Chad Henne...

Okay, seriously.

The hate has to stop. Chad Pennington whether injured or not, needs to be shelved. Not because his play is bad but because of his age. The Dolphins need to figure out what they have in their other two young QBs. Namely Chad Henne.

Why Chad Henne? Because Pat White is lost out there on the field. He might in time turn into something but it will not be this year. As to Henne... Get ready. Here comes an earful.

Chad Henne was inconsistent in college. When he was healthy (he struggled the later half of his college career with a shoulder injury) and surrounded by decent talent he produced at a very high level. When he out-played Tim Tebow (yes, knuckleheads, he out-played Time Rainbow as my true Cane loving self calls him) in the Capital One Bowl game he showed that he was a big game QB who could make all the NFL throws. That was his senior year. The Senior Bowl and the combine would demonstrate his native abilities as well.

After being drafted by the Dolphins last year he slowly emerged, as a rookie, as the best QB in the Phins stable before bringing in Chad Pennington. John Beck was/is a total bust. Josh McCown was/is a joke. Henne, until Pennington, was going to be the starter.

In a league nearly defined by the storyline(s) of rebuilding teams last year two rookie QBs emerged as top competitors. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. Chad Pennington, not Chad Henne, emerged as the Miami Dolphins storyline last year. It was a story that revolved around the jets (not capitalised as is proper). Last season's number one narrative for the Phins was a subtext to the failure of the jets organization. It tasted sweet, but belied many issues.

We could not run up the middle from the pro set or other NFL base offenses. We had trouble defending the pass, though certainly not to the degree we have trouble today. We lacked big play potential (though I will concede that it was not as big a deal as it is right now). All things we have dealt with this season, with the exception of the line's run blocking, which is so far improved.

Chad Henne sat the bench all year, with the exception of one very good showing in mop-up work in a losing game against the Cardinals. Henne too was behind the eight ball, and I believe this, no matter what he did in the preseason. Chad Pennington was going to start this season. I believe this messed with Henne's confidence. Pay attention, because I'm going to say something hypocritical in a second.

So Pennington goes down today with what looked to me like a torn rotator cuff. I've suffered one of those in my life and you hold your arm low, around the wrist, because the pain shoots down from your shoulder into your whole arm. That aside, Henne came in and played sub-average. I won't say he played poorly. Here's why.

The hipocrasy. Though I believe Henne might have suffered some psychological blows by being so quickly sidelined this preseason, I also saw incredible mental toughness today. I also saw his big play potential.

The play where he crossed the line of scrimmage... I saw a bigger, stronger QB who dealt with poor line play with Ben Roethlisberger style toughness and broke two tackles to make a (albeit illegal) nice pass downfield. I saw a guy who made a couple of very fast passes (again because of CRAPPY line play at the end) were slightly off their mark, yet still were catchable passes. Ted Ginn, you apparently are not going to be that guy. Too bad.

I also saw a guy who shook off a terrible interception off a designed play (it was a designed play where he was to look off the coverage and make the quick throw in hopes to get Davone a big chunk of yards).

I also saw a offensive line that crumbled. Henne was getting rid of the ball without even having a chance to look second or third receivers down.

I also saw a guy who looked unpolished and who made some sloppy, innacurate passes. He also led the Phins on their only TD drive. He showed his live arm and his physicality in the pocket. Two things that Pennignton lacks. Now whether Henne will ever attain the level of cerebral play that CP was capable of, well, that is a different story.

One more thing to think about: These receivers are used to running timing routes to catch softball passes from Pennington. They will take time to adjust to catching balls thrown with the velocity that Henne has. That longish catch and run from Bess? Methinks it happened because the ball came in really fast. Ginn's drops? Ditto.

A week of practice and better communication with the line may work wonders. Before those of you who hate Henne and for some utterly insane reason still mention John "Bust" Beck, I say give him the next three games. I think he'll prove to be something legit. If I'm wrong about it I want to know by the end of the season. That way we can draft a QB.

I won't touch the Tebow stuff yet. If Henne fails, well, we'll have plenty of time from November through April to talk that talk.