Miami’s ‘B’ team surprisingly effective

By Hugo Guzman  |   Tuesday, November 13, 2007  |  Comments( 3 )

Miami Dolphins
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If there's one thing that an 0-9 football team is good for, it's excuses. However, there is one specific excuse that might actually be legitimate for the Miami Dolphins: the injury bug.

Few NFL teams have suffered through more injuries to their starters than Miami. Currently, the Dolphins are fielding nearly a dozen reserve players at key positions on both sides of the ball. Injuries have ravaged the Dolphins at quarterback, running back, in the secondary, linebacking corps and on the defensive line.

And when you add in the trade that sent wide receiver Chris Chambers to San Diego, virtually every area of the team has been altered this year.

Ironically enough the offensive line, which is a unit that has traditionally suffered from injury woes and a general lack of cohesion, has been the only group that has remained completely intact. Tight end David Martin missed a couple of weeks, but reserve Justin Peelle filled in admirably, so there was no real loss of continuity along the line.

While the O-line's emergence has been inspiring to the more discerning fan, the rest of the team's collective injury issues have certainly helped ensure that Miami's 2007 campaign would sink to unprecedented depths.

Yet, an unforeseen phenomenon has manifested as a result of all these physical woes. The Dolphins are suddenly displaying a promising blend of depth.

Ronnie Brown goes down. Jesse Chatman doesn't miss a beat.

Zach Thomas is felled by concussion woes. Channing Crowder steps in and begins to show signs of being a starting-caliber middle linebacker.

Vonnie Holliday busts an ankle. Rodrique Wright fills in and begins making the types of plays that positioned him as a first-round prospect prior to the discovery of a torn labrum that forced him to miss the '06 season and plummet down the draft board.

Chambers is traded. Youngsters Ted Ginn Jr. and Derek Hagan start showing positive signs.

Renaldo Hill tears an ACL. Jason Allen provides shockingly consistent performances in two straight games.

Jason Taylor and Matt Roth get hurt. Donnie Spragan shifts from linebacker to end and Steve Fifita takes reps at defensive tackle, allowing Wright to shift over and fill in at DE.

There are even more stark examples -- like seeing journeyman linebacker Derrick Pope and defensive end Quentin Moses step up in tough spots -- which highlight this sudden plethora of able bodies on the reserve units. And beyond that, seasoned veterans like Will Allen have seemingly stepped up their games and given the franchise reason to believe that they could be counted upon for a few more seasons. As crazy as it might sound, then, the very injuries that have helped pave the way for a winless season are also making a youth-infused renaissance possible on both offense and defense.

Unfortunately, there is one position where both the injured starter and his replacement have been equally ineffective: quarterback. Trent Green was not the heady veteran fans were expecting, and backup Cleo Lemon has been adequate at best.

Hopefully for the Dolphins, the next reserve in line - rookie QB John Beck - will provide the much-needed spark that could salvage a season filled with disappointment and get the ball rolling on a better 2008.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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