Tony Sparano Answers Questions About "Offensive" Line Play of Miami Dolphins

As you can see, I put offensive in quotes because it wasn't an offensive line that protected the offense, but an offensive line in the sense that their play was, well, quite offensive.

But Coach can't just say that to the media for good reason. You never want to throw your players under the bus like that. 

But Tony Sparano had to say something about his offensive line, which accounted for five sacks and a net running game of 22 yards on 17 attempts.

And that he did when speaking with the media after practice this afternoon.

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“Now your watch and my watch are two total different things, OK. In other words, your watch is one where I think you guys think that this can happen overnight, OK. My watch doesn’t say that, OK. This takes a long time to get a line prepared to play and defensive lines will be way further ahead than offensive lines, OK.”

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 So apparently Erik "It's a process, grab that rope" Spoelstra is now writing Coach Sparano's material. Coach, we know it's a process; yes, new guys, old guys in new positions, and new schemes will lead to problems adjusting, and blocking is a lot more complicated than most people expect it to be.

However, maybe if there hadn't been so much shuffling of the offensive line in the last three years, Miami wouldn't have these problems.

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“Our defensive line will be further ahead than other offensive lines, OK. Because it takes that much time, never mind moving parts, you know—bringing in a new center, put a new center in there. You know, a right tackle coming in and Vernon [Carey] going to guard, that—although not easy, OK—isn’t the grandest piece.

“It is really the center that moves in there and the young guys goes in there and he’s done a nice job right now. But you’re asking guys to play different positions, and we haven’t had the left tackle out there until the last couple days, which has been good to see.”

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At least Sparano is addressing the lack of continuity, however Pouncey, the center he's referring to, isn't the problem. The left side hasn't been the problem, and Jake Long has played a down. 

Maybe I'm armchair-quarterbacking this thing, but what would be so wrong with moving Vernon Carey back to right tackle, moving Pouncey over to guard and signing Andre Gurode, who was just released by the Cowboys? I know Dolphins fans don't want to hear about the 'Phins signing another Dallas castoff, but it would be better than Colombo.

Let's take a look at what else Sparano had to say when answering a question about when he'd feel comfortable with what he sees from the offensive line.

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“I can’t answer that question. I don’t really know. I mean, it’s not on the calendar here. I mean, I don’t really know. It could be—I hope it’s going to be here in the next couple days, OK, where you feel really comfortable.

"I personally feel very comfortable right now. I mean, these guys have played a couple good games. We didn’t play good the other night up front, OK, but I personally feel like this group has come out here and practiced and shown me plenty to get ready to play for the season.”

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Now Sparano does have a point; he sees them every day in practice, whereas we (the fans) have only seen them play. And yes, they were just fine save for a couple of penalties against Carolina and Atlanta.

But I have seen them in practice (shameless self-promo alert: click here) and while the first team looked good in practice, the second team worried me a lot.

And after Saturday night, now the first team has me worried too.

Thomas Galicia is a Miami Dolphins Featured Columnist. Follow him on Twitter @thomasgalicia. For more of his opinions on other subjects, visit www.thomasgalicia.com.