Dolphin ‘D’ makes up for gaping holes with ball-hawking prowess

By Hugo Guzman  |   Monday, December 01, 2008  |  Comments( 3 )

Miami Dolphins
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Make no mistake about it: The Miami Dolphins have plenty of positions that need to be shored up in the offseason. Cornerback and safety are at the top of most folks’ lists, although some would argue that the unit is also in need of a talent infusion at linebacker and a youth movement at defensive tackle. The Dolphins' defense has been on the receiving end of several aerial assaults this season, the most notable ones coming in losses against the Cardinals, Texans and Patriots. They’ve also been gashed on the ground at times, including the first half of Sunday's 16-12 win over the St. Louis Rams.

However, lost in all the negativity over Miami’s Swiss Cheese secondary and somewhat mistake-prone run 'D' is the emergence of a quality that will often tip the balance in a defense’s favor -- the ability to generate turnovers.

Miami’s oft-maligned defense has forced five takeaways in its last eight quarters of play and a total of 16 in its past 10 games; this comes after starting the season with just one in the team's first two contests. The most recent forced turnover, an Andre Goodman interception on a desperation deep ball by Marc Bulger, helped seal the win against the Rams.

Understandably, fans and media pundits spend more time focusing on the defense’s deficiencies. After all, when you give up 415 passing yards and three touchdowns to a career backup like Matt Cassel in a key Week 12 divisional matchup, it’s hard to find a positive spin on the situation. Still, it’s worth mentioning because if Miami is able to fill some of the glaring holes while continuing to build on this newfound ball-hawking tendency, the Dolphins could quickly move from mediocre to above average. That would obviously mean a lot for a team that already boasts one of the most consistently productive offenses in the NFL.

Incidentally, it’s worth mentioning that Miami’s “other” defense – its punt and kick coverage units – have improved significantly over the past two weeks. Two Sundays ago, the Patriots mustered just 10 yards per punt return and only 19 yards a kick return in Miami. To follow that up, the Dolphins allowed the Rams a mere 1 yard per punt return and just under 6 yards each kick runback.

Extra Points
- Chad Pennington had one of his worst statistical outings of the season, completing just 13 of 23 attempts for 166 yards against the Rams; to be fair, though, he was victimized by some key drops and a costly fumble by tight end David Martin.

- No. 1 wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. amassed some decent numbers, catching four balls for 55 yards, but he had an important drop and was outshone by rookie Davone Bess -- who hauled in six passes for 84 yards. His steady and occasionally flashy performance helped lessen the sting of Greg Camarillo’s season-ending knee injury.

- Despite playing against one of the league’s worst run defenses, Miami once again failed to dominate the line of scrimmage and put up the gaudy rushing performance that was expected of it. The trio of Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and Patrick Cobbs combined for 114 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries.

- Fullback Lousaka Polite was arguably the MVP of the backfield, rushing for 20 tough yards on three carries and making a fantastic shoestring catch on a key third down late in the fourth quarter. That grab allowed Miami to run additional time off the clock.

- Statistically speaking, Miami’s defense was actually quite stout against the Rams. The unit settled down nicely in the second half, generating three turnovers while holding Steven Jackson and Bulger in check. The Dolphins also bent but did not break, containing the Rams' offense to four field goals but no touchdowns. Jackson finished the day with 94 yards on 21 carries. Bulger completed 16 of 35 attempts for just 149 yards to go along with three interceptions. Credit the coaching staff with making solid adjustments.
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About Hugo Guzman

Co-founder of RealFootball365.com. Born in Argentina, of Dominican descent, living in Hoboken, but from Miami through and ...
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