Dolphins vs. Jets: 7 Things We Learned in Miami's Road Win at New York
The Miami Dolphins went into the New Meadowlands regarded as major underdogs. Early in Week 3 during a Sunday Night Football match, the Jets ousted the Phins 31-23 on their own turf, solidifying a big-talk 2010 Jets campaign that had already been thoroughly backed up all offseason by the mouth of head coach Rex Ryan.
A lot of hype has surrounded Ryan’s squad, but many have failed to see the reality of their winning record. They’ve struggled often this season, with close wins to under .500 teams like the Broncos, Lions, Browns and Texans, while seven of their nine wins have all come from teams with losing records (the two exceptions being Miami and New England).
When all is said and done, the only thing tacking the phrase “underdog” to Miami was their inconsistent offensive play. Mike Nolan is running a major force on the defensive side of the ball, and as long as the Phins could manage to keep Mark Sanchez on his toes, they could measure out to another win.
Miami did just that, once again relying on a shutdown defensive core, while still playing a near-embarrassing offensive game and getting an even worse quarterback performance by Chad Henne, one that was nearly mirrored by Sanchez. Fans on NFL.com even rated the rainy Sunday afternoon matchup with a sub-50 percent memorable rating, something pretty rare for a game between one of the biggest and longest rivalries in the league.
Here are seven things we all learned from the Miami Dolphins yesterday.
Chad Henne Is Still a Problem
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The number five is for the amount of completions the Miami quarterback had on the day in his 18 pass attempts, finishing with an under-30 percent completion percentage and a lackluster 58.3 passer rating. Sure, it’s a step up from Week 13’s horrific three-interception, 37.8 passer-rating performance, but it was at least enough to say he showed up on Sunday.
The Dolphins fanbase is also pleased to say that their starting QB didn’t throw any interceptions on a stout New York Jets defense, but that’s pretty much all that can be said.
The number five is also for the amount of times Chad Henne was sacked, which was for 25 yards in losses, plus fumbling twice, both times for losses. He only threw for 55 yards throughout the entire game, passing for an average of 3.1 yards a throw, a stat which is a testament of his check-downs on plays where he deems his receivers to be either well covered, or where we know he just didn’t react fast enough.
Sure, maybe some of those sacks and backfield yardage losses can and should be blamed on the offensive line, but a professional quarterback like Chad Henne should be more aware and reactive in the pocket. He may not have turned the ball over in the air, but the wet terrain definitely assisted in him not keeping the ball in his hands.
Regardless, the play-calling yesterday was half-decent, but still throwing behind receivers? Still throwing too far ahead of receivers? Unnecessary throwaways? More check-downs to running backs? A handful of nearly called intentional grounding fouls? The first two show his lack of accuracy, the second two show his lack of self-confidence, and the last one shows his lack of knowledge for the game.
I hope the Miami brass doesn’t let this W hide Henne’s play, but a W on the road in tough weather conditions does at least give him a pass for the week, even from me.
Dan Henning Is Trying, But the Offense Is Still Struggling
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You know, I, along with a decent number of people calling into AM sports radio shows since the game, weren’t too disappointed with the play-calling on the offensive side of the ball. We can’t undermine the fact that Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine run a tough defensive regime that includes Pro-Bowl caliber players like Calvin Pace, Bart Scott, Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis.
Most of the run plays did seem pretty legit; nothing too crazy like the 3rd-and-long run plays seen earlier in the year (most of which have been option calls made by Henne himself). Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown ran for 89 yards between the two of them, while Henne added another seven and FB Lousaka Polite tacked on five more. 101 total rushing yards is respectably good against a team that only allows 88.5 YPG, though mediocrity is becoming something to be comfortable with in this franchise, and that does need to change...
Even the passing game was well put-together, though, due to the rain, a slippery ball and Chad Henne throwing to no one without fail, it limited them to 55 passing yards. It was the worst number of the year for a Dolphin QB since their Week 2 win against the Minnesota Vikings where Henne threw for 114 yards.
Offensive coordinator Dan Henning has also earned my pass here, but one thing has become clear: either Henne is not fit for this offensive scheme, or he is not fit to be a pro-level quarterback.
Mike Nolan's Defense Is a Force To Be Reckoned With
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Miami’s defense is proving to be one of the best and most dominant in the NFL week after week. They rank within the top 10 teams in the league in the four most significant statistical defensive categories: points allowed (eighth), total yards (fifth), passing yards (sixth) and rushing yards (eighth).
Mike Nolan’s defense held Mark Sanchez to a 38.6 percent completion percentage on the day, worse than his already mediocre 53.3 percent in the year. He threw an interception caught by Nolan Carroll, and he was sacked six times while fumbling four times, plus one for a loss recovered by Quentin Moses.
The Dolphins front seven, which included great performances by Paul Soliai, Kendall Langford, Cameron Wake and Karlos Dansby, proved to be too much for Pro Bowl offensive linemen Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson. They held the Jets’ fifth-ranked rushing offense (which average 143.7 yards per game) to 87 yards on Sunday, 20 of which were contributed by a scrambling Mark Sanchez.
It has become evident that with the addition of ILB Karlos Dansby, the rise of OLB Cameron Wake and most notably, the takeover of defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, this Dolphins D is on the path of becoming one of the toughest in the NFL.
Make no mistake, the Denver Broncos’ biggest loss wasn’t trading away Brandon Marshall, losing Elvis Dumervil to injury, nor is it the 10 losses they’ve already accumulated this season, it was ex-head coach Josh McDaniels’ naive firing of Mike Nolan.
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Sean Smith Is Growing Nicely Back into His Starting Spot
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Miami’s second-round draft choice out of Utah in 2009 has re-earned and solidified his spot as a starter. After having lost it to the now-displaced Jason Allen, his performance against the Dolphins’ division rivals made it clear that he hasn’t fully developed, but is surely on his way.
He started all 16 games of his rookie season while now having started the last couple of matches; five total in the year. His five solo tackles and four deflected passes show he does deserve the starting position beside fellow draft-classmate Vontae Davis, and will continue to work towards becoming part of the swagger-baring cornerback duo they were expected to develop into.
Sure, some of those pass deflections should have turned into INTs, but he is young and has plenty of time to grow and learn. At the rate he is going he will be a major contributor to a team who will become very difficult to throw against in the future.
Cameron Wake Is a MONSTER
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Fourteen sacks in the year with another three games still left in the season? Leading the NFL in sacks? Yes, it is all true. The two-time Canadian Football League’s Defensive Player of the Year is one of the most feared linebackers in the offensive line and quarterback world and is becoming one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL.
He would be the second outside linebacker in a row under Mike Nolan to win the NFL sack title if he beats out close followers Clay Matthews, John Abraham and Tamba Hali. Last year’s winner, OLB Elvis Dumervil from the Denver Broncos, has been out of the season due to an off-season pectoral muscle injury.
Wake notched up two more sacks, along with five tackles and a forced fumble on Sunday against NY offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s offense. He has averaged a little more than a sack per game in 2010, and if he gets another five, he would dethrone former Dolphin and current New York Jet Jason Taylor of the franchise’s single-season sack record holder.
Brandon Marshall Understands the Rivalry
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It isn’t weird to think that a 6 is missing from Brandon Marshall’s 16 receiving yards from Sunday’s "rain bowl," considering he had 166 yards in his first meeting with the Jets earlier this year.
I remember watching a Marshall interview after he’d recently been traded to Miami, and a reporter had asked him if he understood the rivalry between the Phins and Jets; I think it’s clear that he does. His physical style got him into the end zone on both occasions this year, even if he caught eight passes less (two, as opposed to 10) this game than he did in the Week 3 home opener.
Sure, he may have dropped a pass or two, but he was still effective throughout the game in his own way. Remember, Sunday’s soaked ball was only thrown a total of 18 times and caught five times, and Brandon did catch it when it counted most (unlike Santonio Holmes). His presence is a tribute to how well or how bad Miami’s run offense will play, as it was a positive factor yesterday.
He may come off as arrogant and short-tempered at times, but at the end of the day, he knows he is, and is happy to be, a Miami Dolphin—and most importantly, he wants to win.
Nolan Carroll Deserves Justice From Sal Alosi
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I’m sure the entire league understands how atrocious, despicable and downright dirty Sal Alosi’s actions were on Sunday. It was disgusting, foul, ignorant and cheap. It should’ve been punishable at the game, and should continue to be so on a franchise and league level.
If you don’t know yet, Nolan Carroll was tripped while running back to defend on a Jets punt return by New York’s strength and conditioning coach, Sal Alosi, who was standing on the sideline at the time. Carroll sprung forward and fell onto the turf, as he was shaken up badly and needed a few moments before getting back onto his feet.
Carroll was not seriously injured and returned to the game by the fourth quarter, but this by no means justifies what happened yesterday afternoon.
Sal Alosi’s ridiculous action is a testament to what is going on under the Ryan regime. Where is the discipline? Where is the respect for the game, the league, opposing teams, staffs and THE PLAYERS? An R-rated HBO series, the perennial press conference circuses, where does this organization begin to show they’re professional?
Players on the Dolphins roster are already speaking out in anger.
“That’s dirty!” said ILB Karlos Dansby. “It’s sad. There’s no place for that in football. Hopefully they’ll be fined for it. I’ll leave it up to the league.”
ILB Channing Crowder also reacted with “I wish they would have tripped me. I would have broken his leg.”
Even players from other teams around the league have expressed their outrage, like LB Shaun Phillips from the San Diego Chargers, who Tweeted "I think that coach from the jets who tripped that dude should be fired. That's some BS. I would have slapped him if he had tripped me."
Carroll, a rookie out of Maryland, seems to be taking the situation lighter than anyone, probably because he doesn’t seem to understand what has happened to him.
“We got the W," he responded. “That’s the Jets problem. We just move on. I felt contact, but I’ve got to watch the film. I can’t comment on it right now.”
Spoken like a true professional, unlike the majority of the guys Woody Johnson is writing checks to over in NY.
Alosi should not just be disciplined, fined and fired from the New York Jets, but he should also be banned from having a job with the NFL ever again. He could’ve not only injured Carroll, but he could’ve ended his career, in a worst-case scenario.
Thankfully, the situation didn’t get any worse than it very well could have, but that’s only because most of the Miami Dolphins, including head coach Tony Sparano, were unaware of what had happened. As far as the New York Jets go, that’s probably a good thing.
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