Two weeks ago, the Miami Dolphins were flying high. Sure, they’d started out the season 0-3, and were about to take on the NFL’s highest-powered offense.

 

Yet, there was optimism in the air. It was an optimism that carried over to this fan, who predicted the ‘Phins would take down the previously undefeated New Orleans Saints.

 

Hell, I even had a cup of coffee riding on the results (there was also a matter of wearing the opposing team’s jersey for a day as part of that wager...more on that later).

 

Through the first two quarters of that game against the Saints, I was thoroughly convinced my belief in the ‘Phins was totally justified. They could do no wrong, and it seemed as if New Orleans had morphed into the bumbling “Aints” of the 1980 season.

 

Then came Dolphins’ coach Tony Sparano’s timeout.

 

Miami had been rolling, up 24-3, until a bad call by the refs resulted in a fumble for the Fish recovered by the Saints.

 

Although Drew Brees hadn’t done anything up to that moment, having a total of 27 yards, he easily marched down the field for a possible score in the final seconds of the half.

 

Another atrocious call gave the Saints a touchdown on a 20-yard (actually 19 and a half) pass to Marques Colston from Brees. Colston had clearly touched his knee down before the ball crossed the goal-line.

 

However, the referees, in another example of how bad officiating is throughout sports lately, called it a TD.

 

A mandatory review from the booth quickly overturned the call, and snatched the points from the scoreboard, silencing the cheers of the Saints players.

 

Rather than getting a touchdown and being down only 24-10, they would have to rush their kicking team out onto the field and settle for three (if they made it) for a 24-6 deficit going into the half.

 

New Orleans was in the midst of rushing their kicking team out there to do just that, with just five seconds left on the clock. That’s when Tony Sparano had a brainfart and called a timeout.

 

Why he would ever do such a thing is beyond me, and the moment I heard the television announcers make the statement that the Dolphins had called a timeout I knew Miami would lose the game. I kid you not, that was my immediate thought.

 

I’ve played football, and I know exactly how fragile the momentum can be for a team who is performing well, but might not quite believe they’re as good as they’re playing.

 

One little thing can upset the balance, and begin to make them think about what they’re doing. While football, as with any sport, requires some thinking by some players, it’s mainly a game played without thinking.

 

That’s why you practice; in order to hone your body to respond to situations without thinking. You drill and drill and drill until you react without a single thought; nearly pure instinct. Tony Sparano’s unfortunate timeout blew all that for the ‘Phins.

 

The Saints, having time to think about it, as well as time for Drew Brees to petition his coach, decided not to go for the field goal once the timeout was over, but instead opted to go for the end zone.

 

With the ball just a half-yard from paydirt, it wasn’t hard to see Brees wouldn’t have much of a problem in scoring on a quarterback keeper; and that’s just what he did.

 

That sent the Saints into the halftime locker room totally pumped. They had just put themselves down by only two scores, 24-10, and you can bet every player on that team felt they could come back at that moment, and were listening to every inspirational word their coach was mouthing during the break.

 

In the opposite locker room, you can be assured that nothing Sparano was saying was even registering with the ‘Phins players. Nose tackle Jason Ferguson summed up the feeling at halftime in his postgame statement:

 

“It’s demoralizing. You’re trying to push forward and make a play. You’re trying to get your momentum back. It was there for us to take, and we gave them a chance to get back in the game.”

 

Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald wrote in his recap of the game that it would be hard to isolate one thing that was the ultimate cause for the result of the game. I disagree completely.

 

That timeout was that one thing. It allowed the Saints to go into the half feeling like winners, and it took all the air out of the sail that was the Miami ship for two quarters.

 

Coming out in the second half it was as if the players on the field had switched uniforms. Everything Miami did was wrong, and the Saints couldn’t be stopped with a 50-caliber machine gun and a bazooka.

 

Brees marched them up and down the field like the Dolphins weren’t even there, with Jeremy Shockey looking like a modern-day Larry Czonka.

 

The end was simply inevitable. As I stated, the moment Sparano called the timeout I knew the game was over and the ‘Phins would lose. Watching that second half was simply painful reiteration of my feelings of doom.

 

Miami succumbed on the last play of the game, as Chad Henne threw an interception that was run back for a touchdown to give New Orleans a 46-34 victory.

Miami would redeem themselves a week later. Despite the loss of cornerback Will Allen for the season to injury, Miami’s defense would rise to the occasion, with Jason Taylor returning a fumble 48 yards for a touchdown, and the entire defense shutting down a last-minute, fourth-quarter comeback attempt by Mark Sanchez and the Jets to preserve the 30-25 Dolphins win.

 

In that exciting game, in which the Miami offense had its fewest yards from scrimmage in 10 years, the resurrection of Ted Ginn Jr. began.

 

Just two weeks ago, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald had posited the idea that Ginn might actually be on the trading block (despite the fact the ‘Phins have a huge need to get more good receivers).

 

I’m guessing he almost wishes he hadn’t written that piece considering his latest article goes on to entreat everyone not to deify Ginn. Or perhaps he’s glad he did. For maybe Ginn actually read it, and was inspired or motivated by it.

 

Whatever got into Ginn, he came to play against the Jets, returning two kickoff returns for touchdowns, sparking the ‘Phins to victory.

 

Having been benched as a receiver in favor of Brian Hartline, Ginn made the most of his move to special teams, showing exactly why the ‘Phins had drafted him so highly with the first two kickoff returns for touchdowns in the same quarter since Travis Williams did it for Green Bay back in 1967.

 

The first of those kickoff returns for a touchdown came early in the third quarter, as Ginn caught the Jay Feely kick at the goal-line and trotted 100 yards to paydirt.

 

He then ran over to a camera and put his finger to his lips, apparently suggesting his critics, like the aforementioned Salguero, should be quiet.

 

Less than seven minutes later, Ginn followed it up with an even better kickoff return, taking the ball from one yard deep in the end zone, he weaved his way through traffic for a 101-yard score, leaving the Jets coaching staff speechless, and the Miami fans in the stands roaring with excitement.

 

Considering the caliber of the team the Dolphins play this week, they’ll need Ginn at his best again on special teams and kick returns, as well as returning to the receiving corps.

 

Miami is going to be without nose tackle Jason Ferguson, as well as linebacker Channing Crowder, both of whom are listed as “doubtful” on the injury report, and aren’t expected to play.

 

This means Miami’s offense needs to step it up quite a bit if they’re to compete with the New England Patriots.

 

These are the same Patriots who destroyed the Tennessee Titans 59-0 just a few weeks ago, and with Tom Brady back, are capable of lighting up defenses like no other team in the league other than possibly the Saints and Colts.

 

Despite their injuries, Miami will have to find a way to contain Brady and New England. Part of that will fall on the shoulders of Jason Taylor, a good friend of Tom’s. Taylor knows it won’t be easy to stop the prolific passer from the north, though.

 

“I’ve played him a bunch of times, but I don’t know how familiar I am with his tendencies. There’s certain things he does and sometimes those don’t change. But every year’s a challenge. You can’t really draw back on what you did in years past against Tommy. He changes so much.”

 

Both Taylor and Brady missed both of the matchups between the Dolphins and the Patriots from last year.

 

Brady missed the season because of a torn ACL, and Taylor was with the Washington Redskins after being traded to them before the season began last year by Tony Sparano and Bill Parcells.

 

Those matchups were something not to be missed, too. In the first contest in Foxborough, the ‘Phins introduced their version of the “Wildcat” to the NFL, destroying the Patriots 38-13 in the process as Ronnie Brown ran all over them from the formation and the Dolphins racked up 461 total yards.

 

The loss also snapped New England’s league-record 21-game winning streak in the regular season.

 

The Patriots would avenge that loss, as they got a bit of a handle on the “Wildcat” in the second game played in Miami. In that game, New England would dominate the ‘Phins throughout, and win 48-28.

 

That first win by Miami in Gillette Stadium would prove very costly, however. While both Miami and New England ended the season at 11-5, the Dolphins won the division based on a better conference record.

 

New England missed the playoffs.

 

I’m guessing they’re itching for some payback for that, hoping to dominate the Dolphins a second time in a row, and exact some revenge for that loss in front of their hometown fans last year.

 

Miami, on the other hand, would love nothing better than to find a way to deliver another blow to their old rival.

 

Most experts are picking the Patriots in this game, and there’s no denying they’re wise to make such predictions. New England is 5-2 on the season, playing at home, and is playing a divisional rival who’s never fared well playing in the north.

 

Miami, on the other hand started out the season with three losses, is 3-4, playing on the road, and barely squeaked out a win against the Jets.

 

Add to that the fact the Patriots look like an offensive juggernaut, and Miami’s defense is injury-riddled, and the common wisdom would be New England in a rout.

 

I don’t think it’s gonna happen though. Perhaps I’m just being foolish, and I don’t have a wager on this game like the one against New Orleans, so even if the Patriots prove me wrong I won’t be running around Burlington with a New England jersey on constantly telling people the Patriots are a better team than my ‘Phins, but I still think Miami finds a way to win this.

 

To the Dolphins, this will be the game of the year. It’s the one game they must win. Without this win, the Dolphins season is absolutely over (might as well just pack their bags and call it a season; forfeit the rest of their games and go home).

 

Well, perhaps that’s being a bit dramatic, but I think you get the point. This game is far more important to Miami than it is to New England.

 

That doesn’t mean the Patriots won’t want this win just as bad as the Dolphins, but the consequences of a loss won’t be as devastating to their postseason hopes as it would to Miami.

 

So, despite all the conventional wisdom saying Miami loses this game, I’m going out on a limb and saying they pull it out. I think Miami throws some wrinkles into their “Wildcat” formation that get the better of New England, and the ‘Phins rack up tons of yardage on the ground; keeping Brady off the field just enough to pull out the upset.

 

My prediction: Miami Dolphins 35, New England Patriots 31

 

Bring on the naysayers; I know they're legion.

 

 

Quotes taken from Miami Herald and AP recaps of games.