Inside - Scout.com
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Inside - Scout.com
Volume 37, Number 6 • November 8, 2008 (951) • $4.95 Inside: ■ Porter on remarkable roll ■ Ronnie Brown carries on ■ Huge win over Bills ■ Next: Denver, then Seattle from the EDITOR Andy Cohen Ginn silences the critics Wide receiver finally looks like the ninth overall pick in the draft in his breakout game You can point to an assortment of factors as the reason the Miami Dolphins feel good again. You can dissect the dominance of Joey Porter, the uncanny accuracy of Chad Pennington and the best performance of the season by the defensive backs. But if you’re looking for one player to validate the third victory of the season — 25-16 over Buffalo — look no further than Ted Ginn Jr. Yes, that Ted Ginn Jr. The one who had yet to prove he was worth the ninth overall pick in the 2007 draft. The Ted Ginn Jr. who was supposed to put the big play into this offense, but instead seemed to be going bust. Until this scintillating victory over the Bills. This was Ted Ginn’s coming-out party. No doubting it. Whenever the Dolphins needed to make a statement, it seemed as if Ginn’s play was doing the talking. He was big time. He was showtime. He was about time. Seven catches for 175 yards. Each one had its own special meaning. The Dolphins were down 16-7 in the third quarter and looked like a spent football team. Then Ginn goes 64 yards off a crossing pattern, the Dolphins get a field goal and there is hope. The Dolphins need a crucial first down midway through the fourth quarter and Ginn leaps high to pull down a 12yard catch on a drive that produced a game-clinching field goal. “I’m so proud of Ted Ginn,” said Coach Tony Sparano. “He showed us all something out there.” The plan was to be aggressive against the team with the best record in the AFC East. Aggressive on defense. Aggressive on offense. Aggressive in everything the Dolphins did. Sparano issued that challenge the night before the game. First offensive play: Pennington throws a deep pass to Ginn. It is slightly underthrown. Ginn goes up high and outfights the defensive back for the catch. Forty-six yards. The aggressive tone was set. “A tough, tough catch,” Pennington said with admiration. The significance of Ginn’s performance cannot be overstated. A legitimate big-play threat in the passing game could mean everything for this offense. It could take the pressure off the running game. It could open things up for the tight ends. It could make Pennington that much more efficient. Even after disposing of New England and San Diego earlier this season, you can make a case that this was the most important victory to date. The Dolphins had dropped two in a row. Confidence had to be wavering. It was imperative to recapture a season that seemed to be slip, sliding away. To beat the Bills, who had won five of their first six, to do it after falling behind 16-7 in the third quarter, to come up with four turnovers, to get such a huge per- Ted Ginn Jr. soared to new heights in the victory against Buffalo. Digest Photo/MICKI LEWIS formance out of Porter, to score 18 straight points to seal the deal, this was so important in the maturation of a football team. But I’ll still rate Ginn’s performance above all the others — as much for tomorrow as today. We all had our doubts. Receivers, as much as any other position, are supposed to provide an immediate impact. Through the first 22 games of Ginn’s pro career, he truthfully had hardly made anyone take notice. But Game 23 changed everything. Now we know what he is capable of doing. Now, the bar is set. Now, Ginn finally has something to build on. Today, much more than last week or last year, the Dolphins’ 2007 draft looks a whole lot better. There is still much to know about this Dolphins football team, much to understand. As good as the Dolphins looked in three victories, you can easily make the argument that the four games they have lost were to teams not as talented as the three that they beat. Confounding, to say the least. But as midseason approaches, there are things we do now know. We know this group isn’t talented enough to keep making all sorts of mistakes and win games. We know that Pennington needs to stay sharp and we know that Porter can be the difference-maker this defense lost when Jason Taylor went to the Redskins. We also know that there isn’t a game on their schedule they can’t win. Nor a game they can’t lose. Perhaps the most mind-boggling aspect of the victory over Buffalo was that the Dolphins made the types of mistakes that should, by all rights, have left them in the loss column. Senseless penalties. A Ricky Williams fumble. A blocked field goal. Poor tackling. Why, at one point, the Dolphins had Buffalo backed up on its own 2yard line and Jason Ferguson, of all people, jumped offsides. Ugly stuff indeed. But there’s something about this Dolphins team that you’ve got to respect. They don’t seem to get flustered easily. There is a calmness about these players. Perhaps it is due to Pennington’s leadership or Sparano’s determination. Whatever the reason, it is there and it means so much in close games against quality opponents like the Bills. “We had to win this game,” Pennington said. “We couldn’t put ourselves in an even bigger hole.” So instead of harping on the mistakes, they let loose. The defense kept coming, the turnovers kept mounting and Pennington kept finding Ginn. It was almost as if the Bills didn’t know what hit them. “Ted Ginn,” said Pennington, “wants to be the guy.” Now, at long last, he is well on his way. And the Dolphins are a much better football team because of it. November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 3 inside on the cover vol 37 no 6 november 8, 2008 (951) Ted Ginn Jr. caught a 46-yard pass on the first offensive play against Buffalo, and that was the start of his best day as an NFL player. Cover Photo/RICHARD C. LEWIS story lines 12 In the running Ronnie Brown is proving once again he belongs in the conversation when it comes to the best backs in the NFL 22 31 Game coverage Revisiting the Dolphins games against Baltimore and Buffalo Answering the Bell Safety is all the way back from his 2007 injury and picking up where he left off voices 3 Andy Cohen Ted Ginn Jr. finally delivered on the promise that followed his selection in the 2007 draft 7 Tony Sparano Dolphins coach answers fans’ questions on topics ranging from Patrick Cobbs, Joey Porter and dealing with losses Tight end David Martin goes up to catch a pass deep down the middle in the game against Baltimore. 25 Jim Mandich The big victory over Buffalo showed the Dolphins can play with any team in the league Digest Photo/GARY I. ROTHSTEIN 30 Hank Goldberg Two of former GM Randy Mueller’s signature moves of 2007 pay big dividends vs. Buffalo Go to Miamidolphins.com for stories on Digest off weeks Publisher THOMAS N. CURTIS Editor ANDREW E. COHEN Associate Editor ALAIN POUPART Creative Director ARMANDO MATO Photo Editor KENNETH KEIDEL Production/Design BILL DALEY, CHASE CLARK Customer Service ALBERT GOMEZ, MONIQUE DAW Office Manager MARIA ESTEVEZ DOLPHIN DIGEST subscription information phone 1-800-334-4005. DOLPHIN DIGEST is a member of Professional Football Publishers Association. DOLPHIN DIGEST (ISSN 0744-3226) (USPS 947460) is published a total of 12 times each year, twice monthly September though December and four other issues: February, April/May, June/July and August by Dolphin Publishing Company, 45 Curtiss Parkway, Suite A, Miami, FL 33166 (305-594-0508). Periodicals postage paid at Miami, Fla. Annual subscription rate in USA: 12 issues for $39.95. Newsstand rate: $4.95 per issue. Trademark registered by Neosports Inc. 1974 Copyright ©. Reproduction whole or in part prohibited without permission from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send address change to DOLPHIN DIGEST, P.O. Box 526600, Miami, FL 33152-6600. DOLPHIN DIGEST is published by Dolphin/Curtis Publishing Company, Thomas N. and Debra L. Curtis, owners. The online version of Dolphin Digest is available on Miamidolphins.com twice a month during the season, specifically in the weeks when Dolphin Digest, the print magazine, is not published. The content in the online version is different than the content in the print version. The online version on Miamidolphins.com includes a mid-week feature, an exclusive firstand-10 interview, a special player feature, a Friday column by Coach Tony Sparano and two post-game stories on Sunday: a column by Dolphin Digest editor Andy Cohen and special insight by Dolphin Digest associate editor Alain Poupart. All of this content is free by hitting the Dolphin Digest Online icon on Miamidolphins.com. If, however, you want the exclusive content that appears in the print publication, you need to either be a season-ticket holder — those subscriptions are paid for by the Miami Dolphins — or a paid subscriber to Dolphin Digest. departments 9 Dolphin Digits 10 Dolphin Data 21 Progress Report 24 Players of the Game 27 Quotables 28 Dolphins Cheerleaders 34 Fins Focus 36 First-and-10 38 In the Community 39 Pop Dolphins 41 Dolphins roster 42 Around the League 44 Coming Up 45 Fans Speak Out 46 Parting Shots next up We are now in the twice-a-month cycle for Dolphin Digest. The next issue of Dolphin Digest will be published following the Seattle game. That issue will be mailed on Tuesday, Nov. 11 and will include coverage of two games, columns, features and special analysis. coach SPEAK Tony Sparano I won’t concede anything In this exclusive column for Dolphin Digest, Coach Tony Sparano answers questions from fans on topics ranging from his goals for this team, to Joey Porter, to how he is affected by losses. Q: You seem like a straight shooter, so let me ask you a hard question. How long is this going to take for the Dolphins to be a playoff contender again? Mary Hathaway Chicago, Ill. TS: I don’t know the answer to that question. I really don’t have a crystal ball, so if I’m a straight shooter I’m not giving you a straight answer that way. But I would like to believe we will have a really clear picture of that evaluation by the end of this season. I don’t concede anything. We are trying to win as many games right now as we can and that’s what we’re doing. Patrick Cobbs showed the Dolphins’ new coaches very quickly he possessed the kind of qualities they were looking for. Q: Were you familiar with Patrick Cobbs because he played his college ball in Texas, and what is it about him that you really like? Solomon Rodgers Houston, Texas TS: Yes, I was familiar with him. It’s hard not to be in Texas, coming out of the school (North Texas) that Patrick comes out of. You hear all about the massive numbers he put up there. I got a chance to meet Patrick here right away and I thought he was our kind of player. He’s tough. He’s smart. He’s disciplined. He has all the qualities we look for. More importantly, he does an efficient job with any assignment we give him. That is the type of player we want on this football team. Digest Photo/MICKI LEWIS selves in a position to win a lot of games here. Chad Pennington has been playing very good football for us and gives us a tremendous chance to accomplish our goals. If we see a situation down the road where we can get Henne into games, we will do that. Q. Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan are both playing pretty well as rookie starters. I understand that Chad Pennington gives us a chance every game, but isn’t there a point when Chad Henne deserves to see whether he can play as well as these other rookie quarterbacks? Margaret Shandler Miami, Fla. Q: This season has felt like a roller-coaster ride. Won’t we know that we have truly turned this around when we see a consistent performance week in and week out? Bob Rawlings Tampa, Fla. TS: If there is a point, we haven’t reached it yet. I certainly don’t want to think about it right now. We are trying to still win our division, to still put our- TS: Yes, I think so. That’s when you’ll know we turned it around. But I see consistency in practice every week. I see us getting better all the time. I see Send Questions to Coach Sparano From time to time, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano will be responding to your questions. You can send us your questions for Coach Sparano one of three ways: the players working hard consistently. We’ve given ourselves a chance to win several games. We just need to win some of these close games. Q: The Dolphins spent a lot of the draft and free agency trying to restock the offensive and defensive lines. Is it safe to assume that those will no longer be priorities in the offseason, and you will instead focus on other areas? Jeff Minter Atlanta, Ga. TS: We will focus on other areas, I’m sure. But the offensive and defensive lines are areas that are important to us, and certainly we would not turn our backs on that. We think that’s where the team is built. Having said that, we know we have a lot of work to do. Q: How much self-scouting do the Dolphins do? In other words, how often do you play the role 1. E-mail to digest@curtispub.net • 2. Fax to 305-477-1346 3. Mail to P.O. Box 526600, Miami, FL 33152 See SPARANO, page 8 November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 7 SPARANO, from page 7 of an opponent and really research your tendencies both on offense and defense? Phil Andrews Memphis, Tenn. TS: Every week when we put a game plan together we self-scout ourselves from the previous three or four weeks. We take a look at everything we do from a tendency standpoint. We do this before we ever finalize a game plan. Q: Who usually is lined up covering Chad Pennington in the Wildcat, and is there ever a time when nobody is covering him? Mario Rodriguez Miami, Fla. TS: There is never a time when nobody covers him. They have respected him out there. Usually it’s a corner that is out there defending him. They are always accounting for him. Q: How many times do you usually look at a game tape following one of your games, and what are the specific things you try to key on during this process? Sal Romero Dallas, Texas TS: Before I meet with my coaches, I have seen that game nine times. I watch offense, defense and special teams each three times. I try to focus the first time on scheme, the second time on players, then I’ll go back through the third time and look at specific players. Maybe the first time around I’ll see guys do things well or not do things well and I’ll focus a lot more on that the third time around. I’ve always done it this way. It’s important for me to understand what every player on the field is doing. Q: Channing Crowder does a lot of nice things and makes a lot of tackles. I know consistency is important. But I keep waiting for him to make game-deciding plays. Is that ability something that separates a good player from a great player? Lawrence Michaels East Lansing, Mich. TS: I think it is. The great players can take the game into their own hands. I think Channing is a very, very good player in our league. He’s on the verge of being that kind of player. I’m encouraged at what he has done and I think he is getting better and better every week. Q: What were you guys able to do with David Martin to make him a dependable pass catcher when he was such a disappointment last year? Eric Martinez Portland, Ore. TS: From the first day we showed up here, we thought David Martin had receiving skills. A lot of the credit goes to David. George DeLeone has done a great job working with him on those skills. David Martin is a talented kid. He’s athletic and likes to go up and get the football. Maybe it’s a case of David being in those positions a little bit more this season. I think that, coupled with the fact that Anthony Fasano and him work really well together, has made this pleasant for David. We’re starting to see the best out of him. Q: The one thing we all know about Ted Ginn Jr. is he has tremendous speed; so why is it that everything he catches seems to be a short pass? John Sullivan Chicago, Ill. TS: Everything is always predicated on coverages. We had some opportunities earlier in the season, but things just didn’t work out. We knew it would just be a matter of time before Ted broke out and had a big game. We see the talent on the practice field and we all know how hard he works. 5 26 Former Cowboys players on the Miami roster following the signing of fullback Lousaka Polite, who joined Jason Ferguson, Akin Ayodele, Anthony Fasano and Nathan Jones. 64 4 — Consecutive games the Dolphins had failed to score a touchdown on their opening drive before Chad Pennington hit Anthony Fasano with a 2-yard pass against Buffalo. — Ted Ginn Jr.’s 64-yard reception against Buffalo was the longest by a Dolphins wideout since Greg Camarillo’s game-winning touchdown vs. Baltimore last year. 11 — Players listed as rookies on the current Dolphins roster, which represents 20.8 percent of the 53-man roster. 46 % — Ronnie Brown’s streak of games with at least one rushing touchdown, which was snapped against Baltimore. It left Brown one shy of team record, shared by four different players. 17 — The number of missed tackles by the Dolphins defense in the loss to the Ravens. Polite 202 Ferguson — Patrick Cobbs’ receiving yardage total for the Houston and Baltimore games, the third-highest two-game totals ever for a Dolphins running back. Terry Kirby has the two highest totals with 255 and 222 yards in the 1993 season. 10.5 — Joey Porter’s singleseason career high for sacks, which he tied against Buffalo (he also did it in 2000 and 2005 with the Pittsburgh Steelers). Ayodele 14 — The Dolphins record for sacks by a linebacker, set by Bryan Cox in 1992. Jones Digest Photo/RICHARD C. LEWIS Fasano 24 — Number of sacks Porter will record this season based on his current pace, a total that would break Michael Strahan’s NFL record of 22.5. The Dolphins franchise record is 18.5 (shared by Jason Taylor and Doug Betters). The average third-down conversion rate by the Baltimore Ravens in each of their last 10 victories prior to the game against the Dolphins. The exact third-down conversion rate of the Ravens in their victory over the Dolphins. “A great indicator of why we lost the game,” said Coach Tony Sparano. 7 — The Oct. 26 game against Buffalo marked the seventh time that brothers John (Dolphins longsnapper) and Ryan Denney (Bills defensive end) have faced each other. They are the only active siblings playing in the same division. 5 Remaining opponents with losing records left on the Dolphins schedule with nine games left. Those teams are Seattle, Oakland, St. Louis, Kansas City and San Francisco. November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 9 Safety dance The Dolphins made changes in the secondary twice in the span of seven days, and third-year player Tyrone Culver was involved both times. Culver, who originally joined the team a few days before the start of the regular season, was released on Oct. 14 to make room for fellow safety Brannon Condren before being brought back on Oct. 21 when the team released veteran Chris Crocker. Signed as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, Crocker started the first two games at free safety before giving way to 2007 starter Renaldo Hill. Breakdowns in the secondary contributed to the defense giving up three long pass plays in the games against the Jets and Cardinals, and Crocker was involved in two of those. Culver became the fourth of 10 unrestricted free agents signed by the team this offseason to be let go, following QB Josh McCown, S Keith Davis and TE Sean Ryan. As for Condren and Culver, both are considered special teams specialists. Condren was a fourth-round pick of the Colts in 2007 and played eight games as a rookie. He was claimed off waivers by the Rams on Aug. 31, 2008. New fullback The Dolphins went with a familiar face when they needed to bring in a fullback because of the injury sustained by Casey Cramer. Signed to the active roster was Lousaka Polite, who played 31 games for Dallas between 2004-06. Waiver wire To make room for Polite, the Dolphins waived offensive tackle Kirk Barton. The rookie from Ohio State was then claimed off waivers by the San Francisco 49ers. Give him the ball? After Keyshawn Johnson was spotted at the Dolphins’ training facility four days before the Buffalo game, the first question asked during Tony Sparano’s daily media briefing was, “So, Coach, Keyshawn going to be active on Sunday?” Sparano chuckled before indicating that Johnson just stopped by to visit with, among others, Bill Parcells. Johnson watched the Dolphins practice and even chatted with some of the team’s wide receivers. Practice squad Players keep coming and going from the practice squad, with CB Will Billingsley being re-signed and rereleased in the last couple of weeks. The latest addition to the practice squad is linebacker William Kershaw, a first-year player from Maryland. The other members of the practice squad are WR Anthony Armstrong, RB Lex Hilliard, G Matt McChesney, TE Matthew Mulligan, LB Rob Ninkovich, RB Jalen Parmele and DT Anthony Toribio. Fine mess LB Joey Porter was fined $20,000 for comments he made after the Soliai suspended for one game Houston game questioning why there was no review of a fourth-quarter play when he hit QB Matt Schaub’s arm and the ball came loose. The play, which occurred on the game-winning drive, was ruled an incomplete pass. ... WR Brandon London was fined $5,000 for a hit on Ravens TE Ethan Jones on a kickoff return despite not being penalized on the play. This and that CB Andre’ Goodman was excused from practice the Thursday of the Baltimore game to deal with a “family situation.” ... WR Davone Bess got to keep the football after scoring his first NFL touchdown in the Baltimore game, thanks to QB John Beck. “Obviously that’s a rookie mistake. I went back and threw it straight to the refs,” Bess said. “All the boys came up to me and said, ‘Man, what are you doing? You’re supposed to keep it.’ I got it, and that’s the big thing.” ... The Dolphins were among the teams who reportedly talked to the Lions about WR Roy Williams before Detroit traded him to Dallas. The Dolphins could have used backup nose tackle Paul Soliai in the Baltimore game after starter Jason Ferguson was injured, but he was unavailable after being suspended by the team. Soliai was suspended for one game for violating a team rule. Both he and Coach Tony Sparano declined to indicate the nature of the offense, although Soliai did tell the South Florida SunSentinel: “I learned something. A lot.” Injury Update The Dolphins had to play most of the Baltimore game without nose tackle Jason Ferguson, but he was back in the starting lineup against Buffalo. Ferguson, who sustained an oblique injury, didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday but was able to go on Friday. The only player who missed the Buffalo game with an injury was fullback Casey Cramer, who also sat out the Baltimore game because of a bad ankle. Against the Bills, CB Will Allen had to leave the game after hurting his left knee but he was able to return. The same applied to DE Vonnie Holliday, who missed a few plays after getting poked in the eye. Corner talk A week after reports surfaced suggesting the Dolphins were interested in former Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law, the team indeed added a cornerback. But it wasn’t Law, but instead a player who spent training camp with the team before being released, Joey Thomas. The 2004 third-round pick of the Packers, Thomas played 25 games in his first two seasons in the NFL, but was out of the league in both 2006 and 2007. He did spend time in training camp with Dallas in 2007. Thomas replaced on the active roster fellow cornerback Michael Lehan, who was placed on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury sustained in practice. Injuries had been an issue for Lehan since the offseason workouts when he sustained a high ankle sprain. As for Law, he never signed with any team this year after playing for the Chiefs in 2007, and word out of Kansas City is he had clearly lost a step and wasn’t the same player as he was in New England. Digest Photos/RICHARD C. LEWIS By ALAIN POUPART • Associate Editor Ronnie Brown clearly has gotten a little excited about throwing the football since his touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano in the Dolphins’ big victory at New England. carry average over the past two seasons also is among the best in the NFL. Brown also has been the driving force this season behind the Wildcat formation, which has been so productive for the Dolphins. His ball handling and decision-making in terms of where to run when his number is called are critical in making the play work, and his performance in those areas has been nearly flawless. And there was, of course, that perfectly thrown pass — on the run — to Fasano for a touchdown. As impressive as Brown has been, though, there seems to be this feeling that he still isn’t fully appreciated. How else to explain a South Florida reporter asking Baltimore coach John Harbaugh before the Ravens’ visit to Dolphin Stadium whether he felt Brown was underrated. The temptation might be to quickly point to Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson for his record-setting numbers from 2007; to San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson, and dismiss his slow start this season because of a nagging toe injury; to St. Louis’ Steven Jackson, and cut him some slack for playing on a mediocre team; to Dallas’ Marion Barber for his effectiveness in short yardage; or even to Philadelphia’s Brian Westbrook for his versatility. But a very, very good argument can be made for Brown, who’s got in him a little bit of all the aforementioned superstars. Brown’s production since the start of the 2007 season is as good as anybody else’s in the league when evaluated on a per-game basis to take into account his knee injury. At the time he went down last October against New England, Brown was leading the NFL in total yards from scrimmage. This season, he ranks among the league leaders in touchdowns. His yards-per- See BROWN, page 17 Ronnie Brown had a streak of four games with at least one touchdown, including his run against San Diego (below) out of the Wildcat formation. Digest Photos/RICHARD C. LEWIS and GARY I. ROTHSTEIN So during a recent practice, Coach Tony Sparano decided it was time — in his own unique way — to set Brown straight: “I told him, ‘Don’t get confused. If you’re a giraffe, you’re a giraffe. If you’re a horse, you’re a horse. Just be the best at what you are.’ ” His perfect 158.3 passer rating notwithstanding, what Brown is, has been and apparently will continue to be is one hellacious runner. The question of whether Brown was the best choice with the second overall pick in the 2005 draft no longer is relevant because it has been answered so unequivocally. It’s laughable, actually, to think that at various times during Brown’s first two seasons in the league there were many fans and media members who were ready to label him a bust. “I heard it, but I didn’t pay too much attention to it,” Brown says now. “Obviously the standards that I hold for myself are higher than what anybody else would expect. For myself, I expect to be the best running back in the NFL. When I go out there, I approach it that way. I attack the game that way.” Those are lofty expectations, no doubt, that Brown has placed on himself. But he just might be meeting them. Indeed, Ronnie Brown not only is the best running back from the Class of 2005, he just might be the best running back in the NFL — period. November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 15 from page 15 The question merely being asked was telling, as was Harbaugh’s response: “I don’t know, I think everybody in the NFL knows he’s pretty good.” Brown’s game for the ages at New England made that pretty clear for anybody around the NFL who didn’t already know about him. But for Brown to take that next step, that step all the way to the top, there’s something else he’s got to accomplish. “I think to be the best running back, I think it’s consistency,” he says. “I’ve got to reach that point. I’ve had a few good games while I’ve been here, I’ve done some things performance-wise that were pretty good, but I’ve got to be consistent and actually do it on a regular basis.” Brown was establishing that kind of consistency last season before he was injured. Heading into that fateful New England game, he was coming off four consecutive 100-yard rushing performances — the injury midway through the third quarter kept him from having a chance to match Ricky Williams’ team record of five straight 100-yard games. Coming off a torn ACL, it seemed a given that Brown would get off to a slow start this season. To make matters worse, he sustained a thumb injury in the preseason. Sparano said that the thumb injury might have been a blessing in disguise because, by keeping him out of action, it forced Brown to focus on rehabbing the knee during training camp. Regardless, Brown’s performance early this season was even more remarkable because it came less than a full year after a serious knee injury. Other backs — Edgerrin James quickly comes to mind — See BROWN, page 19 “I think to be the best running back, I think it’s consistency. I’ve got to reach that point.” Digest Photo/RICHARD C. LEWIS BROWN, BROWN, GREATCALLS from page 17 were nowhere near as effective the season after their knee injury. For Brown, that October day in 2007 is a distant memory. “What injury? Brown said. “Like I said, I’ve been taking it one step at a time. I feel pretty good health-wise. I’m trying to improve each week. I haven’t even really been thinking about it. It was what Brown celebrates it was. It’s unfortunate, but at his fourth-quarter this level you’re going to get touchdown at injured every now and then; Houston. it’s part of the game. For the most part, I just try to go out Photo/DAVE CROSS/ Miami Dolphins each week and worry about what I need to do.” Make no mistake, Brown’s return to form didn’t come without some hard work. Brown was a regular at the Dolphins training facility throughout the offseason, and the payoff came when Brown was able to take part in some of the final OTA practices in the offseason. Through it all, Brown always maintained his happy-go-lucky approach. That hasn’t changed since the time he joined the Dolphins. In fact, during the CBS telecast of the DolphinsHouston game, the point was made that Brown kept smiling throughout his pregame interview. “He has a good personality and is always full of energy that way one way or the other,” Sparano said. “He’s got a lot of life to him. He keeps it exciting out there. He’s a pretty loose player.” Call it a quiet determination, if you will. Clearly, though, this isn’t an emotional, in-yourface type of player. Maybe, just maybe, that’s why Cam Cameron decided last training camp to publicly announce that Brown actually would have to compete with Jesse Chatman for the starting running back job. Maybe it was Cameron’s way of pushing Brown to reach his full potential. Think about it. No disrespect to Chatman, who is a decent running back in his own right, but think about how absurd that notion is right now. Cameron was serious enough about it that he had Brown returning kickoffs in a preseason game last year. That’s not something starting running backs do. Well, say what you want about Cameron and the job he did in Miami, but Brown busted out under his watch. He went from a solid, dependable running back to a bona fide superstar. Brown admitted early last season that Cameron’s move had provided some extra motivation, but he also says there were other factors at play in his emergence. “Sometimes it may create a little motivation when people start to doubt you a little bit and your abilities and things you can do as a football player,” he said. “If you don’t respond to those things ... it kind of shows Ranking the best first-round picks in Dolphins history 1. Dan Marino |1983 | 27th Best player in franchise history 2. Larry Csonka | 1968 | 8th Hall of Famer 3. Bob Griese | 1967 | 4th Hall of Famer 4. Bill Stanfill | 1969 | 11th One of best pass rushers in team history what kind of competitor you are and obviously I pride myself on competing and I want to be a competitor. Stuff like that, for the most part you don’t let it affect you but just use it as motivation. It could be a little extra motivation, but for the most part I think it’s just experience and being at this level for a little while.” When offensive coordinator Dan Henning was hired to join the new staff, he made it a point to chat with former running backs coach and old friend Bobby Jackson to get the scoop on Brown. “He unequivocally said that he thought Ronnie was ‘the real deal,’ ” Henning recalled. “When Bobby tells me something, I take it to the bank. I have taken it to the bank since I met him in 1968. I asked him, ‘Why?,’ and he said, ‘Well, when we first started out he was like this, he was like (that), but the guy when we get on him, and he decides that he’s going to do it, he works, he’s smart, he’s tough, he runs with authority, he can catch, he’s smart enough to do things.’ “Obviously, we’re doing more things with him than just about anybody in the league is doing with a running back. Bobby was right on with that guy.” Just like the Dolphins were right on when they picked Brown in 2005. Just look at the other top 10 picks that year, and you’ll see just how good a pick Brown was. The list: QB Alex Smith (bust), WR Braylon Edwards (explosive but drops a lot of passes), RB Cedric Benson (bust), RB Cadillac Williams (always injured), CB Pacman Jones (off-the-field issues), WR Troy Williams (bust), CB Antrel Rolle (disappointment), CB Carlos Rogers (good player) and WR Mike Williams (bust). If the much-maligned Cameron deserves kudos for lighting a fire under Brown last year, then the much-maligned Nick Saban deserves kudos for bringing Brown to Miami in the first place. The Dolphins have been criticized in recent years — and rightly so — for their poor draft decisions, but this one was right on the money. And looking better all the time. 5. T Richmond Webb | 1990 | 9th Protected Marino’s blind side for a decade 6. RB Ronnie Brown | 2005 | 2nd Moving up the list all the time 7. DT Tim Bowens | 1994 | 16th Great run stuffer for a decade 8. DE A.J. Duhe | 1977 |13th Versatile defender who also played LB 9. WR O.J. McDuffie | 1993 | 25th Dependable receiver 10. G/T Roy Foster | 1982 | 24th Two-time Pro Bowl selection 11. CB Troy Vincent | 1992 | 7th Too bad he left as a free agent after only four years 12. T Jon Giesler | 1979 | 24th Underappreciated but consistent lineman November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 19 Progress games 6-7 WHO’S HOT • Chad Pennington came up with his first 300-yard passing game with the Dolphins against Buffalo, and he’s been pinpoint-sharp since a tough first half against the Ravens. • Joey Porter is on a remarkable roll. He had two sacks against the Ravens and two against the Bills, already tying his career high (10.5) after only seven games. He also forced a safety against the Bills, who at times had three blockers trying to contain him. • Ted Ginn Jr. had seven catches for 175 yards against the Bills. It was by far his best game as a pro. • Tight end David Martin has removed most of the doubts that surfaced last season. He’s making some excellent catches and clearly has the confidence of the coaching staff. • Cornerback Jason Allen saw extensive action against the Bills, both on defense and on special teams, and might have had his best game as a Dolphin. While Chad Pennington had another strong outing against Buffalo, former first-round pick Jason Allen (32) might have had his best game in a Dolphins uniform. Digest Photo/RICHARD C. LEWIS and MICKI LEWIS (Allen) WHO’S NOT • Nose tackle Jason Ferguson was injured against the Ravens, and his absence proved costly. Then, against Buffalo, he was flagged for a “no excuse” offside penalty with the Bills at their own 2-yard line. • Speaking of offside penalties, rookie defensive end Phillip Merling was flagged twice against the Bills on consecutive plays. • Ricky Williams had what could have been a big fumble against the Bills, but came back with some nice plays later on. • Rookie kicker Dan Carpenter has to get more distance on his kickoffs. • The rushing defense continues to struggle and at one point looked downright awful on Buffalo’s touchdown drive to open the second half. DEFINING MOMENTS • Against the Ravens, Chad Pennington’s interception that was returned for a touchdown by Terrell Suggs clearly turned the momentum in Baltimore’s favor. It was a pass Pennington admitted he never should have thrown. • On the Dolphins’ first drive against the Ravens, Pennington misfired on a pass to an open W hat now? Anthony Fasano, forcing the Dolphins to settle for a field goal. Against a defense like that of the Ravens, you have to take advantage of opportunities like that. • Against the Bills, Ted Ginn Jr. caught a 46-yard pass on the first offensive play of the game, clearly setting the tone for a huge day. • A Ricky Williams touchdown run with 1:15 left in the third quarter put the Dolphins up 17-16, a lead they would never relinquish. • Joey Porter sacked Trent Edwards, causing a fumble in the end zone that resulted in a Dolphins safety that padded the lead to 22-16. FIVE QUESTIONS • Can Ted Ginn Jr. follow his breakout performance against the Bills with more big games? • Will anybody be able to slow down the pass rushing of Joey Porter? • Will somebody step up to provide Porter some help in that department? • Can the secondary build on its best showing of the season against Buffalo and put together some consistent performances? • Can the Dolphins linebackers start playing better against the run? After going to Denver, the Dolphins have the following three games at home, all against teams they can beat: Seattle, Oakland and New England. This is a crucial stretch of the season with so many road games on the tail end of the schedule. If the Dolphins are going to matter late in the year, they must string together some victories over the next month. November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 21 miami 25, buffalo 16 STORYLINE: The Dolphins scored 10 unanswered points in the third quarter to take a 17-16 lead, then made it stand up by coming up with four takeaways and a safety in the fourth. TURNING POINT: The secondary came up with its share of big plays against Buffalo, whether it was Will Allen picking off Trent Edwards or Andre’ Goodman breaking up a pass intended for Lee Evans. The second of the takeaways came on an innocent-looking quarterback sneak by Trent Edwards on third-and-1 from the Miami 33-yard line with the Dolphins leading 20-16. When Edwards extended his arms to get the ball as far as possible, even though he already had gotten the first down, Joey Porter simply yanked the ball out of his hands for the turnover. Digest Photo/GARY I. ROTHSTEIN and DOUG BENC/Getty Images (Allen) IT WAS OVER WHEN: The Dolphins got their third takeaway of the fourth quarter, a Robert Royal fumble that was recovered at the Miami 32 with 1:44 left. WORTH NOTING: WR Brandon London’s 6-yard catch in the second quarter was his first NFL reception. ... The Dolphins improved to 3-0 when winning the time-of-possession battle. ... The Dolphins snapped a four-game losing streak against Buffalo. ... The Dolphins’ safety was their first since Nov. 27, 2005 at Oakland. STAT THAT STANDS OUT: The Dolphins won despite rushing for only 52 yards, their lowest total in a victory since Nov. 19, 2006 when they beat Minnesota 24-20 at Miami. reportcard QUARTERBACK: A Chad Pennington was on the money all day; 22-for-30, 314 yards, 117.9 passer rating RUNNING BACKS: C The Dolphins couldn’t do much on the ground, although Ricky Williams had a nice TD run RECEIVERS: A Ted Ginn Jr. was the big story; every receiver caught everything that was thrown OFFENSIVE LINE: BThe pass protection was solid for the most part, but there weren’t many holes opened in the running game DEFENSIVE LINE: C The Bills averaged 4.4 yards per rushing attempts; linemen committed three offside penalties LINEBACKERS: B THEY SAID IT: WR Ted Ginn Jr.: “We showed something today and I want to play like this week in and week out.” DE Vonnie Holliday on the defense coming up big after giving up a touchdown on the first drive of the second half: “We settled down, bounced back, and guys got it together. Four turnovers, that’s what we needed at the time. Talk about stepping up.” Joey Porter was a difference-maker in the fourth quarter; Channing Crowder had a fumble recovery Bills head coach Dick Jauron: DEFENSIVE BACKS: B “I tip my hat to the Dolphins, they’re a good team. We thought that going in. They played a solid game.” Lee Evans caught seven passes for 116 yards, but Will Allen had a pick and Andre’ Goodman had two breakups. SPECIAL TEAMS: BPorter’s safety was set up by a punt downed at a 3-yard line. Getting a field goal blocked wasn’t good, though. 22 Dolphin Digest November 8, 2008 baltimore 27, miami 13 STORYLINE: Former Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron made a triumphant return to Miami as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator, as the Ravens racked up their second-highest point total of the season. TURNING POINT: The game was expected to be a low-scoring affair and it was playing out that way midway through the second quarter. But the Ravens scored two touchdowns before the end of the half, including one on Terrell Suggs’ interception return. IT WAS OVER WHEN: The Dolphins were down by seven in the fourth quarter when Baltimore converted a third-and-10 from the Miami 45-yard line. Three plays later, Willis McGahee scored to make it 27-13. Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs broke a 3-3 tie in the second quarter with his interception return for a touchdown. Photo/GARY I. ROTHSTEIN WORTH NOTING: For the second consecutive game, WRs Derek Hagan and Ernest Wilford were among the Dolphins inactives. ... The Dolphins lost despite outgaining Baltimore 359357. ... Dolphins rookie DE Lionel Dotson made his NFL debut. ... Suggs’ interception return for a touchdown was the first against the Dolphins since Charles Woodson ran back a Joey Harrington pick 23 yards for Green Bay in October of 2006. STAT THAT STANDS OUT: After having only 25 yards rushing in the first half, Willis McGahee rushed for 80 yards on 13 carries in the second. reportcard QUARTERBACKS: C Chad Pennington had a good passer rating (92.0), but the pick-six was huge. RUNNING BACKS: C+ Ronnie Brown was shut down, but Patrick Cobbs was a factor in the passing game. THEY SAID IT: Baltimore offensive coordinator Cam Cameron on winning at Dolphin Stadium: The run defense suffered after NT Jason Ferguson was injured. McGahee ended up averaging 5 yards per carry. “It was emotional. It really is. When you give your heart and soul to something and it doesn’t work out, some of that pain comes back. But that’s minimal compared to what it was like for my wife and kids. I guess that’s why maybe it is a little sweeter.” LINEBACKERS: C+ RB Ricky Williams: The linebackers have to share some responsibility for the run defense problems. Joey Porter did have two sacks. “It wasn’t like they came out and they beat us up like Arizona did. I don’t think that we brought enough intensity and energy to get it done.” RECEIVERS: BPennington passed for 295 yards, and there were no drops. TE David Martin had a big game. OFFENSIVE LINE: C Pennington was sacked only once but faced pretty consistent pressure. Few holes were opened in the running game. DEFENSIVE LINE: D DEFENSIVE BACKS: C+ Yeremiah Bell forced a key fumble in the fourth quarter, but Joe Flacco finished with a 120.2 passer rating. SPECIAL TEAMS: B Brandon Fields had a good day punting (43.7 net average); Ted Ginn had a 31-yard kickoff return. November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 23 vs. baltimore JOEY PORTER vs. buffalo TED GINN JR. linebacker wide receiver The Dolphins surprisingly had their problems with the Baltimore offense, but Joey Porter did his part when it came to applying pressure on rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. Porter recorded two of the Dolphins’ three sacks in the 27-13 loss, and for that he is the El Palacio Player of the Game. Also deserving mention were RB Patrick Cobbs, who had five catches for 64 yards; DE Vonnie Holliday, who had seven tackles and half a sack; and TE David Martin, who caught four passes for 71 yards, including a team-high 28-yard reception in the second quarter. The deep passing that so many fans had been waiting for was finally there against Buffalo, and the biggest reason was Ted Ginn Jr. Ginn caught seven passes for a careerhigh 175 yards, the ninth-highest total in franchise history. Ginn started things off with a 46-yard catch and also had a 64yard reception in the second half. He is the El Palacio Player of the Game. Others deserving mention include LB Joey Porter, who had two sacks, including one that produced a safety, and a fumble recovery; and QB Chad Pennington, who threw for 314 yards and had a 117.9 passer rating. Digest Photo/GARY I. ROTHSTEIN Digest Photo/GARY I. ROTHSTEIN mad dog’s TAKE Jim Mandich WQAM Heavyweight performance Dolphins show again by beating Buffalo that they can play with the best teams in the league The Buffalo game was just a lot of fun. Our fans are winning-starved, championship-starved and they deserve games like this. A thrilling win in our home building. The defense clearly was the story in the second half. They had three takeaways, the safety, and Joey Porter continues to play out-of-his-mind football. He steals the football from Trent Edwards, beats two blockers and knifes inside Jason Peter, an All-Pro left tackle, makes the sack and creates the safety. That’s what really turned the game our way. Nice to see the two Allens — Will and Jason — play well, including Will, who really gutted it out on a bad knee. Offensively, the story of the day was obviously Ted Ginn. They could not cover him. Terrence McGee looked lost in space out there. I think the Dolphins recognized early on that McGee was injured and, like sharks attacking the lame in the water, the Dolphins went after him, and it was Ted Ginn making the big plays. Kind of understated in all of this was the play of quarterback Chad Pennington. He’s just such a cool, calm, collected customer who manages this team so well. He was nearly perfect throwing the football, and what else can you ask of him? Looking at the way the Bills came out in the second half as they drove it right down Miami’s throats for a touchdown to go up by nine, you’re thinking you saw this the previous week when the Ravens were here where they out-physicalled our guys up front. But the Dolphins bowed their backs, they showed a lot of toughness and resilience. They came right back with a three-pointer thanks to another big play by Ginn and then come back with another touchdown to take the lead, once again with a Ginn big play setting things up. I think you have to feel really good about yourself as far as where this team is right now. Look at the Joey Porter’s sack of Trent Edwards that produced a safety was part of another tremendous performance by the linebacker. Digest Photo/RICHARD C. LEWIS teams you’ve beaten. You beat New England up there, you beat a really talented Chargers team even though they’re struggling a little bit right now, and you beat a team in Buffalo that you could make an argument rolls out one of the best 53-man rosters at least in the AFC and maybe the entire NFL. So after two losses in a row and a rough week against the Ravens, you just wanted some validation that this team was tracking and was on their way back and we saw it in a resounding way. The Dolphins have now demonstrated that they can play with the heavyweights in the National Football League. Now, having said that, we all know that they are at least one more cycle from where they want to be. Another cycle of draft and another cycle of free agency. But I think they show us week in and week out, especially like a game against Buffalo, that they have taken some really giant strides. All in all, an afternoon that was all good for the Miami Dolphins. • Nike • Easton • Rawlings • Wilson • Mizuno • Spalding • SSK • Russell • Majestic • New Era • Adidas • New Balance • Schutt • Bike • Louisville Slugger • Glovesmith • Franklin • E-Force • Ektelon TOLL FREE 1-877-9SPORTS www.midwaysports.com PH: 305-267-3110 MALL OF THE AMERICAS: 7795 West Flagler St., Miami, FL 33144 November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 25 FAX 305-266-6130 one-stop shopping Curtis Publishing is your singular source for all your printed media needs. We can handle any project from concept to delivery. We can offer the following services: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Graphic Design Publications Calendars Catalogs Advertisements and Much More ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Consulting Copy Writing and Editing Production Printing Customer Service Mailing Services The company that brings you Dolphin Digest can be put to work for YOU! Call 1.800.334.4005 to speak to one of our representatives CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 3000 southwest 148 avenue • suite 112 • miramar, fl 33027 • 1.800.334.4005 • 305.594.0508 “No, it hurts my brain to think about it. It’s pretty complicated. I know interceptions hurt it a great deal. Touchdowns help it a great deal. I’ve had a perfect quarterback rating before and I didn’t play perfect that game, so it’s a little bit skewed.” — QB CHAD PENNINGTON on whether he’s ever looking at the quarterback passer rating formula “I’ve never struggled against anybody like I struggled against him.” — Baltimore LB TERRELL SUGGS on his impressions of Dolphins LT Jake Long “We’re talking about this man, what is he 22? He’s 30. Mentally, he’s 30, emotionally, he’s 30. He is a man. He is not only physically a man, he knows how to work, he knows how to practice, he’s not frivolous about anything and he’s strong. When something happens that doesn’t fit, he doesn’t go in the tank; he analyzes it and gets better.” — Offensive coordinator DAN HENNING on LT Jake Long “I can easily tell you that if this is not the smartest, this is as good a smart group as I’ve been around on the offense in a long, long time. We’re taking advantage of that, we’re doing a lot of things.” — DAN HENNING “Muscular, kind of up in that rib, yeah, up in that area. It’s nothing they can really put their finger on, it’s obviously a muscle. He’s got a lot of muscles up in there. Probably pretty big.” — TONY SPARANO on whether Jason Ferguson’s injury was muscular “I don’t pay a lot of attention to it, honestly. I kind of got my own land to farm here. I’ve heard bits and pieces and it’s not my business. It’s their business.” — TONY SPARANO on whether he’s been paying attention to the turmoil in Dallas “What did we have to work with as players? You look at it and it’s clear — this year we have a direction and a plan in place, and that’s largely attributable to Coach Parcells and Coach Sparano. That’s a big difference in leadership.” — DE VONNIE HOLLIDAY, responding to Baltimore coach John Harbaugh saying that Cam Cameron did a great job in Miami in 2007 “with what he had to work with.” “You’re looking for me to get mad about that? Not going to happen.” — LB JOEY PORTER on his reaction to Harbaugh’s comment “If you need bulletin-board material to get you going, you’re the sorriest player in the NFL.” — LB CHANNING CROWDER November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 27 Kimberly Hometown: West Palm Beach, Fla. Years as a MDC: Rookie Occupation: Advertising sales Favorite Movie: “Dirty Dancing” Favorite Song/Artist: Madonna Michelle Hometown: Miami Years as a MDC: Four Occupation: Student Favorite Color: Pink Favorite Song/Artist: Jessica Simpson the hammer Hank Goldberg ESPN Redemption Day Big victory over Buffalo had Randy Mueller’s moves stamped all over it How about a nice round of applause for Randy Mueller. Last year, when Randy was the Dolphins’ general manager, I spoke with him the Monday morning following the selection of Ted Ginn Jr. as the No. 1 selection. “He’ll make a difference of 15-20 yards in field position in the return game and if we can get the ball to him, his speed will be a factor in the passing game. He reminds me of Joey Galloway,” said the man who drafted Galloway in Seattle. Mueller also brought linebacker Joey Porter to the franchise from Pittsburgh. Now you see why. Sunday, the pair led Miami to a win over Buffalo … division-leading Buffalo. Porter’s harassment of Trent Edwards led the defense. He has 101⁄2 sacks in seven games and is on pace to set the NFL season record. Ginn’s seven receptions for 175 yards helped take Chad Pennington over 300 yards, turning the tables on the Bills, who have been torturing Dolphins secondaries for the last four years. Mueller is in the Chargers front office now. In his one year in charge during his tenure with the Dolphins, maybe he knew more than the local mouths, scribes and callers after all. Yeah, Randy! ◆◆◆ As we hit midseason, this has been one full of surprises. Right at the top is what England got with New Orleans and San Diego. While the Brits saw a great game, although it was the total opposite of their football (soccer) as this had nothing but scoring (Saints 37, Chargers 32), they were expecting a possible championship preview. Rather, a pair of teams with sub-.500 records showed up. It was a high-scoring game because the Chargers have no pass defense. It did have the drama of Drew Brees exacting revenge over his former team. But as opposed to the Euros sending their best over to our horse racing Breeders Cup event, we did not send our best over there. Then, now that we have hit the halfway point of this crazy campaign, just who is the best? Was that a Super Bowl preview being conducted in Pittsburgh this past Sunday when the Giants visited? Most predictions had Dallas replacing the Giants as the NFC representative next February. But watching the Cowboys, even from a distance, you saw early on that defense was not an abundant commodity. Those who were closer saw the growth of combustible situations. 30 Dolphin Digest November 8, 2008 Randy Mueller received a lot of criticism in his one year in charge of personnel in Miami, but two of his acquisitions played major roles in the victory over Buffalo. Photo/DAVE CROSS/Miami Dolphins Meanwhile, Washington emerged behind the leadership of new coach Jim Zorn and the mistake-free quarterbacking of Jason Campbell to contend for top prize in the NFC East. Actually, the NFC has been fraught with surprises. Carolina was not supposed to be this good. Atlanta was not expected to contend with a rookie quarterback. Kyle Orton has become a capable quarterback in Chicago. Minnesota was going to run away with the Black and Blue. But the Vikings have quarterback issues. Where could the Rams be if Jim Haslett was coaching from opening day? Still, the Giants are going to be a tough out, particularly when you look at their performance on the road. Where are the Dolphins? Can we say that they have advanced from an automatic out to the Any Given Sunday category? If Pittsburgh is going to be the AFC team, it needs to get healthy. And find a two-minute drill. Mystery hovers over San Diego and Indianapolis. Those elements and the injury bug that also found its way to New England. Jacksonville was not expected to be in the loser column at this stage, nor did people anticipate the level of success achieved by Tennessee. They are for real. Among the other surprises were the 89 points put up by Minnesota and Chicago when they played each other. At random … • Buffalo should have called Cam Cameron for advice. Chad made a nice comeback after finishing second to Joe Flacco. • The economy being what it isn’t is bad news for teams threatening to move elsewhere. For example, if Wachovia Bank has no assets, there won’t be any baseball teams moving to Charlotte. • Brady Quinn will have to wait another week. • Joey P. looks like a bargain at $32 million now that he’s back in a 3-4. • Back to the Steelers. When Big Ben goes against teams that can pressure him, he will hold the ball forever, take too many big sacks and put his team out of scoring range. Brees doesn’t do that. • But just when you think New Orleans will go on a run … at Atlanta post-bye. • How about those 89 points? • $1,000 for a Super Bowl ticket. $5,000 per ducat seat license fee for Giants season tix. NFL owners must be watching NFL Network over CNN. • I don’t like to play the future schedule game, but our favorite team, the one that this publication is named for, could wind up at .500. And who wouldn’t take that? Thanks again to Randy Mueller. And Bill Parcells. By ALAIN POUPART Associate Editor Looking at Yeremiah Bell now, it’s easy to forget he missed pretty much all of last season because of a torn Achilles tendon. He’s making more than his share of tackles from his strong safety position and living up to his reputation as a playmaker. In short, Bell looks like that injury never occurred at all. “Same old Yeremiah,” said fellow safety Renaldo Hill. “He’s going to bring it every week, you’re going to see the intensity. He wants to go out there and play with all his might. He gives the team all he has, and you can see it on every play.” Bell gave everything he had in the offseason and training camp to get back to the starting lineup. In fact, there were times he gave too much. The new coaching staff was concerned at times about Bell before the season began, but it wasn’t so much because of his ability to come back from the injury. Rather, it was because of how hard Bell was practicing, and the fear was that he would hurt himself. It was something Coach Tony Sparano told the media and Bell himself. “He told me to slow down, but at that point I was just happy to be out there and I was having so much fun being out there with the guys, I didn’t pay too much attention,” Bell remembers. “It was during the OTA days. I was kind of diving for some balls that I probably shouldn’t have and I was on the ground a couple of times and they don’t like to see guys on the ground. But I felt that I had to show those guys that I could still play and come back from this injury. When I came back, I just wanted to be full steam ahead.” Bell indeed has come all the way back, and he’s pretty much picked up where he left off in 2006. He reached double digits in tackles in the games against the Jets, New England and Houston, and led the team in that category after seven games. Bell also has recovered a fumble (in the end zone in the game at Houston) and forced two others, including a key turnover deep in Dolphins territory against Baltimore. It has been, all things considered, a pretty good start for Bell. “Yeah, I’m happy, but you’re always your worst critSee BELL, page 33 BELL, from page 31 ic” he said. “I think there’s a lot of things that I could do better. To this point, I guess I’m pretty happy. I’m happy that I came back from my injury and I can move and all that good stuff, but now it’s more along the lines of making more plays and trying to do whatever I can to help this team win.” Bell has been a solid player for the Dolphins since he joined the team as a little-known sixth-round pick out of Eastern Kentucky in 2003 — he’s been on the team longer than any other current player drafted by Miami. The only problem has been injuries. In addition to 2007, Bell also had his season cut short in 2003 and 2004. Having dealt with injuries, though, gave Bell a clear idea on how to attack his rehab from last year’s injury, sustained in the opener at Washington. “I’ve been through these situations before, a string of bad luck,” he said. “All you can do is just try to get through it, be as healthy as you can, and regroup. That’s what I did. I mean, it hurt a lot, but at the same time, what can you do? You just go out and rehab and try and get back.” Now that he’s back, Bell is looking to show the coaches and front office they were right to re-sign him this offseason when he was an unrestricted free agent but now he deserves a long-term contract. The Dolphins wasted little time in re-signing Bell as a free agent last March, but they only gave him a one-year deal. By comparison, free agent cornerback Michael Lehan was given a four-year deal to re-sign with the Dolphins. “That didn’t really matter to me, because coming off the situation I was in, I knew there wasn’t going to be probably any deal for a couple of years,” Bell said. “I would have been satisfied with a one-year deal, whether I would have been here or somewhere else, just for me to get back out there and prove myself.” A published report suggested the Dolphins approached Bell about a new long-term deal during training camp, but the two sides couldn’t agree on terms. Bell’s value will only increase if he can continue to make plays in the secondary. “He’s an awful explosive guy, as you can see,” said defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni. “Everything he does, he does 100 miles an hour whether it’s practice or the game. The guy’s got one speed and that’s the way he plays.” Maybe Bell has such determination because of his background, which has been well documented. After all, there aren’t many NFL players who worked for two years after high school before walking on to play college football — at a Division I-AA school, mind you — and then moving on to the pros. That’s why Bell wasn’t about to let a little thing like a torn Achilles tendon keep him down forever. “I always tell him, he should write a book after he’s done or something because he definitely has a great story that people need to hear or know about,” Hill said. “He’s continued to make strides regardless of whether he’s behind the 8-ball, it didn’t matter, he’s just going to find a way for him and his family to be successful, and that’s on and off the field. You can definitely look at somebody (like that) as something to aspire to be like.” Bell showed against Baltimore his knack for producing big plays when he forced a Willis McGahee fumble in Dolphins territory. Digest Photo/MICKI LEWIS THE DOLPHINS’ DRAFT CLASS OF 2003 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Round 1 — No pick Round 2 — LB Eddie Moore, out of NFL Round 3a — T Wade Smith, backup with Chiefs Round 3b — G Taylor Whitley, out of NFL Round 4 — No pick Round 5a — TE Donald Lee, starter with Packers Round 5b — WR J.R. Tolver, out of NFL Round 6a — LB Corey Jenkins, out of NFL Round 6b — T Tim Provost, out of NFL Round 6c — S Yeremiah Bell, starter with Dolphins Round 7 — DT Davern Williams, out of NFL November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 33 phillipMERLING jasonFERGUSON The fun-loving Ferguson has given his coaches just what he gave them in Dallas, and his absence for most of the Baltimore game was felt. Defensive line Status Report: When the Dolphins switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense this season, it meant that players better suited for that system needed to be brought in and others already on the team would be asked to fill different roles. The Dolphins used the draft to get a couple of prototypical 3-4 defensive linemen, taking Clemson’s Phillip Merling at the top of the second round and Hampton University’s Kendall Langford at the top of Round 3. Both of them have been able to make a quick impact. For good measure, the Dolphins added another defensive lineman in the draft, that being Lionel Dotson from the University of Arizona. The three rookies joined a group that included three holdovers, veteran Vonnie Holliday and recent draft picks Paul Soliai (2007) and Rodrique Wright (2006). Holliday was one of those asked to play a different role, as he went from a 4-3 tackle to a 3-4 end. Matt Roth and Quentin Moses, meanwhile, went from defensive ends to outside linebackers in the new system. To get their nose tackle, the Dolphins traded for Dallas’ Jason Ferguson, a tough-nosed veteran with whom they obviously were very familiar. The offseason also brought in talented Randy Starks, who had to learn a new defense after playing in Tennessee’s 4-3 defense. Bottom Line: The main responsibility for defensive linemen in a 3-4 system is to do the dirty work and free up the linebackers. It’s grueling work that often goes unnoticed, and the Dolphins defensive linemen have done it pretty well overall. 34 Dolphin Digest November 8, 2008 A guy who really comes alive on game day, Merling has come on after a somewhat slow start. Unlike Langford, he didn’t play in a 3-4 in college. But he has the tools to become a long-time starter in the NFL. randySTARKS Starks wasn’t a high-profile free agent signing, but he has become a revelation. He has made more plays than any other defensive lineman on the team. kendallLANGFORD Photos by DAVE CROSS and NANCY KERRIGAN/Miami Dolphins and RICHARD C. LEWIS A rookie with tremendous promise, Langford’s experience in the 3-4 in college has helped him get off to a fast start. The others: vonnieHOLLIDAY In addition to his role as a defensive end, Holliday has lined up at nose tackle at times. He has been solid as usual. Lionel Dotson: A rookie seventh-round pick, Dotson made his NFL debut in the Oct. 19 game against Baltimore. He has displayed pass-rushing potential. Paul Soliai: A fourth-round pick in 2007, Soliai has made great strides after a rather disappointing rookie season. Rodrique Wright: The former seventh-round pick has been relegated to the inactive list so far this season, but he made his share of plays when he got some playing time in the preseason. November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 35 This issue featuring: Justin Smiley beast in the weight room and he still holds the school record in hang clean with a 415-pound lift. He also was the two-time recipient of the team’s Sylvester Croom Commitment to Excellence Award as well as the winner of the Mal Moore Leadership Award in his final year. Smiley, 26, grew up in the small town of Ellabell, Ga., with a population of about 2,500, but his mother, Terri White, drove him 30 miles each way to Brooklet so he could attend Southeast Bulloch High School, where he became the only player in school history to receive a Division I-A football scholarship. He also played defensive lineman there and his jersey number 78 was retired by the school in 2006. Smiley’s cousin, Dustin Ziegler, was an offensive lineman at Notre Dame and later in the NFL with the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills, and helped advise Smiley coming out of high school and college. One of the other highlights of Smiley’s time in San Francisco was meeting his current wife, Missy, who was a San Francisco 49ers cheerleader at the time, and the couple have a son, Justin Jr. The Dolphins guard is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fishing and camping in his spare time and he also started learning how to play the drums last year. Smiley discussed what it meant to him to be so highly sought after by Parcells and the Dolphins in free agency, his impressions of Long so far, what it’s like playing for a head coach who used to be an offensive line coach, and how serious of a drummer he really is, among other things, during an exclusive one-on-one interview with Digest correspondent Andy Kent for this installment of First-and-10. When the Miami Dolphins' new regime of Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano set out to rebuild the team starting in the trenches, the first brick they sought out was left guard Justin Smiley, who had been a four-year starter with the San Francisco 49ers. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Georgia native signed a five-year contract with the Dolphins on the first day of free agency, a moment he considers among the highlights of his career. Smiley’s experience and leadership skills have been a natural fit alongside rookie left tackle Jake Long, the first overall pick of the 2008 NFL draft, and he has been driven to prove that the shoulder injury that cut short his 2007 season in San Francisco is no longer an issue. In 2006, he was a key part of a Niners offensive line that allowed running back Frank Gore to rush for an NFL-best and franchise-record 1,695 yards and eight touchdowns. San Francisco drafted Smiley in the second round (46th overall) back in 2004, making him the sixth offensive lineman taken, and coming into this season his 56 starts ranked third among that group. He was a three-year letterman at the University of Alabama and played for two different head coaches (Dennis Franchione and Mike Shula). At Tu s c a l o o s a , Smiley was a legendary 1 You signed with the Dolphins right after the start of free agency; how did it feel to be pursued that aggressively? It felt good, one because of the staff that they had here and I knew their knowledge of the offensive line position, and it made me feel good to know that they felt that highly of me. 2 What was it about the Dolphins that appealed to you? A fresh start. A change of scenery. Being with this caliber of a coaching staff and kind of coming back down south and playing down here, which is closer to home, was nice. 3 You play next to first overall pick Jake Long; what can you tell us about him that maybe the average fans can’t see on television or from the stands? How savvy he is for a rookie and how nothing really rattles him. He’s played against some unbelievable pass rushers already this early in his career and nothing gets him rattled. If he gets beat during practice or if he gets beat in a game on a play he doesn’t get shaken, and that’s very rare for a rookie because I remember my head was spinning when I was out there. The guy’s special from that standpoint because he’s so collected and his head’s in it. 4 You married a former 49ers cheerleader; can you tell us how that materialized? It was one of those things where we were going through the program sitting before the game, messing See SMILEY, next page Photos/DAVE CROSS/Miami Dolphins 36 Dolphin Digest November 8, 2008 SMILEY, from preceding page around just amongst teammates and I saw a picture of her and thought she was beautiful and wound up seeing her out at a restaurant one night, and the rest is history. 5 You hold a University of Alabama weight room record; how much of a weightlifting fanatic are you? Not so much anymore. I used to love to get into it and do those things, but after I had some shoulder surgeries it really limited me, especially in the lifts that I like to do, the Olympic lifts like cleans and jerks. The media guide indicates you started 6 playing drums last year; how good are you, and is there a music career in your future? No music career, that’s for sure. Trust me. I’ve always said that if I wasn’t playing football I would love to be in a heavy metal band or something like that. It would be awesome. That’s what I get into, music and stuff like that, but I’m a novice. I can play basic rock beats and stuff like that and it’s cool to mess around if you’ve got friends who have guitars and are good players and you can just play along with them. But I better stick to football. I’ve got friends that play guitars and I love to jam out with them, but it’s very simple and very basic, that’s for sure. 7 You’re the only player in the history of Southeast Bulloch High (Ga.) to earn a football scholarship to a Division I-A school; how much pride do you take in that fact? I take a lot of pride in it. I wish that I had more of an opportunity to go back there and maybe soak it up or go back there and watch them play in a game or something like that. I just don’t get to go back enough, but it’s definitely flattering, the type of response that I get when I go back there. It makes me feel good, but in the same token, that was a different chapter in my life, so it’s time to move on. ing camp was tough. The in-season schedule’s unbelievably tough and there’s really no time to recover. It’s the part about being a pro. You’ve got to take it on yourself. During training camp I was (an ice tub guy), but I’m not anymore. In training camp when we’re having two practices a day, I’d like to. 9 If you were NFL commissioner for one day, what one rule would you change? That’s a really good one. If I were it for one day, maybe all the fines that my teammates got the other day, I’d go back and appeal them myself or something and give them all their money back. I don’t like seeing people get their money taken. I can understand unnecessary roughness penalties and stuff like that, but if I were commissioner for a day I’d probably do something like that. I’d give everybody their fines back. How long does it take your body to 8 recover after a game in the trenches, and are you an ice tub guy? 10 The older I get the longer it takes, honestly. This is year five for me and I remember being in college and we could go out and party all night long and go to practice and be ready the next night. Every year, especially these practices now with Parcells and Sparano, we work so hard. I mean, you thought train- Signing here. That was the biggest deal for me. There have been some big games and I played in some awesome games in San Francisco, but this even beats draft day, getting the opportunity to sign here and then the couple of big wins that we’ve had so far have made it even that much more enjoyable. What has been the biggest highlight of your NFL career so far? Dolphinsin the community Big reward Dolphins players Yeremiah Bell, Ernest Wilford and Ricky Williams were joined by T.D. on their visit to Sunland Park Elementary in Broward County. They spoke to a deserving group of kids who were selected based on achievement and success in school. The players spoke to the students about hard work, sacrifices, and big dreams. All of the students were thrilled to hear from the players and get their autographs. The New Look Dolphin Digest ... a must for every diehard Dol-Fan With a color, glossy magazine format, the new look Dolphin Digest is the perfect way to follow the Miami Dolphins. A great gift for a friend, a business associate or just to spoil yourself, Dolphin Digest is published twice a month during the season. With the regular season here, it is perfect time to renew your subscription. NOBODY COVERS THE MIAMI DOLPHINS LIKE DOLPHIN DIGEST! Dolphin Digest Order Form Credit Card Orders Call Toll Free 1-800-334-4005 or Fax 305-477-1346 Name Address City/State/Zip Payment Method (check one) Check appropriate box: ■ I enclose payment with order Charge my credit card: ■ VISA ■ MC ■ AMEX ■ DISC E-mail (optional) 1 year $39.95 (12 issues) Card No. I wish to give Dolphin Digest as a gift….. 2 years $69.95 (24 issues) Name on Card: Gift Recipient’s Name 3 years $99.95 (36 issues) Exp. Date Address City/State/Zip 3- or 4-digit security code Telephone DD Send check or money order to: Dolphin Digest • P.O. Box 526600 Miami, FL 33152-6600 Money Edition Channing Anthony Crowder What did you do with the first signing bonus you received? Fasano Jason Ferguson Oh. I cashed all $6,000 and looked at it because I’d never seen 6 grand before. So I took like $300 out and put it back in there, so I could hand the teller all those rolls and feel important. I bought a dog. A Rottweiler, the one I've got now, "L.T." I put it in the bank. I didn’t touch it. What one thing have you bought to really spoil yourself? A house. I never bought a house before, so that’s pretty much spoiling myself there. I probably am overpaying for my car. I bought a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S and I like that, so that’s my big-ticket item. Who handles the money in your family: you, your wife or your financial advisor? Me. I don’t have enough money to give to a financial advisor. A financial advisor would laugh at me if I gave him my money. He’d say, “What do you want me to do with this, put it in a sock?” No wife and she wouldn’t if I did, so it’s my financial advisor. Vonnie Holliday My first signing bonus I immediately went out and bought my mom a new car and a house. I bought some watches because I’m a watch guy. What’s the best gift you ever bought someone? Who’s the cheapest player on the team, and why? How much is the most money you’ve ever spent on a meal? I bought my mom a truck. Matt Roth. He doesn’t spend any money. My rookie night with Zach and Junior and all them, it was like $9,000 at Prime 112. Out of my pocket and I cried. I went to the bathroom with tears rolling out of my eyes when that bill came. I bought my mom a dog and I think she really enjoys that. She gets a lot of pleasure out of that dog. I’m going to go with Matt Roth. My rookie meal, including drinks, it was probably around $3,000. They got me down in Dallas. I’m not a real big spender or a flashy guy, but I remember the first thing I did to spoil myself was I bought myself a custom suit. I handle the money. I oversee it. But at the same time we all take care of it, me, my wife and my financial guy. Of course you’ve got to bring up your wife’s ring. When you upgrade in money, you’ve got to upgrade the ring. (Phillip) Merling is the cheapest guy in here. He’s a rookie and he doesn’t do anything for us. My rookie meal in New York I spent about $2,700 or $2,800 and as a seventh-round pick that was bad. That hurt. I mean, that knocked me back my rent because rent in New York City back then was around $2,500. It’s a combination of me and my financial advisor, but I probably need to get my wife a little more involved because she’s a lot smarter than I am. The house for my mom. For me it was definitely the best gift. To give my mom a house was huge. Probably Jason Allen, surprisingly, and it’s more so when it relates to other people because he is really tight when it comes to money. You’d be surprised, but he has to be the tightest guy I know with money. The good thing about it was I was in Green Bay my rookie year, so things were a little cheaper up there, so it was probably $2,700. November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 39 You want the perfect advertising vehicle to reach avid Dol-Fans? It’s the New Look Distributed to more than 50,000 Dol-Fans, including every season ticket, club level and suite holder, Dolphin Digest can be the perfect way to promote your business. 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PHONE (305) 664-3391 Dave Murphey Director, Media Partnerships Phone: 305-614-7921 E-mail: dmurphey@dolphinstadium.com Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders 2009 Swimsuit Calendar Get your 2009 swimsuit calendar • Shot on location at Discovery Cove, Orlando • 16-month calendar – includes 2008 football schedule Y ONL $ 2009 CALENDAR ORDER FORM 99 13 &H 4.00 S Plus $ Name ____________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip ____________________________________________________ Phone____________________________________________________________ No. of Calendars @ $13.99 each $ ______________________ Shipping & Handling ($4.00 per item) $ ______________________ Total $ ______________________ Mail Check or Money Order (Payable to Curtis Publishing) To: Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders • P.O. Box 526600 • Miami, FL 33152 Credit Card Orders Call: 1-800-334-4005 2008 Roster (Listed numerically by position; as of October 26) QUARTERBACKS NO. 7 9 10 NAME Chad Henne John Beck Chad Pennington DEFENSIVE ENDS HT. 6-3 6-2 6-3 WT. 230 215 225 EXP. R 2 9 6-0 5-10 5-8 230 230 205 4 8 3 COLLEGE Michigan BYU Marshall RUNNING BACKS 23 34 38 Ronnie Brown Ricky Williams Patrick Cobbs Auburn Texas North Texas FULLBACKS 30 Casey Cramer 6-2 250 4 Dartmouth 5-10 6-4 6-4 5-11 6-2 6-1 190 210 225 180 215 190 R 1 5 2 3 3 Hawaii Massachusetts Virginia Tech Ohio State Arizona State Stanford 6-4 6-8 6-4 255 270 265 3 R 8 Notre Dame Maryland Tennessee 310 315 300 310 325 350 305 320 305 320 2 R 2 5 2 5 4 R R R Akron Utah State Hawaii Alabama Northwestern Miami (Fla.) Alabama Arkansas Ohio State Michigan WIDE RECEIVERS 15 17 18 19 82 83 Davone Bess Brandon London Ernest Wilford Ted Ginn Jr. Derek Hagan Greg Camarillo TIGHT ENDS 80 81 88 Anthony Fasano Joey Haynos David Martin OFFENSIVE LINEMEN 57 61 64 65 68 72 73 75 76 77 Andy Alleman Shawn Murphy Samson Satele Justin Smiley Ikechuku Ndukwe Vernon Carey Evan Mathis Nate Garner Kirk Barton Jake Long 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-4 6-5 6-5 6-7 6-4 6-7 NO. 70 71 90 91 94 97 95 96 Jason Ferguson Paul Soliai 6-3 6-4 305 355 12 2 Georgia Utah HT. 6-6 6-4 6-5 6-5 6-3 6-4 WT. 290 290 310 285 305 290 EXP. R R 2 11 5 R COLLEGE Hampton Arizona Texas North Carolina Maryland Clemson 6-2 6-2 6-2 6-3 6-4 6-5 6-4 245 250 245 255 250 260 275 7 4 5 10 5 2 4 Purdue Florida Auburn Colorado State Mississippi Georgia Iowa 5-10 5-10 6-1 5-10 6-1 190 195 200 185 195 7 8 3 5 3 South Carolina Syracuse Tennessee Rutgers Montana State 5-11 6-1 6-1 6-0 205 205 210 205 8 2 3 5 Michigan State Troy Fresno State Eastern Kentucky 6-2 220 R Montana 6-5 235 2 Michigan State 6-5 255 4 BYU LINEBACKERS 51 52 53 55 56 74 98 Akin Ayodele Channing Crowder Reggie Torbor Joey Porter Charlie Anderson Quentin Moses Matt Roth CORNERBACKS 21 25 32 33 41 Andre’ Goodman Will Allen Jason Allen Nathan Jones Joey Thomas SAFETIES 24 28 29 37 Renaldo Hill Brannon Condren Tyrone Culver Yeremiah Bell KICKER 5 Dan Carpenter PUNTER 2 DEFENSIVE TACKLES NAME Kendall Langford Lionel Dotson Rodrique Wright Vonnie Holliday Randy Starks Phillip Merling Brandon Fields LONG-SNAPPER 92 John Denney AROUND the league Catching up with former Dolphins players Slow start for Booker Chicago shockingly went into its bye in Week 8 as the highest-scoring team in the NFL, but wide receiver Marty Booker’s contributions have been minimal. Most NFL fans caught the highlight of Booker turning a short reception in the Oct. 19 game against Minnesota into a 51-yard touchdown, but that came on a day when Booker earlier had dropped two touchdown passes. In Chicago’s first seven games, Booker caught only 11 passes for 183 yards with two touchdowns. He failed to catch more than one pass in each of the first four games, and was shut out in a Sept. 21 loss to Tampa Bay. At this pace, he will set a new career low for receptions in a season (he had 19 as a rookie in 1999). Maybe worse for Booker, he’s been relegated to backup duty after never starting fewer than seven games since 2000. Booker actually is the fourth wideout behind Rashied Davis, Brandon Lloyd and Devin Hester. Hits keep coming for Huard Things went from bad to worse for Damon Huard in Kansas City, and then they reached the worst stage. His forgettable season came to an end when he was placed on injured reserve a few days after sustaining ligament damage in his throwing hand in an Oct. 19 game against Tennessee. Huard was hurt when his hand hit the helmet of a Titans defender after he threw a pass. Huard was injured after coming in for starter Brodie Croyle, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in his return from a shoulder injury. Huard ended the season with a 65.7 passer rating. It continued a slide for Huard, who appeared two seasons ago as though he would become one of those lateblooming quarterbacks. In eight starts in 2006, Huard had a superb 98.0 rating while leading the Chiefs to the playoffs. But after struggling in 2007 (11 TDs, 13 INTs in 10 starts) and this year, his future in Kansas City is up in the air. He is signed through the 2009 season and scheduled to make $2 million in base salary next year. To fill their need for a quarterback, the Chiefs signed former Jaguars backup Quinn Gray, but not before they also had discussions with Daunte Culpepper, who had retired but now is hoping to join a team for the second half of the season. Welker still keeping busy With Tom Brady knocked out in the season opener, the New England offense hasn’t been nearly as explosive in 2008. But Wes Welker is still racking up the catches. In fact, Welker is on pace to match his 2007 total of 112 catches, which tied for first in the NFL with Cincinnati’s T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Welker has been so consistent, he led the Patriots or tied for the team lead in receptions in each of the team’s first seven games. There are some differences between this year and last, though. For one, Welker isn’t scoring as much. After catching eight touchdown passes in 2007, he had caught only one in the first seven games this year. Welker’s reception average also has gone down a full yard, as opponents are making Matt Cassel throw underneath on a regular basis. Welker also hasn’t been used much on punt returns after handling the role in 2007, although he did have a 44-yard return in New England’s 41-7 victory over Denver on Monday Night Football on Oct. 20. In that game, running back Sammy Morris had by far his best game of the season when he rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown. But the night ended badly for Morris, who sustained a knee injury in the second half. The injury kept Morris out of the Oct. 26 game against St. Louis. With former first-round pick Laurence Maroney now on injured reserve, Morris will be in a position to play an important role for the Patriots in the second half of the season. Elsewhere ... • Through Week 7, St. Louis’ Donnie Jones was leading the NFL in gross punting with a 51.6-yard average. • FB Reagan Mauia was re-signed by Cincinnati, less than two weeks after the Bengals released him. Meanwhile, FB Kyle Eckel was signed by Philadelphia. • K Jay Feely has been impressive for the New York Jets filling in for Mike Nugent, who was injured in the opener against the Dolphins. Feely made eight of his first 10 field goal attempts, including a game-tying 52yarder in the final seconds at Oakland. Feely initially missed the kick, but interim Raiders coach Tom Cable had called a timeout just before the snap, so Feely got another shot at it. • DE Jason Taylor has yet to make much of an impact for the Redskins, and the calf injury he sustained early in the season continues to be an issue. Taylor was scheduled to undergo a second surgery one day after playing against Detroit. Taylor, who had one tackle in that game, has one sack on the season. coming up Games at a glance Dolphins at Denver Date: Nov. 2 • Time: 4:05 p.m. ET Site: INVESCO Field at Mile High • TV: CBS Photo/OTTO GREULE JR./Getty Images Series record: Dolphins lead 10-4-1 (including playoffs) Current streak: Dolphins won the last meeting Last Dolphins victory: 2005 at Miami; Dolphins 34, Broncos 10 Last Broncos victory: 2004 at Denver; Broncos 20, Dolphins 17 Biggest Dolphins margin of victory: 24, 2005 at Miami (34-10) Biggest Dolphins margin of defeat: 35, 1998 playoffs at Denver (38-3) Scouting Report: The Broncos took a 4-3 record into their bye on Oct. 26, and that was good enough to lead the AFC West, but there are major concerns in Denver nonetheless. The most obvious is the defense, which has been nothing short of brutal. The Broncos gave up more than 30 points in four of their first seven games, opposing rushers were averaging 5.4 yards per carry and quarterbacks had combined for a passer rating of 109.1. The good news was that Denver benefited from blown calls to beat San Diego and New Orleans, and the offense had moments of brilliance, thanks in large part to the passing of Jay Cutler. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who played collegiately at Central Florida, is on pace to catch 112 passes. Sept. 7 N.Y. JETS Sept. 14 at Arizona L 14-20 Sept. 21 at New England L 10-31 W 38-13 Sept. 28 Bye week Oct. 5 SAN DIEGO Oct. 12 at Houston L 28-29 Oct. 19 BALTIMORE L 13-27 Oct. 26 BUFFALO W 25-16 Nov. 2 at Denver 4:05 p.m. (CBS) Nov. 9 SEATTLE 1 p.m. (FOX) Nov. 16 OAKLAND 1 p.m. (CBS)* Nov. 23 NEW ENGLAND 1 p.m. (CBS)* Nov. 30 at St. Louis Dec. 7 at Buffalo (Toronto) Dec. 14 SAN FRANCISCO 1 p.m. (FOX)* Dec. 21 at Kansas City 1 p.m. (CBS)* Dec. 28 at N.Y. Jets 1 p.m. (CBS)* W 17-10 1 p.m. (CBS)* 4:05 p.m. (CBS)* *-Game subject to flex scheduling Down the road … Dolphins vs. Seattle Date: Nov. 9 • Time: 1 p.m. ET Site: Dolphin Stadium • TV: FOX Photo/RONALD MARTINEZ/Getty Images 44 Dolphin Digest November 8, 2008 2008 Regular Season Schedule Series record: Dolphins lead 8-4 (including playoffs) Current streak: Seahawks won the last meeting Last Dolphins victory: 2001 at Seattle; Dolphins 24, Seahawks 20 Last Seahawks victory: 2004 at Seattle; Seahawks 24, Dolphins 17 Biggest Dolphins margin of victory: 23, 2000 at Miami (23-0) Biggest Dolphins margin of defeat: 7, three different times (1983 playoffs at Miami, 27-20; 1996 at Miami, 22-15; 2004 at Seattle, 24-17) Scouting Report: Mike Holmgren’s swan song isn’t exactly going according to plan and it looks like the Seahawks’ run of NFC West titles will end this season at four. Injuries have been the biggest problem, particularly losing quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and also watching one wide receiver after another get hurt. Former Dallas running back Julius Jones has been effective, but the Seahawks can’t throw the ball these days. That’s put a lot of pressure on the defense, which has been good against the run but porous against the pass. Longtime Dolphins kicker Olindo Mare beat out rookie Brandon Coutu in training camp and he will make his return to Miami. RAIDERS REVISITED — The Raiders return to Miami on Nov. 16, but it will be hard to match last year’s visit in terms of intrigue because Daunte Culpepper no longer is on the team. Instead, we’ll get a look at 2007 No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell. Photo/CHRIS GRAYTHEN/Getty Images Major kudos to both my man Joey and Ted Ginn Jr. What a great day for Joey Porter. He is really getting better as we get on with the season and is finally playing like he used to as a Steeler. Ginn finally had the breakout day we all knew would eventually happen just when we really needed it. I’m very proud of this team, but we need to get the running game back, that’s for sure. I’m looking forward to the Fins coming out here next week and burying the donkies! R.J. Wertheimer Parker, Colorado ❖❖❖ I never gave the Dolphins much of a chance to upset the Bills, but this team continues to surprise me. Chad Pennington once again proved he is this team’s most efficient quarterback since a guy named Marino. Ted Ginn finally showed he belonged with some great catches. Boy, imagine if this is just the beginning and we’re going to get these type of performances from Ginn every week. The 2007 draft might turn out to be a good one after all. Finally, there’s Joey Porter. I’ve got to admit I was so down on him last season. He looked like a Dolphin out of water. This year he is a different player. He is relentless getting to the pass rusher. On one play, the Bills tried to use three players to block him. How good is that to see? So with a 3-4 record, the Dolphins matter once again. Let’s see if they can keep on mattering. Bob Walston Miami, Florida ❖❖❖ What a heartbreaker that game was against Houston, but these are the type of games and growing pains this team is going to go through. As optimistic as I was about the wins over New England and San Diego, I realize they are also going to have games like the one against Houston. This team is rebuilding and has a long way to go. Two things the Dolphins need desperately are cornerbacks that can match up and shut down a big-time WR like Andre Johnson and wide receivers that can make plays and give the Dolphins a threat in the passing game. As much as I love the creativity of the Wildcat offense, sooner or later defenses will catch up with it and find a way to contain it. We just don’t have the playmakers at WR yet to make us an offense that can scare other teams. At least we finally have an offensive coaching staff that can think outside the box and be creative enough to come up with the Wildcat offense. Also, my hats off to Paul Pasqualoni with the defense. He is doing things that the previous staff did not do, such as playing Joey Porter at his natural position and letting him rush the passer, or experimenting with Matt Roth at linebacker who is doing a great job. Ryan Van Hoover Liverpool, New York Send us your opinions “Fans Speak Out” is your page. We don’t want to hear that your voices can’t be heard. Send us your letters or fax them right after the game. The players and coaches read Dolphin Digest. Tell them what’s on your mind. Here are three easy ways to get us your letters: • E-mail to digest@curtispub.net • Fax to 305-477-1346 • Mail to P.O. Box 526600, Miami, FL 33152 I’d like to see the Dolphins give Chad Henne a shot at quarterback. I like the job Chad Pennington has done since the Dolphins acquired him and this has nothing to do with his play. I just think that the situation at the end of the Texans game, where Henne could have gotten the ball to the end zone, would have given us a 50/50 chance of winning the game. Also, the end of the Baltimore game would have been a good opportunity to insert Henne and see what he could do with that arm. Every now and then a quarterback should be able to fit a ball in a tight spot. Look at a couple of the throws that Joe Flacco made for Baltimore. the pass to Mason with Will Allen draped all over him comes to mind. I think the time is about right to at least give Henne a couple of series a game just to shake things up a little. Richard Clemmons Clewiston, Florida Heck on wheels! I was glad to see Matt Roth get a chance to really show his potential in this new defensive scheme. It’s awesome to see him smash our opponents with blistering speed. He is only going to get better, and so is this team. Keep up the great work, Matt! The Toledo, Ohio, Dolphins Fan Club wants another sack! We can’t wait to cheer for the Dolphins when we attend the 49ers game in December. Jeremy J. Pryba Toledo, Ohio November 8, 2008 Dolphin Digest 45 By TOM CURTIS Allen was all right Enough is enough He’s a former No. 1 draft pick who has taken much abuse, including from me, in his three years with the Dolphins. He started out as a safety, was moved to cornerback, back to safety, and now is a cornerback. He was deserving of all the criticism, but now it is time to give Jason Allen his props. Allen played an outstanding game not only on defense but also on special teams in the win over Buffalo. You know the Bills had heard about Allen’s travails as a DB with the Dolphins and saw an easy mark when he lined up at cornerback at the beginning of the game. He had a bull’s-eye on his number 32 and the Bills tried their hardest to beat him. Allen was solid in coverage all day, had six tackles, and helped force the fumble in the fourth quarter that sealed the victory. Allen not only played virtually every down on defense but was excellent on the kick coverage teams. He made an excellent play to down a punt inside the Bills’ 5-yard line, was in on several tackles as the first man down in coverage, and recovered a fumble on a punt in the last seconds of the game. For the first time, it is safe to say Jason Allen earned his money as a Miami Dolphin and hopefully he will continue to prove his worth. Since the beginning of NFL time, the league and its owners have always let the players know where they stand — second-class citizens, nothing more than collateral, and preferably to be seen and not heard. Sure, the money aspect of being an NFL player has gone up and up, but the respect for players is still the same. The recent fines, suspensions and inactivations for overzealous hits on the field or words during or after a game are the latest actions putting the players in their place. It has gone way overboard; after all, players have been taught aggression and hard hitting as a factor in winning since pee-wee football and taking away their right to express an opinon is nothing more than repression. Of course, the NFL says the actions against players are “in the best interest of the league.” The power of a team over a player finally went too far when the Browns suspended Kellen Winslow for the Oct. 26 game for making the team look bad in disclosing a health problem. The Browns have been backpedalling ever since, after public outrage and First Amendment rights issues got to the NFL lawyers. First, the Browns countered that there was a secondary violation that helped get Winslow suspended — verbal abuse of a public relations employee. Then the suspension and the more than $200,000 it meant to Winslow was rescinded and he was just made inactive for last Sunday’s game in Jacksonville. The NFL and the Browns are surely embarrassed by the whole ordeal, having to acknowledge a player was right and they were wrong. Digest Photo/RICHARD C. LEWIS Handling Chad The question about when Chad Henne should see some action for the Dolphins was put off another week when the Dolphins beat the Bills. Chad Pennington had another outstanding performance in the win and deserves to play as long as the team has a chance in the AFC East. However, if and when the Dolphins are eliminated, Henne has to play. Henne was outstanding in the preseason but getting to see him play in the regular season against quality opposition is imperative to the future of this team. Pennington has been invaluable to this year’s team and is a very good NFL quarterback, but maybe Henne is the next Dan Marino. It is important to find out about Henne this year, although Dolphins fans should hope he never sees the field. Because that means the games at the end of the season will have meaning and the team will be contending for the playoffs. Despite the wins against New England, San Diego and Buffalo, the Dolphins clearly lack the overall talent to be a title contender. But if things fall their way like last Sunday against the Bills, this season can still be deemed a success. An 8-8 season is certainly possible and more building blocks can be put in place for next season. There are positives for the future and having a quality offensive line is a major step forward. Jake Long has already proven worthy of being the No. 1 pick and left tackle will be in good hands when the rest of the team catches up. Vernon Carey should be signed to a long-term contract, as he is now a quality player at right tackle. Samson Satele is good enough at center and Justin Smiley was the best free agent signee of the offseason at left guard. That leaves right guard open to competition, but with four of the five positions at NFL quality, there are much bigger problems to solve on this team. Photo/DAVE CROSS/Miami Dolphins 46 Dolphin Digest November 8, 2008 Photo/GREGORY SHAMUS/Getty Images Building blocks