Here's to the Miami Dolphins' Offensive Line

After all the success Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams have had running the ball; and the success Chad Pennington has had throwing; and the ability of Miami's receivers to do well despite what they were expected to do; I think we should focus on the heart of it all:

The offensive line.

Miami's offensive line is the key to all their success. There are no statistics to measure it, but they let other players' statistics talk for them.

If you could, please answer this:

What positions does the offensive line consist of?

The answer is: Left tackle, right tackle, center, left guard, and right guard.

If you were able to do that, then try this one:

Without looking it up, tell me who is starting in those positions for Miami?

Answer: Left tackle: Jake Long, right tackle: Vernon Carey, center: Samson Satele, left guard: Justin Smiley, and right guard: Ikechuku Ndukwe.

I will admit that I couldn't name the starters myself, but, neither can most people. It just goes to show you how much such an important position can be so underrated, even if it is the key to a team's success.

Without the proper blocking by Miami's linemen, Ronnie Brown would never have been able to score like he has in the Wildcat formation. Brown was able to score so many times against New England in their first win of the season because of the huge hole the line created for him to run through.

If they hadn't blocked correctly, Miami might not have won against the Patriots, and, in turn, might have lost almost every game afterwards.

But, thanks to Jake Long, Miami's No. 1 draft choice in the 2008 NFL Draft, Brown was able to get through and score four rushing touchdowns.

Long, who normally plays as a tackle on the left side of the line, was moved to the right side against the Patriots a couple of times, which is the side Brown ran to when he scored.

Chad Pennington is one of the most efficient passers in the NFL. And that is thanks to the linemen. Every time Pennington can throw, it is thanks to a great offensive line that can disrupt the rushers. When Pennington can be confident that he won't feel too much pressure, he can make better passes.

And he has.

Pennington has only thrown three interceptions all season, and currently has a passer rating of over 100, and Miami is currently in the top 10 in the NFL for fewest sacks allowed.

Anyone see a connection?

Any normal human being who is pressured is bound to make mistakes, and Pennington is no exception. He hasn't had to face a lot of pressure when he's throwing, resulting in top-notch efficiency, which also makes Miami's receivers look better.

The better your offensive line is, the less pressure you will feel, and the more efficient you can be.

It is that simple.

So, next time you're watching Miami, pick one offensive linemen and follow him for a couple of plays, and then you'll see how tough his job is.