Dolphins hoping that bye week hasn’t dampened enthusiasm

By Jeff Dickinson  |   Thursday, October 02, 2008  |  Comments( 4 )

Miami Dolphins
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Sometimes a bye week in the NFL is just what the doctor ordered. It can help a team rest players who are tired or hurting and it can stop the bleeding when a club needs a little push in the right direction.

There are other cases, however, when a week off couldn’t come at a worse time. That was the situation two weeks ago after the Miami Dolphins upset the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., 38-13. After Miami’s biggest win in several years, the last thing the coaches and players wanted was to have to wait two weeks to play another game.

The Dolphins probably wish they could have played a Thursday night game so the thought of their total domination of the Patriots would have still been fresh in their minds. However, Miami will have had 13 days to prepare for the league top-ranked quarterback, Phillip Rivers, and the explosive offense of the San Diego Chargers.

The Chargers might only be 2-2 on the season, but they could very easily be 4-0. San Diego’s first defeat came on the last play of their Week 1 contest against the Carolina Panthers. The Chargers then lost to the Denver Broncos on the controversial non-fumble call on Jay Cutler that altered the complexion of the game.

While the Chargers do have all-everything running back LaDainian Tomlinson, their offense has started and ended this season with the play of Rivers, who has 10 touchdown passes and a gaudy rating over 100.

Tomlinson, who has been bothered by turf toe this season, is still a dangerous threat out of the San Diego backfield. Despite his struggles, he has rushed for four touchdowns over the past two games.

All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates has also come on strong for the Chargers of late. Gates has caught a touchdown pass in each of San Diego’s past two games after starting the season slowly.

In addition to putting pressure on Rivers and trying to limit Tomlinson’s long runs, the Dolphins are going to want to try to utilize their own tight end. Anthony Fasano, who is leading Miami in catches (11), receiving yards (150) and TDs (two), should be in position to have a productive day against the Chargers.

Each of the Chargers’ four opponents this season has had a tight end shine. Opposing TEs have caught a combined 28 passes against San Diego for 348 yards and three touchdowns. The Chargers are last in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (276.3).

Mainly behind the renewed spirit of linebacker Joey Porter, Miami has a much-improved pass rush this season. Porter, who leads the Dolphins with four sacks, has helped Miami record a total of nine sacks through three games. The Dolphins didn’t achieve that many sacks until the seventh game of the 2007 season.

If the Dolphins are going to prove that the upset win over the Patriots was no fluke, things will have to start at home against the Chargers on Sunday. With a victory over San Diego, the Dolphins would improve to 2-2 on the season, quickly exceeding their win total (one) from '07.
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About Jeff Dickinson

I have been writing and editing professionally for 18 years. I spent the first three years of my career as a sportswriter for a daily newspaper in Alabama and got to cover sports and get paid for it! It was great until I got married and then it wasn't too much fun being away from my wife every ...
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