Steelers offer blueprint for Dolphins’ future success

By Hugo Guzman  |   Sunday, January 25, 2009  |  Comments( 3 )

Miami Dolphins
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No disrespect to the Arizona Cardinals, but this writer has a hard time believing two things: 1. That they will be back in the Super Bowl again in the near future; 2. That they would have made their improbable run to the Super Bowl if they were in the AFC. That said, if the Cardinals go on to upset the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, it wouldn’t really be all that shocking.

But that’s not the point of this column.

Instead, the focus will be on identifying key characteristics that have made the Steelers perennial Super Bowl contenders on the verge of securing their second championship in four years:

1) Depth – Few teams can afford to jettison perennial Pro Bowlers and still stay at the pinnacle of competition. However, the Steelers did just that, allowing veteran linebacker Joey Porter to walk prior to the 2007 regular season. Porter has returned to Pro Bowl form with the Dolphins, but his production does not seem to be missed in the least bit. After all, the Steelers were first in the NFL in total defense this season and also boast the league’s defensive player of the year in linebacker James Harrison. This is just one of various examples that bear testament to Pittsburgh’s impressive depth on both sides of the ball.

Miami had a great season in 2008, but its lack of depth means that it is just an injury or two away from falling back into the pack of NFL mediocrity.

2) A franchise defensive tackle – Casey Hampton doesn’t put up an impressive stat line, having recorded just 5.5 sacks and three forced fumbles during his eight-year career; however, it can be argued that the veteran is the most important player on Pittsburgh's defense. His ability to collapse the line of scrimmage and occupy two blockers on virtually every play paves the way for the more notable exploits of guys like Harrison and all-world safety Troy Polamalu.

Jason Ferguson did an admirable job for the Dolphins in '08, but he's aging (34) and has a history of injury issues, so the team's brain trust would be wise to find his replacement. There are whispers that second-year pro Paul Soliai could be that replacement, but his history of disciplinary problems and inconsistent play suggests that Miami should hedge its bets in the draft.

3) A Pro Bowl defensive back – As suggested in a prior column, Miami is in desperate need of a true game-changer in the secondary. Granted, guys like Polamalu aren’t exactly commonplace, but as is the case with most of the league’s perennially stout defenses, there needs to be at least one Pro Bowler roaming the Miami secondary.

4) A franchise quarterback – Say what you will about Ben Roethlisberger, but he has proven that he has what it takes to win games on the largest of stages. And just five years into his pro career, the 2004 first-round pick is on the verge of securing his second Super Bowl ring.

Miami also has a first-round pick at the helm in Chad Pennington, but he’ll turn 33 before the start of the 2009 season and still has not proven that he is capable of leading a team deep into the playoffs. His heir apparent, second-round pick Chad Henne, has a fairly strong arm and had a good showing in mop-up duty against the Cardinals in Week 2. Hopefully for the Dolphins, Pennington’s smarts will rub off on Henne, resulting in the perfect combination of physical ability and mental awareness. Otherwise, Miami will continue to look up to teams like the Steelers instead of joining them.
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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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