 'Wildcat' and believe it can still be a useful formation for the Dolphins, I still can't seem to shake the notion that the Dolphins implemented the formation out of desperation. What I mean by that is that Miami really was unimpressive running the ball out of its base formations.

If you simply look at the 2008 season stats, you would see the Dolphins ranked 11th in the NFL in rushing yards per game and 14th in yards per carry. But those numbers are greatly inflated thanks to the 'Wildcat' success that the Dolphins had last season. And while I love what the formation has meant to this team and look forward to seeing it used in 2009, the Dolphins can't afford to use it as a crutch again to cover up their inefficiencies running the ball.

Last year the Dolphins averaged just 3.8 yards per carry on non-Wildcat plays. That would have ranked Miami 28th in the NFL least year - tied with the lowly Detroit Lions. With the amount of money invested in this offensive line, there's no reason why the Dolphins shouldn't be able to really improve that figure.

Tony Sparano is also a believer of winning the time of possession battle and simply running more plays than your opponent runs. Now that philosophy covers many things - converting on 3rd down, stopping opponents on 3rd down, not turning the ball over, and so on. But a major factor is running the football. And this philosophy is especially important this season when you consider the high-powered offenses that the Dolphins will face. Nine of Miami's 16 games will come against teams that finished in the top half of the NFL in total offense last year. To win those games, the Dolphins must keep those offenses off of the field.

One other stat to consider: Miami was just 1-3 last year when Chad Pennington was forced to throw the football 35+ times.

Consistent pressure on the quarterback
While most eyes will be on Miami's new look secondary - a unit that will feature two new starters - I'm a firm believer that even more attention should be focused on the Dolphins' pass rush. After all, you can't complete passes if your receivers have no time to get open and your quarterback has no time to locate those open receivers.

Last year, the Dolphjns finished 8th in the league with 40 sacks and Joey Porter led the AFC with 17.5. But Porter wore down as the season went on because he was receiving little help from his teammates. In the final four games of 2008 (weeks 15-17 and the playoff loss to Baltimore), Porter had just one sack.

The Dolphins obviously recognized this and went out this offseason to get J-Peezy some help. They brought back Jason Taylor - and he looks ready for a big year, in my opinion - and signed CFL pass-rushing specialist Cameron Wake.

But it's not the linebackers, in particular, that I'm pointing my finger at. No, it's the defensive line. The Dolphins only got 9.5 sacks from defensive linemen last season. I know this is a 3-4 defense so most pressure comes from the linebackers. But good 3-4 defenses still get push from their linemen. For example, the Steelers got 11.5 sacks from their defensive linemen.

Kendall Langford, Randy Starks, Phillip Merling - I'm looking at you here. Pressure from the down linemen only makes it easier for the outstanding pass-rusing linebackers that this team has.

Match your division rivals
So you're probably wondering what in the world I'm talking about here. Well I've been reluctant to bring up what everybody else wants to bring up when discussing the Dolphins - their schedule.

Yes, it's hard. It could potentially be a very difficult schedule that the Dolphins face in 2009. But outside of two games, all of the teams in the AFC East face the same opponents. For example, while the Dolphins face the Steelers and Chargers, the Patriots take on the Ravens and Broncos. No - not as difficult; but certainly not that much easier, either.

So what do I mean by "matching the division rivals?" Simple - just do what they do. All the Dolphins have to do in their 10 non-divisional games is match the records of their division rivals.

You see, I'm not a firm believer that the Patriots are that much better than the Dolphins. There's this thought out there that since Tom Brady is back, the Patriots will instantly revert to their dominating 2007 ways. Sorry, but that's just not going to happen. It doesn't work like that - no matter what ESPN and other media outlets want you to think.

In my opinion, though, the Dolphins and Patriots are indeed the top two teams in the division. So I'll just single out these two teams. To win the division and make the playoffs, all the Dolphins have to do is match what the Patriots do in their other 14 games - and then beat the Patriots when they play. It's that simple. Everybody wants to make a big stink about how hard Miami's schedule is. But these same people seem to forget all about the schedule when they start discussing the Patriots. But I got news for you - the Patriots aren't so much better than the Dolphins that a tough schedule will have little effect on them while, at the same time, will ruin Miami's season.

That's how this season breaks down in a nut shell - match the Patriots game-for-game in those other 14 games and then knock off the Pats when they play head-to-head. After all, this "tough schedule" nonsense means little if the Dolphins can't go toe-to-toe with New England and beat them.

Dolphins Preseason Review: Who has made the biggest impression?

Matty I — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:15:08 -0000

More photos » by Alan Diaz - AP

Lex Hilliard may have ran himself into a roster spot with two consecutive strong performances.

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Believe it or not, we are less than three weeks away from week one of the NFL season. Training camp will soon be winding down for the Dolphins and we're halfway through their preseason schedule. So what better time than now to do a mid-point review of what we've seen from the Dolphins in the preseason?

What I've decided to do is simply list which players have made the biggest positive impression on me during the preseason as well as those who have made little or no impression on me - with a special emphasis on those players who are currently on the proverbial "roster bubble." Of course, this list is far from comprehensive, which is where all of you come in. Be sure to tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

THREE WHO HAVE MADE POSITIVE IMPRESSION

RB Lex Hilliard - Entering camp, there wasn't much thought given to the Dolphins keeping four halfbacks on their final 53-man roster. But Lex Hilliard has suddenly put that thought into his coaches' heads and has made a strong case to make this football team. We talked yesterday about the "numbers game" and how keeping four running backs would affect how the final roster is assembled. But this is something the coaching staff is really going to have to discuss. After all, this regime is not in the business of waiving good football players. If Hilliard is as promising as he might be (more as a future complimentary back - not a feature back), you don't just let go of him. His 18 carry, 94 yard stat line is impressive - but it has been produced against opposing teams' 2nd and 3rd string defenses. And if you take away his longest run in each of the two preseason games, Hilliard is averaging just 2.75 yards per carry on those other 16 rushing attempts. But he's shown good quickness and explosion through the hole for a 240 pound back. And Tony Sparano did praise his special teams work in both games. That's how he can cement his roster spot - by going out and proving he can be a special teams contributor on gameday. It'd also be nice to see him get a few carries against a first-team defense.

RG Donald Thomas - The right guard position was a big question mark entering camp. Donald Thomas was coming off of a season-ending foot injury entering the offseason and then injured his chest while working out during the offseason. He started off camp with rehab work and was slowly implemented back into the offensive line rotation. But he has been very impressive when he has been on the field during the preseason. In the opener, despite a lackluster performance by the first-team offensive line as a whole, Thomas had a solid game - regularly "pancaking" his man. Last week, Thomas played even better. He won the majority of his one-on-one blocks and even showed the quickness to get out and pull - making a key block on Hilliard's 39 yard TD run. The man is clearly strong and powerful and, most importantly, he finishes his blocks. The starting right guard spot is officially all his. Now he just needs to stay healthy.

OLB Quentin Moses - Before training camp started, I really didn't think Quentin Moses had any shot to make this final roster. But Matt Roth's mysterious groin injury has allowed Moses to get more reps in practice and extended looks during the preseason. He's made the most of these opportunities. I've noticed Moses getting pressure on the quarterback on more than one occasion. He hasn't picked up a sack yet, but quarterback hurries are just as valuable. I've noticed that the 260 pound linebacker looks to have a quicker first step. And remember, he's a guy with a lot of talent. He was a third-round pick coming out of Georgia. And entering that season for UGA, there were rumblings that Moses could be a late first or early second round selection. But now it seems as though the game is finally slowing down for him - and he's making plays. He looks strong at the point of attack, too, which is very important because it allows him to set the edge on runs his direction (much like Matt Roth was good at doing last season). I don't think his roster spot is a lock by any means, but he went from having little chance (at least in my mind) to being right in the mix for one of the OLB spots.

Other Candidates - Cameron Wake, John Nalbone, Sean Smith, Nathan Jones, Paul Soliai, Reggie Torbor

THREE WHO HAVE MADE LITTLE OR NO IMPRESSION

WR Anthony Armstrong - Many fans were jumping aboard the Anthony Armstrong bandwagon during the offseason as we continually read reports of Armstrong beating Miami's corners deep for big plays during OTAs and minicamp. But the corners he regularly dominated were guys who were either cut (Eric Green) or will be cut (Will Billingsley). During training camp, Armstrong has been relatively quiet. And in the preseason, Armstrong has been completely non-existent. He doesn't have a reception. He's dropped two passes. And in his one kickoff return, he only gained 20 yards. That's not how a player like Armstrong is going to make this team. Considering he can't really contribute on coverage units because he weighs 185 pounds soaking wet, he needed to really make a name for himself as a receiver. But he's failed to do so and I don't expect him to stick once it's time for final cuts.

TE Joey Haynos - With the release of Ernest Wilford, the battle for the third tight end spot (if the Dolphins keep three) is between Haynos and rookie John Nalbone. Haynos, though, has failed to get my attention at all. He has great size (6'8, 270) but hasn't been a factor at all during the preseason. But while no passes have come his way - which isn't exactly his fault, making it hard to blame him - I've been underwhelmed with his blocking skills. From what I've noticed during games, Nalbone is the better blocker. And whichever TE is kept as the third one will have to be able to block - especially since David Martin isn't exactly a reliable blocker, either. In my opinion, Haynos is losing the battle to Nalbone and will have to step up if he hopes to stick.

DE Phillip Merling - Merling entered training camp working as a starter opposite Kendall Langford. But since then, he's fallen back to the second unit while Tony McDaniel and Randy Starks have gotten reps with the first team. And it's been Starks, not Merling, who has gotten the majority of the first-team reps during the preseason. Merling isn't exactly known for being a great practice player, either. But you can almost look beyond that if the player in question performs on gameday. Thus far through two preseason games, I haven't seen any sense of urgency from the second-year defensive end. Last season, Merling came on strong late in the year. So here's to hoping he's just a slow starter.

Other Candidates - Lionel Dotson, Erik Walden, Brandon London, Gibril Wilson, Pat White

Dolphins Training Camp: Henne's struggles top story of Monday

Matty I — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:15:08 -0000

More photos » by Alan Diaz - AP

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Week two of Miami Dolphins training camp began with two practices on Monday and the release of the first "team-released" depth chart. But it was quarterback play that highlighted Monday's action.

CHAD HENNE STRUGGLES
Following a solid, if unspectacular, performance in Saturday's team scrimmage, Chad Henne began week two of training camp with a disappointing day - particularly in the afternoon session on Monday. Henne, who has struggled all camp during one of Tony Sparano's favorite drills - the two-minute offense - had some ugly moments on Monday. Chris Clemons, the rookie safety out of Clemson, picked off Henne twice during Monday afternoon's practice - and nearly intercepted Henne a third time on a pass intended for Ricky Williams in the flat that would have resulted in a pick six for Clemons.

But it was Henne's inability to lead the two-minute offense - a theme of training camp thus far - that the Palm Beach Post provides play-by-play of. Play one, screen pass that is tipped away. Play two, pass broken up by two defenders. Play three, too far outside of intended receiver. Play four, the previously mentioned near pick by Clemons. Henne connects on the next four, though. And the following pass was also reportedly a great throw that Brian Hartline just couldn't come up with as he had Vontae Davis defending him well. And it wrapped up with Vontae Davis breaking up a pass intended for Brandon London.

As the Post points out, too, Henne's performance in the two-minute offense all camp has been unimpressive - with Henne "rarely driving the team into reasonable scoring position." And just for good measure, Henne ended the practice by "missing a wide open Anthony Fasano by a mile in the endzone during goal-line offense." Yikes!

Of course, it's far too early to panic. It's really too early to even think about panicking. But why then did I bring this up? Simple. It's too illustrate the fact that we still don't know what we have in Chad Henne. However, you have to love how Tony Sparano plans to handle this situation. It's tricky. You want to get Henne experience and see what you have in him. At the same time, you can't risk losing the locker room by benching Chad Pennington - a leader on that team and a player coming off of his best career season.

That's why the Dolphins are handling this situation so well. I love the idea of Henne getting most of the playing time in the preseason. It'll give us all a chance to see Henne perform with "semi-live bullets" flying.

With that said, Henne's struggles in the two-minute offense illustrates why Pennington is the starting quarterback of this football team in 2009. CP is efficient. He doesn't have the big arm Henne has. But it's clear that Henne's arm isn't helping him move the ball in simulated two-minute drills during practice. And right now, it's Pennington - not Henne - that gives the 2009 Miami Dolphins the best chance to win. While some of you want to just throw Henne into the starting role without him earning the job just to see him play and possibly prepare him for the future, I'm not ready to give up on the present. CP is the present.

If Henne outplays Pennington at any point during training camp or the preseason, then I'm on board with making a switch ASAP. But that's not going to happen.

RISERS AND FALLERS
We talked yesterday about how week two of training camp is the time Tony Sparano likes to promote and demote players. And as expected, changes were made - headed by the promotion of rookie corner Sean Smith to the starting role opposite Eric Green. Green was sent to the second team to play opposite rookie Vontae Davis. While this is far from a permanent change, it does reward Smith for his solid play through one week of camp and it provides the coaches with a chance to see how Sean performs against better competition. I'd suspect Davis will get a shot at some point during camp as well - even if he has progressed slower than some anticipated.

Randy Starks also saw a promotion, getting his chance to work with the starters on the opposite side of Kendall Langford. Phillip Merling remained with the second unit after getting moved there last week despite beginning camp with the starters. Tony McDaniel dropped back to the second unit after replacing Merling on the first team last week. Look for those three to continue rotating until the coaching staff gets a better feel for those guys.

The other big riser on was Donald Thomas. While Shawn Murphy remained the starter at right guard, Thomas - despite missing most of the OTAs and the early part of camp - was promoted to the second unit as he inches his way back into the starter's role he won as a rookie out of camp last year. Ike Ndukwe was the loser here - and it's starting to look like his days could be numbered if Thomas remains healthy and progresses as we all think he will.

DEPTH CHART RELEASED
Yes, the Dolphins released their first depth chart on Monday. No, it doesn't mean very much. This depth chart is completely irrelevant because the depth chart basically changes day to day. For example, Donald Thomas is listed as the 3rd string RG right now. But he practiced with the second unit on Monday. Cameron Wake is listed as the fourth string weakside linebacker, but has spent most of his time on the second unit in camp.

The release of this depth chart is a reason why I do my weekly "depth chart bubble watch." At this point, it's probably more accurate as to how the coaches see the 53-man roster looking than this team-released chart is.

QUICK HITS
Some quick thoughts on Monday's action:

Chris Clemons has been around the ball a lot recently, according to various reports. Could he cut into Tyrone Culver's role as the team's top reserve safety and find his way onto the field in the team's dime package?
Channing Crowder picked up two sacks in the afternoon session. What's gotten into him? Whatever it is, I hope it says with him. He needs to be a play-maker this year.
Cameron Wake got to work with the first-team defense in the morning replacing Joey Porter (sitting out just for rest) on the weakside. Not surprisingly, Jake Long handled him. But it's good to see the coaches challenging Wake - who has surprised me so far.
Speaking of surprises, Quentin Moses has quietly been putting together a solidd camp. Moses had two sacks and a tipped pass in the afternoon session.
Interesting battle brewing between Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo for the starting job opposite Ted Ginn.
Yeremiah Bell has been reportedly looking much improved in coverage during camp.

UP NEXT
The Dolphins practice only once on Tuesday - beginning at 2 pm. Wednesday will feature two practices, though. And the late session has been moved outside and will begin at 8 pm.

Dolphins Training Camp, Day Four: Pennington struggles, the line gets shuffled & the WR battle heats up

Matty I — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:28:46 -0000

More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP

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There was only one practice down in Davie on Wednesday. But there's still plenty to talk about. And it must have been a tough practice physically, as the heat index in South Florida rose to over 100 degrees on Wednesday afternoon. Below are some talking points.

Oh - and don't forget to check back later for an updated version of my "depth chart bubble watch."

CHAD PENNINGTON HAS A ROUGH DAY
Every quarterback goes through days like this. The only reason this is really headline news in Miami is because of how well - and how efficient - Chad Pennington performed in 2008. But Pennington was "un-CP10" like today. Perhaps Omar Kelly described it best, writing, "For the first time since he's been a Dolphin Chad Pennington played as good as three-day-old fish smells, and tastes."

Pennington was overthrowing open receivers. He had some issues taking the snap from center. He took sacks. And depending on who you talk to, Chad threw either one (according to Palm Beach Post) or two (according to Sun-Sentinel) interceptions. Now that is very uncharacteristic of CP10.

Of course, it wasn't all bad for Pennington. He made a few good throws, too - including a 40+ yard touchdown to Anthony Armstrong (more on him in a minute). But overall, this was probably his worst training camp practice as a Dolphin. With that said, I'm not worried at all about Pennington.

BATTLE FOR FINAL WR SPOT HEATING UP
For the past few days, we've been hearing very good things about Brandon London. On the other hand, his top competitor for the final receiver spot, Anthony Armstrong, was relatively quiet. Well that changed on Wednesday.

Armstrong finally made a big play, catching a 40 yard touchdown pass from Chad Pennington - beating Eric Green (who is currently working as a starter). And Omar Kelly wrote that both Pennington and Chad Henne are finding Armstrong more often now following the release of Brennan Marion. Armstrong was open a lot more often on Wednesday - but was overthrown a couple of times by Miami's quarterbacks.

Meanwhile, Brandon London is still playing well. London beat Will Billingsley on one play - but the pass was incomplete as Pat White's throw was a little behind Brandon. Brandon also continues to make plays during the one-on-one receiver vs. cornerback drills.

Look for this battle to go down to the wire. And what's interesting is that there seems to be a divide between Dolphin fans as to who they are pulling for. But in the end, I get the feeling Armstrong is really going to have to impress simply because he isn't much of a special teams contributor while London is one of the team's best coverage guys.

THE LINES GET SHUFFLED
Last year, the coaching staff didn't start "experimenting" with different players on different units until the second week of camp. But Tony Sparano and company started early this year. Shawn Murphy, who had been working as the starting right guard, worked with the 2nd team on Wednesday. Joe Berger, who is the team's primary backup center, spent most of Wednesday replacing Murphy at RG. But Murphy did get some reps with the 1st unit just before the end of practice.

On the defensive side, offseason acquisition Tony McDaniel worked with the first team at defensive end for the second consecutive day replacing Phillip Merling. What's always interesting to note, though, is how the "demoted" player reacts when he's sent down. And according to Omar Kelly, Merling has been making plays as part of the second unit.

Look for more of this "experimenting" to continue between now and the first preseason game on August 17.

ODDS & ENDS

Vontae Davis picked off a long Chad Pennington pass intended for Brandon London - showcasing his closing speed.
Donald Thomas was back at practice - but didn't work too much as he eases back into things.
Brian Hartline - a very criticized pick around these parts - has put together back-to-back great days of practice. He followed up a good day yesterday by making the catch of the day today - a diving TD catch from Chad Henne. He also made a lunging catch from Chad Pennington and caught a deep pass down the middle of the field from Pat White. Right now, Hartline is hot and it doesn't matter which of the three quarterbacks are throwing to him. He's making plays consistently right now.

UP NEXT
The Dolphins have two practices tomorrow - one at 9 am and one at 5 pm. Both are open to the public - weather permitting.

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Primer: How will the defensive line shape up?

Matty I — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:15:08 -0000

Phillip Merling will be asked to step up and fill the void left by the release of Vonnie Holliday.

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So far we've looked at the receiver position and the tight end position in our 2009 training camp primers. Today we'll flip to the defensive side of the ball for the first time and focus our attention on the defensive line.

Despite the large number of defensive linemen currently on the roster and the mix of veterans and rookies that make up the defensive line at the moment, I think that how the position will shape up entering the regular season is as cut and dry as any position on the team. There probably won't be too many surprises when all is said and done.

THE QUICK BREAKDOWN

Virtual locks to make the roster: Kendall Langford, Phillip Merling, Jason Ferguson
Likely to make roster: Randy Starks, Paul Soliai
On the bubble: Tony McDaniel, Lionel Dotson, Rodrique Wright
Long shots: Ryan Baker, Joe Cohen, Louis Ellis

THE QUESTIONS

Much of the attention on the Dolphins' defensive line during camp will be focused on two players. One is second-year defensive end Phillip Merling. Merling will be asked to replace Vonnie Holliday in the starting lineup at defensive end opposite fellow second-year end Kendall Langford. Merling showed some flashes last year as the top backup at defensive end. But consistency was reportedly the main issue with him. In particular, he didn't practice as well as he played - and that explain why he disappeared at times on gameday. Will Merling effectively take the next step and up his performance to a new level as he replaces the effective veteran as a starter?

The other player who will have the heat on him is nose tackle Paul Soliai. We all know that the 3-4 defense doesn't work without effective play from the nose. Jason Ferguson is still a very good player and does his job well. But he's got a lot of mileage on his body. He'll need to be rested more in 2009. There's also always a higher risk of injury with an aging defensive lineman. Can Soliai step up this year and prove he's a capable alternative to Ferguson at the nose?

THE NUMBERS GAME

Last year, the Dolphins carried eight defensive linemen into the regular season. Six of them were defensive ends and two were nose tackles. I'd expect a similar breakdown this year once the final 53-man roster is set. Like I said above, Langford, Merling, and Ferguson are locks. All three are penciled in to be starters. Merling could play his way out of a starting role with a bad camp. But the other two are probably locked in to their starting roles.

This leaves potentially five roster spots for reserves. At least one will go to a nose tackle. Tony McDaniel, who the Dolphins acquired from the Jaguars in a trade this past offseason, could potentially play both nose tackle and defensive end. His versatility could mean the Dolphins aren't necessarily locked into the previously described 6:2 defensive end to nose tackle ratio.

Also note that the Dolphins tended to dress six defensive linemen on gameday and leave two inactive. Four of the active defensive linemen were ends and two were nose tackles. Again, McDaniel's potential versatility could make their 45-man gameday roster more flexible if Tony can impress the coaches and make the team.

WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US?

Everything above basically means that we have eight players fighting for just five roster spots. But like I said at the beginning, I don't expect too many surprises from this unit in terms of which five reserves make the roster and which three fall short. Perhaps Joe Cohen or Louis Ellis could surprise and win the backup nose tackle job. But more realistically, those two young potential nose tackles could be battling each other for one practice squad spot.

The interesting storyline to watch in terms of the five reserve linemen will be how they position themselves within the defensive line rotation. With Phillip Merling moving from top reserve linemen to starter, the role of top reserve will be open to battle. Randy Starks, Tony McDaniel, and Lionel Dotson will likely all be fighting it out.

Rodrique Wright is entering what is likely his final chance to prove his worth to this regime once camp begins. He spent the 2008 season on the 53-man roster but was inactive for all 16 regular season games. As it stands now, he's probably the eighth defensive linemen on the depth chart. But we know that this regime is not afraid to constantly turn over the bottom portion of the roster - meaning Wright's time in Miami could definitely be winding down.

THE KEY BATTLE

I quickly touched on it above, but I wanted to focus on it here. I think the key battle among defensive linemen will be the battle to take Merling's old role as the top reserve at end. Randy Starks probably enters camp as the favorite. He received a lot of playing time off the bench himself last season and is a very versatile player. He could line up at defensive end or defensive tackle depending on if the Dolphins use three or four down linemen. He even played a little nose last season.

Lionel Dotson will certainly be in the mix for this role as well. He spent all of his rookie season last year on the 53-man roster, but was inactive for 14 of the team's 16 regular season games. However, it's believed that the coaching staff really likes this kid. It's also been reported that some of Miami's offensive linemen that had to face Dotson in practice day in and day out last year said he had the best pass-rushing moves among all of the defensive ends.

Tony McDaniel will the the third player in the battle to be the primary backup at defensive end. He's a massive man - measuring in at 6'7, 305 pounds. He's got long arms and the kind of frame that is well suited for the defensive end position in a 3-4. But he'll also get some looks at nose tackle as well. He's also converting from spending most of his time in a 4-3 defense, so he'll need time to adapt. But certainly don't count him out. He'll be in line for some role within Miami's rotation.

THE PREDICTION

Merling, Langford, and Ferguson are all safe. Despite his potential legal trouble, Starks is probably safe as well. Soliai needs to show improved conditioning - but it seems like he is probably going to make the team. I'd also say both Dotson and McDaniel will make the roster, though I'm not sure who will be ahead of the other. Right now, Wright probably eeks out that final roster spot along the defensive front. But like I said, it wouldn't be surprising if the eighth defensive linemen heading into the regular season isn't even on the team yet.