Colts, Patriots offer blueprint for Dolphins’ future

By Hugo Guzman  |   Monday, November 05, 2007  |  Comments( 2 )

Miami Dolphins
Got something to say?

Log In above and share your thoughts on this topic with other fans!
Some were referring to yesterday's New England-Indianapolis tilt as Super Bowl XLI½. Some were hailing it as the game of the century. As far as the 0-8 Miami Dolphins were concerned, it didn't really much matter who won the game or what the appropriate naming convention should have been.

Instead, the umpteenth matchup between the NFL's two premier franchises served as a blueprint for what the Dolphins need to do in order to leave the NFL's cellar and return to relevance.

Let's start with the quarterback position. The Colts and Patriots both boast Hall of Fame-caliber signalcallers who are the epitome of consistency. Peyton Manning has started every game the Colts have played since 1998. Tom Brady has started every game the Patriots have played since early in the 2001 season.

Can Dolphins rookie John Beck attain that type of status? The odds are certainly against it. However, if Beck can provide some semblance of consistency at the quarterback position, by staying healthy and remaining effective, Miami will have made a tremendous step in the right direction.

Remember, the Dolphins' franchise is one that hasn't had one quarterback start all 16 games since '01, which is part of the reason why the Dolphins have not been able to field a top-tier offense since the Dan Marino era.

The other constant the Colts and Patriots share is a well-rounded and dependable offensive line. There aren't a lot of Pro Bowlers on either line, but both units enjoy a high level of cohesiveness that comes with years of collaboration. The result? Both Manning and Brady have plenty of time to throw and each team enjoys a healthy ground game, regardless of who lines up at running back.

The Dolphins appear to be halfway there, having a line that helped pave the way for an All-Pro-caliber early season performance by Ronnie Brown; after Brown's season-ending injury, the line has recently provided plenty of running room for reserve Jesse Chatman. An impressive young nucleus made up of center Samson Satele, guard Rex Hadnot and left tackle Vernon Carey appears to be in place. All that's needed now is a little more consistency in pass protection and an upgrade at left guard and possibly right tackle.

Clearly, Beck is still an unknown quantity at this point, so it could take one or two years to know whether he fits into the blueprint set forth by the Pats and Colts. Fortunately, Beck has a solid young line protecting him and some young talent to throw to on the outside; therefore, the 26-year-old does have some aspects in his favor.

Defensively, it appears as if there's a whole lot more unknowns to work with. There are question marks at every level of the defense, and the most glaring hole exists in the secondary

That void in the defensive backfield provides a perfect segue for the next set of blueprints provided by the league's two best teams.

Rest assured that both the Colts and Patriots have plenty of playmakers along the D-line and at the linebacker position, but it can be argued that their defensive success is a direct byproduct of secondaries whose centerpiece plays strong safety.

New England employs a seasoned veteran in Rodney Harrison, and Indianapolis relies on a young up-and-comer in Bob Sanders, but the results are the same: Both teams limit the set of options available to opposing offenses by way of excellent secondaries. Mind you, short of Harrison, Sanders and Pats cornerback Asante Samuel, neither unit has many big names. However, both units boast a level of depth that allows players to be interchangeable, rendering both teams injury-resistant and allowing for some very creative scheming.

Do the Dolphins currently employ a similar playmaker who can anchor the defensive secondary? Probably not. Yeremiah Bell has shown flashes but has suffered a potentially career-curbing Achilles' injury, and former first-rounder Jason Allen has struggled mightily in his first season-plus of professional football.

Would it be wise to rely on either of these guys to anchor a future resurgence in the secondary? Absolutely not. Miami must attempt to secure a true playmaking safety either via free agency or in the draft.

Otherwise the Dolphins will go into the 2008 season without a key piece of the blueprint that has worked so well for the two best teams in the NFL. In truth, that would be a serious misstep in a league that thrives on the copycat ethic.

Now, some might say that there is no need to replicate what the Colts and Patriots have done; to those of you who feel that way, I offer up a tried-and-true sports cliché:

"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

Steal the blueprint for success with the Miami Dolphins at RealFootball365.com
Got something to say?

Log In above and share your thoughts on this topic with other fans! (2)

About Hugo Guzman

Co-founder of RealFootball365.com. Born in Argentina, of Dominican descent, living in Hoboken, but from Miami through and ...
read more
Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report