Just got done watching the Fins-Bills game on NFL Game Rewind.

For about 50 bucks and a good broadband connection (I have satellite, which is slower than DSL, cable, or wireless, but still a good connection), you don't have to worry about Tivo not recording or not being able to afford NFL Sunday Ticket or not getting the game otherwise.

Most here have praised the Miami Defense but have sullied on the Offense and either blamed Henne or blamed Henning. I just wonder if the complainers watched a different game than I did.

First of all, had Henne hit that 40 yard pass to Marshall, there would be NO COMPLAINTS about Henne, period! But because either he underthrew it or because Marshall let it out of his hands, Henne is suddenly (okay, not so suddenly) worthy of being benched for Pennington?

That's a laugh! I remember over a year ago when many on here were calling for Pennington's head because he blew some passes against the Falcons and was too "noodle armed" to throw effectively enough to overcome Peyton Manning's two minute drills as Peyton, but not Pennington, could get in all those quick strikes while the Fins had to plod along controlling the ball for 46 minutes and still lose to the Colts. Some seemed to even like the idea that penny was injured so Henne could take over...and now some want Pennington back because Henne isn't showing enough "leadership"?

Or, if you don't think it is Henne's fault it is Henning's fault? Now I agree he does get a bit too conservative at times, but I think the complainers are forgetting a few things...

1. Didn't a less conservative Henne blow a 24-7 lead in Buffalo last year by throwing when he just as easily could have controlled the ball by running Ricky? Or was it Henning's fault for "not being conservative enough"?

2. Does anyone remember the last time Miami won IN BUFFALO? (Winning in Toronto in 2008 doesn't count.) Because I don't remember. Let me know if you do remember. So what this means is that even though the Bills are not a good team yet, they ALWAYS play the Fins hard in Buffalo. So hard, in fact, that many pundits picked the Bills to win the game.

3. So what if the Bills are "bad"? (They aren't, but many think they are.) Losing to the Bills would have been as sorry as the Niners losing to the Seahawks--which they did! But Miami did not lose to the Bills, so the Niners are a contender but the Fins aren't? You don't have to answer that, but the analogy is the same.

4. You might be complaining because you wanted the Fins to rout the Bills like the Pats routed a much better Bengals team (than the Bills, that is)? Too bad! I think the last time the Fins routed the Bills in Buffalo was in 1973, and it wasn't really a rout: the Fins won 16-0 and OJ Simpson got 101 yards but the No Names held him on the one inch line on 4th and goal. Since when do the Dolphins have to rout anyone? Does that matter? Not when the Fins routed 'em last year in Miami 38-10, but then the Bills beat the Fins in Buffalo later on...Further, maybe the Pats thought they had to rout the Bengals because the Bengals are capable of coming back to beat them with Palmer, Ocho and TO...

So in case we were watching different games, here's what I saw.

It was ball control and it was conservative, and it was effective. period. Marshall and Hartline--as they did in the preseason--dropped a few. Ronnie and Ricky both ran well (I didn't see a "slow aging" Ricky. Sorry.) Why show the flash against the Bills when it would be smarter to have it against the Vikes, Jets, Pats, Packers, Steelers, etc. etc. etc.? When they will need it? They didn't need it against the Bills, that's for sure, not with that Defense!

You know I am REALLY getting tired of the the "chicken littles" on this site and all the "sky is falling" angst!

Let me say this one more time: it's PRE-SEASON!

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I know this topic has been rehashed to death, but...

On June 29 late at night I went to National Football Post and saw this "Wilson Wire" post: "Jason Taylor says Dolphins never offered him a contract." (http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Jason-Taylor-says-Dolphins-never-offered-him-a-contract.html)

And I had thought that in November, 2009, he HAD been offered a contract but had not wanted the offer, and that he HAD been offered a contract early in the offseason (see below), so that why was he bringing this up on June 29, 2010, after Jets OTAs and Fins OTA were over?

So, I decided to investigate the issue, because ever since he signed with the Jets I was under the impression he chose to leave Miami for some other offer due to the uncapped year, that the Jets were the only other team to make an offer, and, by the way Taylor says it, while he didn't exactly relish leaving Miami, he was thrilled to go to the Jets because he could help them, in his words, "win the Super Bowl."

Further, it has been my contention that Taylor put the money before the team and refused offers from Miami because the Fins did not make the playoffs in 2009 and he (as with his decision to join the Skins in 2008) wanted to play for a "contender" in 2010. He says he wants to help the Jets win the Super Bowl after being a Jet hater his whole career? When he just as easily could have helped the Fins become a Super Bowl contender in 2010?

Am I the only one who thinks this is fishy?

Since I had read on ESPN by Adam Schefter that he HAD been offered a contract in the offseason (http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5124774) as reported by a "source":  "A source close to the situation said the Miami Dolphins did make an offer to Taylor after the 2009 season that even included an $850,000 raise that would have boosted his salary to more than $2 million per year...During a 30-minute news conference Tuesday night at his foundation's offices in Weston, Fla., Taylor said the Dolphins offered him an extension in November, but withdrew the proposal before the season ended....the Dolphins were willing to bring him back and even asked Taylor to undergo shoulder surgery immediately after the season. Taylor declined the Dolphins' contract offer, and opted to have the shoulder surgery a month later."

The article goes on to say, from Taylor:

..."If I was important enough that you wanted me in November, why wouldn't you want me now?" Taylor asked Tuesday night. "If I was good enough then, I just don't understand why I wasn't good enough now. But that's their prerogative. They're allowed to make that decision. There is a business side to football, and if they feel that it's better for their team to not have me, that's fine. I have no problem with that. That's part of the game. Just let me know."... Further:

"...Miami then communicated to Taylor's camp that it would wait until after the draft to re-evaluate Taylor rejoining the team. But once the Jets made the contract offer, the Dolphins reiterated to Taylor's camp they were focused on the draft and would talk to him after it was completed...." Finally, in the "source" article:

"...Taylor, 35, signed with the Jets on Wednesday, a day before the draft. "This is where I'm supposed to be right now," Taylor said Wednesday in New York. "I'm here for one reason, and I'm here to play football the best that I can and help this team win a Super Bowl. If that happens here, people in Hollywood spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to end a movie, or people try to figure out how to end a book. What better ending is it than to win the Super Bowl?..."

After signing with the Jets, another ESPN piece (http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5119342) reiterates that he was offered a contract in November. "...He said the Dolphins offered him an extension this past November but then withdrew the proposal before the season ended, made no offer since and gave him no reason for the lack of interest in a new deal. Taylor said he had a meeting scheduled last week with coach Tony Sparano, but the Dolphins canceled it...."

Finally, on the Joe rose radio show, in a Q & A with Taylor right after he signed with the Jets, has this:


Q: Were there any offers from the Dolphins or any other teams this offseason?

A: "No. There were no other offers. There was zero offers from the Miami Dolphins.this offseason."

And then this:


Q: Do you have any regrets not accepting Bill Parcells' contract offer back in November?

A: "There's no regrets. It wasn't the right time. We were in 2009 in the middle of a playoff push and I was offered a deal then on the 2009 salary cap. Any person that does any business or negotiating will realize that 2010 is going to be an uncapped year and the money will be different. I was offered the same money I signed for last year. It's like Dwyane Wade last year when the Heat had to make that formal offer for him to sign. Everyone in the world knew it wasn't right for him to sign it then. It's the same kind of situation. Obviously a lot different numbers, but it wasn't the right time. My thing is I don't regret it because if I was good enogh to offer a contract to me then, then why not now? What has changed? I'm actually better now because I'm a lot healthier."

Doesn't this sound like Taylor did not sign the offer in November, 2009, because 1) money is paramount to him, not the team, and 2) the "playoff push" Taylor was involved in--and which he clearly did little to help realize the playoffs--was just that, a "playoff push," and he didn't think the Fins were worthy of a "Super Bowl push." In other words, Jason Taylor, who left to go to a "contender" in 2008, practically begged to come back to the Dolphins after they were a "contender" during 2008 (but dangled a possibility that he'd be a Patriot instead), now wants to help the Jets, a team he hated, to win the Super Bowl.

I am NOT absolving the Dolphins FO in this! What "source" was quoted in the ESPN article by Schefter? Or, is this just BS? Taylor says on at least two occasions that Miami did NOT make an offer in the offseason. However, in several posts on ESPN and elsewhere, Jeff Ireland is quoted to say they would make Taylor an offer after the draft. Thus, in a way, Ireland was saying that an offer would be offered but that Taylor would have to wait, even with the Jets offer on the table--and bear in mind, Taylor's agent is a Jets fan. Thus it could be the agent's push to join the Jets, combined with the NYC bright lights and "Hard Knocks" as well as the "fact" that the Jets are (again) paper Super Bowl champs, was just too much for Taylor to refuse.

I sure would like to know who that "source" was!

Yet, Taylor's question deserves an answer: If he was good enough for a contract offer in November, 2009, why wasn't he good enough for a contract offer in the off-season, assuming Taylor isn't lying about that? Was there something Taylor did or did not do in December or January that kept Miami from making the playoffs, especially after that thrilling win over the Pats the first weekend of December? Did Taylor NOT rush the passers he played against the remainder of the season at the level Sparano and Co. expected him to? Did Taylor miss tackles? As Miami started losing in that three game losing streak at the end of the season, did Taylor clearly lose enthusiasm for the team over and above the other members of the team (besides Porter, whose lack of enthusiasm was obvious)? Was he more badly injured than he let on (which was why the Fins wanted him to get the surgery ASAP, but he waited instead?) At the time this was happening, did his Jets fan agent nudge JT in the direction of leaving the Fins with the agenda in mind of having him part of the Jets?

So what is my point in writing this? First of all, I think everyone that reads the Phinsider is concerned about Miami's outside linebacker situation for 2010. If I had to choose between a rookie (Misi), a castoff from Houston who plays well in spots, but only in spots (Anderson), and an ex-CFL guy who is clearly a pass rusher but clearly not a run stuffer (Wake), and clearly not much else, to start at OLB in a 3-4 defense, I'd be concerned as well, knowing that JT could have been signed at some point even if JT, IMHO, didn't really feel like he really, really wanted to come back to Miami in 2010 UNLESS he would be paid as if he was just coming off Defensive Player of the Year as in 2006. Yet, he clearly DID NOT have a Defensive Player of the Year kind of year in 2009. As the "source" article claims above, "He was on the field for more than 800 plays, yet he accounted for fewer than 30 tackles."

My conclusion: though the Trifecta could have handled this better and they may rue not signing him after all, it is obvious to me that Taylor did not do his part, either, to come back to Miami. for some reason, he put off the surgery he needed. Dolphins fans need to get over losing JT, because no matter what, it takes two to make a contract. Stop just blaming JT, and stop just blaming the Trifecta.

Is it just me, or does it appear to anyone else here that all or nearly all the moves the Jets have made in this off-season are designed to give them the best shot at doing what they couldn't do last year--that is, beat the Dolphins? And all that "We're going to the Super Bowl" bluster is just that: bluster? Is Rex Ryan justplaying mind games?

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I can't believe all the "we want Kindle" folks on here!

Being an Aggie Mom I saw his play in the Longhorn-Aggie game last year and yes he was great.

But still, he's got medical issues...one of which is narcolepsy.

My aunt has narcolepsy. Even though she was on narcolepsy control meds, she still managed to crash her car into her garage door coming home at night because when she pulled up to the driveway, she had a narcolepsy episode!

These episodes can be instantaneous...do you really want Kindle on the Fins being out there on the field playing outside linebacker against, say, the Bills CJ Spiller, and he misses a tackle because suddenly he has a narcolepsy episode and he falls down asleep?

I was very upset with Ted Ginn for dropping all those passes and blowing two games. Nothing personal, and I hope, sir, that you get over it and get on with your life (you'd be better off playing somewhere else, though). Same to you Gibril Wilson, you might be a good player, but fact is Miami doesn't need two strong safeties. You got no business playing free safety, so you too might do better elsewhere. Again nothing personal.

Sorry, guys, but I just can't stay pissed at Ted and Gibril, who of course, are the objects of a lot of hate here (and I've been guilty as well). But I apologize to these two. Folks, this is football, not WW3, not a total economic meltdown, not unemployment, bankruptcy, foreclosure, or other situations that Americans are going through that are a lot more dire than a couple of players blowing football games.

I still can't believe that with all the economic troubles in Cleveland, folks care more about the Browns than they do these more serious problem.

What the heck. I'm a woman so it must be menopause, eh?

I'll make this short and sweet. In the 40 or so years I've listened to or watched the NFL, I've never recalled anything close to the bullying BS from certain Jets players against the Dolphins or anyone else. Remember that "Super Bowl" talk vs. the Pats? Never once did they pick on Tom Brady. But nooooo! These Ray Lewis wannabes want to put Chad Henne in the hospital? I doubt if even a former thug like Ray Lewis would ever stoop this low! I'll never forget the animosity of the Raiders players for the Steelers in the 70s, but these Jets make those Raiders seem like good sports (though they weren't).

I blame Rex Ryan, who won't discourage this sort of thing, and I also blame the Jets front office, who (unlike Jeff Ireland telling Channing Crowder to cut out the BS with Ryan, and Crowder did) won't discipline their players either. Truly these folks have no class...and I've seen posts elsewhere where even Bills and Pats fans will root for the Fins because of the thuggery of the Jets. All because (unlike the Bills and Saints, who beat the Jets on defense) Miami beat on the Jets defense, and won on offense. (I guess it's okay to beat down the Jets offense, eh? But DO not show up Ryan's vaunted D!)

So, to close, are the Fins taking this game personally? Defending their honor against a bunch of bullies? Defending their insulted QB?Will they play as if their collective and individual manhood depends on it? This is how this woman sees it. This game gets more and more personal with each passing day.

I was away for a couple of weeks, mostly traveling and no 'puter, no TV, and just saw the Fins-Jets MNF game on NFL Game Rewind (folks, this is a must signup for, only 25 bucks now with the season in discount mode). Plus I have seen so much on the Saints debacle I'm sick of watching that game! Yeah, yeah, SI loves the Saints... good. Maybe they won't go unbeaten after all (and, in fact, I usually DO root for the Saints; they've been snakebit for years, I like Sean Payton, and most of my hubbie's folks are Saints fans since they live in Katrinaville and thereabouts). But anyway...if Reggie Bush keeps talking, maybe he will keep them from winning the NFC again...

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According to the ESPN "AFC East blog", Rex Ryan had this to say:

"I want to win now," Ryan said. "Every team in the league should want to win now. In my opinion it’s a copout for any team to say, 'We’ve got a four-year program.' Well, how convenient. Your contract is four years, or whatever. To me, I don’t see how that's justified"

He further elaborated: "Every team in the league has the same amount of money, the same resources. So why shouldn't you go for the same goal? We’re going for the Super Bowl championship. If people say that’s ridiculous, I think it’s ridiculous you should have any other goal in mind."

Now, if I was a Jets fan, these comments would worry me. Being the "old guard" Dolphins fan that I am, I seem to remember another coach--a coach similar to Ryan in that he was a blow hard--by the name of George Allen of the Washington Redskins. He went there in 1972.

His scheme to build the Redskins was simple:  take any of the good players they had (Sonny Jurgenson, Larry Brown and a few others), and trade away draft picks for that year and future years and sign a couple of good free agents, and load up the team which became called "the Over-the-Hill-Gang." Many of the players he traded for or that wound up there otherwise were "malcontents." Kinda like Braylon Edwards.

Well, the Redskins went to the Super Bowl that year, favored, with Billy Kilmer (another retread the Skins had gotten years before) as QB. But, they lost, and of course, we all know who they lost to. A team that was built the right way, through the draft and free agency, with one huge blockbuster trade along the way giving up a number one pick, for Paul Warfield, who was defintely worth it.

There is a lesson here, and, like I said, if I was a Jets fan, seeing my team trade away its future (I was surprised to learn the Jets still had a couple of draft picks left in the 2010 draft) would piss me off, especially for a player that only makes the team better on paper. Guys, there is a reason no one else wanted Braylon Edwards this off season when the Browns could have unloaded him.

And if I was a Jets fan, I would worry that all this talk about the Browns doing everything they could to make the Jets better just might be the opposite: maybe Mangini is in fact doing everything he can to make sure the Jets never go anywhere!

After all, Rex Ryan is "going for the Super Bowl" with a rookie QB who, if you rattle him enough, will give the opponent team a couple of TDs.

And while I don't think Ginn will ever pan out--he's been too psychologically messed with, by the team and especially the media and fans (kinda like Jason Allen)--I still think the Fins really are a year or maybe two away from winning the Super Bowl or at least being a serious contender. 2010 draft: linebackers and a bonafide Number 1 WR, and 2011 draft, a runner to replace Ricky, maybe another to replace Ronnie (eventually), and another NT (I think we can wait for this, since Soliai is playing real well this year while Fergy rests).

So, let Rex Ryan have his bogus "Super Bowl team."

Saw Bills-Fins on NFL Game Rewind this morning. If you didn't see the game on TV or at LandShark, this is a must see (sign up for about $40 and you can see all the Fins game as many times as you want plus 2008 games).

As for the 0-3 games:  the Fins were better than 0-3 indicated, but IMHO the one thing they lacked (which, given the talent they have, esp. in secondary) that kept them from interrupting Manning's (especially) or Rivers' or Ryan's passing games seemed to be a lack of passion. They wanted to win, but the passion, the will to dominate, wasn't there. Will Allen didn't have the passion vs. Vince Jackson (is he really an "elite receiver"? I doubt it!). Nor did Gibril Wilson and even the pass rush wasn't what it could have been. So why did Allen, who couldn't stop someone like Vince Jackson, be able to stop Terrell Owens, who is better than Jackson? And did you see Vontea Davis keep Owens from getting that late TD catch?

But they were on fire vs. Bills. I mean, Lynch get 8 carries 4 yards? Passion from the front 7. Wake & Taylor 6 sacks. Passion. Sean Smith knocks away a pass to Owens from behind. Passion. 250 yards rushing WITH great red zone work and no turnovers. Passion. Chad Henne's icy PASSION.

Against the Jets? Passion "on steroids"! Sanchez will wish he was playing Saints again!

Well, you Chad Pennington "haters", take a bow because you all were kinda right after all. Too bad Number 10 had to get injured badly enough to have to sit out the rest of the year, but I have a funny feeling "fate" or destiny or perhaps even the Head Coach Himself Upstairs is now with the Dolphins.

I have always like Chad Pennington even as a Jet, because I always felt he got a bad rap since he didn't have Joe Namath's arm, and the way the Jets treated him in the 2008 off season showed a lack of class (or is that endemic to the Jets?). It was wonderful that Penne did in the Jets by taking the division title last year, against them.

But now it is time to move on, as Pennington...well, he did it again, had a bad enough injury after having a great year. But the way Miami's offense has looked...I mean, not being able to score more than a few points against the Chargers, who do not have a great D...well, even if Penne had not gotten injured, it really, really was time to make a change, and Henne showed he could do it.

Since the Fins have run fairly well, I have a really good feeling about the offense now, and, put with a good defense, there is no reason why the Sparanos can't now make themselves more competitive.

In fact, Henne's taking over the offense makes it so worth it that if they don't make the playoffs, it still will have been worth it. After all, if Henne was going to have to take over next year anyway, at least when he does play the team's starting QB, he will have all of 2009 to learn from.

And having Thigpen as a backup (honestly, I had a nightmare they'd get Cleo Lemon back!) is a good idea, too.

According to ProFootballTalk, that is

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/09/05/holliday-time-in-denver/

Too bad....he spends three years or so on a mediocre-to-bad Fins team, then gets to go to the playoffs last year...and now he might go to the Broncos, a team that is definitely headed in the wrong direction?

At least he will have  Hill and Goodman to keep him company if he signs with them, and, come to think of it, Denver's defense looks (in the preseason anyway) as if it is a whole lot better than their offense.

But at least he didn't go to the Pats!

When I saw the score of the game earlier this morning (I went to bed early last night with a headache), and saw it was Dolphins 10, Saints 7, I said to myself, "Oh no, one of those games!" like the Bucs. Thankfully, it was much better than that for the Fins, playing a Saints team that has annihilated its opponents the first 3 games (even though they rested Brees and some of the other starters).

So again, the Sparanos weren't perfect but I think they "redeemed" themselves after the Bucs game, especially Henne, who played well, IMHO.

Observation 1:  Sean Smith, who made the NFL rookie defensive play of the pre-season, is amazing! I am thrilled the Fins got this guy. He deserves to start. In fact I have never seen a defensive back make a one-handed interception before.

Observation 2:  I think the running backs are ready for Atlanta. Same for the starting OL, and Pennington, of course. And, oh yeah,  so is the defense.

Observation 3:  It looks as if,  given the opportunity, Bess and Camarillo showed why they are still going to start this season, as good as Hartline has been.

Observation 4:  In the "duel" between who makes the team, London or Hilliard, I'd say Hilliard. When London dropped a couple of passes (I think from White), he DID NOT help his cause! Hilliard in with Cobbs got chunks and in fact I thought he played at least as well as Cobbs did.

Observation 5:  The OL reserves played well as did the DL reserves. If there is a "duel" between either Wright or Dotson making the team (since they both won't...and probably neither will!) each one got a sack on Harrington...still, isn't Wright ineligible for the practice squad? So I say Wright will be cut tomorrow (or maybe both, but Wright is a draft pick under another regime, while Dotson is a trifecta pick). I can't see any other DL making it with Fergy, Starks, Langford, Merling, Soliai, and McDaniels.

Observation 6:  Kershaw (as well as Torbor and Anderson and Wake) played great and might have saved himself a spot. Unfortunately, it probably means Folsom gets cut. I hope he can be stashed on PS.

Observation 7:  Courtney Bryan might make it. Billingsley? No way. Chris Clemons continues to show why he should be kept.

Observation 8:  Nalbone's a keeper and Haynos is a gonner. Not because Nalbone is that great so far, but because he's a draft pick, whereas Haynos was picked off waivers last year. In fact, I say every 2009 draft pick will be kept (with I hope Gardner and Folsom and perhaps Nalbone on the PS).

Observation 9:  There seems to be a rash of offensive coordinators getting the ax as the season begins. When I saw the Saints Harper running for that punt return TD, my mind quickly imagined that the same fate could fall onto Special Teams Coach Bonomego. I mean, is it simply the players aren't tackling well enough? At what point do you lay some of that blame on the ST Coach? When teams like the Raiders, Bills and Bucs have seemingly such great STs, I recall Sparano's "Why not us?" meme. Matty is sick and tired of bad ST play, and I second that emotion! Shula would never have put up with this nonsense!

Observation 10:  Special teams aside, I'd say the Fins are ready for the Falcons!

There are some rookies that really haven't impressed much yet or haven't played much (I think that is Turner's problem...Hartline is getting more reps...). But so far there are a handful of vets, either who have been on Fins or who have come this off-season, who just do not seem to be playing what they are worth. I'll leave Matt Roth out for now since he ain't playing. IMHO...

Gibril Wilson:  I'd heard he isn't much against the pass. I guess these folks are correct, but he does do well against run most of the time. I think I am more disappointed with Wilson than with anyone. According to one of the South Florida papers, neither he nor Bell are communicating much.

Yeremiah Bell: see above. Gosh folks, we need our starting safeties to mesh, no?

Vernon Carey:  everytime someone screwed on the OL vs. Bucs it seemed to be Carey. I might be wrong, but right it looks as if Carey is the weak link on the OL. But I've also seen Jake Long make a few mistakes as well. That simply won't do, folks!

Davone Bess:  I swear he only dropped one pass last year. Now it seems like he's dropping half the passes thrown to him. What the fluffy? And he's one of my fave Dolphins! (And why couldn't have caught that one-handed beauty IN BOUNDS?)

Will Allen: Again, that Bucs game. If Bell and Wilson aren't communicating well, I imagine that hurts Allen as well. Then again, Will Allen has played well in the other two games. However, given that he is mentoring Davis and Smith, Will Allen has to be at the top of his game always!

And now for something positive...

Randy Starks is playing great as starting DE, so much so I don't mind Merling screwing off. Crowder and Ayodele are playing like they mean it. But the biggest positive surprise is Paul Soliai, who I constantly ragged against last year. He has played like he could be starting nose tackle if Fergy goes down and line play would still be good.

Gee, two fan posts in one day!

Anyway, I have always enjoyed the ingenuity of calling the Dolphins SB blog, "The Phinsider." So I looked at the names of the other 31 NFL blogs at SBNation and chose the 5 best (cleverest) names, and the 5 worst names for the blogs. The envelopes, please...

Five Best:

The Falcoholic (Falcons): Like the "Phinsider," the name play on words is very clever and speaks to the fanatic nature of the blog.

Baltimore Beatdown (Ravens):  Considering how the Ravens play defense, this name is appropriate!

Revenge of the Birds (Cardinals):  A great play on a great movie title!

Cat Scratch Reader (Panthers):  A great play on a great song title!

The Phinsider (you know who):  and Matty writes as if he really is an  insider! Considering you are from NJ, Matty, you do a great job!

Five worst:

Pride of Detriot (Lions):  Not for about 50 years, kiddo!

Dawgs by Nature (Browns): You mean, "Dogs by Nature"!

Music City Miracles (Titans):  When the Titans win the Super Bowl, let me know! Otherwise, this blog title is wishful thinking at best and a cliche at worst!

Battle Red Blog (Texans):  Huh? What does this team have to do with the battle for independence of the Republic of Texas almost 200 years ago? Sounds like you guys are jealous of the Cowboys! (Now why would you do that???)

Field Gulls (Seahawks): Double-Huh?

And now, a word about the other three AFC East blogs....

The best of these is Buffalo Rumblings. In fact it is almost as good as The Phinsider, with lots of good and current info on the Bills, well written and good style, and opinion pieces that aren't just rah-rah stuff. If I need info on the Bills, this is where I would go. And he doesn't get all worked up over TO, either...another big plus!

Pats Pulpit is okay, but too much of the info seems to be quotes from Boston or ESPN writers, and I really don't have a feel for any original writing style. But at least the writer gives the Fins credit and that's a plus.

Gand Green Nation isn't the worst SB blog but too many grammatical and spelling errors, plus lack or original writing style and seemingly (like Pats Pulpit) most of it just quoting other media outlets makes this blog prbably in the lower half of the NFL blogs. To the writer's credit though, I like that he posts not only the Jets player's numbers and position, but other pertinent facts on his Jets roster.

And here's to you, Matty! I regularly visit many other Dolphin fan blogs and yours is THE BEST of all! THANKS! (PLus, you put up with my pontifications!)

Since I have to share the TV with two others (husband and daughter) in the house, both of whom hate football (!), I didn't get to watch most of the Bucs-Fins on FOX Thursday night, so I watched it Friday at noon central. A good thing. They cut out the weather delay.

I lived in the Tampa Bay area for a year and have relatives there (Bucs fans, of course), and was not surprised they had to delay the game over lightning. Tampa Bay is the "Lightning Capital of America".

I am only going to comment on the game with Miami's offensive starters, during Pennington's time of play, which was up until the TD, and then McCown's series after that when he finally completed some passes.

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It turned out that when the replay on Tuesday afternoon was cut off for Farve-a-polooza, it was right before Sean Smith took that interception and Henne threw the TD pass to Wilford. So I don't have to repeat that I was impressed with Henne and very impressed with Smith. So this is mostly about the play of Pat White and the third stringers, mostly rookies.

Observation #1:  I can't wait to see Pat White in the future. He may not be a great QB but he is interesting to watch.

Observation #2:  As much of a rap as Jason Allen has taken these past couple of years, I thought he played better than Eric Green, and, guess what? Green was cut and Allen wasn't.

Observation #3:  While these players were mostly guys who will likely NOT make the final 53, some of them possibly deserve to at least make the practice squad. In other words, this team is more talented than I thought they were. Some that I hope will be kept somehow are Lex Hilliard, Courtney Bryan, Chris Clemons, JD Folsom, and Ernest Wilford...but don't ask me where or how all these guys can be kept! If they do go onto the practice squad, some of them will get picked off through waivers. And Chris Williams, as well.

Observation #4:  I wouldn't be surprised if the next to go were Kimble (fairlure to catch pass led to interception of White) and Armstrong (did he even do anything besides not catch a pass?)...I cant' remember some of the others but several didn't look like they contributed.

Well ,just like the NFL Network screwed me during the showing of that classic "Hook and Lateral Game," between the Fins and the Chargers in the 1981 playoffs--the only game Miami ever lost where I felt like they won--in which the NFL Network stopped showing the game to spend an hour discussing the Jay Cutler trade just to keep on discussing it during NFLTA, Rich Eisen and the gang did it to me again Tuesday when they cut short the second half of the game in order to do the final edition (I hope!) of Favre-a-polooza! Since they'll re-show it Thursday 6 am central time (Yes, I'm getting up at 7:30 am to record the rest of the game!), I can only comment on the first part of the game, then later Thursday I'll comment on the rest of it.

Observation #1:  W NY fins Fan, Finsx, ct, and the rest of the Chad "lame duck" Pennington crew here, I think, scored a point or two with me. Up until the Jags game I saw nothing in Henne to make me think he's anything but a typical second stringer. When Henne was sacked, then got up on the next down and threw that nice pass to Harline (I think, or maybe Martin), and then (from my memory watch it late at night Monday...I couldn't watch the whole game Monday night), mustering all the poise he could after that penalty on Grove, to throw that nice pass to ricky who dropped it (!), and that great pass to Wilford (seen on video), and what I thought was pretty good judgment otherwise except for that interception (Never shoulda thrown that pass!), it looks like these Chad P "haters" may not be so crazy after all.

Observation #2: Some say Jake Grove played badly, but I beg to differ (and the Sun Sentinel blogger agrees with me or I agree with him, whatever) that when Donald Thomas was in there, Grove played a lot better. when Grove got flattened by Henderson in series 1, it was Murphy, not Thomas, next to him. Still, Grove didn't do a whole lot to convince me that trading Satele was a good idea.

Observation #3: the whole line of "the later draft picks per position do better than the earlier ones" is being continued. Sean Smith is going to start over Vontae Davis, just like Langford over Merling and Thomas over Murphy. I loved Sean Smith! Can't believe this guy is a rookie! Davis, on the other hand, looks and plays like a rookie. Davis I think came in with too high an opinion of himself and what with Wilson's grabbing him and anything else Sparano said or Pasqualoni, Davis I think came back down to earth and I think he will take it from there. I think once Davis gets over himself he will be fine, as Sparano has said in reports.

Observation #4: The trifecta seems to be drafting better than trading. I really don't think Eric Green is going to make the team. He looked horrible! Heck, Davis was better (dumber, but overall better...Bouman loved picking on Green!). Grove will be okay, but I still miss Satele. And Gibril Wilson? Good against run, so so against pass. Why do I keep thinking Fins best secondary man is Bell? (Will allen was also beat once or twice, once by Holt)

Observation #5: Matt Roth had better get over whatever it is he has, because JT was beautiful! But can he be "beautiful" for 60 minutes if Roth does not get back into it? Starks better not wind up missing any playing time over that misdemeanor stuff, 'cos he is playing great. In fact with one or two small exceptions, first team D was outstanding.

Observation #6: Though Henne looked good and Penne less so, Chad P played the way I thought he would...very very conservatively. In fact it looked like the first team offense skill players (except for Ginn and that one run by Ricky) was just going through the motions. thank god it was pre-season. If they play like that in the regular season Fins are toast!

Observation #7: they have a big dilemma at TE: Nalbone looked good. Martin ok (did not notice Fasano). Haynos did not look good, and Wilford? They may have to open a spot somewhere for him...or maybe he just played well against Jags because they are his former team. Kinda like McDaniel.

Observation #8: Chris Williams, for all his doofy mistakes, is one guy I hope makes the team! (But he had better learn how to handle ball better).

One Sunday afternoon on Long Island, NY, my father and I was watching a Jets game on NBC. The year? 1970. The opponent? The Miami Dolphins, who I knew nothing about except they had players with funny names like Griese, Kiick, and Csonka. If I remember correctly, the Fins were winning, but since the Jets had Namath you couldn't take anything for granted. Suddenly, Griese threw a long pass, real pretty...to Paul Warfield.

"Paul Warfield is on the Dolphins?" I said to no one in particular. "I love Paul Warfield!" You see, my dad was a Giants fan and in NFL games before the merger I saw quite a bit of Warfield on TV. He was my favorite NFL player.

Shortly thereafter the TV guy showed the Miami coach and said, "Yadda yadds Don Shula yadda yadda."

"Don Shula coaches the Dolphins? I thought he coached the Colts?"

Well almost immediately I got my dad's copy of Sports Illustrated for their NFL preview, turned to the AFC East page and it said, after mentioning the Jets and Colts, "...and Don Shula has his Dolphins jumping through hoops." Nick Buoniconti, eh? I thought. I knew this guy was one of the AFL's best middle linebackers, from the Patriots, and had seen him play in a Pats-Jets game once.

The Dolphins beat the Jets, and I got real interested. I had rooted for the Vikings--I had never considered rooting for any AFL team, at least until the Jets won Super Bowl III--since 1968. They had Joe Kapp, who was a real screwball thrower with moxie, and the Purple People Eaters, and Bud Grant. At that time I was also interested in Viking myths. But then Kapp left the team on the heals of losing to the Chiefs in Supe IV. I was looking for a new team.

And in the Dolphins I found one. They won their last six games and made the playoffs in only their fifth year of existence.

After going through the Super Bowl years, the fall from grace, the rebuilding, retaking elite status but not winning the Super Bowl, slouching back toward mediocrity, the last years of Marino--which I didn't get to see since being married and living out in rural far west Texas we had no TV until we got satellite in 1998--Shula's retirement and then Marino's--missing a pretty good period with Jimmy Johnson and then early Wannstedt, and getting back into it after the Pats won the "9-11" Super Bowl, almost appropriately, and our son wanting now to watch football--he was early teens then--I finally started to get interested in the Fins again. Right when things started going wrong, 2004-2005.

But I lived through that and I lived through 2007, when things could not have been worse for a Fins fan who had seen the glory. Not only the 1-15, but bitter hated rival NE was undefeated! These guys could be seen as even better than the 1972 Fins if they go 19-0. but my late Dad's team took care of that one for me!

So joy of joys, the Dolphins accomplish the greatest single season turnaround in NFL history by going 11-5 and making the playoffs, because 1) they cleaned house (learn a lesson, Detroit!) 2) the Trifecta is rebuilding from the inside out 3) they finally had a damned good draft after four or five lousy ones 4) they got Chad Pennington (thank you, Jets!).

But some Fins fans are STILL whining! Chad P was fine, but he's got a noodle arm so lets bring in Henne, they say. And then there are the Ted Ginn haters. GET OVER IT! IT IS NOT HIS FAULT A BAD HC DRAFTED HIM NUMBER 9! And then there are those who say Akin Ayodele sucks and Crowder almost sucks. If Ayodele is so bad then why did he start on the Cowboys, who don't let sucky players start? If Crowder is so bad then why were we all wishing he'd come back in during that Chiefs game he missed due to injury? Further, it is not Penne's fault his shoulder got hurt a few times and now he can't throw like he did before. And some of you want Ronnie Brown traded? Are you folks nuts?

Some of you are beginning to sound like Jets fans. Jets fans will be perhaps eternally disappointed because the Jets have been trying to get the next Joe Namath for about 40 years and they haven't done that, so Jets fans everywhere are still hoping, and that Sanchez is the reincarnation of Namath. They'll be disappointed again I'm sure, even if Sanchez is a good QB:  they'll find something to complain about! And some Dol-fans are just as bad, wanting Henne to play because "he's the next Marino." Oh, really? How would you know? Because he's got better arm strength than Pennington?

Well, when Henne can win 11 games when he was on another team less than a month before a new season starts, let me know. I appreciate that Henne got the Fins a late TD vs. the Cards, but please, guys, you ain't convincing me.

So, Henne is "the next Marino," in some minds. Well, if we are going to play that game, let me answer by saying this: Chad Pennington is no where's near the next Marino. But you know something? In so many ways (again, with not quite the arm strength), Pennington IS THE NEXT GRIESE!

And which QB, Marino or Griese, won a Super Bowl? So don't tell me you want the "next Marino"!

Now, Ted Ginn will never be the next Warfield. But neither is Randy Moss, TO, Roddy White, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Andre Johnson or Donald Driver. Warfield was perhaps the most gifted reciever to ever play this game, who could play it great regardless of who was throwing it. (Who was Cleveland's QB in his time there, anyway?) But those of you who diss Teddy also say that when Henne gets to be the QB Ginn will do great. You all just don't understand that Ginn Jr.'s best thing is that he can run like hell after the catch and did some really cool things last year (remember how he faked out two Jets defenders by staying back to catch that 30 some-odd yard pass, and the defenders got ahead of him? Never mind that 176 yard Bills game!) And I agree that Miami does not have an elite reciever corp. In 2008. who know what will happen in 2009? I say Teddy had a damned good year.

Crowder will be fine. Don't you know his bit with Rex Ryan was a motivator for himself? Ayodele? Guys, we could do worse! I saw nothing wrong with his play last year. Why is it some folks think the Dolphins have to have the best team on paper? Guy, they don't play on paper! As for the secondary, some of the folks who say "we" got one helluva safety duo in Wilson and Bell also complain "we" don't have a similar CB duo. Boo hoo! Jason Allen is a bust. Who's fault is that? (I'd say the Dolphins, who keep on switching this guy. does anyone really wonder why Allen is not the world's greatest CB? Safety?) Boo hoo Eric Green is a waste. So what? No player is a waste until he proves he is! Boo hoo they'll have to start a rookie. So what? Miami started two rookie linemen last year. Long and Langford played great and made the All-Rookie team. And Merling starts this year. Are you folks saying either Vontae Davis or Sean Smith just won't be good enough? How do you know? And, oh yeah, boo hoo, Jason Ferguson is old and we have no replacement. Maybe he isn't as old as we think he is, and maybe they will have a replacement this year, and if not then next year. Boo hoo Randy Starks is going to jail. Let's wait and see on that one. I bet he won't, and maybe there really is some justice left in this country.

And let me finish up here. I don't want to see any more complaints about Grove and Smiley and Thomas and their injuries. Guys, this ain't last year. Some say Cam Wake is a bust already because CFL guys can't play in the NFL. Tell that one to Joe Theissmann (or the survivors of David Overstreet). Trade Fasano, because "we" got Haynos, Martin, and now Nalbone. You're joking, right? Fasano is already being compared to one of the great TEs, Mark Bavaro. So Fasano (and Bavaro) aren't Tony Gonzales (or Kellen Winslow, Sr. of the Chargers). He (they) don't need to be Gonzales, or Witten, or Dallas Clark or any of those guys.

I'm not saying the Fins will win the Super Bowl this year (but they WILL win the Super Bowl within the next few years), and I'm not saying even that they will win the division this year, or that their won't be perhaps a setback or two. Anything can happen.

All I'm saying is this: until there is something to complain about, stop complaining. Until you have seen a dynasty-on-the-make fall flat in Oakland or anywhere else, and been through the heart ache of losing three fine players to a rival league, and been through a rebuilding project that might not have had to be, then you really don't know what a heart ache is for your beloved team. Compared to that, 2007 was a day at the beach.

My take on the Porter-Crowder commentary that is driving some sports pundits crazy...

I now feel compelled to write this, but I've been feeling it since 1972!

I don't know why (but I have my suspicions), but whenever the Miami Dolphins, after years of mediocrity, finally turn the corner and develop into a potential powerhouse and then actually accomplish that feat, most sports pundits say "oh what a nice feel good story," then proceed to banish the team back to mediocrity using any excuse they can.

In 1971's preseason predictions, the division was handed to the Colts. Well, okay, they were the Super Bowl champs, so that makes sense. But it was Miami who won the AFC East and then the AFC.

So in 1972, Miami was given the AFC East crown preseason, but wasn't anywhere in anyone's Super Bowl predictions. The Raiders, if I remember rightly, were handed the AFC crown, and some had them beating the Cowboys in Super Bowl VII. Well, need I say how that turned out!

But then in 1973, who got the kudos to win the Super Bowl? The Dolphins? Heck no! Their schedule was easy in 1972 so that's why they went undefeated.

Oh, and, BTW, they went undefeated WITHOUT THEIR STARTING QB most of the season, but that was poo-pooed as well.

No, in 1973, the Steelers were the ones who got all the pundit love.

Interesting, in light of my complaint: the Steelers, remember, were 1972's "feel good" story. So why did they get the respect, but today's turned-around 2009 Dolphins get nothing but this:  their schedule should keep them out of the playoffs.

And the worst thing is this: Most Dolphins fans believe this nonsense!*

Thank goodness the Dolphins players and coaches don't believe it!

For instance, the big fluff in this past week's offseason color has been what Joey Porter and also Channing Crowder have said about sports pundits running their keyboards about how there is no way the Patriots won't win the AFC East this year, as well as win the Super Bowl.

Porter said (I think drawing a wrong conclusion) that both Pats' WRs Randy Moss and Wes Welker <a href="http://www.phinsider.com">"claimed" that the Pats would retake the division and win the Super Bowl</a>. Crowder said pretty much the same thing, adding his barb at the Jets loudmouth coach, Rex Ryan.

Actually, Moss said  no such thing (http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/messages/chrono/15233595), nor did Welker (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/peter_king/05/24/memorialday/index.html) when interviewed on Peter King's blog.

They said with Brady back the Pats offense will be better in 2009 than in 2007. One could read into that, however, that they think the Pats will retake the division and win the Super Bowl. And that is what Porter and Crowder did, I think.

Yet it doesn't help when every pundit, INCLUDING DOLPHIN PUNDITS!, hand the AFC East back to the Patriots this preseason, based solely on the fact that Brady is back, without taking into account that the Dolphins have also improved. Not to mention that the Jets and Bills have also improved!

I think that is precisely what has gotten Crowder and Porter so hot and bothered.

It is too bad, however, that the only pundits bringing this up, such as http://www.profootballtalk.com, are bringing it up because he's a Patriots fan, and believes that by bringing it up, the Pats will have "incentive" to go out and beat the Dolphins twice this year.

As if losing the AFC East last year wasn't incentive enough.

Memo to Mr. Florio: Pats beat Dolphins twice next year? Ain't gonna happen!

What is "gonna happen," however, is that the Fins will do what the Fins have to do to not only win the AFC East again in 2009, on the field if not on paper, but win in the playoffs as well. And, like 1971 through 1973, have a say in the Super Bowl as well.

Thank God Tony Sparano believes it, and thank God so do the players.

* I, too, have picked the Pats to win the division. But I said that in the context that 2009 is their last hurrah, and that it will be the Dolphins dominating this division in the future. But I NEVER SAID the Fins won't make the playoffs. They will, one way or another, in 2009.

But I also said on BR that with Jason Taylor back, I might pick the Fins to win the division, after all.

(I originally posted this on Bleacher Report)