The Dolphins have accomplished a feat not done in this Millenium...Winning 5 in a row!!!
Nick Saban has this team believing in itself and to quote Martha..."That's a good thing..."
The Pats on New Years Day in New England is not going to be easy. The Dolphins must not kill themselves with penalties and turnovers if they want to win this one.
Gus must bring his A game and Chambers needs to just keep doing what he's been doing. Running should be fine, with Ricky showing he is STILL the REAL DEAL...what's going to happen in the off season with him?...Stay tuned...
The Dolphins Defense has been very good as of late. Sam Madison is showing signs of the former pro bowler that we all love...he is actually an alternate Pro Bowler this year thanks to some great play in the past number of weeks.
The Phins and the Pats usually play each other tough and bring it down to the wire and I expect nothing different in this one. Although the Pats have had the Divison locked up for the past 2 weeks, home field advantage may be a factor for them...so don't expect them to send in the B team.
Look for Brothers-in-Law Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor to have monster days as they harrass Brady all day long!!!!
The Dolphins continue to roll, even though the playoffs are out of the picture.
Great comeback win once again, and I hate to sound like a broken record, but the Dolphins had to overcome piss poor officiating late in the game. God love Nick Saban and the fire he brings to this team!
On come the Titans. Tennessee played extremely tough against a strong Seahawk team, but in the end, the results were the same as they had been most of the season. The Titans are coming into Miami to play a very hot Dolphins team that are looking to go 4-0 in December for the first time in eons!
Gus maybe out, but Sage has shown that he can handle the duties with come from behind wins in 2 of the past 3 games. Sage should be able to manage the game effectively, especially with Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown running so well.
The Dolphins Defense is starting to get a little banged up, but Big Keith Traylor should be back on Saturday. Channing Crowder may also be available after initial reports that he might be done for the final two games of the season. In any event, D Pope should step in and do a good job along side ZT and Spragan...and of course there is alway JT!
Look for the Dolphins to play somewhat conservative if Sage is the starter, but they should be able to handle the Titans in this one.
P.S. Screw you FREDDIE PRINZ JR...0 and 8 on the Road...Face it dude, the Jets just plain suck!!
The Dolphins are on a roll!! Talk about turning the corner!
First of all, hats off to the Dolphins on a huge road win, and hats off to all those faithful who picked the Phins in the Shed Dawg Pool. To those who didn't: HA HA.
NY Jets come to town next week coming of a big win against the Raiders. The Dolphins are coming in riding their longest winning streak in over 2 years.
Miami's offense has been great in the 2nd half of the past 2 games. If they can start quicker, they should walk away with this one.
The Jets Offense is struggling and I expect more of the same against a somewhat rejuvinated Dolphins Defense. Without Curtis Martin in the lineup (IR) expect the Phins to blitz plenty in this one.
If the Dolphins start quick on Offense and the Defense can shut the Jets down early, then it could be a blow out. At the very least, expect another huge Dolphins Victory to put their winning streak to 4 in a row.
Screw you FREDDIE PRINZ JR...Face it dude, the Jets just plain suck!!
Man oh Man, it doesn't get any better than this. Down 23-3 with under 12 minutes left in the 4th and coming back to win.
The Dolphins refuse to give up on this season which is what it is all about.
If Miami showed some great mental and physical toughness against the Raiders then I don't think I am smart enough to describe what they showed on Sunday past. Bottom line is this team is not DONE.
San Diego is going to be extremely tough. Brees and Bates are great but throw in LT and there could be trouble. The Dolphins really missed Keith Traylor against the Bills and I can only hope he is back to help slow down LT.
It's the second trip to the west coast in the past 2 weeks, so it won't be easy, especially facing a very good team fighting for the playoffs.
The Dolphins CANNOT step into a hole like they did against the Bills and expect to crawl out of it. Losman played well and Willis runs well, but they ain't no Bress and LT. Dolphins must play mistake free football and move the chains to keep the D fresh. A couple of well timed turn overs and the Dolphins win a close one!
OK, My bad...note to self...never pick against your team again!!
It's NOT all over now, so I even if we do not make the playoffs (which is still a very big long shot) I would much rather us go out with a bang.
Miami showed some great mental and physical toughness against the Raiders after coming off their worst game in years. They managed to answer back any time the Raiders came close, despite some VERY questionable calls from the Refs. (Who, by the way, acknowledged to the team that several of the calls should NOT have been made.) Anyway, good teams find a way to win and the Dolphins did just that.
Gus Frerotte was decent and the O line continues to impress, especially when you compare the same group to last years performance. Look for the Phins to continue to run the ball more and take advantage of the R & R combo.
The Defense stepped up without ZT and JR and should continue to do so against the Jills. Jason Taylor was AFC defensive player of the week and will be looking to continue his awesome play against Losman and company.
The Bills are struggling on Offense and the Dolphins need to exploit this. The game is at home and the Dolphins are looking to avenge the earlier game that they felt they should have come away with. Look for the Dolphins to play smart once again this week and take care of business.
Well, if we were a long shot to make the playoffs before Sunday's game, then we must be an impossible shot now.
It's all over now, so I hope we get to see some of the younger players get a chance to show what they got.
Miami is travelling to Oakland, where they have not had a lot of success. Oakland is coming of a win and I would expect them to be ready for the Phins.
Gus Frerotte will likely be back in as starting QB after Sage Rosenfels showed why he wasn't given a chance over the past 4 years with the Dolphins. While Gus CAN be solid, don't expect much in the way of offense against the Raiders.
Miami will be without the Heart of the Defense, with Zach Thomas out for at least a couple of games, and the Soul of the D, Jason Taylor, is allready playing through a torn Planter Fashitis. Don't expect the Dolphins to shut down Oakland in this one. In fact, if everything goes true to form, Randy Moss should have his best day as a Raider on Sunday coming up.
As much as it kills me to pick against my boys, given all the problems the Phins have, added to the fact they have to travel accross the country, I just cannot see them pulling out a win. I will however, be cheering for them to prove me wrong.
The Dolphins had a shot at a tie for 1st place in the AFC East, and now fall 2 back. The Playoffs go from very possible to Highly Unlikely.
The Dolphins need a lot to happen over the final 7 games to sneak into the playoffs. BUT, until they are eliminated, let's take it one game at a time. Might as well keep the teal and orange glasses on!!!
Miami is basically in a must win situation every week, so going into Cleveland is as good as anywhere right now. The Browns are having major problems winning as well, so this game is one the Phins can take.
Gus Frerotte played very well against the Pats, and if he can keep it up, the Dolphins should come out on top in Browns land.
Miami has come one play away in the past 2 weeks from tying the game against the Falcons and Pats, which are both much better teams than the Browns. Problem for Miami is that they always seem to play to the level of the competition. So, while I believe Miami is the better team, expect a close game.
Look for Chambers to light it up if the Dolphins get a decent lead. Too bad he couldn't do it when it counts.
Here we go again...Dolphins have a chance to step up but step out again. To quote Rook, the Phins had a chance to "show they are contenders, not pretenders". They did not.
So, what does this do to influence my pick for next Sunday at home against the Superbowl Champion Patriots? Absolutely nothing!
The Pats had their A$$es handed to them by the seemingly unstopable Colts on Monday night, and are showing major signs that the Dynasty may be coming to an end.
That being said, the Pats are still a good football team with the best coach in football, so it will be a great game on Sunday. The Dolphins always play the Patriots tough (Us Phin fans are still talking about last years Monday Night Upset!!!) and this game should be no different.
The R n'R combo is starting to look good and should be effective against a depleted Pats Defense. (Just please no more tipping our hat with poor play calling.) The New England secondary is in shambles, even worse than the Dolphins secondary, however that shouldn't be a problem for the Pats if Gus continues to play like he has. This could be the key for the Patriots though. Tom Brady will have a field day against the Dolphins IF he gets a chance.
Good news for the Dolphins, is that Brady has had his worst games as a pro against the Dolphins. The Dolphins D always plays the Patriots tough, and they are particularly hard on Brady. If the Dolphins Front 7 put the pressure on like they did a week and a half ago against New Orleans, then Miami will win this close scoring game.
Dolphins Win on the road, Dolphins Win on the road.
It wasn't perfect, but it was a Win...now, can we make it 2 in a row?
The R & R duo finally produced the results the Dolphins were looking for. The Dolphins must continue to take advantage of their running game as Gus is clearly not going to win games with his passing. While Gus improved his completions to 57%, he still missed too many open receivers, including a wide open Wes Welker in the endzone. His Passing Rating was a below average 71.1. Miami was able to win despite leaving points on the board, but this will not fly against a better Atlanta team. Miami MUST take advantage of every Red Zone opportunity if they want a chance to beat the Dirty Birds at Dolphins Stadium.
The Falcons are a good team, but they are very beatable. The Falcons running games is off to a great start with Warrick Dunn leading the way, but they have not faced a Running Defense as good as the Dolphins. Miami must shut down the Running game and contain Michael Vick. It Vick is forced to win the game in the air, than Miami will have a very decent chance of winning this game.
The Key to playing solid D falls back on the Offense again. On Sunday the Dolphins held the ball for 36:23 vs. 23:37 for the Saints. The Dolphins must lead in time of possession in order to keep the Defense fresh and allow them to shut down the Falcons.
Bottom line in this one is to continue to run Ronnie and Ricky and control the ball. If Miami does this and if Gus can complete 58% of his passes than the Dolphins will win a close one.
Is it finally time to start picking with my head instead of with my heart?...Nah, as the Rook said, "for shame, for shame..."
The Dolphins did accomplish something during Friday Night Lights. They managed to reduce their penalties from double digits through 5 games to only 4 in game 6. Hey, that is something.
Bad news this week is the Dolphins are on the road were they have not won yet this year. Good news is it's against the Saints at LSU, so it is kind of a homecoming for Nick Saban.
The Dolphins Offense is really struggling to establish an identity. While we have POTENTIALLY the most potent backfield in football, we are only running the ball 13 or 14 times a game...What's up with that? Gus is really struggling with the long ball, short ball, intermediate ball, handoff...well, you get the picture. If the QB play doesn't improve, we will not win more than 6 games this year. Actually, 6 may be a stretch with the schedule we are up against.
The O line does have an impact on the QB's play, however it doesn't excuse the less than 38% completion ratio and 37.3 QB rating (158.3 is perfect by the way). Yes there is pressure on the QB, but an accurate passer would take some of that pressure off. It works both ways, as an accurate QB can make an O line look better. (See San Diego last year)
Bottom line is the Dolphins need to drasctically improve their passing game and need to utilize Ronnie Brown more in the running game. Fortunately this weeks game is against a below average team with many of it's own problems, so a win is quite attainable. We'll see how this one goes before I even consider Week 9 and the Falcons!!
Well, I did pick the Phins score of 13 points last week. I did however, overestimate our Defense on the Road. For the 4th consecutive game the Dolphins have allowed their opponant to score on the opening drive. Even with Cadillac out and Griese knocked out in the first half, the Bucks still managed a whooping 27 points.
Once again the Phins were flagged over 10 times. 9 Penalties accepted, 5 declined and 1 off-setting. This HAS to get better in order for the Dolphins to get better.
The good news this week is that the Dolphins are at home. They are 2-0 at home, against the impressive Broncos and the Semi-impressive Panthers, so beating KC is definitely a possibility.
The Dolphins Offense has played much better at home, and their D should have the edge in this one. Even though it is late October, Kansas City will still be treated to a very warm South Florida climate. Late October in Miami can still get very hot! This could take its toll on the KC Defense, IF, the Dolphins can move the ball.
Ricky and Ronnie were totally shut down against the Number 1 run Defense Bucks, but don't expect the same from the KC Defense. While the KC D has improved, it is no where near that of the Bucks. Also, Ricky finally has a game under his belt and should be more effective.
If this game were played in KC, I would give the nod to the Chiefs. The game however, is being played in Miami, and I am going to go out on a limb (once again) and pick the Dolphins to win.
The Phins once again beat themselves with mistake after mistake after mistake...
To commit 18 penalties and 5 turnovers and to actually have a shot a winning the game is something to build on.
Obviously the bye week did not help the Dolphins in cutting down on the costly mistakes. Both losses this year came on the road against division rivals with extremely poor starts to both games. Second half corrections in both games seemed to work, as both times the Phins mounted come backs, however both were too little, too late.
I say Coach Saban should give his halftime speech before the game this week and see what happens!!!
The Buckaneers looked awful against Pensioner Vinnie Inter-Cepter-verdi. The "Cadillac" was in the shop because of overuse in the first 3 games. I think he was missed. The Phins not only have Ronnie healthy, they will also have Ricky Williams back for the Bucks game as well. Ricky and Ronnie sharing the same backfield may be the difference in this one.
I'm not going to bet the ranch on this one, especially since both teams are coming off humiliating losses and logic would dictate you take the favorite (Tampa Bay by 5.5) at home. However, I've never been accused of being logical.
The Dolphins will FINALLY have a game with less than 10 penalties, will run the ball with the BEST backfield in football and will win a close, low scoring ball game.
Man oh Man of Man...what a game last Sunday!!!!
The Live Dawgs were treated to a great game that put the Phins in a tie for first place for the AFC East.
The Dolphins have a bye week this week, and usually most would prefer the bye week a little later on in the season, however I think this comes at a perfect time for the Phins.
The Dolphins are still a very NEW team trying to grasp a very complicated new system on both O and D. This week gives them additional time to practice and execute better. They must reduce the costly penalties, which I think they can and will.
While it would be wise to wait until next week to guess as to the outcome of the game in Buffalo on Oct 9, I figured I would go ahead and make my pick.
The Offensive Line played much better against a very good Carolina D Line. They are in fact second in the league in Sacks given up. (None against the Panthers by the way!) Buffalo's Run Defense has been terrible and with Takeo Spikes done for the year and Ronnie Brown crankin' it up like we all hoped he would, the Dolphins should be able to move the ball and keep the D fresh. Gus has been exactly what most have hoped. Consistant. He is not forcing too many throws and is getting the ball downfield when needed.
Losman and the Buffalo O is not living up to Pre Season expectations, so look for a dismal day again for JP as the Phins D will be firing on all cylinders.
With all the injuries to key players in the AFC East (Pennington, Fiedler, Harrison, Light, Faulk, Spikes) the Dolphins are suddenly viewed as a threat in the Division by many of the "Experts". Some of us thought we were a threat BEFORE the injuries.
OK, things started out bad in Week 2 and never really got much better...
...but don't expect the same thing to happen next Sunday!!!
I am looking for the Phins to bounce back from a less than stellar game to give the heavily favored Panthers a run for their money.
The Panthers are picked by many to represent the NFC in the Superbowl this year, and looked every bit the part on Sunday as they dismantled Golden Boy Brady and the Patriots.
The Dolphins opened a 6.5 point underdog at home to the Pussy Cats, so if you have any life savings, bet it all on Miami...OK, maybe not the entire wad, but 5 dollas, won't make ya holla.
The Offensive Line took a step back in Week 2 and must play better against Julius Peppers and a very good Carolina D Line. They had a hard time stopping John Abraham on Sunday and must improve this week to give Gus and the O a chance to move the ball. Against the Jets, the Phins went 3 and out way to often. If they can reduce this on Sunday, the D should keep them in the ball game.
As I was last week, I am STILL very much gaurded in my enthusiasm, but I expect a close, fairly low scoring game. Yours truly along with Shed Dawgs Corey and Johnny and a couple of special guests (Snake and Uncle Tone) will be at Dolphins Stadium to watch the game live, so I cannot in good conscience, pick against our boys!!
What a difference coaching can make...
The Phins come off a great home opener in which we caught a glimpse of the NEW Offense and head to the Meadowlands to face the JETS.
Fragile Chad Pennington may not see the end of next weeks game if the Dolphins D plays lights out like it did on Sunday past. If that happens, we may get to see our old boy, JAY FIEDLER. Like him or not, Jay knows how to win, and I would not necessarily view this as a good thing...but anyway, enough of the WHAT IFS...
The Jets played a dismal game last week, and Herm Edwards has his work cut out for him to fire up his team this week. The Jets were the only team to really blow out the Dolphins last season, but I do not expect that this time.
The Dolphins are still a 6 point underdog going into New York, which is the way I like it!! Keep on sneaking up on teams and smack them in the mouth when there not expecting it...Screw you Freddie Prinz Jr. (He stated last week that he wished the Jets could play the Phins every week because the Phins are terrible)
The offense will continue to get better. Considering the Dolphins have the #1 ranked Offense from week 1, what MIGHT they do if they get better...No, that is not a typo, #1 OFFENSE!!!!
I am still very much gaurded in my enthusiasm, but I think we may be in for a few pleasant surprises this season. Hey, anything is better than last year.
Finally, the first game is upon us and it's time to pick the winner!
The QB situation in Miami is not what most have hoped for with neither Gus nor AJ lighting it up in Pre Season. Gus wins solely because he SUCKED less. I'm still remaining optimistic that Gus will be our Gannon this year once he settles in...that being said, on to the pick.
The Phins have played the Broncos well in the past few meetings and I think they will again this year. The Dolphins still have a top Defense and despite no STAR QB, are still a much better team offensively than they were a year ago. Saban, Linehan, Houck, Brown, Boston, Carey and Williams (in 4 games) makes this offense much improved. While it will take a little time to gel, especially with the O line, if the Miami D can keep them in games early, the Phins may just surprise some people.
Denver's Offense is not all that and a bag of chips either. Jake the Fake can easily stink out the joint, just as any of our QBs can. With JT, Zach, JR and the soon to be great Channing Crowder on Defense, Jake may be on his AXE quite a bit on Sunday.
The key to this game for the Dolphins is to connect on some of the downfield passes. Gus must keep the Denver D from stacking the line of scrimmage and giving Ronnie Brown and Sammy Morris some room to run. Hitting a few medium to long passes early could open up the running game which would be a confidence boost to the Offense, especially the O line.
The Dolphins are underdogs in every gambling institute known to man. They are predicted to finish last in the AFC East by every major publication printed. While I'm not going to predict a Superbowl appearance for the Dolphins, or even a playoff appearance at this early point, I will predict that they will upset a few teams this year, and NO team will take a Phins game for granted. (See Patriots last year on Shed Dawgs Day!!!)