Dolphins quietly building the best rushing attack in the NFL

By Hugo Guzman  |   Monday, October 05, 2009  |  Comments( 3 )

Miami Dolphins
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239, 149, and 250.

What do those numbers represent? Oh, just Miami's rushing output over their last three games.

Despite a pedestrian opening effort that netted just 94 yards on 22 carries (which isn't all that bad generally speaking) the Dolphins have quickly asserted themselves as one of the league's most punishing ground offenses in the league, chewing up yardage and time of possession at an alarming rate. The touchdowns are also coming, with six of ground scores coming in the first four games.

Credit the Miami Dolphins' coaching staff first and foremost, for sticking with the ground and weaving in just the right mix of Wildcat to keep opposing defenses off balance despite a relative lack of passing firepower. Also, the high-priced offensive line deserves its due for paving solid running lanes on a consistent basis. In the end, however, the bulk of the credit should go to the R & R express, which has been running with purpose in all four of Miami's contests.

Ronnie Brown is on pace for yet another Pro Bowl season, racking up 369 yards to go along with 4 touchdowns on 72 carries. Clearly, his knee is close to 100% and his yards-per-carry and carries-per-game averages (5.1 and 18 respectively) are just about right. Moreover, Brown continues to orchestrate the Wildcat to near perfection.

Ricky Williams is also chugging along at a great pace, amassing 248 yards and 2 touchdowns on 50 carries. Despite his turbulent past, Williams' unselfishness and grit has ingratiated him with the fan base and his production is quickly putting him into the upper echelon of Dolphins greats.

Oh, and it's worth mentioning that fullback Lousaka Polite and third-stringer Patrick Cobbs are no slouches either, chipping in when called upon with tough runs and key first downs.

Miami is averaging close to 200 yards per game on the ground, and the team is dominating time of possession as a result. If this type of production continues, and youngster Chad Henne is able to bring some semblance of balance to the offense via the passing attack, the Dolphins will become a difficult team to stop as the season progresses.

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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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