Dolphins’ maligned safety enjoying Pro Bowl-caliber half-season

By Hugo Guzman  |   Wednesday, December 26, 2007  |  Comments( 3 )

Miami Dolphins
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Surprisingly, everybody's favorite whipping boy in Miami, 2006 first-round pick Jason Allen, is suddenly the bright beacon of hope in the Dolphins' beleaguered secondary.

Since entering the starting lineup in Week 8 after starter Renaldo Hill went down with an ACL injury, Allen has been nothing short of fantastic at the free safety position. The 16th overall pick of the '06 draft has been among the Dolphins' leader in tackles in virtually every game he's started and has begun to show a flair for impressive interceptions in the deep secondary. Though he did see extended action in a Week 7 against the New England Patriots, giving up a humiliating touchdown to Randy Moss in the process, Allen's consistent production from Week 8 onward has been a marvel to watch.

Especially when you consider the mounds of abuse that the second-year player has taken since arriving in Miami last year. After struggling to find a niche in the secondary and spending most of his time on special teams last year, the rookie was labeled by most fans and media pundits as an unmitigated bust. Seven games into his sophomore campaign, the South Florida faithful were ready to punch his ticket to Palookaville.

Fortunately for Miami, Allen has proven his many detractors wrong.

In roughly seven full games as a starter, the former University of Tennessee standout has amassed 51 tackles (44 solo), one forced fumble and three interceptions. If you project those numbers out to a full 16-game season, Allen would hit the 100-tackle plateau and his forced fumble and interception numbers would make him a viable candidate for the Pro Bowl.

Moreover, he has shown an uncanny ability to make key open-field tackles on elusive runners like Philadelphia's Brian Westbrook, who would have likely broken off several long scores if not for Allen's tackling prowess a few weeks ago. Most importantly, Allen has showcased an ability to read opposing quarterbacks and break on the football in the secondary, picking off two fairly discerning quarterbacks in Donovan McNabb and Tom Brady.

Allen's most recent interception against the Patriots showcased both his intelligence and athletic ability. From his free safety spot, Allen was able to diagnose Brady's pump fake, hold his position, and then break on the football and make an impressive leaping grab to secure the interception on a play that seemed destined to be a yet another New England touchdown strike.

That kind of playmaking ability should make any self-respecting fan salivate with anticipation, because if Allen can continue to refine his skills, the Dolphins could be on the verge of fielding a Pro Bowler in the secondary.

(Insert collective gasp here.)
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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CommentsComments: 3  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
TheNino		03:07 PM
12/26/2007
As a diehard fins fan, I cant say that I ever considered Allen a bust, only on the simple fact that Satan (Saban) never used him...
No.2
rob		09:39 PM
12/26/2007
fan expectations fanned by ice-pick media about an already wounded team in a place proudly used to winning -- may be an...
No.3
JM		05:37 PM
01/08/2008
Ted Ginn was actually pretty good. How many returns did he have called back? I can remember at least 2 TD's he had overturned,...
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