I was away for a couple of weeks, mostly traveling and no 'puter, no TV, and just saw the Fins-Jets MNF game on NFL Game Rewind (folks, this is a must signup for, only 25 bucks now with the season in discount mode). Plus I have seen so much on the Saints debacle I'm sick of watching that game! Yeah, yeah, SI loves the Saints... good. Maybe they won't go unbeaten after all (and, in fact, I usually DO root for the Saints; they've been snakebit for years, I like Sean Payton, and most of my hubbie's folks are Saints fans since they live in Katrinaville and thereabouts). But anyway...if Reggie Bush keeps talking, maybe he will keep them from winning the NFC again...

But, here is what I've put off saying about our beloved Fins until now:

1. I am convinced--bench Ginn (which it seems Sparano is doing), then either cut him or trade him this offseason. Of course, with his hands they won't get anything for him, but still...get the Cameron mistake out of Miami! I have pulled for Ginn about as long as I'm willing to pull for him, but he has almost single-handedly blown both the Saints game and the Colts game. His TD vs. Jets does not compensate for his failure.

2. Make Hartline the starter over Ginn, and give Turner a shot as the 4th receiver. Hartline was, with Ricky, THE lone brightspot on Miami's offense vs. Saints. Played well vs. Jets as well.

3. Glad Roth is back, even if he doesn't play much right now.

4. Count me in the "Get Rid Of Gibril" bandwagon. Not only was signing him a bad move (good golly miss molly, why does Parcells even bother signing ex-Raiders??? Okay, Grove is a keeper), but NOT re-signing Renaldo Hill was an even worse move! And I bet they wish they'd kept Goody now that Allen is out.

5. Actually, I don't really miss Will Allen that much, for now. I've been wanting Vontae to get more playing time since the Bills game TD int.

6. The fact that Sparano rightfully took responsibility for giving the Saints a chance to come back into the game and blames himself for losing the game (Ginn and Wilson helped I'm sure) is a good sign. Most coaches aren't that honest.

7. I've had a funny feeling all along, since losing the Colts game, that Miami would be 2-4 at this point. the only bright spot here is that the Fins could be 1-5! What is different from last year's 2-4 though is that while the schedule does get a bit easier from here on in, it doesn't get 2008 easier. For one thing, the Pats have to be played twice, not once. for another thing, don't expect the Bills, Titans, Jags, and Texans to cave in just because Fins players are all pumped up (maybe) to put the past behind them, or, as Pumbaa said in "Lion King," "put the behind in the past."

8. Will they recover from Saints game, or will they be like the 1995 Jets after Marino's "spike"? You know, completely come apart, losing all the rest of their games, and then going 4-28 the next two years as did the Jets in the Kotite Era? Or, will all the players and all the coaches and the rest of the Trifecta, as Sparano said last year, "come out of this on the other side" (as I think he said after losing to the Ravens to go 2-4)?

9. Am I the only one who thinks maybe 2009 is a "reverting to the mean," after a "miracle" 2008? Let's face it. The Dolphins were NOT good enough (but easy schedule-Brady injury lucky enough maybe) to make the playoffs last year, as shown by how poorly they played in the playoffs. And let's face it. the Dolphins ARE better than their 2-4 record indicates. They have been in every single game they have lost until sometime in the 4th quarter, and that includes the Chargers game. Unlike last year, when the Cards blew them out and the Ravens spit them out. (and the Colts game has a last year's Texans game feel to it). Last year they were predicted to go about 4-12. This year they were predicted t go about 8-8. At this point, that seems about right.

10. The best thing about 2009 so far? Chad Henne. I think this kid will be alright, ice in his veins, and won't let throwing two ints for TDs by Sharper and the other guy bother him. Sharper's int. TD was Ginn's fault, not Henne's.

Question, now that I mentioned Henne...

what if Henne had started last year (meaning what if Pennington had not come to Miami)? Would "reverting to the mean" be a moot point?