Bleacher Report - Articles by The Phinisher

Ronnie Brown Out: Ricky Williams, Cast of Maybes To Carry Dolphins' Rushing Load

The Phinisher — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0500

Ronnie Brown, who was formerly ruled out of Thursday night's game against the Carolina Panthers is now out for the season with a foot injury. At least that is what ESPN is reporting via NFL insider, Adam Schefter and now what the Miami Dolphins have elevated past rumor .

Ricky Williams will now become the feature back and carry a workload that he hasn't seen the likes of in six years. Williams leads the Dolphins backfield with 751 yards from scrimmage this season along with 5.3 yards per carry, the highest average of his career.

Backing up Williams will be the 5'11", 240 lbs Lex Hilliard, who was impressive in preseason action and on special teams throughout the season. Hilliard, a second-year player taken by Miami in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft, has shown impressive speed and agility despite his punishing downhill style. He was a standout at the University of Montana and simply looked untackleable at times.

Hilliard also catches the ball very well in the slot and out of the backfield, and should provide decent blocking for Chad Henne as well.

Hilliard has been on the field for some wildcat plays this season, but he has yet to receive a carry.

Also in the mix will be rookie running back Kory Sheets. An undrafted free agent signed by the San Francisco 49ers, the Dolphins pilfered him the week after RB Patrick Cobbs was injured. Sheets was impressive in his four years at Purdue and had a solid combine where he recorded a 4.47 on his 40-yard-dash.

Sheets is a versatile back, who can catch and run with equal authority and may provide some depth in the wildcat formation. At 5'11" and 208 lbs, he will most likely be asked to fill a role similar to that of the injured Patrick Cobbs.

It will be exciting to see if Williams can do with twenty carries what he does with eight carries—meaning dominate. Additionally, it will be interesting to see if Hilliard can emerge as a viable second punch in the Phins dual backfield. Ball control has been an issue for Hilliard in the past though, fumbling twice in 42 carries during the preseason.

In any case, one of these backs will have to step up and provide some relief for Williams, who at the age of 32 is not going to put together very many 32 carry games.

A Recipe For Crow a la Ginn

The Phinisher — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:41:00 -0500

We're eating a lot of crow on The Phinisher this week. Ted Ginn, Jr. is a Miami Dolphin and our thumbs, to quote Cammy Cameron, are going the right way.

I thought it would have been impossible for number 19 to get out of the doghouse he climbed in last week--and then this happens. It kind of makes you wonder why he hasn't been doing this all along.

During Ginn's rookie year he took a punt back for a touchdown and had two kickoff returns called back on him. Clearly he has the knack for doing this.

All and all it wasn't exactly the way you'd like to win, but hey, winning is great. Especially when you get to shove the blabber mouth mutants back down into the New Jersey cesspool where they belong.

So, in honor of Ted Ginn's amazing performance I offer up this recipe.

"Mathews Magic Stew"

Ingredients

20-24 crow breast pieces (10-12 crows)
1 bag of celery
2 onions
2 pounds of baby carrots
2 cans of beef consume
1 cup flour

Preparation

Chop up celery and onions. In a crock pot, place two alternating layers of meat -onions -celery -and carrots. Pour both cans of consume into pot. Let cook for 6-10 hours. A half hour before you are ready to serve, remove about 5-6 cups of liquid and mix with 1 cup of flour for a thickener. Mix all contents (stew & thickener) well. Let stand for half an hour, season with salt & pepper to taste, and enjoy. This recipe works well with almost all game (and non-game) animals. Some that I have tried are Deer, Squirrel, Rabbit, Pigeon, Duck, Goose, Bear, and Beaver.

Thanks to Crow Busters for the recipe.

Have to say that I'm generally a fan of the the crow and would much rather leave alone and alive, but when Ted Ginn force fed Dolphins' fans two beautiful kick returns all I can do is pick up a fork and dig in.

Go Phins!!! Enjoy your crow. I'm eating it all week long.

http://twitter.com/ThePhinisher

Jason Taylor Cut From Redskins

The Phinisher — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:55:00 -0500

Here's a link to the summation.

Basically, JT was opting out of offseason workouts just like last year. The Skins were going to pay him the full amount of his $8.5 million this year, and only asked him to sign a $500,000 workout bonus.

Taylor refused.

First, before I get to the intrigue, I want to know if this is the best move by the Triumverate in Miami? A second rounder this year and a sixth next year for a guy who played a handful of games for the Skins?

The Skins just don't understand this stuff.

Now to the nonsense. This all comes just weeks after the odd rumors that Taylor apparently wanted out of Washington. First there were rumors that he would find freedom by refusing to renegotiate his huge cap number. The Skins decided to keep him despite that figure. Maybe the man refused the workouts in order to get his release.

Here's the inevitable question, Phins fans: Would you take JT back for a one-year, $4 million contract? Or say a 2-year, $7 million with five guaranteed?

Of course all of this is contingent upon whether or not he would train with the team.

Just wondering. I'm very much on the fence with this, but if JT gave a BIG hometown discount, signed a one-year contract, promised to workout with the team (etc., etc.) all in order to finish his career out in Miami, well, in that case I don't see how it would hurt.

JT at any age makes a much better mentor for Cameron Wake—and whoever they draft—than Matt Roth. Plus there's never enough OLBs in a 3-4. Especially if you have Porter and Taylor starting as bookends...

So, would you?

Yeremiah Bell Was a Steel-Driving Man

The Phinisher — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:35:00 -0500

Correction: Yeremiah Bell, as Troy pointed out below, IS a steel-driving man.

Original & Luckily Now Wrong Article Below - Still Good Reading To Be Had.

First let me start by saying, "Happy birthday, Johnny Cash."

Oh, and Cash...that sleepy-eyed pretty boy screwed up a perfectly good night again. Some of them don't know how it ought to be done.

That obscurity aside, I am a fan of underdogs and a connoisseur of stories.

Yeremiah Bell was (is yet—though most likely is gone) one of my favorite Dolphins. The story of his making it to the pros is one of the best in recent years. He was not heavily recruited after high school, but Bell believed he could play at the next level.

Bell takes a job after high school and works in a Kentucky steel mill for a year, living at home with his parents and saving his money. He takes that money to the University of Kentucky and tells the coach that if he makes the team he can pay his own way for the first year.

The coach keeps him, and the following year Bell gets a scholarship. He's known as a big hitter in college, but the lack of fluidity (a word only used only in Tai Chi and NFL draft analysis) in his hips drops him all the way to the sixth round come NFL draft time.

It was 2002, and the Dolphins had mortgaged their draft that year to trade for Ricky Williams. Yeremiah Bell is the only player from that draft (Ricky wasn't drafted; he was traded for) still with the team.

It took him years of special teams and league minimum pay to finally get noticed. Nick Saban was reluctant to start him, but Bell just continued to make plays in special packages. Sacks off of safety blitzes. Big fumbles on short yardage plays. Pass defenses on third down. He won the job late that season and started as the Dolphins' strong safety.

In 2007 he had the starting spot from day one. He also ruptured his Achilles tendon in the first game. Practically the first play. He was out for the rest of the year.

Bell rehabbed though, with the same determination that he used to work his way through the steel mills of Kentucky to the NFL. In 2008 this paid off. Bell was the leading tackler for the defense that took a team from last place to first place in the AFC East.

We all saw the big plays he made. Think of the open field smack he laid down on Marshawn Lynch to close out the second Bills game. Or the sublime block he threw on Brett Favre after Favre's final career interception (or play, as he would call it).

Now with the signing of Gibril Wilson, the Dolphins have all but said goodbye to YB. Wilson is a hell of a player. While not the same hitter that Bell is, he is by no stretch of the imagination not a player to fear over the middle. The guy can thump. He's also maybe a little better in pass coverage. Over his career he's had more interceptions, sacks, and pass defenses. In Bell's defense, Yeremiah took a lot longer to make the field.

Wilson is faster than Bell. I don't know, however, if Wilson is quick enough to play free safety. He's close though. It's hard to say because he played with the Raiders last year, and their front seven were so bad Wilson was essentially a tackling machine—something he did quite well at.

So with a five-year, $27.5 million contract being handed to Wilson, it looks like Bell's days are numbered.

In any case, I wish Yeremiah Bell the best. This one's for you, hammer-swinger...

Dan Marino, Sr. Passes Away: A Death in the Family

The Phinisher — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:26:00 -0500

Dan Marino, Sr. died of cancer on Dec. 7. The man, from whose loins the greatest quarterback in NFL history sprung, was 71 years old.

"The greatest coach I ever had."

Those are perhaps the most important words a father can hear from his son—not in the football sense, but in the broader context of having set an example that is esteemed and appreciated.

Dan Marino, Sr. is often credited for his son's fiery playing style and incredible work ethic. He is also often cited for developing No. 13's quick release, which is the fastest timed release in the history of the NFL.

It is nice to think about this current Dolphins team going up to Toronto and completing a sweep of the Bills. I'm sure that in the midst of grief No. 13 could still muster a competitor's smile at watching his greatest opponent lose at the hands of his Miami Dolphins.

One can only imagine how many of those late-season contests in Buffalo would have gone Marino's way if they were held in a dome. Really, that has to be pretty rotten for Bills fans.

Dan Marino, Jr. quotes his father in his autobiography. It's a variation of the biblical cliché of reaping what you sow. For someone who worked as hard as No. 13, such a piece of fatherly wisdom surely held a lot of meaning.

"You don't deserve anything in life. You work for what you deserve."

Our condolences are with you, who put in more work than you were ever recompensed for.

www.thephinisher.com

Miami Dolphins Fans: Barack Obama Will Save Your Team

The Phinisher — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:50:00 -0500

It is not often that an election can have a direct effect on a sports franchise. I can't think of an instance where a politician, particularly a presidential candidate, has cast a shadow over the daily running of a football team. After all, why would a coach, player or owner ever get involved with something as polarizing as a presidential race? Why? Because they always have been.

One of the first posts I wrote on my Dolphins blog was titled The Garbage Man In Winter. In it I discussed Huizenga's money first approach to owning a sports franchise. I also discussed his hardline right wing politics and hardcore Christianity.

I mentioned the dismantling of the Marlins and the slow decay of the Dolphins. I talked about the manipulation of personnel decisions from on high (Huizenga himself) to include players of spiritual and political demeanor aligned with Huizenga himself. John Beck and Abraham Wright are two most recent players of that mold.

The Dolphins have always been profitable for Huizenga. It's a simple issue of bookkeeping. You run the team always below the cap. Maintain a couple of superstars to keep fans interested and jerseys selling.

When the team plays poorly year to year, you know that the demographics of Miami will always allow for high sales from the visiting New York and New England teams (and anywhere else, really).

In essence, if you are H. Wayne Huizenga, you don't need to offer Dolphins fans a good product. You need to sell tickets. And really, what has been a better buy for a displaced New Yorker living in South Florida than to go to a Dolphins-Jets game? I can't think of one.

The team has been horrid since Huizenga took over. He finally made the desperate and wise move to bring in some real brass. I say finally because bringing in Bill Parcells meant bringing in a fully utilized salary cap.

He's not a Jimmy Johnson-style conservative (referring to football) who believes in drafting cheap help. Parcells believes in drafting cheap help and making the right big plays in free agency. Long story short: Parcells would be expensive for Huizenga. He would cut into some of those profits.

He would also drive up the value of the team. Stephen Ross, the new Co-Owner of the team, bought a team in the off season that had just finished one of the worst seasons in franchise (and NFL) history.

With the Dolphins sitting at 4-4 with a easy schedule to close the season, this team will finish at least 8-8 (mark it down), and be one of the media darlings going into the 2009 season.

So where am I going with this? Huizenga has sounded off on the election, as many of you know, by saying he will sell another 45% of the Dolphins off if Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama is elected.

Really, Wayne? Seriously? You know, I was leaning towards Obama as it was. Now though, you almost certainly locked up my vote for Barack Obama.

The reason he wants to sell? Here are H. Wayne's own words:

"He wants to double the capital gains tax, or almost double it," Huizenga said. "I'd rather give it to charity than to him."

That would be wrong. Barack Obama plans on raising capital gains from 15% to 20%, which was what it was under Ronald Regan. It would also be wrong for anyone to believe that Obama somehow gets the money.

America does, H. Wayne. The United States of America would get your 5%. An awful thing in Wayne's mind. I guess he'd rather it go to the GOP or something.

For one, people who are able to buy and sell vast companies and organizations like the Dolphins get soft taxes to begin with. 20% instead of 15% is still a lot less than what he'd pay if that sale was specified under income tax.

I don't want to go there though. I just want to point out that Huizenga has again used the Dolphins as a venue for his politics. He has again confused what the fans of his franchise care about and what he cares about.

If Huizenga is willing to part with the Dolphins over the a difference of 5% in taxes, then godspeed, Wayne. You have been a terrible owner and have ground up for beef every franchise you have ever owned.

This isn't about politics, Dolphins fans. This is about getting good ownership back in Davie, FL.

Good riddance, I say. The sooner your hands are off my Dolphins the better.

The Miami Dolphins and The Carlisle Indian Industrial School

The Phinisher — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:45:00 -0400

Two weeks after Miami’s stunning victory over the New England Patriots in Foxboro, a general consensus has been reached. It concerns the question of how good this Dolphins team is.

The formula used by the practitioners of common wisdom is a simple one. The answer to the question lies between Weeks Two and Three. Somewhere between the team that got drubbed by the Cardinals and the team that humiliated New England lies the 2008 Miami Dolphins.

To be fair to this prevailing idea, there are components to the theory beyond the simple contrast between the two performances. There is also the close (winnable, really) game between the Jets and Dolphins in Week One. That same Jets team just got done giving Arizona a sound beating, courtesy of Brett Favre and his six (apologies to those already sick of hearing about this) touchdown passes.

So the Dolphins have played two good teams in a tough manner and humiliated one of them, which was thought to be the class of the division. Sans Tom Brady, of course.

Then there is also the Dolphins’ implementation of an “alternative” offensive formation called the “Wild Hog” or “Wildcat” formation. The Dolphins lone victory, so states the common wisdom, came upon successfully befuddling the New England defense with trick plays. Sure, they beat them fair and square. No one is arguing otherwise. They thumped them though, because of trick plays.

This is where I get off the bus. Conventional wisdom is, well, too conventional to understand what the Dolphins might be trying to do this year. In this case, it is also uninformed.

Let’s get some history first.

The Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach, one David Lee, was the offensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. He was one of the chief architects of the “Wild Hog” offense that made Darren McFadden and Felix Jones famous.

It was out of this offense that the Dolphins made all those “trick” plays against New England.

With direct snaps going to McFadden and Felix Jones coming across in motion from the wingback slot, defenses were often in fits to stop Arkansas’ rushing game. The ball could be carried by a viable threat in almost any direction, regardless of strength alignment and personnel.

Sure, there is a halfback pass element to it, too. McFadden did very well with this, as he has experience at playing quarterback. Such a play reeks of being a gadget or trick play. There is the overloaded line, too, which looks somewhat strange.

The left tackle lines up as the tight end on the strong side, and the tight end lines up as the left tackle on the weak. Yes, the quarterback has to block a corner. Or at least slow the cornerback. All these things seem strange, and that’s why they have been labeled as trick plays.

They aren’t though. They’re not even new plays. The formation is a variant of the single-wing offense. Those of you that once donned shoulder pads and helmet will surely remember either running or playing against some version of the single-wing offense. Invented by Glenn “Pop” Warner and originally called the “Carlisle offense,” the single-wing has been around since at least 1907.

Carlisle refers to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, which was located in...you guessed it: Carlisle, PA. The story goes that "Pop" warner crafted he single-wing offense in part because of one particularly gifted athlete that played for him.

That athlete was none other than the legendary Jim Thorpe. As many of you know, Thorpe could run, pass, punt, and do just about anything on an elite level.

The “Carlisle” or single-wing formation evolved over time. Motion was introduced to confuse or put defenses out of alignment. The “wingback” could come across in a hard motion and (possibly) receive the handoff from the quarterback (who has to be a running threat himself).

If the wingback gets the ball, he will have it at full speed because of the motion. They get to hit the hole at a sprint if they so choose.

Otherwise, the quarterback can keep the ball and run it themselves in several different gaps, including off tackle and in a bootleg-style rollout. From this bootleg rollout, the quarterback can throw the ball, typically to a very limited number of downfield targets, or they can keep themselves. Different still, the bootleg can also set up a traditional wide-receiver reverse.

That’s a lot of options. It’s also a lot for an opposing defense to keep track of. The offensive difficulty of running a single-wing offense is in having the right personnel. You need two gifted running backs (one of them capable of passing), a speedy receiver as a reverse threat, reliable (blocking and catching) tight ends, and a quarterback that isn’t scared to throw a block.

Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Tedd Ginn Jr., Anthony Fasano, and Chad Pennington. Sounding less and less like a trick play, is it not?

Maybe, just maybe, the reason why the Dolphins beat the Patriots was that they finally figured out how to utilize their personnel. The key to any offense is finding the right personnel to fit it.

Cam Cameron’s Coryell system requires a tight end that is a deep threat and a sure-handed workhorse running back. Andy Reid’s West Coast offense requires speed and a big armed, mobile quarterback. Not to mention a running back that can line up and be effective as a wide receiver (see Marshall Faulk and Brian Westbrook).

This leads back to the Dolphins and their version of the single-wing. How many teams boast having Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams? The R & R Express consists of two fast, agile running backs with impressive size and vision. I can’t think of a team that matches up with the Dolphins from a backfield standpoint. Maybe Minnesota.

For the record, the Dolphins’ typical offense (the one they ran plays out of in prior games) is the very mundane pro set. The pro set is the offensive formation of smash-mouth football. Running back right. Running back left. Play action pass to the tight end. Running back right. Running back toss left. You get it.

The pro set offense requires big tough lineman, a game-managing quarterback, and a bruising running back. The Dolphins’ personnel also fit here, which is exactly the point. Miami can run both successfully. Both are “base” offenses that contain different formations and plays within.

Neither are “trick” offenses. Just as a toss right to Williams might pick up four yards, so too could a Ronnie Brown quarterback keeper going off tackle. In a game of inches, both are running plays that picked up four yards.

The bottom line is that teams will have to game plan against both now. Time will have to be divided, and that is an advantage. Many have remarked that the NFL is a copycat league, and that more teams might run a few plays from the “Wildcat” version of the single-wing offense.

Others point out that NFL defenses will learn to stuff these “trick” formations. Peter King even remarked that if the Dolphins try and run plays like that against New England next time, “Bill Belichick will personally come out on the field and rip the ball from Ronnie Brown.”

Right. Bill Belichick, the guy who went 36-44 with Cleveland before striking gold at the No. 199 pick in the 2000 NFL draft. Tom Brady didn’t make the field in 2000. The Patriots won five games that year. In 2001, well, you know that story by heart.

So lay off the Belichick stuff. This year is his year to prove his genius.

To wrap up this already unwieldy article (already longer than Hank Paulson’s first bailout proposal), let me say that defenses will adjust. They won’t be outright fooled. Just like they know that LaDainian Tomlinson is going to get the ball when they play the Chargers, defenses will still have to account for the personnel involved.

Knowing Tomlinson is getting the ball and stopping him are two different things. Now, instead of one running back, teams will have to worry about where both of the Dolphins talented backs are.

The ironic part is that Dolphins will probably use the single-wing sparingly, as it is turnover prone if used a lot in passing situations. The point here is that it isn’t a string of trick plays but actually a traditional and storied football (if not NFL) offense. It’s not like the flea flicker or the triple reverse pass. Those are trick plays.

Coach Tague, you miserable turncoat, eat your heart out. Sorry, got a bit obscure at the end.

This article and more @ www.thephinisher.com

The Miami Dolphins' 53-Man Roster Part II: The Defense & Specialists

The Phinisher — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:11:00 -0400

After a long night spent in his alchemy laboratory, The Phinisher has arrived at some certainly wrong-headed conclusions. In the endeavor to reveal what the 2008 Miami Dolphins will look like, Mr. Phinisher can’t be blamed for not trying.

And thus, here is his best attempt at who will make the 53-man roster on the Dolphins’ defense.

Following these predictions (made sans crystal ball) are the specialists. Those fellows are a lock to make the team, barring injury of course.

Defense

NT1 - Jason Ferguson

Ferguson is turning out to be the best pickup from free agency. The nose tackle in the 3-4 is, to put it lightly, everything. Sure, a playmaker at strong safety is important, and there is the need for a highly-specialized outside linebacker, but nothing works without a nose tackle that can hold his ground.

The NT sets the line of scrimmage for the entire defense. Ferguson was dealt to the Dolphins from Dallas for a sixth-round pick. He is a consummate “Parcells guy.”

NT2 - Paul Soliai

Soliai is one of the brighter parts of last year's regime. Ginn and Satele both have been solid picks, but Soliai was a late rounder that came in as more of a project. Last year, he struggled mightily as he filled in for the largely ineffectual (and very old) Keith Traylor.

This year, Soliai has played very well, even coming up with one goal-line ball strip on Maurice Jones-Drew. As Ferguson’s understudy, he has shown the vet a lot. Comically, Soliai wondered why they didn’t teach him the stuff he’s learning now last year? Well, Paul, because they couldn’t.

DE1 - Vonnie Holliday

Holliday is probably in his last year as a Dolphin. Injuries have hampered him during the preseason, and the impressive play of rookies Kendall Langford and Philip Merling have certainly made Holliday more expendable. Vonnie is still capable of a high level of play and is a much-needed mentor to the young bucks.

DE2 - Kendall Langford

I loved this pick (third round), as is documented in my almost man-crush tracking of the drafting and signing of Langford. A natural 3-4 end, Langford flew beneath many draft radars because of his small-school pedigree. The man can play though.

And he's more than just his physical presence; there's a “grown-up” understanding of his responsibilities on the field. Langford, I honestly believe, will be in this league for a long time. A brilliant third-round selection that is already starting.

DE3 - Philip Merling

I will be the first to admit that Merling was a guy that I wasn’t high on (I wanted middle linebacker Curtis Lofton as pick No. 33). Good thing Bill Parcells and GM Jeff Ireland know more about football than me.

While Merling has been average in practices, he has been extremely noticeable come game time. Now getting some work at outside linebacker, the DE will spell Vonnie Holliday, and I have a hunch that he will slowly begin to get more play time.

His goal-line stuff of Chiefs running back Larry Johnson was a very impressive play for a rookie to make. He seems to make those kind of plays a regular part of his game. Another great draft pick.

DE4 - Randy Starks

The everyman. Starks is officially filling in at both DE positions, but he also has the size and strength to step into the NT position, which he has done in limited play. The free agent from Tennessee has had a solid camp and has played well in scrimmages. He is a very solid backup that might start on other teams.

He has flown under the radar because of the storylines of the two rookies.

DE5 - Rodrique Wright

I wouldn’t have told you that Rod Wright would be making the team this year. The guy has looked great in the preseason, coming off the bench (against second stingers) and clearly provides very nice depth here. Rod seems to have a knack at getting pressure.

LB1 - Channing Crowder

Channing is possessed this year. Outspoken (crazy) as ever, it seems Crowder has dedicated himself to living up to the legacy of Zach Thomas. A tall order, but Crowder is a young guy who has been in the league a while now (came in a junior). He is making plays all over the field and with the much improved play up front he should be set for his best season to date. Triple digit tackles this year. I’ll say… 123.

LB2 - Joey Porter

The news of Joey’s demise has been much exaggerated. I feel somewhat irresponsible, running with what has since been identified as sensationalism by certain members of the South Florida media. Joey does have a back problem, but he will be the starting outside linebacker.

He openly admits that he will have to play with a lot of pain this year and probably have to take the first couple days of each week to rest. I still think he will be able to have a better year than last, especially playing in his birthright, as outside linebacker in a 3-4.

LB3 - Akin Ayodele

A draft-day trade brought Akin Ayodele and Anthony Fasano to the Dolphins for a fourth-round pick. Akin has been a solid linebacker in the league but never anything spectacular. He has very good size and speed, and with Crowder being the head bulldog, Ayodele should have plenty of opportunities to contribute without carrying too much.

LB4 - Matt Roth

Another instance of me being wrong...so far. When the Dolphins traded Jason Taylor, I felt they had made a big mistake. Outside of the nose tackle holding the line of scrimmage, the weak-side OLB’s pass-rush responsibilities are incredibly important.

A 3-4 needs a pass rush to take pressure of the secondary, more so than most 4-3 schemes. When they said that Matt Roth would be working as that OLB (now on the strong side), I nearly fainted (not really).

The idea was that putting a 280-pound DE on a tight end would be a mismatch. Roth has some wheels and quickness, but in the past, he had only one pass-rush move: the bull rush.

He has some more tools now and seems to be playing very well. He is has been a stud against the run, and in blitzing, he has been very solid (running backs less likely to successfully pick up the big guy on a blitz). We’ll see how this works as the year goes on.

LB5 - Reggie Torbor

Wearing his 2007 Super Bowl ring, Torbor is the everyman linebacker for the Dolphins. He has been playing, and playing decently, at almost every spot in the linebacker corps. He is a very solid role-player and can start if need be (see last year’s Super Bowl if you need a citation).

LB6 - Rob Ninkovich

Ninkovich is essentially Matt Roth-lite. Ninkovich is a defensive end that has been learning to play at the outside-linebacker position, and though not as productive as Roth, he has certainly not been lost.

The Dolphins need as much depth here as they can possibly get, and Ninkovich is a guy that can play either end or OLB, as well as special teams, and that should keep his foot in the door.

LB7 - Quentin Moses

The former Georgia Bulldog struck me as the best replacement for Jason Taylor. His not starting is less an issue of him not doing something that it is Matt Roth doing something more.

Moses has had somewhat of an odyssey since being drafted by the Raiders in the third round of the 2007 draft. He was cut before the season started, signed by the Cardinals, and then cut again. The Dolphins picked him up, and Moses played very well for them in limited action.

I think Moses stays because he is a fast DE that will probably transition into a decent 3-4 OLB. Look for him to get in on some plays this year and make a contribution to special teams.

LB8 - Charlie Anderson

Anderson was the first choice at OLB after Taylor was traded but injuries opened up opportunities for Matt Roth. Anderson won’t get Roth’s job, but he should stick and play for Porter when Porter’s back is too much for No. 55.

SS1 - Yeremiah Bell

A fan and personal favorite, the Kentucky steelworker/college walk-on is the only player left with the Dolphins from the 2003 NFL Draft. Any wonder why the team has been so bad? Bell emerged as a truly elite safety in 2006, and then, following a stellar camp, he tore his Achilles tendon in the first game of 2007.

Bell is back and ready to prove that he can run and hit with the best of them. A healthy Y-Bell improves this team’s defense by light years.

SS2 - Keith Davis

The ex-Cowboy special-teams ace is a hard-hitting safety that will backup Yeremiah Bell and bust heads on special teams. What he lacks in coverage skills, he makes up with reckless abandon. Elite special-teams players were a priority in free agency for Parcells & Co. We’ll see if it pays dividends.

FS1 - Jason Allen

Allen was demoted this week to second string, which came somewhat as a shock. Allen has played very well in the preseason and played particularly well against the Chiefs last week.

In that game, Head Coach Tony Sparano had him lineup as the starting free safety and then with the second team as a dimeback and cornerback. He played very well in all three positions. Sparano admitted that the competition wasn’t “over,” and that many feel the promotion of Crocker is meant to light a fire under Allen. Expect to see more Allen than Crocker by the end of the year.

FS2 - Chris Crocker

Crocker has recently been touted as a coverage specialist, and until this weeks promotion, he was thought to be a very solid dimeback. Crocker’s intelligence and synergy with the other members of the starting secondary may be what is getting him the nod. If he can’t hang physically, Sparano will have no problems putting Allen back in, which I suspect will be the case.

CB1 - Will Allen

The Dolphins may have their shutdown cornerback. Allen had a career year last season and looks to build on it. Great in coverage, Allen also has a knack for successful corner blitzes.

CB2 - Andre Goodman

Must be eating his Wheaties. Goodman has had a solid camp and preseason, and he looks better than he ever has. Not quite on Allen’s level, Goodman is more than just serviceable.

CB3 - Michael Lehan

Here is another guy who is flourishing in the new “player-friendly” defense. Lehan has fought a nagging ankle injury in camp but has hung on with the team due to how great he looked in the earlier “Official Team Activities.” Lehan came back last week to play against the Chiefs and got a nice interception, which he returned for decent yardage.

CB4 - Nathan Jones

No, not the ex-felon, bank-robbing-wrestler-power-lifter-actor. Nor does CB4 hearken to the brilliant Chris Rock film. Rather, all this refers to the ex-Cowboys cornerback. Jones hasn’t done enough to garner being cut or get significant playtime. With the backdrop of last year’s injury woes in the secondary, the Dolphins will hopefully carry a few guys here. If nothing else, corners make good special-teams players.

CB5- Joey Thomas

Joey Thomas has shown a little more than Nathan Jones—he had a nice interception last week—and if one is to make it, then Thomas will be he.

Specialists

K - Dan Carpenter

The rookie sensation. The NFL’s official website had Brandon Fields listed as the Dolphin to watch. The other AFC East teams had position players and the like. If the NFL was going to pick a specialist from the Dolphins, why not pick the Montana rookie who has been perfect in the preseason, hitting from 50-yards in.

How much money did the Dolphins save by converting high-priced Jay Feely into an undrafted free agent with a leg of gold. Bad weather up in New York? The man kicked in Montana.

P - Brandon Fields

Fields, according to the NFL, is the player on the Dolphins to keep an eye on. Fields is a punter. A good punter, but a punter nonetheless. One of the interesting things the NFL points out is that he also holds for field goals. Really? That’s the most interesting thing I’ve ever heard.

LS - John Denney

John lost a step this year, shaving his mustache. Remember to get a nice, even level on those snaps. Surprised the NFL didn't list him as a fantasy sleeper.

Practice Squad

Again, this is even more a stretch to predict, but that won’t stop me.

NT - Anthony Toribio

Undrafted and local free-agent Anthony Toribio has the size and strength to make it in the NFL, but he lacks in experience. He impressed at OTA’s and has disappeared since. They’ll stash him on the practice squad for a year in case of a injury to one of the other NTs.

LB - Titus Brown

Another undrafted free agent, Brown has drawn praise from Sparano, and if he can show versatility, he might have a shot at making the team. If not, look to them to try and retain Brown on the practice squad. Plus he has a very cool name.

DE - Lionel Dotson

This seventh-round draft pick has done very little. In fact, he is barely noticeable. I’m not even sure he’s still on the team. He’s listed but not doing very much. He has the measurables, and Parcells saw enough to draft him, so if he’s still around, he might get a spot on the practice squad.

Check out part I of this inane prediction series.
53 Man Roster Part I - The Offense

And as always, you can find more Miami Dolphins news @ www.thephinisher.com.

Is Joey Porter's Career in Jeopardy?

The Phinisher — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:34:00 -0400

Let me preface by saying that I like Joey Porter. On the field. Off the field. As a Steeler. As a Dolphin. Whether sacking Carson Palmer or telling reporters exactly what he's thinking, one thing about J-Peezy is consistent. The man is entertaining.

Now to the clouds over Davie. The first bad news has descended on what was a previously perfect training camp.

Joey Porter has had two lingering injuries during the preseason. One of them just got bumped up the hierarchy of injuries.

Joey Porter’s nagging back injury may not only stop him from suiting up for Week One against the Jets; it may end his career.

Speculations abound and few actual facts are to be found anywhere. Talk from fellow players, especially veteran NT Jason Fergusson, was somewhat grim, however. He mentioned watching the end of Pepper Johnson’s career back in 1997. Not good to hear.

Porter has been an elite level player in the NFL for years. Last year, his play was somewhat diminished for the first handful of games before he finally came on strong towards the end. It was the play of Joey Porter, as well as Jason Taylor, that should be most recognized in the team’s lone, infamy-saving victory.

The news is doubly frustrating since most accounts of Joey’s offseason were great. The story out of early camp and OTAs was that Porter had packed on muscle and was right back at home playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Things looked good for the Pro Bowl linebacker and the Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins are already somewhat shallow at the key, outside linebacker position. They have already had to convert DE Matt Roth to the strong-side linebacker spot, which, so far, he has done admirably. In the case of an extended absence of Joey Porter, the team would again have to look to an unproven player or turn to another convert.

As of Monday, the Dolphins had linebacker Charlie Anderson playing at the weak-side spot left vacant by Porter, who was visiting a doctor. The Phins have also started to work (last week) rookie DE Philip Merling at the OLB position. Merling is massive, but possesses decent speed and a huge wingspan that may assist him in coverage. It will have to help him make up for a lot of agility he will be giving up.

There is also second-year man Quentin Moses, who showed flashes of his touted pass-rush skills last week against Kansas City. Sparano has seemed reluctant to play Moses and has consistently turned to other solutions instead of giving Moses a shot.

The bottom line is that Miami seems to be preparing for the potential absence of last year's biggest free-agency splash. A healthy Joey Porter improves Miami’s defense by leaps and bounds. Without him, that secondary may really be tested this year.

Joey may be facing one of those life-altering decisions. As far as back injuries go, sometimes it’s not an issue of if something is physically possible, but rather instead becomes whether something is life-threatening if you do.

Think about the situation of a spinal injury that can be mentally and physically toughed-out, but also greatly increases the chance of permanent or fatal injury.

Things right now are shrouded in foreboding rumor. Something will most likely come to light by tomorrow afternoon. Until then, I sincerely hope J-Peezy is just in need of some downtime and can suit up next week.

One thing I will say is that he would be way too entertaining as a commentator to risk permanent damage. Not to mention the family and foundations that depend on him.

This and more articles @ www.thephinisher.com

Chad Pennington Can Throw a Good Ball?

The Phinisher — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:36:00 -0400

I have a theory, fellow Dolphins fans. It is a simple one.

Chad Pennington throws a good ball.

It’s not a rocket, or a laser, or a thunderbolt. Chad Henne’s in charge of bringing those back to Miami. It is a charge that Henne appears ready to keep.

In the meantime, it is the other Chad, the older and wiser Chad, that is the one throwing the best ball, at least, the most catchable ball. This is something that Miami's receivers unfortunately need.

A bonehead Eagles fan, whom I call one of my closest friends, asked how the fast, skinny guy from Ohio was going to handle catching the floaters that Pennington will float his way.

The implication, of course, is that Pennington lobs the ball and that Ted Ginn Jr. is a slightly-built fellow that will get destroyed by some salivating strong safety. Maybe. In any case, Ginn luckily won't have to go over the middle against the Eagles' Brian Dawkins.

But I give Ginn more credit than that. In the preseason, he has shown Wes Welker-like niftiness after the catch. It is the kind of slip-and-roll that buys five extra yards every time. The kind of elusiveness the Dolphins lost when Welker turned to the dark side.

I also give Pennington more credit. He may throw a slow-moving ball, but he has a very quick release. He is also one of the best quarterbacks at not broadcasting his throws. He is also extremely accurate and puts the ball in the best places.

Evidence? Other than the fact that he is the most accurate passer in NFL history, there are Pennington’s words to consider.

On the Monday after his first preseason start, Pennington talked about the importance of learning where receivers like the ball. He observed how some like the ball up high while others have a knack for catching lower or chest level passes.

He went on to discuss body language. The art of diagnosing how comfortable the receiver is on a play through assessing his stance. These are the things that a good veteran quarterback does. Something the Dolphins haven’t had in a while.

Back to my theory, which concerns the Dolphins' nearly infamous reputation for dropping passes during this last decade. Chris Chambers anyone? Derek Hagan is always seen getting open, only to drop the ball when it arrives.

Granted, Hagan has shown great improvement in the preseason and receivers typically come on in their third year. Still, dropped passes are a problem in training camp and could continue to be for the rest of this year, except that the Dolphins have Chad Pennington and his kid gloves.

Seriously. The softball pitcher with a diamond-bright mind is just the thing these guys need to develop hands and identities. I think that’s the most important part: the identity. Hagan was asked by a reporter what he and Pennington were talking about after the first preseason game against the Bucs.

He explained that C.P. (as he is known to his teammates in Davie, FL) was asking him about his preferences. Hagan didn’t have any. Thus the drops. Pennington alluded to noticing certain things about Hagan during the game, things Hagan himself didn't realize. C.P. may just create a receiving identity for Hagan even if Derrick isn’t aware of it.

Pennington has had success in the past because of this: well-placed, never-squeezed passes, put in places where his receivers can comfortably get it (just don’t ask Laveranues Coles about Zach Thomas, Chad Pennington, and a slow-moving pass high over the middle in late December of 2006).

In essence, it is because of Pennington’s weak arm that he has learned to thrown the ball to the places that are safest and most certain. That’s why he’s so efficient.

Please don’t get me wrong. He’s not the long-term solution, as is evidenced in his two-year contract. Chad Henne's cannon-like arm is continuing to wow fans and experts in equal measure.

I’m just saying that Pennington could be about as good a bridge as any other available. Basically, the elder Chad is a smart tutor that can teach a guy with every physical talent how to play good football without relying on them all the time.

In the meantime, we have Chad Pennington. I don't think he’s just a dink-and-dunk guy either. He manages that game well, but he is not exclusively that type of quarterback. He can get the ball downfield, especially on slants, as he did on Saturday’s scrimmage against the Jaguars.

You can chalk it up to homer-fanhood. I might chalk it up to that, too. In the meantime, I’ll leave it at two simple words.

We’ll see.

This story and more @ www.thephinisher.com

The Miami Dolphins' Next Starting Quarterback: Part II

The Phinisher — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:02:00 -0400

“It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

So wrote Arthur Conan Doyle, many times putting these words in to the mouth of his super sleuth, Sherlock Holmes.

So, now let us look to what won’t be the case.

Ever since Bill Parcells came on board, John Beck has had the most to lose. Coming off a terrible showing in his rookie season, Beck couldn’t have been shocked when the new director of everything Dolphins said that he would be drafting a quarterback.

Add to this the fact that the Dolphins had signed journeyman quarterback Josh McCown (with a promise of an open competition) on the first day of free agency and Beck’s fate was all but sealed.

The answer to the question of who will start Week One lies in Bill Parcells and John Beck, but in different ways.

Parcells is a football guy first and foremost. The team he had the most success with, the NY Giants, started off his tenure with a quarterback controversy. Bill benched Phil Simms for Scott Brunner, who had shown he could win games the previous year when Simms went out with a separated shoulder.

Simms had a good start that season, but after Simms went down with a separated shoulder, Brunner rallied the team and led them to a strong late-season run and into the second round of the playoffs. It took a lot of time before Simms would emerge as the leader.

There was a season-ending injury the following year. Week Six against the Eagles, Brunner struggled mightily and Simms got his shot. He nearly lost his thumb that game and was gone for the season. His play was up and down, but functional, before he finally emerged as the offense’s clear leader.

Simms always had the potential, and he finally fulfilled it, as the Giants became a dominant force for the last half of the decade.

Parcells is a man that has made remarks on a lot of subjects. One of them is potential, and I quote this remark often: “The definition of potential is that you haven’t done (blank) yet.”

Guess what the missing word is.

The Dolphins have three quarterbacks that have worn or wear the label of potential. Two still wear the look of a rookie and the third’s label is tattered and barely legible.

John Beck, the first of two second-round selections made by the Dolphins last year is still new in the league, and though he has shown an inability to play well, he hasn’t shown it for a period of time. He still has potential.

Chad Henne, this year’s rookie taken in the second round, comes with a substantial pedigree. College four-year starters have a tremendously better track record in the pros. Henne comes from a pro-style offense and has a substantial arm. Rookies, by definition, exemplify potential.

Josh McCown has lived with the label of potential throughout his seven-year career. McCown has prototypical size and is extremely athletic, at times lining up as a wide receiver in practice (Cardinals, Raiders).

He has had ample opportunities to display his abilities and at times has flashed—no not brilliance—competence. I don’t think there’s a Derek Anderson somewhere inside McCown.

Back to the art of deduction. I have said that Beck has the hardest road, and it is true. John Beck is a 27-year-old guy in his second year. He has shown nothing on the field so far. John is a hard worker however, and many credit him as being the hardest working member of the team. The facts though, are stacked against him.

Remember when I said the answer lies with Bill Parcells and John Beck? Here’s why.

Bill Parcells wants results and he wants to see them sooner rather than later. More than that though, he wants to oversee the reemergence of the Miami Dolphins as a competitive team. Parcells is man that relishes receiving praise, and John Beck was part of the pervious regime’s ideas. Strike one.

Camp opened with the general opinion being that the battle would be between Beck and McCown, with Chad Henne in the wings, awaiting his future. The party line shocked some people however, when it was announced that all three would have a shot at starting.

Bill Parcells cited Henne’s ability to start game one as a freshman in college, and even high school, as reason for his willingness to hand Henne the ball if he shows to be the best.

The skies then darkened for John Beck. Beck has to prove he should, not just can, be the Dolphins QB. He has to perform much better than Henne or McCown to warrant the job. If he is equal to McCown, or even just slightly better, then the future of Chad Henne comes into account.

If Henne shows ability too, then Beck will have to look like Marino to win the job. That ain’t happening.

In camp so far, all three have looked equal. This bodes very well for McCown and, particularly, Chad Henne. Henne is a rookie and has shown an incredible ability to grasp the offense and speed of the NFL. He just needs the game to slow down more and he could be the starter.

Beck however, continues to struggle with the speed of the game. McCown, well, Josh McCown has looked like himself.

Remember, I’m saying they’re performing equally, with ups and downs. The impossibility in this equation emerges more and more when Beck fails to stand out.

Early this week, Beck had shown improvement, but today, as I write this, Chad Henne has just finished throwing the best deep balls all camp long. Beck, I believe you are the impossible.

John Beck may get his shot this Saturday against Tampa Bay. In fact, I think he’ll get the call to start and will get to play the whole first quarter. He will have to show a lot to get the shot again.

What we have in the end is that Beck has the cards stacked against him, and that McCown never had a good hand to begin with. McCown is a good placeholder and backup all at once. He isn’t controversial. John Beck will be given a chance to either play like an all pro or not play at all.

It makes sense that McCown will start the season and Henne will continue to develop into the eventual starter, perhaps after a poor showing one afternoon by McCown. That afternoon however, tends to be every afternoon with McCown so far.

If Henne begins to ascend, even slightly, it will be hard for Sparano and Parcells not to play him.

None of this ends up in the category of impossible.

So that leaves us with the unlikely, the however improbable. With a seven-percent solution flowing in The Phinisher's veins he arrives at the conclusion that Chad Henne will start game one against the Jets. Considering what Henne has shown thus far, and hopefully continues to show, he may just get that chance in the real world too.

So, Watson, the answer, with a margin of error too large to list with good conscience, is that Chad Henne starts game one against the Jets. He is, in the end, what is left.

I think it fits. Lucky No. 7 is the 13th quarterback since No. 13 retired. This, of course, is subject to change if Dan decides to lace them up again.

Send me an email when I’m wrong.

This is Part II of II
Link to Part I of II

Vote on this subject at www.thephinisher.com

The Miami Dolphins' Next Starting Quarterback: Part I

The Phinisher — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:52:00 -0400

It’s the same thing as always. For eight years, the Dolphins have drifted through life like a depressed lover whose true love is gone. Sure, you go out on the scene, take new people into your life, but never do they replace the gaping hole in your soul left by that one true love.

You see them occasionally, in all-too-brief two-minute glimpses here and there on the TV. Making fun of Boomer Esiason. Trying to find something nice to say about Miami. Breaking down the adjustments the Browns will have to make at halftime.

You catch a torturous minute of what once was at a celebrity game of flag football, closing down the storied Orange Bowl. Dan Marino, rocketing passes at receivers scared more of dropping the ball than of getting crushed by the safety.

Sure, it’s hyperbole. We’re talking quarterback competitions here, and nothing less than the most extreme comparisons will do.

There is a reality though, to this little fable. The Dolphins, every year, have a new answer at quarterback. Then that supposed answer finishes the year as a giant question mark. 12 quarterbacks have started since St. Dan Marino, hallowed be thy name, retired.

The next guy, if other than John Beck, will be the 13th. 13 quarterbacks since No. 13 holstered his sidearm.

This is all well documented. Every game the Dolphins happen to get on national TV (few to none this year) will at some point contain a depressing montage of those meager offerings since Dan.

There is often a lurid drawing of all of them together, throwing interceptions and fumbling the ball. Chewing with their mouth open at a nice restaurant. Talking too much about their college sorority.

It’s all very clownish. Sad clowns though...the kind that make you want to leave the circus immediately and do something fun.

On Aug. 2, 2008 the Dolphins had their first intrasquad scrimmage. The three quarterbacks now on the roster, only Beck remaining from last year, suited up and did battle to gain the starting position. What happened wasn’t very good.

None of them displayed clear ability to be an NFL starter.

John Beck got the start. The “Stormin’ Mormon” (as I was so ready to dub him) went 9-18 and failed to engineer a scoring drive. Those are the same numbers as his first NFL start, which was against the Eagles.

Last year, he went downhill from there (a total freefall containing bloopers so funny you could pee your pants laughing) and eventually was pulled for Cleo Lemon’s triumphant return.

You have no idea how much this pains me.

Journeyman Josh McCown brought his country-boy moxie onto the field next. He went 7-22 with an interception. Good stuff. He did get the ball in the end zone twice.

Dan Marino was at the scrimmage Saturday. He and Bill Parcells were seen talking on the sideline, smiling and laughing together easily. While the two were reminiscing about olden times, the Dolphins' current quarterbacks went 2-22.

Could there have been contract talk? I would understand that it is a crazy thing to do, but...Maybe?

Rookie Chad Henne faired best of all. Chad is quickly becoming the hope of the Dolphins' QB position (in the harsh light of reality). In camp, he has flashed actual competence and displayed an ability to grasp things quickly. Henne went 10 for 19 and got a touchdown.

Not quite Colt Brennan numbers, but hey, who wants 9-10 with 123 yards and two touchdowns in his first preseason game?

So, as this Monday morning’s practices have closed and the QBs have bounced back somewhat, particularly John Beck, who looked sharp Monday, things are still in the air. This coming Saturday is the Dolphins' first preseason game. At home, against a very good Buccaneers defense. That will be the first true gauging of the 2008 Dolphins quarterbacks.

By the way, Chad Henne is from Pennsylvania. Dan Marino is from Pennsylvania. Maybe...

Joking aside, the Dolphins QB situation is clearly murky from a standpoint of results. I don’t think it’s murky from a deductive standpoint. I think things are relatively clear once reason and logic are utilized. I think I already know who will be starting and if not, why.

Follow me, Watson, and we’ll get to the bottom of this yet.

Part I of II
Link to Part II of II

Vote on this very subject @ www.thephinisher.com.

Jason Taylor Left the Miami Dolphins...Now What?

The Phinisher — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:32:00 -0400

The Dolphins drafted Jason Taylor 11 seasons ago with a third-round pick. They got six Pro Bowl selections, a defensive-MVP season, seven interceptions, eight touchdowns, 117 sacks, and an eye-popping 41 forced fumbles out of that third-round pick.

They just traded him in, too. The Washington Redskins are giving the Dolphins a second-round pick in 2009 and a sixth rounder in 2010. All for a third rounder. That’s a great value.

So now there is some fallout. Things read online today: “The Dolphins may be better off without Taylor." "They got a great deal by trading Jason Taylor to the Redskins." "Jason Taylor would have been a source of unnecessary drama in training camp.”

These are the sentiments of many, but not all. The Dolphins will miss Jason Taylor, even if some ungrateful fans have moved on in unseemly expedience. The reason is simple: Jason Taylor was needed this year.

I think it’s pretty clear to all that the Dolphins have lost their best defender. More to the point, they’ve lost their best defender at the most important position in their current defensive scheme.

Running a 3-4 defense without an effective pass rush is like cringing before every punch in a boxing match. The hits will keep coming and you just won’t win. The knockout is always looming in the not-distant-enough future.

Tom Brady drops back.

The X’s and O’s are simple. The 3-4 defense is constructed to confuse the protection scheme as to the origin of the pass rush, typically coming from blitzing linebackers as well as the occasional safety or corner.

The defensive line is responsible for gap control. Essentially, the three down linemen must get sufficient penetration, occupy multiple blockers, and open up lanes for linebackers to get to the ballcarrier or blitz the quarterback.

He’s got time.

This is different from a 4-3 by the fact that in the latter, the pass rush is provided by the defensive ends as well as by the tackles. This allows for more rushers to be actively pursuing the quarterback on every down.

In a 3-4 scheme, there is usually only one or two pass rushers, coming from different spots from the defensive midfield. The lack of an elite pass rusher will allow protection schemes to focus on moving the big bodies on the line and allowing running backs to take on the blitzing linebackers.

The QB has tons of time and eventually will land the big punch. The 3-4 defense without a dynamic pass-rusher is one of the most conservative defenses a team can field.

Randy Moss is wide open.

The Dolphins have gone to great lengths this offseason to bring in big, young bodies to dominate the line of scrimmage. The defensive line is one of the most difficult areas in a 3-4 to find personnel for. The next is the pass-rushing outside linebackers.

They need to be big enough to match up with tackles and fast enough to catch quarterbacks and run with tight ends. Jason Taylor, now a Redskin, had his MVP season is 2006 while playing outside linebacker in a hybrid 4-3/3-4. His biggest plays came while standing up like a linebacker.

Brady airs it out.

So what are the Dolphins to do? Of the remaining personnel, Joey Porter is the last proven pass rusher. Porter’s strong suit though, and I’ve written about this before, is his ability to play in space and run with tight ends. He just isn’t a pedigree pass rusher like Jason Taylor. Few are.

Touchdown Patriots.

The other guys up for filling his spot are mostly unproven. Charlie Anderson, picked up in free agency this offseason, has played very limitedly as a linebacker and has had more experience on special teams. The ex-Texan has good size and speed, and barring something unforeseen, should be a functional stopgap for the year.

Boy he had all day back there.

Stopgaps don't win games.

So this leads us to look for the unknown diamond on the roster. Who is the unknown sack maestro? The guy that personally intrigues me most is Quentin Moses.

The highly-touted pass rusher from University of Georgia who, despite being a third-round selection by the Raiders in 2007, was released by them and then the Cardinals before finally landing with the Dolphins last year.

Moses has a prototypical makeup for playing on the outside, and in many ways he resembles J.T. He is a high-motor guy with great playing speed and a knack for finding the ball. He played defensive end in college and racked up the sacks, but converting to a two-point stance will be the real difficulty.

Of all the guys the Dolphins have right now, he has the most potential.

The Dolphins got zero pressure on this play.

The other possibility is that there are some questions about what the Dolphins will do with the top pick of the second round this year, Philip Merling. The big DE from Clemson has very good playing speed, and the long arms and football awareness to make plays standing up, but he’s also not as fast as J.T. or the typical outside backer.

The common wisdom on him is that he was brought in as a 3-4 end, not as a linebacker. Still though, Bill Parcells likes his players with size and strength. He might have potential playing on the outside.

You can’t give a guy like Tom Brady that kind of time and expect to win a football game.

Bill Parcells has an expression for explaining the concept of potential. He likes to say that, “The definition of potential is that you haven’t done ____ yet.”

You fill in the blank. I hope the Dolphins do.

www.thephinisher.com

Joey Porter's New Guarantee

The Phinisher — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:20:00 -0400

Joey Porter was as disappointed with his play last year as the fans were, and Porter has gone to great lengths to change things in Miami.

Porter often goes by the less-than-fearsome nickname of "J-Peezy." He calls his shoulder pads “big-boy pads”, and entertains much conversation, but no proof, unless they’re delivered while wearing them.

He is known for two facets of his game.

One, that he’s an All-Pro linebacker that plays fast and can break games wide open with the big play. He is a sure tackler that can sack the quarterback, stop the rush, and run with most tight ends.

Two, he’s one of the loudest mouths in the history of the league. For better or worse.

During his pre-Super Bowl feud with Seahawks' tight end Jeremy Stevens, Porter asked a reporter which player he would rather have on his side in a dark alley, Porter or Stevens.

When the reporter didn’t respond fast enough for Porter’s liking he answered for him, “You're lying.” Porter said, “You're taking too long. You don't want to tell the truth.... Y'all both will get mugged."

Porter probably wasn't aware that the reporter was likely scared of him. Neither wanting him as an assailant or companion in a dark alley. He just didn't want to be in a dark alley with Joey Porter under any circumstances. I can't find fault there. After all, Porter is the type of guy who gets shot on the way to his wedding (true story).

Stevens scored a touchdown on one of his three catches that Super Bowl, and he accounted for the only touchdown the Seahawks scored. Stevens' catches only amounted to 25 yards.

That’s the thing about barking: Their needs to be a bite to follow. Otherwise, who fears the dog? A Pomeranian may bark up a storm, but are you going to take heed of its warnings? I think not.

In Joey’s defense, Stevens was a non-factor for the majority of the game, and playing on a Steelers' defense that allowed only 10 points certainly puts Porter on top of the feud. Joey's bite was backed up with solid play. Pitbull play. His reward was a Super Bowl victory and a place on ESPN magazine's cover as "The Most Feared Man In the NFL."

For the majority of his career, Joey has been on the winning side. “Often” ended for him last year.

Porter was the marquee addition for Miami in the 2007 offseason. The 2006 Dolphins fielded the fourth-ranked defense and boasted two Pro Bowlers in Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor. Taylor went on to win Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Fans were naturally excited to have the fiery Porter. Images of the bookend pass-rush combo of Porter and Taylor led to speculations of a return to playoff form. Add in new head coach Cam Cameron’s offensive pedigree, and many believed the team to be again on the cusp of a championship run.

Problem: then GM Randy Mueller slashed the budget. Stalwart defensive linemen like Kevin Carter, David Bowens, and Jeff Zgonina were all left unsigned. Randy looked to bolster the offense in the draft, drafting offensive players with his first four picks.

Once the season was upon the team, injuries began to slowly whittle away the remainders.

Starting strong-safety Yeremiah Bell was lost for the season in game one. Vonnie Holliday fought foot and knee injuries for the entire season and missed several games.

Then the post-Zach Thomas era began. Thomas was plagued with concussions and freak accidents (a car accident after the home game against the Patriots aggravated his injuries).

The list is too long to name. Warm bodies became a must. Guys out of the league for the last couple years were starting in the Dolphins secondary.

Even Jason Taylor seemed to come up short. Overmatched and double-teamed, the normally indomitable Taylor had to scrounge all year to get to double-digit sacks.

Porter, though...he was the sore thumb. His five-year, $32 million signing with ample bonuses and guaranteed money made him a very easy target to point at. When he had to get his knee scoped before the season started, things began to rankle.

Porter had to be worked in slowly after the surgery. He couldn’t run very quickly, and due to injuries, the team moved him to play end in a 4-3, effectively taking Porter’s greatest asset away from him: the ability to play in space.

Porter was rarely seen making tackles. He certainly wasn’t getting sacks and no game-changing interceptions were witnessed. As the losses piled up, and fingers began to get pointed, Porter and his contract were riding high on the list of the blamed.

Part of it was that most fans were caught unaware. No Zach Thomas. No depth on the defensive line. The bedrock of the team over the last decade, good run defense, was nowhere to be seen. Porter was just one of the letdowns in a season full of them. Naturally, his recent signing served to amplify any ill feelings.

When Porter made a guarantee of victory before the Week Four game against the Raiders, the stage was set. The Raiders blew holes through the Dolphins' defense and racked up 299 rushing yards. In the eyes of many fans, J-Peezy was left holding the check.

Porter himself understands the feelings. "Fans have some say. To point their fingers, I understand, they say, 'We brought this guy in here and he's not taking over games like we thought he was going to do.' But last year is last year. I'm so happy to put that behind me. I think this year is going to bring a lot better things for us."

The fact is that Joey Porter is a good football player. After his knee healed, he adjusted to his new role. He played defensive end in college, and he began to make plays for a team that desperately needed them.

There was many a game where I watched only Porter during the fourth quarter. The game often long over, Porter still barked at his lounging teammates and lined up every down like he could change the course of the entire game.

Porter finished the season with respectable numbers, and his best plays came when most needed. He dominated his old team, Pittsburgh, during the legendarily sloppy Monday Night Football game. His open-field tackle for loss of RB Willis McGahee late in the Ravens game helped (along with Jason Taylor’s field-goal block) the Dolphins avoid eternal infamy as the only defeated, 0-16 team.

Now Porter is back to playing outside linebacker in a true 3-4 defense. According to new defensive coordinator, Paul Pasqualoni, Porter has brought his 6’3” frame up to 260 lbs; adding 10-lbs of muscle while developing better speed.

J-Peezy is now playing on a Dolphins team that has 47 new faces out of a total of 53. So he isn’t the only pushing to a return to form. The potential for a Porter/Taylor combo still exists. That is if old No. 99 can buy into the team and return to practice.

The bottom line is that in Porter, the Dolphins will have a chance to still get what they paid for. Personally, I think they will. The scheme and the training will pay off for J-Peezy.

This, of course, will make things interesting in Miami. He wasn’t able to shoot his mouth off last year. Losing kind of takes that away. Not since Brian Cox left have the Dolphins had a guy who could “jaw” and play in an entertaining way. That being said, Porter makes Cox look like a boy scout.

Will Porter be humbled by this process? Might he be permanently silenced by a miserable season?

No, he won't. Don’t ever bet on finding Joey Porter humble. Instead of maintaining silence and waiting for the next season, Porter has made a new guarantee. I like his odds at fulfilling this one.

"I'm going to be the guy fans were coming to see."

So says the 2008 model of J-Peezy. The proof, as Joey would probably tell you, will only be known when the big-boy pads go on.

www.thephinisher.com

Unlike Nick Saban and Cam Cameron, Tony Sparano Believes In Hard Work

The Phinisher — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:11:00 -0400

Not since Bill Belichick took over for Pete Carroll in New England has there been an offseason as busy as the 2008 Miami Dolphins' free agency and draft spectacular.

Much has been written about the speed and certitude of Miami’s new regime. Facelift may be a cliché term to describe rebuilding projects, but with forty-seven new players on a fifty-three-man roster, it may also be apropos.

Such change is worthy of a much larger hyperbole. How about the transformation of a 1-15 franchise to a 9-7 one? I told you here.

Kidding aside (he says with fingers crossed behind back), the Miami Dolphins are a different team than last year. Literally. But are they a better team?

The answer to that less-than-deep question is yes. All they have to do is win two games and they’re better. So putting simplicity aside, let me get to the one axe I have to grind in an otherwise wonderful offseason.

It does not involve Bill Parcells, Jason Taylor, or CBS. No, it involves the cruddy days of yore: the pre and postseasons that led to the miserable humiliation of a once proud franchise.

This one thing bothering me is conditioning: weight lifting, running, and core training.

This leads us to one of the more downplayed news items coming from South Beach this year is that the new head coach, one Tony Sparano, is a hard worker. He cherishes strength and power. He demands that his players train as hard as they possibly can.

In short: He and Miami’s Football Czar, Bill Parcells, instill respect and inspiration (fear) into the hearts and minds of Miami’s players, new and old. They do this first in the weight room.

The stories from camp are of invigorated veterans and young talents being chiseled into every-down players.

Vonnie Holliday claims he has no knee pain, which is something he’s played with for years.

Joey Porter claims to be stronger and more explosive that he’s been in years.

Ronnie Brown’s knee rehab is ahead of schedule, and he was cutting and carrying the ball well in minicamp.

Ricky Williams feels and looks like Ricky Williams. Not a mere shade of his former self, but the real thing. The Ricky Williams that hands out torn rotator cuffs to opposing safeties like he recently gave out yoga mats.

Basically, the Miami Dolphins are running more. Lifting more. Training in sand pits to build better small (or core) muscle power.

So what is it that bothers me? When so much is going right, where do I find fault?

It’s simple, like most petty issues are.

Simply: What was this team doing before?

Veterans like Porter and Holliday cite their conditioning this year as a way to succeed. They have this amazed looks on their faces when they talk of the weather in Miami being a factor that they can use.

Teams from the north will have to come down and play in the heat. This is an edge for the heat tempered and uber-conditioned Miami Dolphins.

Then I want to scream.

Were Nick Saban and Cam Cameron completely unaware of this? Had they never before watched a Dolphins home game prior to their hiring? NFL Films could put together a forty-disk DVD set of the clips of announcers making observations on how the heat was in the Dolphins' favor.

Were they so completely in the dark about the fact that Don Shula built his career on something as banal as making the players run extra wind sprints?

Either they were not aware or they were arrogant.

Both men, Cameron and Saban, believed they were so smart that they could configure rosters and game plans to the point where vets could rest before games, and victories would still issue forth, each one proclaiming the genius of the Dolphins’ head coach.

Cam Cameron was going to use the Statue of Liberty play to win the Super Bowl.

Nick Saban was going to micro-manage the water boys for optimal player hydration.

It really makes me scratch my head and wonder. This is not to say that I believe there was a Dolphins' Super Bowl somewhere between 2001 and now. There most certainly was not one. There was perhaps a decade of solid football. One not punctuated with a 1-15 season.

I guess I should get over it.

I will, come the home opener. The Dolphins are beating the Jets 21-17 in the fourth quarter, and Ricky Williams is keeping the clock ticking, four defense-numbing yards at a time.

www.thephinisher.com

Tony Sparano and Bill Parcells Believe in Hard Work

The Phinisher — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:25:21 -0400

Not since Bill Belichick took over for Pete Carroll in New England has there been an offseason as busy as that of the 2008 Miami Dolphins.

Much has been written about the speed and certitude of Miami’s new regime. Face lift may be a cliché term to describe rebuilding projects, but with 47 new players on a 53-man roster it may also be apropos.

Such change is worthy of much larger hyperbole. How about the transformation of a 1-15 franchise to a 9-7 one? You heard it here.

Kidding aside (said with my fingers crossed behind my back) the Miami Dolphins are a different team than they were last year. Literally. But are they a better team?

The answer to that less than deep question is yes. All they have to do is win two games and they’re better. So putting simplicity aside, let me get to the one axe I have in an otherwise wonderful offseason.

It does not involve Bill Parcells, Jason Taylor, or CBS. No, it involves the cruddy days of yore: the pre- and postseasons that led to the miserable humiliation of a once proud franchise.

This one thing bothering me is conditioning: weight lifting, running, and core training.

This leads us to one of the more downplayed news items coming from South Beach this year. The new head coach, Tony Sparano, is a hard worker. He cherishes strength and power. He demands that his players train as hard as they possibly can.

In short, he and Miami’s football Czar, Bill Parcells, instill respect and inspiration (fear) into the hearts and minds of Miami’s players, new and old. They do this first in the weight room.

The stories from camp are of invigorated veterans and young talents being chiseled into every-down players.

Vonnie Holliday claims he has no knee pain, which is something he’s played with for years. Joey Porter claims to be stronger and more explosive that he’s been in years. Ronnie Brown’s knee rehab is ahead of schedule and he was cutting and carrying the ball well in mini-camp.

Ricky Williams feels and looks like Ricky Williams. Not a mere shade of his former self, but the real thing. The Ricky Williams who hands out torn rotator cuffs to opposing safeties like he recently gave out yoga mats.

The Dolphins are running more. Lifting more. Training in sand pits to build better small (or core) muscle power.

So what is it that bothers me? When so much is going right, where do I find fault?

It’s simple. What was this team doing before?

Veterans like Porter and Holliday cite their conditioning this year as a way to succeed. They have amazed looks on their faces when they talk of the weather in Miami being an edge they can use.

Teams from the North, they say, will have to come down and play in the heat. This is an edge for the heat tempered and uber-conditioned Miami Dolphins.

Then I want to scream.

Were Nick Saban and Cam Cameron completely unaware of this? Had they never watched a Dolphins home game prior to their hiring? NFL Films could put together a 40-disk DVD set of the clips of announcers making observations on how the heat was in the Dolphins' favor.

Were they completely in the dark about the fact that Don Shula built his most winningest career on something as banal as making the players run extra wind sprints? Either they weren't aware or they were arrogant.

Both men, Cameron and Saban, believed they were so smart that they could configure rosters and game plans to the point where vets could rest before games and victories would still issue forth, each proving the genius of the Dolphins’ head coach.

Cameron was going to use the Statue of Liberty Play to win the Super Bowl. Saban was going to micro-manage the water boys for optimal player hydration.

It really makes me scratch my head and wonder. This is not to say that I believe there was a Dolphins' Super Bowl somewhere between 2001 and now. There most certainly was not one. There was perhaps a decade of solid football. One not punctuated with a 1-15 season.

I guess I should get over it.

I will, come the home opener. The Dolphins are beating the Jets 21-17 in the fourth quarter and Ricky Williams is keeping the clock ticking. Four defense-numbing yards at a time.

www.thephinisher.com

Ricky Williams: The New Underdog

The Phinisher — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 06:56:59 -0400

When uttered, his name is usually followed by a joke. He is hated by some, resented by more and now, for the first time in his career, written off by most.

He is also one of the most intriguing and human of sports figures.

Flaky. Irresponsible. Dishonest. Unrealistic. Drug addict.

Thoughtful. Caring. Curious. Idealistic. Hard worker.

Ricky Williams.

How can one person be perceived in so many contrary fashions? The answers lie partly in Williams and partly in the viewer.

To Miami Dolphins fans he represents the last time their team was relevant. This was made painfully obvious to them last year on Monday Night Football. A very misanthropic Tony Kornheiser poked fun at an injured Williams and his fans in Miami: “There goes your savior, Miami.”

The entire Monday Night crew thought it a fitting way for Williams to end. Injured on a sodden field, pressed into service after one week of practice, Ricky Williams dropped the ball and ran away.

That was their storyline. That was the way they wanted it to be seen.

Williams had been hurt on his fourth carry, which he had fumbled. Williams looked to grab the ball he fumbled even after having been purposefully stomped on by Steelers’ linebacker Lawrence Timmons. The stomping had torn his pectoral muscle. Williams still came back in and carried the ball two more times before succumbing to the injury. He left unable to lift his arm.

It was a criminal act and yet the only incriminations being made were of Williams and his lifestyle. None of the Dolphins players defended him. None of the front office people or coaches had the backbone to press the Steelers for some sort of apology. What else could you expect out of a team that went 1-15? You surely wouldn’t expect a fiery pride and the feeling to fight. Not out of those Dolphins.

Many will ask why his teammates should have defended him. After all, he left them high and dry in 2004 and messed up again in 2006 and 2007.

The answer to that is simple: Because. Because he’s a teammate and you should always defend your own. One of the Dolphins linemen should have pummeled Timmons on the spot. They didn’t. They were the 2007 Miami Dolphins.

The relevant question, the one that means something more is simply, “What is so awful about Ricky Williams?”

The two negative traits that are least defensible are his inability to control his addiction and the fashion in which he decided to retire in 2004.

The latter instance, the one of his departure, in not completely untenable.

He got the ball 775 times in 2002 and 2003, with close to 400 coming in 2003 alone. That year the Dolphins line was terrible and with no one even remotely decent at quarterback, rival defenses would stack the line of scrimmage. The Dolphins didn’t even make a pretense of possessing a passing game.

In 2004, without Ricky, the Dolphins couldn’t run the ball to save their lives. They won four games. They burned through three running backs.

So what were those other negative traits? Dishonest? Maybe. He has said that he hasn’t smoked marijuana when he has.

Lazy? Hardly. He is respected for his practice and game-time work ethics. He has carried the ball injured and never takes a down off, even when his carry totals crept into the 30’s. Twice he carried the ball 40 or more times.

You don’t get out of bed until Tuesday afternoon if you carry the ball that many times.

Some have called him cowardly. Yet Williams, a sufferer of extreme social anxiety and mild agoraphobia, has to overcome profound fear every time he walks into the locker room, let alone a stadium filled with thousands.

Flaky? Flaky is the one term I find ridiculous. Williams penchant for things not football, things like yoga and holistic healing, his earnest investigation of philosophy and religion; these are flaky things? Brian Urlacher might as well be a Disney version of Frankenstein’s monster, and Ricky Williams’ existential curiosity is a problem? Randy Moss is clearly unstable, let alone abusive, and yet he is given more credit as a human being than Ricky Williams is.

When asked in a recent interview about when it was hardest to avoid smoking, Ricky answered when reading. He used to enjoy reading scripture while high, claiming it helped him read deeper.

That's different. Not flaky.

The factor that defines him as deviant is the NFL. The latter two, the examples of Urlacher and Moss, are tied to the NFL; it is all they perceivably are. Ricky Williams wants to be something more than a football player. He knows his "God-Given" talent is that of being a bruising running back with exceptional vision and quickness.

People for some reason resent this. We all should want to be something other than our professions. We'd be healthier human beings.

Then lastly, there’s Ricky the player. Actually, as far as Dolphins fans looking to Williams to be their savior, it’s not as ridiculous as people make it sound. Not counting last year’s eleventh hour appearance, Williams was the key factor in the Dolphins only winning seasons for the last six seasons.

With Ricky: 2002, 9-7. 2003, 10-6. 2005, 9-7.

Without Ricky: 2004, 4-12. 2006, 6-10. 2007, 1-15.

Big differences.

This year should mark a year of challenge for Ricky. For the first time in his college or professional career he is being written off as a player as well as a person.

Ricky is smart, though. He’s perceptive and now has hopefully learned to think things through to their ends, not just their beginnings.

With that in mind, Ricky seems to have prioritized his life. He has said that he knows that football is his best chance at providing for his family. He knows that if he can have a good year in 2008 then he can expect better money the next year. He knows that if he fails one more time, then his legacy as a very good football player is gone like the smoke from his joint. More importantly, he knows that another failed drug test leaves a shameful legacy for his children.

The marijuana isn’t what makes it shameful. The inability to overcome it with so much to gain if he does, is.

Ricky Williams has so very much to prove, to himself most of all.

So, Tony K., here’s to those Dolphins fans who, come next September, are excited about going way back in their closet and pulling forth a teal jersey labeled #34.

Personally, I’d rather pull for a guy seeking redemption than an opportunistic and abusive wide receiver at the top of his game.

Though, if you’re a Tony Kornheiser type, then you’d better draft Randy Moss early. He’s a sure thing in your fantasy football league.

More articles like this one can be found @ www.thephinisher.com

2008 NFL Draft: Why The Dolphins Should Pick Matt Ryan

The Phinisher — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 02:28:12 -0500

When asked about whether luck plays a part in football Don Shula once famously remarked, “Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck.”

This has become increasingly evident in a league starved of good quarterback play. Just ask the Dolphins about their quarterbacks since Dan Marino retired.

The play of a team’s quarterback can make or break a good team. The Dallas Cowboys were struggling at the beginning of 2006 with the midland play of a venerable Drew Bledsoe. In stepped Tony Romo and the rest is cliché.

Eli was once the Manning known for meltdowns not touchdowns, let alone Super Bowl winning drives. His elevated play late in 2007 showed that the Giants were not wrong in making a controversial trade for his services. The Giants now have stability at a position that year in and out they had questioned before.

For every Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson there is a list much longer that is etched with names like Bradshaw, Namath, Montana, Young, Aikman, Elway, Favre, Brady, Roethlisberger and the Mannings. It takes a good quarterback to make a good team great.

The Dolphins have fielded some pretty good teams over the last decade. They’ve fielded some dogs too. If the 2002 or 2004 teams, with an unstoppable Ricky Williams, had a top-flight quarterback they would have not only made the playoffs, they may have won a couple. They also wouldn’t have tanked completely when he went on his now infamous sojourn.

Matt Ryan is the best quarterback to emerge from the college ranks in two years and he most likely will not be followed by anyone next year. Many are estimating that this year’s draft class of quarterbacks will be the last one with depth and high-end talent for another two.

Teams that need a quarterback will have to look hard and long at Ryan and decide if they want to be involved in a move to get him, like the Giants were with Eli.

At 6’5” and 220 pounds, Ryan is a prototypical NFL quarterback. He has the height to survey the field and the mass to stand tall in the pocket. Eli’s now famous play in the Super Bowl was a product of his size, being 6’4” and 224 pounds. He had the strength to break away from the collapsing pocket and out of the grasping hands of New England’s desperate defense.

The Dolphins haven’t had that kind of play in a long time. Last year they drafted a promising young quarterback in the second round. John Beck was a standout at Brigham Young and has several traits that could make him a success on the NFL level.

He has a very quick release, something Dolphins faithful have learned to revere in a quarterback (Dan Marino had the quickest release of any quarterback to play in the NFL).

At 6’2” and 216 pounds, Beck has good but not great size. He shows quick feet and the ability to scramble when the pocket collapses. His arm is strong and he can be accurate when he has time and confidence.

He also had a miserable series of starts at the end of last year.

The Dolphins don’t know what they have in him, though Parcells has alluded that Beck has “it” and also that GM Jeff Ireland thinks highly of him.

Meanwhile there’s Matt Ryan and the Dolphins No. 1 overall selection. The two quarterbacks that Ryan gets compared to are two of Parcells’ favorites: Drew Bledsoe and Ben Roethlisberger.

Ryan has the football first attitude and the vocal grittiness that Parcells likes in a quarterback. He’s a weight room guy and a motivator, which are both pluses with Parcells.

Parcells has said that Beck and someone, not Josh McCown who the Dolphins just signed as a backup, will be competing for the starting job. This is most likely a head game for teams like Atlanta and Baltimore who desperately need upgrades at quarterback. Parcells wants to trade out of the first spot. Spreading rumors about being interested in Ryan, he may get someone to bite.

If stuck there at No. 1, with no takers on a trade and doubts about the most important position on his team, why wouldn’t Parcells pick the best quarterback available?

One positive to drafting a quarterback is that they are always good trade bait. If Ryan was drafted and never able to beat out an emerging John Beck then there will almost certainly be a team that will believe that they can develop him. Think about how many times players like Joey Harrington and David Carr will be given second chances.

The Dolphins may very well draft him just to force a trade with one of the teams that desire his pedigree.

They also may draft him to solve South Beach’s riddle of the ages: Who shall be our quarterback?

Why They Shouldn’t

If the Dolphins don’t draft Matt Ryan it will be because they have reasonable confidence in how John Beck will develop. It’s either that or they think that they can find Beck’s competition in a later round, say Joe Flacco in round two or three.

Ryan is also a bit of a gunslinger, something Parcells does not find desirable. He turns the ball over too much by trying to force throws. In the NFL, Matt Ryan will have to learn to manage the game more and do less of the heavy lifting himself.

Plus, as mentioned in previous entries of this series, the Dolphins need to fill several holes and already have a young quarterback to develop. A trade might buy them two to three starters in this draft rather than just one.

Not to mention the “bust” factor is very high with quarterbacks. Especially when they’re drafted by a franchise in upheaval.

If Ryan busts and Beck is our guy then the Dolphins will have wasted the full value of their much-deserved No. 1 pick. The pick will deflate in value (from a trade standpoint) and Miami will have missed out on a game-changing player.

This year’s draft is one that they desperately need to get right. Matt Ryan may be too risky in the end. He could also just as easily be the answer to that riddle.

More articles like this one can be found on The Phinisher's blog @ www.thephinisher.com