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(More) Burning Questions

First off, I want to give my praise to Matty I for his post on "5 Burning Question". It's a great post and all his work is great insight and commentary on the important topics surrounding the Dolphins from week to week.
This post certainly isn't to take away from the first one, copy it in any way or to suggest that anything was missed...I simply just want to add some more "Burning Questions" to the discussion(s) for this week's "game of the year". 

Star-divide

Will Randy Moss be a factor or be kept relatively in-check as he has been for much of the season?
It's amazing how little his name was brought up during Q&A sessions with coach Sparano during this week's interviews. Even though his numbers are fairly decent (better than any receiver on Miami's team), they are nothing compared to what he put up last year and there has been several games this year where his impact was minimal. In week 3 Miami kept him in check to the level that he had no impact on the game what so ever (4rec 25yds 7long 0td). Will this be the case again this week? Making sure he doesn't go to town on them will be important because everyone knows he can change a game like few others.
Obviously, keeping him in-check will be an important facet for the defense to control.

Can the Dolphins D control the passing attack and contain Cassel if he tries to scramble for first downs?
I'm very curious about this and a bit concerned at the same time too. As has been noticed in a progressive fasion this season, Matt Cassel has been tucking the ball and running up the field for key first downs. His numbers aren't staggering by any means but he is definitely making some plays with his legs and could cause some frustration if he does this against Miami this week. Keep in mind, back in week 3 he ran for a fairly long touchdown that was called back due to a holding penalty and then a play later Miami got the ball on a tipped interception. Miami also gave up the game winning TD to Houston in the final second to a spread offense qb keeper that most won't soon forget.
So making sure he is kept in the pocket and minimizing any impact he has with his legs could be very important.

What will Bill Belichick have in store this time to avoid being swept by an AFC East opponent for the first time since 2000?
That's right, New England hasn't been swept by either Buffalo, New York or Miami since 2000 and since 2003 have only lost back to back games once. Thats a very incredible stat but there is certainly reasons for it and Bill Belichick is certainly one of them. He's a master planner and hates to lose, especially in succession so he'll pull out all the stops to ensure this doesn't happen Sunday. What will he do though? What will his focus be? What will his offensive and defensive gameplans be? Will he completely shut down the Wildcat?
There's a lot of questions and a lot of possibilities but don't be surprised by anything that might happen during this game. He'll have them ready and he'll be prepared for a battle. If anyone thinks Miami will have the kind of easy day they had back in week 3, they could be in for some serious heart ache.

Will Joey Porter be able to have a similar day (6tkl 4sacks) on Sunday like he had in week 3?
Porter's coming out party really started back on that day where he went buckshot on the N.E. o-line and Matt Cassel. He had four of Miami's five sacks that day and the assault on the record books really took off from that day.
New England is one of the last teams in the league for sacks given up, having let their qb's go down 33 times. Porter must be salivating at the opportunity to out-do what he did in week 3 and really make a huge impact in this game and to hopefully set the tone early.
This will be very important in this game and not just him. The whole defense will have to ensure to get constant pressure on Matt Cassel if they are to have any chance at having a good day with their pass defense.
Many eyes will be on Joey on Sunday. Let's hope he puts on a show.

How will the O-Line hold up in what will likely be a more agressive gameplan by the N.E. defense?
In week 3, New Englands defense got very little pressure on Chad Pennington and couldn't stop the run. Miami's o-line did a great job of protection and run-blocking. Will this be the same on Sunday? You can bet that Belichick will have a gameplan to change that this week and try a few things to disrupt Miami's passing attack and to keep the running game in check.
Miami's o-line has improved greatly this season and is a big reason for their success but there are certainly weaknesses on the right side of the line that might be exploited on Sunday.
How well the line holds up as a unit will go a long way in ultimately determining the outcome of this game.

How will the Wildcat be utilized in this game, if at all and what new tweaks might it have in response to the preparation that N.E. most certainly has practiced for?
You can bet that Belichick and the N.E. defense has studied a lot of film and practiced a whole lot for Miami's vaulted "Wildcat" offense that ran wild on them back in week 3. Many are saying that in order to have success, it will have to be used at the right times and must have something new in it that hasn't been seen before.
That's the beauty of this formation; it's so versitile and has endless possibilities. We have seen but just a glimpse of it's ultimate potential and variety that it will be capable of.
Some new wrinkles will certainly have to be implemented to have some sustained success against a defense that will likely be waiting and keying on this formation.
So what's it gonna be and what are we gonna see?

Will this be a wild shoot-out type of game or more of a close to the vest type of contest?
Obviously, there is a lot of takes and views on this and it really could go either way just as easily. I believe that this will depend on the initial flow of the game and on what kind of tone gets set in the early stages.
There certainly has been many games in the history of this matchup that have been "barn burners" and several that have been low scoring, defensive contests. I tend to believe that this likely will be more of a "playing close to the vest" kind of contest but will have it's fair share of scoring but it may take a bit for things to open up a bit.
Momentum will be huge in this game and whoever gets it first could benefit greatly.
Turnovers, as always, will play a huge part and will be vital to the success of the Dolphins in this one.
And the crowd could play a big role in this as well. Let's hope the stadium is packed to capacity and that every fan is getting in on the action to make this as loud and hostile for New England as humanly possible. Something like that could really make things hectic for young Matt Cassel.

How will our running game do in what will most likely be the deciding factor for how our offense performs on Sunday?
Whether it's the Wildcat or the base offense, running the ball will be paramount in the success of the offense in this game. Granted, Chad will need to have an efficient, ball control and smart kind of a game and could possibly even put up some hefty numbers but most know that the success of the running game will most likely be the determining factor on Sunday.

How will Miami's special teams perform in this "playoff like" contest now that it has been made quite clear that this is one of their biggest and most glaring weaknesses?
This one is huge. The special teams and more specifically the kickoff and punt coverage teams have been a glaring weakness in recent times and more or less, all season. This has to change now. Miami can't keep giving teams great field position every time it kicks. It can (and has) come back to bite them and in a game of this magnitude, these hidden yards could very well be the difference between a win and a loss. Coach Sparano has tried a lot of things to try and get things improved and has cut and signed several players to try and accomplish this. He hasn't seen much improvement yet but you can be certain that he'll be adament that this facet of the game be taken very seriously and dealt with or the team will pay the price and learn it the hard way (as they have already in several games).
This certainly will be an important storyline to watch within the game on Sunday.

Will Wes Welker have a big impact in a game that he will most likely have the most receptions for his team?
Here's a guy who is the consumate posession/slot/3rd down/clutch receiver and if he's not on this team, New England likely wouldn't have done what they did last year. He's unstoppable. You can control him...a bit but that's about all. He will definitely get his share of balls thrown his way and make a few first downs and maybe a few big plays but it will be imperative that Miami's defense doesn't let him rack up serious yardage/receptions and open things up for the likes of Randy Moss. He's having another great season and that very well could continue on Sunday but to what extent? This will be very important.

Who will be this week's star on offense as it appears that from week to week a different guy seems to be the one who steps it up and has a big game?
Isn't it great what this team has been able to do with the players it came into this season with? Outside of Brown and maybe Porter, there really isn't a bunch of star players on this team, at least in the eyes of most of the public...but it seems that almost every week a different player is stepping up to make a big impact in the game and help the team to succeed. This is great and very important to a team of this makeup. Without all the flashy star players and someone to really rely on to make the big plays week in and week out, it's beneficial that a new guy every week can be in the spotlight so to speak and really make some big plays to help this team win. It's happened over and over again this season and is always exciting to see who it will be week after week.
So with that being said...who's it gonna be this week??

My money's on a solid *team* effort with production from all positions and units to put together a masterpiece of a game and really step up in the football world as a true contender and a team to be reckoned with!

This game very well could be the make or break point of this improbable turn-a-round rebuilding year for these Dolphins and what better way to put them to the test against a hated rival, at home on Sunday under the sun in a match for what could be one of the final playoff spots in the conference.

GO FINS!! 

This fanpost was written by one of The Phinsider's registered users.

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27-24 Miami?

I think it’s going to be close and come down to the wire….but in the end, I could care less if it’s 3-2 or 51-50.. as long as we’re ahead at the end of the game!

by dolphinsfan4life on Nov 21, 2008 3:34 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Lot of burning in those questions

I think Matty could get you an ointment for that.. But to answer your questions…
1) I think Moss will be kept in check because of the pressure we’ll get on Cassel. He won’t have time for Moss to run the deeper cuts, and as long as we tackle him when he catches it, it’ll only be short slants or out routes. No big plays is the key.

2) We need to either blitz him in the middle so he has to scramble out instead of up, or spy him with an interior rusher so when he steps up we whack him. Keeping him in the pocket and under pressure will keep him from being successful.

3) Belichick won’t be fooled by the previous incarnation of the Wildcat, but there’s no way he can prepare for something we have yet to show. And Pennington picked his secondary apart last time, which is something he’ll have to address. I think he’s gotta make a choice between 8-in-the-box run defense, or 8-in-coverage zones, because we dominated both aspects of his defense last time. Hopefully our O is prepared to use both attacks.

4) I believe Porter will show up with a fire and intensity we haven’t seen yet this season. He understands the importance of this game, and he’ll be ready. Expect another big day out of JP.

5) I would expect BB will send more rushers to try to disrupt things. I think the most important thing to help the OL out will be quick hitters to Ginn and Bess, and some screens. That will slow the rush and allow our line to hold up.

6) When it comes to the Wildcat, I have to think there’s something new coming this week. It was so damn effective against NE last time when we surprised them with it, that I think we need another surprise this time around. I would say look for Ginn to be involved. And I believe we’ll see a pass out of the most recent look (3 RB’s, fake to Ricky inside, Ronnie follows Cobbs to the left..) It’s a very versatile look, so there should be plenty of new wrinkles we can throw at NE’s D.

7) Defensive game. Sparano knows a shootout favors them, with all the weapons available on NE’s offense. He’ll make sure he controls the tempo of the game (something he’s been good at so far this season). I’m thinking something like 24-21.

8) Depends on the D. If they stack the box against the run, the numbers won’t be there, but the effect on the game will be huge. If they play a base D, the running game needs to go off, because that will allow us to control the ball, the clock, and keep NE’s playmakers on the sideline.

9) Our kick coverage = ew. Punt it high or out of bounds. Kickoff towards one side to try to pin them between the hash and the sideline. The less room they have to move, the better chance we have at making the tackle.

10) Tackling him at the spot of the catch is a must against him. Most of his receptions come within 10 yards of the LOS, and then he picks up YAC Yards. I think Will Allen will be on him most of the game, and he has to make sure he’s right on his hip and makes a sure tackle once the ball arrives. If he’s close, and Cassel misses just a bit, it’ll be picked.

11) I’m gonna go with David Martin. Yes. That David Martin. Because I think NE will struggle to cover him in our 2 TE looks, with Mayo being matched up with Fasano, and either Bruschi or Vrabel on Martin. He’s been good this season, and he’ll have to stretch the seam and keep the double teams off our receivers. If he can do that, it will also bring the safeties out of the box and give our running game more room. I think he’ll be a big part of the gameplan this week. Maybe 6rec 100yds and a TD.

"I throw better than anybody in college and I can throw with anybody in the pros. There, that's what I think."
"I've been a Dolphin for 17 years, and I'll be a Dolphin for the rest of my life. That will never change."
- Dan Marino aka Quarterback God

by Little Nicky 21 on Nov 21, 2008 12:21 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

LOL...ya, I had some time to kill last night

nice response… there’s a lot to consider in this match…i just wish it would get here already!! come on SUNDAY!

by dolphinsfan4life on Nov 21, 2008 1:17 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

I know

I feel like it’s taking FOR-EV-ER.

"I throw better than anybody in college and I can throw with anybody in the pros. There, that's what I think."
"I've been a Dolphin for 17 years, and I'll be a Dolphin for the rest of my life. That will never change."
- Dan Marino aka Quarterback God

by Little Nicky 21 on Nov 21, 2008 2:11 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

do you live down in FLA?

where abouts you from and where are u watching the game on Sunday>?

by dolphinsfan4life on Nov 21, 2008 2:17 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

I live in Sunrise FL

west of Ft. Lauderdale in Broward, right up the street from the BankAtlantic Center and the Sawgrass Mills Mall.

If I can’t get my hands on tickets I’ll be at my house on my couch screaming at me TV..

"I throw better than anybody in college and I can throw with anybody in the pros. There, that's what I think."
"I've been a Dolphin for 17 years, and I'll be a Dolphin for the rest of my life. That will never change."
- Dan Marino aka Quarterback God

by Little Nicky 21 on Nov 21, 2008 2:30 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

you better be at the game. we're counting on you to be the loudest

"check that...the 29th of Feb. this year.....why is that the record day for hits? Did Matty have the Kim Kardashian sex tape or something?"
-Treat
"yes he did. and Jersquall recut it to look like Marino was boning her."
-Treasure

by chrislucas on Nov 21, 2008 2:46 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

ehh

not happening

exhausted all my leads for tix. I will be home for this one..

"I throw better than anybody in college and I can throw with anybody in the pros. There, that's what I think."
"I've been a Dolphin for 17 years, and I'll be a Dolphin for the rest of my life. That will never change."
- Dan Marino aka Quarterback God

by Little Nicky 21 on Nov 21, 2008 8:08 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Is the game SOLD OUT yet?

Are there still tix available from the box office? I sure hope not! It’s Friday already and if it’s not sold out by now.. that’s a very unfortunate sign…

by dolphinsfan4life on Nov 21, 2008 4:59 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

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