As 12-point underdogs going into their game against the New England Patriots in Foxboro Sunday, the Miami Dolphins came out a completely different team. Not only did they win, but they dominated the Patriots in every aspect of the game. Tom Brady or not, it looked like the Dolphins could've won this.
But is this the Dolphins we'll see from now on? Or will it be the same team who lost to the Arizona Cardinals, 31-10, the week before and allowed itself to be scored on at will?
What could be considered to be star running back Ronnie Brown's breakout game saw the back rush for 117 yards on 17 carries after only averaging 2.8 yards per rush on 43 yards in his first two games on limited touches, after having Ricky Williams start over him in order to ease him back from a knee injury. Brown became the first player since 1923 to run for four touchdowns and throw for another in the process.
Do the Dolphins have a chance to become the newest threat in the AFC? With the running back duo of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams and its linebackers consisting of Joey Porter, Channing Crowder, and Matt Roth, it very well can.
Throughout Miami's 38-13 win, Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel was under constant pressure and constantly missed his targets. There were no deep throws that usually stymied the Dolphins weak secondary, either. The defense seen from the Dolphins was a defense that fans haven't seen in years.
The offense controlled the tempo for the game; the team, after struggling for years on the offensive side, looked like a completely new squad with the tricks they were putting on. The direct snap to Ronnie Brown resulted in four touchdowns in runs of two, 15, five, and 62 yards, not to mention a 20-yard left-handed scoring pass to tight end Anthony Fasano that left the NFL world in disbelief.
The new acquisitions have also been faring very well, with additions such as Chad Pennington and Anthony Fasano greatly improving the team on offense. Pennington has thrown only one interception in three games and hit 17-of-20 passes in his first win as a Dolphin. Fasano has been the No. 1 target with 11 catches on mainly short passes, and is averaging four yards after the catch.
The Dolphins, after being the laughingstock of sports for years, may have just emerged as the newest NFL threat, as teams that face the Dolphins in the future don't know which team will emerge from the tunnel. Two weeks from now, San Diego will be the first to find out.
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