For Dolphins, Fast Starts Aren’t Enough

By MikeBullock  |   Thursday, October 29, 2009  |  Comments( 1 )

Miami Dolphins
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Every good coach knows the best way to beat a high-powered offense is to start fast and never let off the gas. Tony Sparano and his Miami Dolphins did get off to a rapid-fire scoring frenzy last Sunday, but left the door open for the sleeping giant to awaken.

With two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter to offset New Orleans apparent desire to play kickball, after fifteen minutes, it seemed the Dolphins would prove their backers right by beating the powerhouse Saints. Add ten more points to the total by halftime, while only giving up seven in return and Miami must have felt pretty good about their chances of defeating one of the most potent offenses in recent NFL memory. Their Wildcat formation was working and it seemed New Orleans had no answers for stopping it.

Then the first half came to a close, and with it all of Miami’s momentum. Darren Sharper’s 42 yard interception return for a touchdown at the beginning of the second half accentuated that point. It was as if you could feel the power surge in the opposite direction with every step Sharper took towards the end zone.

Try as they might, each successive play put Miami further and further behind the eight ball, even though they retained the lead until 8:35 left in the fourth quarter. Make no mistake, however, they played as if they were the losing team from the beginning of the third. Sloppy mistakes from Ted Ginn, Greg Camarillo and Chad Henne illustrated that point all too well.

By the time Drew Brees dove across the goal line, it was only a formality of watching the clock roll down until Miami’s dream of upsetting the wildfire Saints was nothing more than that.

Even though Miami didn’t capture a win last Sunday, it’s safe to say they have officially risen back out of the NFL basement now. While many critics wondered if last season was a fluke, Sparano and his band have proven they can hold their own with the NFL big boys, even if it’s only for the first fifty-one minutes. A look at their record might indicate otherwise, but they do possess one of the toughest schedules in all of football.

Up next, the ‘Phins fly north for the winter and an encounter with the New York Jets. While Jets’ coach Rex Ryan is considered to be one of the best defensive minds in the game, his schemes proved impotent against Miami’s mastery of the Wildcat. These two teams are also the current reigning champions in the NFL’s rushing stats department, with the Jets averaging 184.9 ypg and the Dolphins putting up 170.3 ypg. That alone should provide some exciting football. While the Jets have won eight of their last eleven against Miami, the ‘Phins own six of their last seven against division rivals. This one really could go either way.

It’s easy to rationalize the loss to New Orleans, but losing to the Jets might mean the Dolphins will need a bigger excuse at the end of the season, one sizable enough to explain why they aren’t the repeating AFC East champions.
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