Tag: Mark Sanchez

NFL Preseason Drinking Game: Official Rules

Aug. 09 Opinion

Alright Dolphins fans and football fans everywhere, the NFL is officially back.  Well, back in the sense that you can turn on the TV and you can find highlights and actual games (meaningless as they are) on television.  BUT, preseason games can be a bit boring, can’t they?  After all, with the exception of the 3rd preseason game, the starting units usually play a few series or MAYBE  a quarter or two.  We’ve come up with a way to make ANY NFL preseason game a little bit more exciting.

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

If you’re like us, you are already hyped up about your favorite NFL team.  After all, training camp is when every team thinks they have a chance (unless you’re a Jets fan and you have a buttfumbler as your starting quarterback).  But in reality, most of these preseason games consist of players that are fighting for their football lives, trying to be the last guy NOT to get cut.

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All is quiet around the Dolphins……which is a good thing

Jul. 03 Opinion

That calm quiet you hear Dolphins fans, is actually a good thing.  The Miami Dolphins are currently on hiatus, as we inch closer and closer to the start of training camp.  The Dolphins have been very quiet recently, primarily because this is the quiet time in the NFL offseason.  The only minor bit of news is that the Dolphins are still hopeful they’ll be able to agree to a new contract with FB Vontae Leach, in the coming days.  Leach likes the Dolphins and the Dolphins like him, but the two sides have yet to come to an agreement on a deal.  News on this should be coming after the 4th of July holiday, as Jeff Ireland just returned from his vacation.  Here’s where I make a joke about him being on vacation during the last 4 offseasons, right?

Sign - Champions work here

Anyway, aside from the prospect of signing a new fullback, the Dolphins players have mostly gone their separate ways and will be meeting up again on July 20th when they are required to report to South Florida for the start of training camp.   As I mentioned, this is usually the quiet time in the NFL offseason.  Well, it’s quiet if everything is going according to plan.  We’ve seen a number of examples from other NFL teams that demonstrate that things don’t always go according to plan.

Take Mark Sanchez for example.  This guy is a complete buffoon.  Not only is he a below average quarterback in the NFL, but he has the common sense of fruit fly.  Sanchez was at a party recently and let’s just say he showed the other party go’ers everything he had to offer.  If you really want to see the video, click here.   Sanchez was frolicking around with 2 women and apparently he forgot to get dressed for the party.

#1 You are an NFL QB, you should know better than to do something like this, especially when you see someone take out their phone/camera and start pointing it at you, #2 You are not a good enough NFL player to get yourself into these PR situations, for the team to look the other way, #3 You are on VERY thin ice with the Jets as it is…I mean, they just drafted a kid in the 2nd round that is hungry and wants to take your job more than anything else in the world, #4 You’re a tool.  Grow up Mark.  (continued on page 2, CLICK HERE)

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Dolphins Gameplan: Run Reggie Run is key versus Jets

Sep. 22 Uncategorized

The Miami Dolphins welcome their hated AFC East rival to Sun Life Stadium on Sunday.  The Dolphins are coming off of an impressive win against the Raiders last week and hope to continue to build on that good play.  The  Dolphins showed improvement on both offense and defense from week 1 to week 2.  To beat the Jets this week, they’ll need to play turnover free football and run the ball as effectively as they did against the Raiders.  Here is a look at what the Dolphins must to on Sunday to improve to 2-1:

Run Reggie Run

Last week, the Dolphins rushed for 263 yards and averaged 6.1 yards per carry.  The Dolphins got a superb effort from Reggie Bush, who rushed for 172 yards and 2 TDs.  To beat the Jets, the Dolphins will need to run the ball just as effectively as they did against the Raiders.  Entering this game, the Dolphins have the #2 rushing offense in the entire NFL.  The Jets rush defense is vulnerable, as it ranks #21 in the NFL, allowing 130.5 yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry.  The Jets know their rush defense has struggled, so I expect them to play 8 men in the box, leaving Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis in man coverage on the Dolphins receivers.

The Jets will want to shut down the Dolphins running game at all costs and force the Dolphins into obvious passing situations.  If the Jets get the Dolphins in those 3rd and long situations, they’ll unleash their exotic blitz packages to confuse Ryan Tannehill.  To counter the 8 in the box looks, the Dolphins could look to use multiple wide receiver sets to spread out the Jets defense and allow Reggie Bush to into space.  It will be interesting to watch the chess match between Joe Philbin’s offense and Rex Ryan’s defense.

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Dolphins Division: Upsets even division race after week 2

Sep. 21 AFC East Preview

The Miami Dolphins didn’t win a game in 2011 until week 8.  The Dolphins quickly fell out of the AFC East race because the Patriots and Jets got off to fast starts and left the Dolphins and Bills in their dust.  This season, the Dolphins picked up their first win in week 2 AND, with a little help from the Patriots field goal kicker (and the underdog Cardinals), they pulled into a first place tie with the rest of the division.

New York Jets (1-1)

As good as the Jets and their Jekyl and Hyde offense looked against the Bills in week 1, they looked equally bad in week 2 against the Steelers.  The Jets offense put up 34 points against the Bills, but managed just 10 against the Steelers on Sunday afternoon.  Mark Sanchez had one of his worst games as a pro.  Sanchez’s passes were wild an inaccurate after the first Jets’ scoring drive.  If this keeps up, fans will be calling for Tebow to start.  In fact, Rex Ryan had to deal with a number of ‘why isn’t Tebow playing that much’ questions this week….and it annoyed him, which is great.

This week, the Jets come down to Miami for a big early season matchup with the Dolphins.  The winner is guaranteed at least a tie for the division lead.  This game is being billed as a must win for the Jets, as their next two opponents are the 49ers and Texans.  A loss to the Dolphins could mean a 1-4 start or at best a 2-3 start to the season for the Jets.

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Field Your Fantasy: Week 8 Preview

Oct. 27 Opinion, Uncategorized

Miami Dolphins Outlook Week 8 Preview

RB Daniel Thomas – This weeks matchup for the Dolphins favors their running backs as the New York Giants are giving up the 3rd most fantasy points to opposing running backs in the last four weeks. Thomas hasn’t been 100% all year and still is the Dolphins leading rusher. He’s good for 20+ touches a game and going forward should be leaned on as he’s the only running back doing anything on this team. I have Daniel Thomas ranked 15th out of running backs ahead of DeMarco Murray and Jonathan Stewart.

Projection : 21 Attempts – 89 yards – 1 TD

2 Catches – 12 yards

WR Brandon Marshall – Brandon Marshall and Daniel Thomas have been the only fantasy relevant players all year for this team and week 8 is no different. Marshall is still getting a ton of targets with 62 total on the season making him the 6th most targeted receiver in the NFL. The targets are a good sign, but in fantasy we need touchdowns for points and that has been the crutch of Marshall’s tenure in Miami, with only 4 total touchdowns in one and a half seasons. This week if he continues to play the way he did vs Darelle Revis and Champ Bailey, then he should go off against a depleted New York Giants secondary. I’d rank Brandon Marshall as the 13th best wide receiver play this week ahead of guys like DeSean Jackson and Anquan Boldin.

Projection : 8 Catches – 111 yards – 1 TD

My Sleeper Picks for Week 8

QB Matt Cassel - Cassel and the Kansas City Chiefs are at home in prime time Monday night against the San Diego Chargers. The Chiefs receiving corp is really starting to make plays with the likes of Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston. They have caught 516 yards and 5 touchdowns from Cassel in the Chiefs last three games. The Chargers defense just gave up 3 touchdown passes from Mark Sanchez so they aren’t playing well right now. The Chiefs will likely be down and he’ll have to sling it for them to have a shot at getting their fourth straight win. I have Matt Cassel ranked as the 13th quarterback play this week.

Projection : 21 for 32 – 240 yard – 3 TD’s / 1 INT

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Week 7 Preview: Denver Broncos @ Miami Dolphins – Tebow-A-Thon

Oct. 21 Uncategorized

This Sunday’s 1pm matchup between the Denver Broncos (1-4) and Miami Dolphins (0-5) will be the biggest game for the Miami Dolphins all year.  Because cause it might be there best chance at winning a game this season? No.  Because a loss might spell the end to Tony Sparano’s tenure as the Miami Dolphins’ head coach? No. Then why is it the biggest game for the Miami Dolphins?  Three syllables: Tim Tebow.

What to Watch For:

Broncos’ Offense vs. Dolphin Defense:

The Denver Bronco’s offense trots into Miami being near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to offense. They are ranked 22th in rushing and 27th in passing. This has led the Broncos to finally succumb to the fan’s cries (and billboards) to let Tebow play.  How great did that play out for the Dolphin owners?  To setup, what I’m calling, “Gator Day” and have Tebow make his first start.  I wonder how many high-fives went around the office when the announcement of Tebow starting was delivered.  I feel that you have to throw out the Broncos’ previous offensive performances with this change of QB.  I like the variables that Tebow adds to this offense, with extending plays and running.  A bad team can benefit from this type of QB and the Dolphins do have trouble stopping running QBs (Sanchez TD last week).  He might have to do this with his best WR, Brandon Lloyd, being traded to the Rams this week.  Then again, this Dolphins D has not pressured a soul all year.  This Dolphin D and the supporting crowd should provide Timmy a chance to get off on the right foot.

As previously mentioned, the Broncos run game is nothing special as Knowshon Moreno and Willis McGahee have struggled.  In their last game, week 5 against the Chargers, McGahee received all of the Broncos’ RB carries (16 for 125 yards).  That performance compiled with the addition of Tebow’s rushes and their bye week leads me to believe their rush game will improve.  Although, the Dolphins are coming off a good, at least for us, defensive performance against the Jets.  On Monday, the Dolphins held the Jets to under 300 total yards and only 104 total rushing yards.  Is this the return of the strong Miami Dolphins D or the struggles of a weak Jet offense?  I’m not sure, but I would bet on the ladder of the two.

Dolphin Offense vs. Broncos’ Defense:

The Bronco defense enters with numbers just as bad as their offense.  They are rated 22nd against the pass and 23rd against the run.  This should be good news for the Dolphins, but there have been reports that Reggie Bush and Brandon Marshall have been limited in practice.  I’m not sure, no matter how bad the defense, this offense will do anything.  I was at the game this past Monday and it was hard to watch (it didn’t help having all the Jets fans there).  Thomas had a poor game, but I have to credit that to the garbage play calling.  They are so predictable, once a play works once, they think they can run it over-and-over again.  The phins have no chance in the redzone and should just consider kneeling down three time and kick the FG.  Matt Moore was bad, as expected.  Marshall DID have a good game (6rec for 109 yards), but then fades in the redzone.  O yeah, WTF was he doing on the play he ran out-of-bounds?!  I almost lost my mind in the stands.  I could not believe what I witnessed.  I can’t talk about them anymore.  The Broncos D is bad, SHOULD be a chance for the Dolphin offense to score, but they probably won’t.

Two Minute Drill:

Dolphins’ Key to the Game: Fill the Stadium. Let’s be honest, the only thing the organization cares about this week is filling the seats.  So a win for the Dolphins came with having no blackout of the game this weekend.  Want an actual key to the game?  Score a TD.

Broncos’ Key to the Game: Feed the Tebow.  Broncos need to use the great atmosphere for Tebow’s benefit.  Get him going with some high percentage passes and give him the option to run.  Establish confidence, then build off of it.

Dolphins’ Player to Watch: Umm? Karlos Dansby.  Not because I think he’s going to break out, but see if he can quite those Suck for Luckers.  SPOILER ALERT: He won’t

Broncos’ Player to Watch: Left Guard Zane Beadles.  You buy that?  Didn’t think so.  Obviously it’s Tebow.  I think he plays well (not great).  Throws for a buck-eighty a Td and runs for one.

How it plays out:  Same old, same old.  This game could be a horrid game to watch with two bad teams going at it.  Both teams struggle to do much of anything, but the Bronco’s bye week, “Gator Day,” and the Tebow boost the Broncos to make a few big plays against this Dolphin D.

Prediction: 24-16 Broncos.  I can’t believe I’m saying the Dolphins will score 16 points, but I feel the poor Bronco defense will allow them an opportunity to at least put on TD on the board, by accident.  Regardless, this game is a toss-up and one of the Dolphins very few opportunities to win.

As  always, 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.

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Week 6 Preview: Miami Dolphins at New York Jets – The Perfect Storm?

Oct. 15 Uncategorized

This Monday night will feature two bitter rivals when our Miami Dolphins (0-4) head to Miami North, I mean the New Meadowlands, to face-off with the New York Jets (2-3).  Both of which, have questions to answer about how the rest of their season will go.  For the Dolphins, we know all about possibly “Suck[ing] for Luck,” but for the Jets, if they want to keep up with the Pats and have a shot at the playoffs, need to start winning.  With the Jets reeling, the Dolphins rested, and Sparano’s track record in New Jersey, could this be a perfect storm brewing for the Dolphins to pickup that first W?

What to Watch For:

Jets’ Offense vs. Dolphin Defense:

The Jets’ have had rough go at things the past three weeks; going 0-3 against the Raiders, Ravens, and Pats.  In those loses, the Jets’ offense has been particularly terrible.  In their game against the Ravens, the Jet offense had 4 turnovers with 2 taken back for TDs.  Against the Pats last week, the Jets eliminated the turnovers, but could only put up 166 passing yards against a defense that Chad Henne put up 416 yardson.  This weeks’ matchup should give the Jets’ passing game a chance to get back on track.  It appears that Vontae Davis will be back for the Dolphins, but does that make any difference?  The Dolphin secondary and defense, as a whole, better have taken their off week to get things figured out or Sanchez may put up big numbers.

The Jets usually pride themselves on their running game, but currently rank 31st in overall rushing.  The Jets’ leading rusher only has 240 yards and 2 TDs (Jets only have 3 total rushing TDs) on 72 carries.  By no means do the Jets go up against a strong run (or any other part) defense, but it’s going to be interesting to see what strategy the Jets use on Monday.  With the Dolphins’ 31st pass defense, passing might the obvious choice, but it may be smart to get the run going to open up their pass game and prevent Sanchez from making mistakes.  I just hope the defense is rested and geared up for this one.  This Jets’ offense should not be the factor that wins a game, but against our D, it might.

Dolphin Offense vs. Jets’ Defense:

A Strong, hard-hitting defense is also what the Jets rely on to have success.  Granted they have faced off against 3 good teams the past few weeks, but their D has struggled somewhat.  What is more surprising is, they are struggling against the run rather than the pass; then again they do have Revis and Cromartie.  Last week, they held Tom Brady to 321 yards, 1 TD, and forced an INT.  [Side Note: How scary is it that 321 yards and 1 TD is holding Brady].  Their 5th ranked pass defense spells bad news for the Matt Moore led offense that figures to lose Brandon Marshall by the 2nd quarter; at least according to him.  I understand that getting tossed might inspire your teammates, but wouldn’t catching 20 balls and 3 TDs have a better effect?  Maybe he’s just onboard with “Suck for Luck.”  Regardless, Marshall needs to show up with his new “Monster” persona for the Dolphins passing game to survive.  If he does get tossed, who gets to visit Revis island?

The biggest blessing of the bye week might be that Daniel Thomas had an opportunity to get healthy.  If you have read my previous posts, you would know that I’m high on this kid. It’s only been two games, but I just like the way he looks when he has the ball.  Going against the 26th ranked rush defense, this week could be a good opportunity for Thomas to add another solid performance to his young career.  Though, I foresee the Jets trying to get back to the basics and, with little to worry about in Matt Moore, this means stopping the run.  I still think Thomas has a solid 80+ yard game, if he is healthy.

Two Minute Drill:

Dolphins’ Key to the Game: Get them off the Mark.  Sanchez is very turnover prone.  Already, Mark has 5 INTs and 3 fumbles (only one lost).  If the Dolphins can get Sanchez to make mistakes, then the game may be within the Dolphins’ grasp.  But that would require the defense to play good, so yeah, good luck.

Jets’ Key to the Game: Back to the Basics.  The Jets’ are reeling on the field and in the locker room.  They aren’t playing as a team or acting like one.  Super Bowl, Rex? Beat a team with a winning record first.  With that said, the Dolphins provide the Jets a great opportunity to get back to doing the small things right.  Stop the run, run the ball, take care of the ball, and get the win.

Dolphins’ Player to Watch: Brandon Marshall.  Not for how well he will do during the game, but whatever shenanigans he’s going to pull.  I honestly tried to think of a player that I thought would have a good game, but came up with nothing.  So, let’s just watch Marshall and see if he backs up his comments.

Jets’ Player to Watch: Dustin Keller.  The Jets’ TE leads the team in receiving with 19 catches on 33 targets for 268 yards and 2 TDs, but all you really needed to know is that he is a TE.

How it plays out:  Under Tony Sparano, the Dolphins have owned the Jets in New Jersey.  He is 3-0 when traveling to the Meadowlands; which might be his only redeeming quality.  Despite how bad the Dolphins are, this game is Jets-Dolphins, in the Meadowlands, in Primetime.  With the Jets struggling, having the Chargers lurking, the Dolphins coming of a bye, and yeah it’s the Jets-Dolphin, I expect this game to be another good game.  Both teams struggle early, exchanging field goals.  The Dolphins’ D remembers it’s the Dolphin D and gives up a big play and the offense can’t fight back.

Prediction: 24-13 Jets.  It’s hard to know how a Jet-Dolphin game will go, let alone how many points will be scored.  Based on these two teams’ offenses, it’s hard to foresee this game being a high scoring shootout.  The Dolphins offense continues to sputter with Moore at QB and the defense is not much better after the bye.

Despite my prediction, I hope I am wrong.  You can read see my feelings about “Suck for Luck” here.  Also, I will be in attendance of the game and will be posting live updates and possibly some images I will take during the game, so make sure you follow me on twitter @PhinNationJohn

As  always, 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.

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The Week Ahead for Miami Dolphins and Division Foes Week 6 Edition

Oct. 12 AFC East Preview, Opinion

Whats up PhinNation readers! I’m back this week with a preview of the Miami Dolphins week 6 matchup and the matchups for the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and the New England Patriots.

First a recap of all the previous weeks games.

The Miami Dolphins had a bye week so in other news Jon Gruden may be our next coach! Fingers crossed.

The Bills ran over the Philadelphia Eagles in a final score of  31 – 24. Freddie Jackson maintained his pro bowl season rushing for 111 yards and a score. The Bills 3rd ranked defense had four interceptions off of Michael Vick and returned one for a touchdown. The defining play of the game came on a 4th and 1 with under two minutes to go when Bills quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, was able to draw the Eagles defense offside to end the game.

In the afternoon game the New England Patriots defeated the Jets by a score of 31 – 20. Mark Sanchez was only able to throw for 166 yards against the leagues worst passing defense showing exactly why the he is a top quarterback prospect in the NFL… Shonne Greene woke up a little going over 50 rushing yards for the first time this season with 83 yards on 21 carries and a score. The real scary aspect of this game was that the Patriots didn’t win this game through their number one ranked passing offense, but instead on the back of running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis who had the best rushing day of his career. He blasted the Jets normally tough defense for 136 yards and a touchdown keying the Pats to a win.

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The Week Ahead for the Miami Dolphins and Division Foes Week 5 Edition

Oct. 04 AFC East Preview, Opinion

Hey PhinNation readers, before I get into my football analysis I figured I would write a few brief sentences about who I am. To start I am a 17 year-old student in Massachusetts. I may be younger than most, but my knowledge is extensive. I have been a Miami Dolphins fan for my entire life and have researched almost all of the important happenings that occurred before my birth with the team. I am a huge fantasy football junkie and also love the Boston Celtics, Red Sox, and Bruins. If there is anything else you want to know don’t hesitate to leave me some comments after the post or hit me up on twitter @ PhinNationBK.

Week 4 was a bad week for the AFC East as the New England Patriots were the only team to win in a 31 – 19 victory @ Oakland. The Dolphins were beaten as most expected by the San Diego Chargers, in a game in which Dolphins quarterback, Chad Henne, was knocked out in the first quarter with a separated shoulder. Matt Moore relieved him and wasn’t awful statistically, going 17 for 26 and 167 yards with one interception. The New York Jets were destroyed on Sunday night football by the Baltimore Ravens and a defense that forced 4 turnovers with three going back for six points. Lastly, the Buffalo Bills were handed their first loss by the Cincinnati Bengals with a last minute field goal. That is what happened in week 4, lets preview whats going to happen in week 5 starting with the first place team in the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills…I know, still shocking.

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It’s Official: Sanchez is better than Henne

Jan. 09 Opinion

Phin Nation, you have no idea how hard that title was to type…This post is one that we’ve been putting off for some time because…Well, as we’re writing, the taste of bile is seeping up into our throats.  But, looking at both quarterbacks objectively, it’s time to declare a winner in the Mark Sanchez/Chad Henne debate.  Sanchez is clearly ahead of where Henne is at this point and his New York Jets team is better off at this point with him as their QB than the Miami Dolphins are with Henne.

Before this season started, there was a lot of debate between NY Jets fans and Dolphins fans, between analysts and experts all over.  Well it appears that those who thought Sanchez would be the better pro had it right.  Just as a refresher, here are a few of the stories that were out earlier this year:

1. I guess Dilfer had it right?!  Connolly, stick to being funny on Entourage!

2. Jets fan prospective from Bleacherreport.com

3. PalmBeachPost.com ‘s take

So why is Sanchez the winner thus far?

1. He’s won more games than Henne, period. Sanchez is 20-12 in the regular season, while Henne is 13-14 in games that he has started.  Henne was benched following a 4-4 start in 2010 in favor of Chad Pennington.  Sanchez, meanwhile, has led his team to the playoffs each of his first 2 years.

2. Playoffs?  Playoffs? Sanchez has not only led his team to the playoffs in 2 straight years, but he has a 3-1 record thus far in the playoffs.  He’s gone on the road and beaten the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, and San Diego Chargers.  His only loss was in the AFC Championship game last year.  Henne hasn’t had a chance to be in the playoffs, in large part to his own play.  Yes, last year the NY Jets were luck to make the playoffs, but they won 2 road games after qualifying.

3. Clutch Player. If you look at their career numbers, they are eerily similar:

Chad Henne – 582-953, 61.1 completion %, 6,246 yards (6.6 avg), 27 TDs, 33 INTs, 75.3 QB Rating

Mark Sanchez – 474-871, 54.1 completion %, 5,735 yards (6.6 avg), 29 TDs, 33 INTs, 70.2 QB Rating

However, when you actually watch both quarterbacks play, you can see a difference.  In the most clutch time of a game, the fourth quarter, Sanchez is more likely to lead his team down the field for a score, while Henne will more likely throw a costly INT.  Honestly, which one would you rather have leading your team in the 2 minute drill?

Again, this was not an easy post to write, but to be fair, Sanchez looks like he’s going to be the better pro.  He’ll be the New York Jets quarterback for years to come.  Chad Henne?  He will be lucky if he’s the backup for the Dolphins next year, as he has clearly fallen out of favor with the coaching staff.

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