ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported via Twitter that Peyton Hillis is out today: “@AdamSchefter: Browns RB Peyton Hillis is out today.”
This places the game in the hands of Colt McCoy and Cribbs. I hope the Dolphins took the advice in my week 3 preview and did not solely focus on stopping Hillis.
You have to wonder, is this the start of the Madden Curse for Hillis? Wish him the best.
Phins Up!
-John
Be sure to follow me on Twitter @PhinNationJohn for additional Dolphin news and commentary.
Is the Miami Dolphins’ 1pm game this Sunday at 1-1 Cleveland a must win? It depends on who you’re asking about? Chad Henne? Tony Sparano? The Miami Dolphins’ 2011 season? What happens to them if we lose? Before we can get into those discussions, we have to actually play the game.
What to expect:
Brown’s Offense vs. Dolphin Defense:
In their first two games, the Browns, have recorded a loss to the surprising Bengals and a win last week against the Colts. In these two games, based on the numbers, their offense has performed poorly. The Brown’s offense is ranked 25th in passing, 21st in rushing, and 26th in total offense (and this is against the Bengals and Colts…ouch). On the other hand, from the little I have seen of them, the Browns’ offense hasn’t looked as bad as the numbers make them out to be. Regardless of how bad the Browns’ numbers are, with the way the Dolphins D has played, we have no room to take them for granted.
I have read that the Dolphins may be adapting the strategy of “stop Hillis and let Colt McCoy beat us.” This would be a mistake in my book for a few reasons. Now, don’t get me wrong, Hillis is an extremely good running back that will have a major say in the outcome of the game, but stopping the pass needs to be the Dolphins’ concern. Until the Dolphins show they can stop their opponents passing consistently, it needs to be their main concern. In his first two games, McCoy averaged 200 yards/game, threw 3 TDs, and 1 Int. By no stretch are these stats outstanding, but McCoy jumped up 30 QB rating points from week 1 to week 2. Combine McCoy’s performance with the Dolphins 30th ranked pass defense that is focused on Hillis and it may result in a good opportunity for McCoy to have a break-out performance. Another reason to focus on the pass is Vontae Davis was just listed as being out for Sunday, oh boy. I piece of good news for the Dolphins’ D is, as I am writing this, I have see that Hillis has missed practice on Friday due to an illness and is listed as questionable. I do not wish illness or injury on anyone, but the Browns not having Hillis would be of great benefit to the Dolphins. Although, I have to believe that it will not hold him out on Sunday, but, in what would be a new one, it could be the start of the dreaded MADDEN CURSE dun dun dun.
Dolphin Offense vs. Browns Defense:
The numbers have the Miami Dolphins’ offense listed as 9th in passing, 8th in rushing, 10th in total offense. Yes, that look of disbelief on your face was the same I had when I saw it too. I thought about why this was so shocking, but it’s semi-believable when you think about it: Henne had a huge game week against NE and the Dolphins have back-to-back 100 yard rushing games. Where our disbelief really comes from is our inability to put the ball in the endzone, as the Dolphins are ranked 25th in points scored. The Dolphins have struggled finishing drives for the past several years and cashing in on our opportunities has to happen this week.
Henne came back to earth last week after his game against the Pats. He does not need to do what he did against the Pats each week, but he does need to be better than he was last week. At times he was making the right decisions and hitting his receivers, other times he was inaccurate and rushed. It seems that Henne’s performance all depends on his momentum; when he’s going, he’s real good, but when he’s bad, he’s real bad. This puts the emphasis on the performance of the O-line. They have been really weak in pass blocking and need to keep Henne clean to allow him time to make reads and get into a flow. This may be especially important considering the Browns have the 2nd rated pass defense; take that with a grain of a salt (remember they played the Bengals and Colts). What I am most excited to see on Sunday is if Daniel Thomas is for real and, if he is, can the Dolphins find a way to mix-up their attacking using Thomas, Bush, and the Receiving core. The Dolphins have a lot of quality weapons and they just need to figure-out how to use them all; especially in the redzone.
Two Minute Drill:
Dolphins’ Key to the Game: Get off the field (with points). I feel the key(s) to the Dolphins’ success will come in two areas on Sunday. The first is to get the defense off the field. Too often the defense will allow their opponent extend their drive on 3rd down. They need to tighten up and realize they are one play away from getting the ball back. Secondly, the Dolphins need to put the ball in the endzone. No more settling for field goals, it should simply be unacceptable when in the redzone.
Browns’ Key to the Game: Arrive Early. In other words, come out with a stop and a score (or the other way around depending on the coin toss). Either way, if you can get up on this Dolphins team, it is very hard for them to overcome that adversity and build momentum. I don’t think the Browns can lose this game in the first quarter, but they may be able to win it.
Dolphins’ Player to Watch: Daniel Thomas. The Browns have the 24th ranked rush defense (against C. Benson & J. Addai; not exactly elite RBs). It could be a good time to get Thomas going early and open up the Browns secondary for Henne. I just hope the Dolphins don’t become one dimensional if Thomas is successful.
Browns’ Player to Watch: Peyton Hillis. Hillis had 94 yards & 2 TDs in a win and 57 yards & 0 TDs in a loss. Enough said.
How it plays out: This one remains close until the end, as do all Dolphin games. The Dolphins will get the running game going and Henne will play better, but not great. The Dolphins D continues to fail to get off the field, but plays good enough to give the offense a chance.
Prediction: 24-17 Dolphins. The offense plays well against the unchallenged Browns defense and figures out how to put the ball in the endzone. The defense continues to bend, but not break well enough. Plus it’s an away game.
Back to the question: Is this a must win? For Chad Henne, if he plays poorly, throw picks, and the Dolphins lose, then yes. Henne cannot lose this game for the Dolphins and still be the starter. Fortunately for him, I do not foresee him being the reason for losing this game. For Tony Sparano, you better believe it. He is already on the hot seat and if he loses this one, he may be gone by the Dolphins bye week. For the Dolphins season, no, because I don’t think we will overcome the Jets and Pats with or without this game. In reality, this game may not really be a must win in these situations, but there is one situation that it is an absolute must win. This game is a must win for the Miami Dolphin fans. If the Dolphins lose this game, Dolphin fans will be calling for the head of the entire organization. Attendance will get even uglier and no sponsor will be able to buy enough tickets to compensate for the missing disgusted fans. So, yes, this IS a must win for the Dolphins to keep the fans and their dignity.
PhinsUp! -John
Be sure to follow me on Twitter @PhinNationJohn for additional Dolphin news and commentary.
Thank you for reading my article, I hope you enjoyed it and be sure to leave a comment.
On Tuesday, the Miami Dolphins cut RB Larry Johnson…again. As I tweeted, @PhinNationJohn (Shameless Plug), this came as no shock. Johnson was re-signed because of the health concerns with RB Daniel Thomas, but after Thomas’s 107 yard debut, it is apparent LJ’s services are no longer needed. I do not see another team picking LJ up after only gaining 2 yards on Sunday. If the Dolphins would need him…again….he should be available.
The Dolphins added DL Igor Olshansky, another former Cowboy, on Tuesday. This seems to be in response to the Dolphins’ concerns of the health of their D-line. It is being reported that Randy Starks is dealing with some sort of leg injury and Tony McDaniel is out with a broken hand. Seems the Dolphins replace one insurance policy (LJ) with another (Olshansky). This pickup is not huge news, but its interesting to see the Dolphins continue to pickup Dallas Cowboy pieces, not saying they are bad players, but it hasn’t worked.
The Dolphins also re-added CB Nate Jones, former Cowboy (shocker), to the roster on Tuesday. Also unsurprising, as the Dolphins are trying to sure-up the secondary.
-John
Be sure to follow me on Twitter @PhinNationJohn for additional Dolphin news and commentary.
Up, then down. High, then low. Ascension, then freefall. Hope, then reality. These phrases define my overall feeling during the Miami Dolphins performance on Sunday. It’s baffling how the Dolphins ARE able do things right, but just don’t do them right enough of the time. They were able to address every concern I had for them at some point during the game. The problem is they only address it for a portion of the game.
Dolphins Defense:
Obviously, the D had to be the biggest question that you had to have for the Dolphins. How would they handle a dangerous Texan receiving core? Your answer, good…okay well alright…some of the time. Schaub went 21/29 for 230 yds and 2 touchdowns. 7 of those completions went to Andre Johnson for 93 yds and 1 TD. How do I even consider this an alright performance? First off, they didn’t let the Texans go for 500+ yds and 4TDs. Secondly, they were able to bend, but not break. The Dolphins were able to hold the Texans to a Red Zone efficiency of only 1/5, forcing the Texans to settle for field goals rather than TDs. The first Texan TD only came when they started on the Dolphins’ 6 yard line. Third, they “only” gave up 23 points to an explosive Texans’ offense. So yes, I can actually say that I was high on the defense’s performance, at first.
So we have the Dolphin defense playing better, holding them to field goals. Then we queue up a blown coverage that leaves Andre Johnson wide open in the end-zone. How do you blow coverage on ANDRE JOHNSON? It’s one thing if he physically beats you. He’s a superior athlete that can beat just about any DB, but how do you let HIM just go uncovered? We also just seem to give up enough yards for them to get a first down and extend their drive. The D played better, but in no way great. The Dolphins’ defense also cannot stay healthy throughout an entire game, as Davis and Dansby both missed time on Sunday due to injuries. The defense was undoubtedly up and down, much like the offense.
Dolphins Offense/“Special” Teams:
Before I actually get into the play of the Dolphins’ Offense, I must comment on a coaching choice. Why, after winning the coin toss, would we defer? Don’t get me wrong, I love getting the ball after half; I always do that when I play NCAA ’12, but after the way Henne came out on their first drive last week, why would you go on D first? I would just like to know the thought process there. Maybe it was the right choice, as the offense sputtered with a three-and-out on their first drive.
I had two questions for the Miami Dolphin offense entering the game on Sunday. The first was, whether or not Henne could continue his success. That answer was no. Chad went 12/30 (40% completion rate) for 170 yds for 1 TD and 1 INT that truly was not his fault. At times, Henne threw with good accuracy, making smart decisions. Once we get the redzone, he falls apart, throwing the ball out of bounds, giving his receivers no chance of making a catch. So again, we drive and drive, but can’t finish the job. The O-line showed weak pass blocking all day, getting Henne sacked twice, hurried all day, and hit while throwing; resulting in Henne’s interception. On the other hand, the Dolphins had their most momentum when the line opened up holes for Thomas to pound out an impressive 107 yds on 18 carries (5.95 y/c) debut; which answered my second question of whether or not the Dolphins could further their running game. They must have run that draw play 12 times in the third quarter. The Dolphins have a bad habit, though it worked on Sunday, of finding one play that worked twice and running far too many times. Just as Thomas is about to break 100 yards and the Dolphins are rolling, every Dolphins fan had to have that feeling of “here it comes” and it does with a Thomas fumble. It’s almost laughable…but overall, Thomas did look solid and might be able to be that “one cut” back that we love. Only time will tell.
I don’t even want to write this next part and you know what I’m talking about. My emotions went from anger, to disbelief, to a laughing fit of rage. I am not trying to be funny when I say I have seen high school teams with better special teams. I try to think about how this could happen in the NFL, where you get paid millions, MILLIONS to play a few downs a game and you can’t do it right? I’ll even let the one Carpenter missed go, but if he doesn’t kick the second one at the snappers head we are down by 7 and in the game at the end. Also, if Jason Trusnik is still in uniform this coming week, this organization is clueless. He wouldn’t be for the Pats or Jets.
Overtime:
Dolphins Key Player: Daniel Thomas. I was between Thomas and Marshall, but despite his fumble, I really like what I saw from Thomas who got NO help from Bush or the laughable LJ.
Texans Key Player: Dan Carpenter. Okay seriously, I’ll actually give it to Andre Johnson who had a good game, but I don’t think the Texans would disagree with my initial pick.
Defining Moment: Thomas’ fumble. It did not result in points for the Texans, but it absolutely killed any momentum the Phins were able to gather at that point in the game and you could just tell it was over once it happened.
Looking Ahead: This Sunday we head to Cleveland to face off against the Browns. Three pieces of good news come with this: 1. It’s the Browns. 2. It’s a back to normal 1pm start time. 3. Sadly, it’s a welcomed away game.
Final Thought: This game has become what we expect in a Dolphins game. They hang around, giving you hope they might pull it off then just disappoint.
PhinsUp! John
Be sure to follow me on Twitter @PhinNationJohn for additional Dolphin news and commentary.
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, be sure to leave a comment.
If you would have bet me, that in week one, Chad Henne would go 30 for 49 for 416 yds and 3 touchdowns, while the Miami Dolphins’ defense would give up 600+ total yards, I would have bet my house against you and would be homeless right now. Coming into the new season, I had questions that the Dolphins needed to answer to be successful. Would Henne continue his preseason “success?” Would the Dolphins running game exist at all? Would the Dolphins’ CB tandem live up to Vontae Davis’ declaration that they are the best in the NFL? Some questions were answered, but many more new questions emerged. This Sunday the Dolphins will match-up with the 1-0 Houston Texans at 4:15pm in Sun Life Stadium and will look to find some answers.
What to expect:
Texan Offense vs. Dolphin Defense:
Trying to predict how this weekend’s match-up will play out based on week one provides a bit of a challenge. In week one, the Houston Texans blew-out a Manning-less Colts team 34-7. It should be interesting to see what strategy the Texans offense uses against the Dolphins. You would think the smart money would be just let Schaub, Johnson, and the rest of the receiving core to go nuts, right? On the other hand, the Texans ran the ball 41 times for 167 yds (4.1 y/c) on Sunday while only airing it out 24 times. Just running out the clock you say? On the contrary, of their 36 first half plays, 21 of them were rushing plays. Which brings me back to the question, after seeing Brady dissect the Dolphins’ secondary, do they come out throwing the ball all over the field or stick with their successful running game, which “Oh by the way” did not have Arian Foster (who looks to play on Sunday)?
Either way, the defense needs to show up if the Dolphins are going to have shot at winning this game. Obviously, most of the blame has to be placed on the secondary for last week’s performance. They were beat all night and, at times, they seemingly just did not know their responsibilities. You have to believe that solidifying coverages had to be the main focus during practice and though they may struggle again this week, I don’t see them giving up another 500 passing yards again this week. Maybe the return of Will Allen will provide them with some stability and leadership they need. The secondary could also use the help of the LBs and pass rushers that seemingly could not cover any TE and only got to Brady for one sack. When they were able to at least get pressure is when we saw Brady’s incompletions. Overall, this defense needs to right the ship, I just don’t know if this is the best team to do it against.
Dolphin Offense vs. Texan Defense:
The Dolphin offense led by Chad Henne was nothing less than shocking. The opening drive that went for 84 yds, lasted 7+ mins and most importantly resulted in a TD left me speechless and wondering what team I was watching. Maybe it was the opening night hype, maybe it was the Monday Night Football effect, maybe it was the Pats, MAYBE the offense can actually be that good, but whatever it was that made them look that good, it needs to happen more often. As the game went on, the offense did come back down to earth a bit, but I was still impressed. Henne looked sharp for most of the night. I have a feeling his new freedom to change the play at the line has really helped his confidence. One of my initial concerns was about the Dolphins ability to run and while Bush only went for 38 yds, it was over 11 carries for an average of 3.5 y/c. Several of his rushes were between the tackles and honestly Bush looked strong. By the end of the game he was worn (umm where was LJ on short yardage situations??), but we should have Clay and Thomas back this week; which will keep Bush fresh. The line did let Henne get tagged 4 times and Incognito was anything but, as he racked up far too many penalty yards. Fortunately these mistakes should be correctable and despite getting beat (by a great interior d-line) Mike Pouncy looked good in his debut.
It’s hard to judge the Texans’ defensive performance against the Colts who realistically were missing their entire offense with Manning. As is usually the case, we will go as our O-line goes this week. If they can improve, open up running lanes, and keep Henne’s jersey clean against a Texan D that recorded 3 sacks against the Colts, then we should be able to continue our success. I would LOVE to see the Dolphins come out throwing on first down like they did during the first drive. Teams are used to us being a run first offense and by spreading the field with our weapons, our running game will only benefit. Driving the field was not a concern against the Pats, but we still do not know how to put the ball in the endzone. It’s almost like we get conservative in the redzone, trying not to make a mistake rather than punching it in (what happened to the play-action pass?). You can’t win games kicking field goals, especially against a high powered Texans offense.
Two Minute Drill:
Dolphins’ Key to the Game: Obvious one here. Defense, defense, DEFENSE. The only way the Dolphins will have a chance in this game is if the D rebounds from its dreadful performance against the Pats. If we can turn Schaub’s jersey green and contain their running game, then the DBs should have an easier time covering their responsibilities. Oh yea one more thing, DRINK SOME GATORADE, PICKLE JUICE, PEDIALITE, AND/OR RUN WITH AN IV IN!
Texans’ Key to the Game: Weaknesses & Turnovers. That is, take advantage of the Dolphins’ weaknesses and don’t commit the turnovers. If the Dolphins do not fix their glaring coverage problems, then the Texans should be able to hit the big play to Andre Johnson all day. On the other hand, they gave away 3 turnovers (2 ints and a fumble) to a less then respected Colts defense. If they are able to accomplish these points, then it may be a long day for the Phins.
Dolphins’ Player to Watch: Cameron Wake. Struggled against a rookie in week one. If he can’t get going, Schaub may pick apart the secondary.
Texan’s Player to Watch: Jacoby Jones. I feel the Texans will come out firing and the Dolphins will be keying on Andre Johnson (atleast they should be) These should leave Jones in favorable (for him) one-on-one coverage.
How it plays out: The Dolphins have never beat the Texans, but this week…will be no different. I have to believe the defense will play better, but will not handle the Texans receiving core AND their rushing game; which is good with or without Arian Foster. The Dolphins offense will continue to grow and Henne will have another good day, but can’t win the shoot-out. It will be close and we should have a chance to win.
Prediction: 27-24 Texans. Could go either way and I hope I’m wrong, but Texans win the shoot-out.
PhinsUp! -John
Be sure to follow me on Twitter @PhinNationJohn for additional Dolphin news and commentary.
Thank you for reading my first article for PhinNation.com, I hope you enjoyed it and be sure to leave a comment.
Last night, we learned that the Miami Dolphins released Benny Sapp, but the move was surprising because we didn’t know who was going to fill the void created by his departure. Well, it seems that the Dolphins had someone in mind…someone that has played the last 5 seasons with the Dolphins…..Will Allen. Allen was cut prior to week 1 of the 2011 season, but his return to the Dolphins is a welcomed one. After watching Tom Brady carve up the Dolphins secondary like a Thanksgiving turkey, something needed to change.
In the preseason, Benny Sapp looked like a Pro Bowler…intercepting passes and blanketing receivers. After watching on Monday Night, it all was a bit of a mirage. The Dolphins defense looked out of sorts and there were Patriots receivers running more open than the gap between Michael Strahan’s teeth. But I digress. The worst part about this whole debacle (and it is a debacle) is that the Dolphins are responsible for all $1.9 million of Benny Sapp’s 2011 contract. They are paying the guy all of that money for 1 game and replacing him with a guy they could have kept in the first place! I’ve learned that common sense and the Miami Dolphins, should not be used in the same sentence too often.
Onto Will Allen…is he an upgrade? Yes, if he’s healthy. Remember, Allen was held out of a couple of the Dolphins’ preseason games and more than a few practices, because he was injured. His health was the reason I thought the Dolphins cut him in the first place and chose Sapp. If he’s healthy (which I can only assume he is, since the Dolphins just re-signed him), he can bring some stability and leadership to the Dolphins secondary….specifically to Vontae Davis and Sean Smith. The Dolphins had better get their secondary fixed in a hurry because the Texans saw what the Patriots did on Monday night….and I’m sure they’re going to try to replicate it.
For the latest Miami Dolphins news from PhinNation.com, please follow us on Twitter
In a surprising move, the Miami Dolphins released Cornerback Benny Sapp earlier today. Sapp was burned more than a few times in the Dolphins loss Monday Night to the Patriots.
The move is surprising for a few reasons; First, the Dolphins secondary looked terrible Monday Night and there hasn’t been any talk about who will take Sapp’s place in the Dolphins secondary.
Second, Sapp outplayed Will Allen in the preseason. He actually looked really good in the preseason for the Dolphins.
Third, Sapp was on the week one roster which means his $1.9 mil contract is guaranteed. So the Dolphins will be paying Sapp to sit at home. Heck, I could do that for $1.9 mil!
I’d expect to hear about the Dolphins plans to replace Sapp by tomorrow. If I’m Will Allen, I’m waiting for the Dolphins to call and I’d probably try to milk every dime out of them….because they need him.
Well week 1 for the Miami Dolphins didn’t exactly go as planned, did it? The Dolphins are the only team in the AFC East not to win their opening game of 2011, which leaves the Dolphins in last place. So what does the week ahead have for the Dolphins, Patriots, Jets, and Bills? Here’s a look at what happened in week 1 and what’s ahead in week 2:
New England Patriots (1-0)
The Patriots lived up to their billing, pasting the Dolphins 38-24 at Sun Life Stadium. The Patriots offense did what they wanted, when they wanted against the Dolphins supposed top notch defense. The used the no huddle offense and tired the Dolphins out by limiting the situational substitutions the Dolphins could make. The Patriots will take on another high power offense on Sunday, when they welcome in the San Diego Chargers to Foxboro. If the Dolphins/Pats game was a shootout, I can’t even imagine how high scoring THAT game is going to be.
New York Jets (1-0)
I watched the game on Sunday night and rooted hard for the Cowboys….yeah, because that helped! Call it luck, call it magic, call it whatever you want, but the Jets rallied to beat the Cowboys in the 4th quarter. Tony Romo was great for 3 quarters and melted under the pressure of the 4th, and handed the Jets a W. The Jets will host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, a team that they should beat…… Although, stranger things have happened. I expect the Jets to be 2-0 following this weekend’s games.
Coming into the 2011 season, we thought we knew how good the Miami Dolphins defense was going to be….we knew that Chad Henne would be the problem….or the O line….or the fact that the Dolphins don’t have a bruising running back. After one week, it appears we were wrong about the Dolphins. The Dolphins opened up the 2011 season last night with a frustrating loss to the New England Patriots, 38-24. The game was close mid-way through the 3rd quarter, 21-17, although the Dolphins defense wasn’t giving us much hope at the time. The Patriots moved the ball effortlessly against the ‘vaunted’ Dolphins defense. In total, Tom Brady through for 517 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT….Those are ridiculous numbers, even if you’re playing Madden….But Brady did that against the #6 defense in the NFL last year. It was clear that the Pats gameplan was to run no huddle and tire the Dolphins defenders out….it worked…..it worked all night. It worked to the point that Dolphins defenders (Vontae Davis, Sean Smith, and others) were leaving the game because of cramping.
At one point I tweeted that some one should wake Mike Nolan up…clearly he was sleeping because he made no adjustments….at least none that worked. Brady lit up the Dolphins defense, by utilizing Danny Woodhead and his tight ends ALL NIGHT. The Dolphins have been plagued by tight ends burning them for years, which is why they’ve brought in Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett…TO COVER FREAKING TIGHT ENDS. None of it worked…NOTHING. The Dolphins defense should be embarrassed to go into that film room today. Mike Nolan was probably up all night, along with Tony Sparano. Simply put, their defense, which was supposed to be a strength of the team, go lit the heck up. The front 7 generated very little pass rush and didn’t touch Brady for almost all of the first half.
The 2011 season is set to kick off for the Miami Dolphins in just a little while. We have looked at the matchup between the Dolphins and Patriots from every angle. We’ve heard critics say that the Dolphins have little to no chance of beating the Pats. We told you over the weekend that the Dolphins are going to surprise some people and will be in this game. We can’t promise anything about the final score, but we are pretty sure that we will see some different looks from the Dolphins in this game….especially on Offense! Here are a few things to lookout for from the Dolphins tonight:
Spread Formations
Brian Daboll helped lead the Cleveland Browns to victory last year over these very New England Patriots. He’s come to Miami and has installed his new offense, which should utilize the Dolphins’ weapons better than his predecessor (Old Man Henning). Expect Daboll to use more 3 and 4 wide formations against the Pats, trying to spread the defense out and create mismatches that favor the Dolphins. The key with these formations will be the Dolphins offensive line’s ability to protect Chad Henne. The Pats weakness on defense is ‘supposed’ to be their pass rush and defensive backs. If the Dolphins can spread them out, and Henne is accurate, they could do some damage through the air.
Follow PhinNation!