The Phinsider: FanPosts

Steve Mcnair dead at 36

2009-07-04T21:26:18Z

I would be suprised if i was the first one to hear this. All that has been put out is that Steve Mcnair was found with a fatal gunshot wound to the head, along with a female counterpart, in downtown nashville. It seems like the investigaters have yet to figure out if this was a murder, or murder suicide. As we all know Steve was the former QB for the Ravens, and Titans Who he took to the super bowl against the Rams. He was 36 years old. There has not been any other information released at this time, however im sure it will come flooding in soon. R.I.P. Steve Mcnair. This is a very sad day for the football community. My prayers will be with his family.

Historical Perspective VI - 1973

2009-07-04T05:19:16Z

After the epic run the 1972 Miami Dolphins completed with their 14-7 win in Super Bowl VII, the team came back to 1973 still hungry and looking to repeat as Champions. The celebration of the Perfect Season behind them, the front office quickly began working on the team and getting ready to march toward Super Bowl VIII.

The NFL Draft was held on 30-31 January 1973, with Miami settling in to wait for the last pick in each round. In fact, the Dolphins would not see their first pick until the 52nd pick, the last pick in Round 2. Miami's draft selections were:

Rnd	Overall Pick	Name	Position	School	Games Played	Season Starter	All-Pro 1st Team	Pro Bowl	HOF	Remarks
1	26									Traded Pick to Buffalo for WR Marlin Briscoe (07 June 1972)
2	52	Chuck Bradley	C	Oregon	19	0	0	0	No
3	78	Leon Gray	T	Jackson St.	142	8	3	4	No
4	104	Bo Rather	WR	Michigan	64	3	0	0	No
5a	111	Don Strock	QB	Virgina Tech	167	0	0	0	No	Received Pick from Buffalo for DT Frank Cornish (22 August 1972)
5b	130	Dave McCurry	CB	Iowa State	2	0	0	0	No
6	156	Ed Newman	G	Duke	167	6	1	4	No
7a	160	Kevin Reilly	LB	Villanova	25	0	0	0	No	Received Pick from NE for T Wayne Mass (28 August 1972)
7b	163	Ben Shephard	RB	Arkansas Tech	0	0	0	0	No	Received Pick from NE for G/C Bill Griffin (26 September 1972)
7c	178	Willie Hatter	WR	Northern Ill.	0	0	0	0	No	Received Pick from Cleveland for C Bob DeMarco (26 September 1972)
7d	182	Tom Smith	RB	Miami (Fla.)	2	0	0	0	No
8	206	Archie Pearmon	DE	N.E. Oklahoma	0	0	0	0	No
9	234	Karl Lorch	DE	Southern Cal.	90	3	0	0	No
10	260	Ron Fernandes	DE	Eastern Mich.	40	1	0	0	No
11	286	Chris Kete	G	Boston College	0	0	0	0	No
12	312	Mike Mullen	LB	Tulane	0	0	0	0	No
13	338	Joe Booker	RB	Miami (Ohio)	0	0	0	0	No
14	364	Greg Boyd	RB	Arizona	6	0	0	0	No
15	389	Bill Palmer	TE	St. Thomas	0	0	0	0	No
16	416	James Jackson	DE	Norfolk St.	0	0	0	0	No
17	442	Charley Wade	WR	Tennessee St.	22	1	0	0	No

(Bold players on Miami active roster at some point in career)

One interesting note from the 1973 Draft was Buffalo's selection with the Miami first round choice was G Joe DeLamielleure, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

The Dolphins then turned their attention to players other teams working looking to trade. Miami made its first 1973 trade on May 10th, when they send WR Otto Stowe to Dallas for a 2nd Round pick in 1974 and WR Ron Sellers. The trade activity increased dramatically in August, when the team made trades on 10 August (CB Dave McCurry to Chicago for a 9th Round Pick in 1974), 22 August (QB Jim Del Gaizo to the Packers for 1974 and 1975 2nd Round Picks), 27 August (DT Mike Kadish to the Bills for C/G Irv Goode), and 29 August (K Jeff White to the Saints for a 1974 7th Round Pick). Miami's final trade for 1974 came during the season, when on 2 October, the team sent RB Hubert Ginn to the Colts for FB Don Nottingham and a 1974 6th round pick.

September 17, 1973 Sports Illustrated Cover via www.hollywoodcollectibles.com

Miami began the 1973 season at home against the San Francisco 49ers on September 1st. The 49ers challenged the defending Super Bowl champs, forcing 4 turnovers (2 fumbles, 2 interceptions), and led 13-6 going into the fourth quarter. However, the Dolphins rallied, scoring 15 points in the final period, winning 21-13.

Week 2 of the 1973 saw Miami do something they hadn't done since 1971 - lose. Facing the same franchise that had handed the Dolphins their first ever loss and their first playoff loss, the Raiders welcomed Miami to Oakland and ended the Dolphins 18-game win streak - tied for the NFL record at the time (since passed by the 2003-2004 Patriots). The Raiders' Kicker George Blanda kicked 4 field goals during the game, while the defense held Miami to a single fourth-quarter touchdown, as the Raiders won 12-7.

Week 3 saw the Dolphins return to their winning ways, as they welcomed the Patriots back to Miami. The Dolphins took a 20-3 lead into the half, and then stretched the lead throughout the second half, finishing the game 44-23.

During Week 4, October 7th, Miami again trounced on a division rival, this time beating the Jets in Miami 31-3.

Miami spent Week 5 of the season slugging it out against the Browns in Cleveland. The two teams traded scores throughout the game, with Miami pulling into the lead for good in the third quarter, adding a touchdown in the fourth, and winning the game 17-9.

Miami returned home for Week 6 and hosted the Buffalo Bills. The Bills held Miami to just 3 points - in the first quarter. Miami dominated the rest of the game, scoring 21 points in the second quarter, with the vaunted Miami "No-Name Defense" not allowing Buffalo to score again until a fourth quarter field goal. The game finished with a 24-6 Miami victory.

The Dolphins October 28th, Week 7 game against the Patriots in New England continued the team's domination of their Boston area rival, as the team won the game 30-14.

In Week 8, Miami traveled to New York to face the Jets. This game proved no easier for the Jets, as Miami swept the season series with a 24-14 victory.

Week 9 saw the Dolphins perform at their peak, dominating the Baltimore Colts 44-0 in Miami. The rushing attack for the Dolphins racked up 315 yards and 3 touchdowns on 41 attempts, highlighted by Mercury Morris' 144 yards and 2 end-zone visits (a 48 yard TD and a 53 yard TD).

Miami traveled to Buffalo in Week 10, looking to repeat their Week 6 result. After beating Buffalo 24-6 in Miami four weeks earlier, Miami shutout the Bills, winning 17-0 , even though the defense gave up 238 yards rushing.

Week 11 saw Miami once again reach the double digit win mark, when they improved their record to 10-1 with a 14-7 victory over the Cowboys in Dallas.

Miami hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12 on Monday night. The game proved to be a close one, with Miami scoring all 30 of their points in the first half, and then holding on as the Steelers rallied. The game ended with Miami leading 30-26.

Miami again faced the Baltimore Colts during Week 13. After the 44-0 drubbing in Miami, the confidence of the team was high. However, the Colts were not going to be embarrassed again. The Colts, 2-10 at this point of the season, upset the Dolphins, led by QB Earl Morall in his only 1973 start, 16-3. The Dolphins fell to 11-2, losing for only their second time in the last 30 games.

Week 14 of the 1973 season was played on December 15th, with Miami hosting the Detroit Lions. The Non Name Defense once again dominated the game, with the Lions only scoring one touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Miami racked up 34 points on 165 yards rushing and 157 yards passing.

Game Date	Team	Score	Result
September 16, 1973	San Francisco	21-13	Win
September 23, 1973	@ Oakland Raiders	12-7	Loss
September 30, 1973	New England Patriots	44-23	Win
October 7, 1973	New York Jets	31-3	Win
October 15, 1973	@ Cleveland Browns	17-9	Win
October 21, 1973	Buffalo Bills	27-6	Win
October 28, 1973	@ New England Patriots	30-14	Win
November 4, 1973	@ New York Jets	24-14	Win
November 11, 1973	Baltimore Colts	44-0	Win
November 18, 1973	@ Buffalo Bills	17-0	Win
November 22, 1973	@ Dallas Cowboys	14-7	Win
December 3, 1973	Pittsburgh Steelers	30-26	Win
December 9, 1973	@ Baltimore Colts	16-3	Loss
December 15, 1973	Detroit Lions	34-7	Win

With the regular season finished, Miami finished the year with the 5th ranked offense. Quarterback Bob Griese threw for 1,422 yards on just 116 completions, with 17 touchdown passes and only 8 interceptions. Running back Larry Csonka finished the season with 1,003 yards, his third consecutive 1,000 yard campaign, with Mercury Morris missing the 1,000 yard mark by 46 yards (954 yards and 10 touchdowns) and Jim Kiick throwing in 257 rushing yards and 208 receiving yards. WR Paul Warfield led the team in receiving with 29 receptions for 514 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Dolphins' No-Name Defense once again finished the year as the league's number one ranked defense. The team had only surrendered 150 points through the 14 game season, and the No-Name Defense had repeated as the top unit in the league. The 12-2 team also had the best record in the AFC, tied with the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams for the top record in the league . Dick Anderson, Safety, had a team high 8 interceptions, with 163 return yards and two touchdowns and was named AP Defensive PLayer of the Year. Safety Jake Scott, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, had an additional four interceptions. Linebacker Nick Buoniconti had three fumble recoveries, returning one for a touchdown. And linebacker Bob Matheson was still entering the games as a fourth linebacker in a 3-4 set, with Manny Fernandez sliding over to be the nose tackle, the defense known as the "53 defense," named after Matheson's jersey number.

Defensive Player of the Year Saftey Dick Anderson via www.sportsecyclopedia.com

Miami hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in the Division Playoffs on December 23, 1973. Miami easily dispatched the Bengals, gaining 400 yards of total offense, while only surrendering 194 yards in route to a 34-16 win. Mercury Morris again led the team with 106 yards rushing and a touchdown, while Larry Csonka had 71 yards rushing and a touchdown of his own. Not to be left out, Jim Kiick broke the 50-yard mark with 51 yards rushing on 10 attempts.

The AFC Championship game, Miami's third straight trip to the game, was played in Miami against the visiting Oakland Raiders. The Raiders, having broken the Dolphins 18-game win streak in Week 2 of the season were preared to again stop the Dolphins. However, Miami had retribution on its mind. The Dolphins quickly jumped out to a 14-0 lead at the half, stretched it to 17-0 in the third, only to see Oakland come back to within 3, as the third period ended 17-14. Miami put the game away in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 additional points, winning the game 27-14. Miami's rushing offense again dominated, this time with Csonka leading the way with 117 yard and all 3 Miami touchdowns. Morris gained 86 yards of his own, with QB Bob Griese adding 39 yards on 3 rushes.

Miami was once again on their way to the Super Bowl - the first team to ever appear in three straight Super Bowls. Super Bowl VIII was played on January 13, 1974 at Rice University in Houston, Texas (which was the first time a Super Bowl was played in a Stadium that no NFL team called its home), with the AFC Champion Dolphins looking to defend their title against the new NFC Champs, the Minnesota Vikings in front of 71,882 fans. The Dolphins, having been 2 point underdogs in Super Bowl VII despite being undefeated going into the game, played the role of the favorite this year, being favored by 6-1/2 points. The Dolphins were so highly regarded that New York Jets QB, Joe Namath, said "If Miami gets the kickoff and scores on the opening drive, the game is over."

Super Bowl VIII Ticket via www.sportspool.com

Prior to the game, reports of dissension amongst the Dolphins surfaced, due to owner Joe Robbie's decision to allow wives to accompany players at the team's expense. The reports stated that several of the single players were upset with the owner's policy, because it barred them from bringing their girlfriends or mothers and showed favoritism towards married players.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings had their own pre-game complaints. The Vikings were given a local high school to utilize as their training complex, but they found the facility unacceptable due to the lack of carpets, lack of lockers, and shower heads that didn't work. Head Coach Bud Grant stated that he didn't think his "players had seen anything like this since junior high school."

Pre-game injuries for the Dolphins included WR Paul Warfield who had an injured hamstring in his left leg and G Bob Kuechenberg played the game with a cast on an arm he broke during a game played back in the regular season.

Super Bowl VIII was hosted by the AFC, making Miami the home team. Although Miami traditionally wore white when at home, the NFL's policy at the time stated that the Super Bowl home team would wear their color jerseys, leading to Miami to play the game in their aqua jerseys. The game also featured two different Miami Dolphins logos. The majority of the players wore the 1969-1973 Miami Dolphins logo on their helmet. However, several players, particularly the lineman, had already changed to the new logo that would go into effect for the Dolphins' 1974 campaign.

1969-1973 Miami Dolphins Logo via www.sportslogos.net

1974-1989 Miami Dolphins Logo via www.sportslogos.net

The Super Bowl began with Miami remaining perfect in Super Bowl coin tosses, again winning and electing to receive the opening kickoff. Jake Scott returned the kick 31-yards to the Dolphins' 38-yard line. The Dolphins immediately turned to their running attack, eating up yards with runs by both Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris. Quarterback Bob Griese completed two passes during the drive, which was capped off by a Csonka five-yard touchdown run. The Dolphins became the first team in Super Bowl history to score on the opening drive. The team never looked back, proving once again, Jets QB Joe Namath could predict the outcomes of Super Bowls.

Super Bowl Starting Lineups:

Miami Dolphins	Position	Minnesota Vikings
Bob Griese	QB	Fran Tarkenton
Mercury Morris	RB	Oscar Reed
Larry Csonka	FB	Chuck Foreman
Paul Warfield	WR	John Gilliam
Marlin Briscoe	WR	Carroll Dale
Jim Mandich	TE	Stu Voigt
Wayne Moore	LT	Grady Alderman
Bob Kuechenberg	LG	Ed White
Jim Langer	C	Mick Tingelhoff
Larry Little	RG	Frank Gallagher
Norm Evans	RT	Ron Yary
Vern Den Herder	LDE	Carl Eller
Manny Fernandez	LDT	Gary Larsen
Bob Heinz	RDT	Alan Page
Bill Stanfill	RDE	Jim Marshall
Doug Swift	LLB	Roy Winston
Nick Buoniconti	MLB	Jeff Siemon
Mike Kolen	RLB	Wally Hilgenberg
Lloyd Mumphrod	LCB	Nate Wright
Curtis Johnson	RCB	Bobby Bryant
Jake Scott	SS	Jeff Wright
Dick Anderson	FS	Paul Krause

The Vikings went three-and-out on their opening drive, punting the ball back to the Dolphins. Miami immediately drove down the field, 56-yards in 10-plays, and scored on Jim Kiick's first and only touchdown of the 1973 season.

The first quarter ended with Miami leading 14-0 on 20 plays and 118 yards of offense. The No-Name Defense had dominated the Vikings during the quarter, giving up only 25-yards on 6 plays, with the Vikings never making it to their own 24-yard line.

Miami scored again on their second drive of the second period, a seven play drive capped with a 28-yard field goal from Garo Yepremian. During the drive, Csonka was cut above the eye when Vikings LB Wally Hilgenberg threw an elbow, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

The Vikings attempted to respond on their next drive. The successfully drove the ball against the Miami defense, making it all the way to the Dolphins' six-yard line. Facing a fourth-and-one, however, the Vikings chose to go for the first down, rather than kick a field goal. With less thana minute remaining in the half, the Vikings handed the ball off to RB Oscar Reed , but Dolphins' Buoniconti forced a fumble, which Scott recovered.

Miami led Minnesota 17-0 at the half, and would never look back.

The opening drive of the second half was once again a three-and-out by the Vikings. Scott returned the kick into Minnesota territory. The Dolphins immediately drove down the field and scored on a two-yard Csonka run. Due to his hamstring injury, Paul Warfield, primarily being used as a decoy, caught only his second pass of the game during the drive. He would remain at two receptions for the rest of the game, as the Dolphins did not attempt another pass during the last 24 minutes of the game.

Two possessions later, with only 13 minutes remaining in the game, Minnesota finally scored on a four-yard run by QB Fran Tarkenton.

During the ensuing kick-off, the Vikings received an offsides penalty, erasing the on-side kick they had just recoved. The team elected to kick deep following the penalty, and the Dolphins proceeded to go three-and-out.

Miami punted the ball away, and Minnesota immediately drove back down the field. Reaching the Dolphins' 32-yard line, Tarkenton dropped back to pass, only to thrown an interception to Dolphins' CB Curtis Johnson.

With just 6-1/2 minutes to play, Miami pounded the rock straight into the Vikings defense, using Csonka and Kiick to kill the clock. Future Hall of Famer, Dolphins' center Jim Langer later wrote that, "We hit the Vikings defense so hard and so fast that they didn't know what hit them. Alan Page [Vikings DT and former Notre Dame teammate of the Dolphins' Bob Kuechenberg - who was tasked with blocking Page throughout the game]later said he knew we would dominate them after only the first couple of plays."

Center Jim Langer via www.profootballhof.com

The Dolphins' running game had once again dominated. QB Bob Griese only attempted 7 passes, completing 6 of them for just 73-yards - the fewest passes attempted ever in a Super Bowl. Miami's rushing attack gained 196 yards. The team had no turnovers and received their first penalty with just eight minutes remaining in the game - an offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when Kuechenberg and Page scuffled follwing a late hit by page on QB Griese the play before . Vikings's QB Tarkenton set the then record for completions in a Super Bowl by going 18 for 28 for 182 yards and one interception. He also ran for 17 yards and the Vikings' lone touchdown.

Super Bowl VIII Championship Ring via www.sportspool.com

Larry Csonka was named the game's MVP for his145 yards rushing on 33-attempts with two touchdowns. He was asked after the game about the elbow thrown by the Vikings LB Wally HIlgenberg. He replied, "It was a cheap shot, but an honest cheap shot. He came right at me and threw an elbow right through my mask. I could see the game meant something to him."

Super Bowl VIII MVP RB Larry Csonka via dolphinfaned.tripod.com

With three straight Super Bowl appearances and two championships, the young Dolphins appeared destined to become the next NFL dynasty. However, 1974 would begin a downfall no one saw coming.

1973 Super Bowl Champion Miami Dolphins Team Photovia www.sportsecyclopedia.com

References:

www.pro-football-reference.com

www.wikipedia.org

www.miamidolphins.com

www.profootballhof.com

www.philadelphia-eagles.net

www.sportsencyclopedia.com

Past Editions:

Historical Perspective V - Nineteen seventy-perfect

Historical Perspective IV - 1971

Historical Perspective III - 1970

Historical Perspective II - 1967-1969

Historical Perspective I - 1965-1966

UNMASKING FANTASY FOOTBALL 1.1- Real Strength of Schedule

2009-07-04T00:51:13Z

When the "professionals" compose their "Strength of Schedules" they properly take into account the prior year, however they do so to a fault. For each passing year in the NFL, you can throw out the prior year's successes and failures because each year truly yields different teams. There are few examples of successful rosters which managed to stay together for a couple years in a row and even less which operated the exact same manner. As much as teams change internally, they adapt to the ever changing teams around them. Because of the immense level of talent in the NFL, the margin between wins and losses is almost unnoticeable. This is more so the case in today's NFL where parity rules supreme; teams rise from the ashes as quickly as fall from the podium.

And now, without further interruption... I present the "Real" Strength of Schedule

My SOS is designed to help move players up and down my war-room draft boards accordingly. The information below is my first run at the SOS and things will change a bit until the beginning of the season. A couple injuries or Free Agent signings will alter things. I did include Favre with the Vikings...(moderate improvement :)

RULE #3: You'll hear about the hot teams and trendy picks. There is some merit however you will need to convince yourself. By looking at things through the SOS, you can make a strong case as to why a player or team should expect success, or not.

Rather than overwhelm everyone with rankings and stats, I'll note some of my initial observations:

1) Miami Dolphins:

On paper, Miami is regarded as having one of the, if not the, hardest schedules. My SOS shows Miami having the 10th hardest schedule, close to 11,12, and 13 which puts them just outside midway. For all rankings, they are in that similar range with nothing alarming. Most notable is that they have the 10th hardest schedule against the rush. This concerns me with the question marks in the center of our defense, mainly at the nose. Overall, don't let the hype get to you because Miami is really in control. Also, because of the parity you can expect many of the "best" teams from 09 to slip some. (ATL, IND, PIT, NE, etc) The schedule is not as hard as advertised and Miami really controls its own destiny in 2010.

2) Team Rankings: Notables include:

A) Washington's Offense is close to top and they have the 10th easiest schedule VS defenses. Campbell may have his breakout year after all and look for Portis to rebound strong.

B) San Francisco is actually peeking into the top ten for both Offense and Defense. Their SOS shows that they have the 9th easiest schedule and that the Offenses they face are the 9th easiest. If SF can play some defense and if Gore can return to form, there may be some truth in SF making a playoff push! It doesn't even matter who is playing QB because this is a run first team and you're gonna be hard pressed to stop em'.

C) Green Bay also popped in around #10, with surprise strength in defense. Considering their move to a 3-4, I don't see the switch as having much of a backlash as it would because of their talented personel. SOS suggests that they have the 5th easiest schedule against Offenses and are 11th overall. Hmm, don't sleep on Green Bay. Ryan Grant needs to earn his paycheck this year.

D) NO is worthy of note because like Washington, they have a top 10 offense playing against a weak defensive schedule. This could be Reggie Bush's real opportunity to be a full-time contributor. They only problem with NO is that there mediocre defense is facing some tough offenses.. End result = Shoot Outs!!

E) San Diego's offense is also set for another big year against weak defenses. Look out for Vincent Jackson to have a very strong year. LT worries me, but Sproles has proven valuable.

F) CHI, BAL, PHI and MIN all have solid run defenses. They are all facing poor rushing offenses this year. That says a lot right there. BAL and MIN will cash in with their pass rush ability. CHI and PHI will battle the pass all year long.

3) Easiest Schedules:

A) Cleveland and Kansas City both have "easy" schedules. If either team can show more than improvement on paper you could see 8-8 or even 9-7 from these guys. Cassell is stepping into a perfect situation as KC faces some easy defenses against the pass. Look out for Bowe to explode this year, and don't sleep on Larry Johnson. When he played last year, he played well- real well. I am more concerned about Cleveland, expecting them to go with Quinn. He'll be on a learning curve and you can't expect too much more from Jamal Lewis VS 8 in the box.

B) Each year we see the mighty fall- PIT, PHI and BAL may not have to worry. They also have "easy" schedules and that is a big concern for the league. A favorable schedule may help Flacco survive his sophomore year. A favorable schedule may also help Willie Parker stay healthy. Philly could end up the class of the NFC East after the smoke clears. McNabb is a great 2nd or 3rd round QB as he falls for some reason every year on draft boards.

4) Hardest Schedules:

A) Some mighty teams are in trouble. ATL, DAL, and ARZ to name a few. Everyone is predicting Ryan to have a sophomore slump, but I'm not. I think he'll be fine but Atlanta's talent may not be reflected in their final record. Not only does Atlanta face the best offenses, they face the best defenses too. Dallas is once again all talent on paper. I do feel that the early part of the season will be tell-tale for the Boys, If they lose early they might fall apart, otherwise they could get stronger vs their tough schedule. Arizona, aside from all the off-season drama, is poised to be one of those flash in the pan teams. Warner can not continue his high level of play, though having the weapons he does will buy him some time, maybe half a season. If Leinart has to come in, the season is done, as he will need to get "adjusted". I am not confident in Highsmith or Wells carrying the team and it may all come down to the defense.

B) DET, STL, TB, and CAR are all in trouble. They also have hard schedules. Unlike the mighty, they all have serious concerns. The Buccs are facing the toughest schedule VS offenses. Considering the Tampa D is a shell of it's former self, I can't see TB getting over 500. I think Ward will make an impact, but I have little faith in their QB options or general passing threat. DET is DET and though many expect 3-5 wins, it will be tough to get 2. I wish them well. STL and CAR are in similar positions as they do have talented teams. Each may only go as far as their aging and injured QB go. Bulger may find some promise in a rejuvenated Stephen Jackson and a rising star in Avery. Despite the likely offensive success, they may be loosing games 35-28. Carolina still has a great running game and Steve Smith, but they like ATL face the toughest defenses and offenses. Carolina could be a surprise with a few hard earned close wins.

5) Bubble Teams:

The running game does still rule the NFL, but most rushing stats are misleading as many teams get their lead by first passing. MIN and HOU are two of the trendy teams this year and for good reason. They both rank well vs Rushing defense and vs Rushing offenses. Peterson should have another solid year and could very well be the fantasy #1 pick overall. Of all the rookies, I think Percy Harvin can have the biggest impact and I usually shy away from rookies. If Favre plays, he'll keep 8 out of the box and that means Peterson will dominate. (think of Elway and Terrell Davis) Steve Slaton won't creep up on anyone next year, however I think Shaub and company can improve enough to keep defenses honest. You can expect 1200+ yds from Slaton.

* From my prior example of Ronnie Brown 3.7 VS Thomas Jones 3.4. We might have to make some adjustments. Miami is facing a tough schedule VS the rush and the JETS are facing a relative "easy" one. Ronnie is dropping to a 3.6 and Thomas is going to a 3.5. Naturally these too are going in the same bucket and will be viewed as equals (For some leagues, Ronnie will get the nod for his wildcat potential)

Ok, so now we have an idea of how the SOS impacts our players and their teams. It's time to begin creating our buckets. Stay tuned as we'll explore each position and create draft buckets.

First Up- Running Backs!

Training Camp Preview: Quarterbacks

2009-07-03T17:41:50Z

Training Camp Preview Part 1: Quarterbacks

Now until training camp opens August 1st, Miami Dolphins Nation will break down every position starting with Quarterback. This has been a position that has haunted the Dolphins ever since Dan Marino retired. If the QB woes would have gone on much further I would have gone as far as to say we were under the curse of Marino. However, last season relief finally came, and from all places the Jets. Chad Pennington brought stability to a position that had been under scrutiny for nearly a decade as he led one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history.

Projected Depth Chart

1. Chad Pennington: There is no question Pennington will be back under center but, next year might be another story. But for right now Chad is the perfect fit for this offense because he is model of consistancy and if you forget about the Wild Card round he does'nt turn the ball over. Some may say, he will have a down year because of his history in New York, but a lot of that had to do with the shoulder and that pretty feathery spiral he throws had a hard time in the windy conditions of the Meadowlands. So continue to expect great things out of Chad this year, and expect the offense as a whole should improve thier 21st in the league points per game ranking from last season.

2. Chad Henne: This is probably one of the biggest storylines of this years camp, as everyone will be keeping a close eye on the development of Chad Henne. With the Dolphins staff already hinting that they would like thier second round pick to be the starter for the 2010 season as everyone knows that Henne is the future for this franchise. Henne had a very solid pre-season last season and when he spelled Chad Pennington in week 2 vs. the Cardinals, he moved the offense right down the field. Under Henne the Dolphins offense has the potential to go places Pennington will never be able to take them. Yes, under Pennington the Dolphins can be a very good offense but, with 8 guys in the box all the time the running game takes a pretty big hit. However, Henne has the arm strength to really stretch the defense. Not saying that Henne will make this offense elite, but only under him do they have that potential, but for now Pennington is still the guy.

3. Pat White: Most people would probably say that the Dolphins only drafted Pat to play in the wildcat formation or move him to wide-out, but Miami has said all along that they drafted him to be a quarterback. This might not make much sense to most people, with the Dolphins already having Chad Henne waiting in the wings, but I say why put your whole future on one guy. Why not get an insurance policy for the most important position in the game? Pat White is the perfect insurance policy for Miami, because if they never need him and Chad Henne is the guy, then he is'nt a waist there are plenty of ways to utilize an athlete like White. They can put him in the wildcat, move him to wid-out, or have him return kicks. Pat White will be a great weapon for this offense.

Position Battles to watch

Widcat QB
Ronnie Brown/Pat White: With all the hype about Pat White running this formation it seems like everyone has forgot about Ronnie Brown. Listen, Ronnie Brown made the wildcat. Ronnie had the patience and vision to find the whole and had the ability to make something out of nothing. Ronnie also, had enough of an arm to make the defense respect it. Ronnie Brown was what made it work thats why everyone kept trying to copy the phins but no one had the type of success Miami did. However, having said all that Pat White is obviously a much better passer than Brown and would open up the formation that much more. The best guess is that the Dolphins will give both of them time in the formation. Look for them to run it a little bit in the pre-season but, you won't see any of the new or old wrinkles until it counts.

www.miamidolphinnation.blogspot.com

Is tony sparano losing his edge

2009-07-03T10:56:54Z

Well concerned if Tony Sparano is losing his do what it takes attitude. These concerns come from the freedom he is

giving the team, he gave them two days of of OTA, AND THE LATE START OF TRAINING CAMP.

Compared to other teams with the exception of the colts jags,giants and seahawks , its a really late start. I think he

might just be getting a little soft, with the limelight of a great season he gave us last year. I would rather him not lose

that do what it takes attitude he has always had last year. We have alot of rookies to get up too par, alot of work on our

secondary we need figuring out, and the late start does not make much sense to me. We just might need those two to

three extra practice days to figure some of our kinks out. I dont know what do u guys think has he gone soft or hes just

being smarrt by giving them some extra family and rest time.

Miami Dolphins 2009 schedule prediction

2009-07-03T05:06:18Z

Falcons- Young Qb + devastating pass rush= couple interceptions and easy first win. Not to mention 100% healthy Ronnie Brown and i think first glimpse at "Wildpat". -Win

Colts- High scoring game, but Payton Mannings arm is too real for the dolphins secondary-loss

Chargers- Chargers always get off to a slow start, plus which LT will we see in 2009? Dolphins win by a critical pick or sack at the right time by joey or jason. -Win

Bills- Sean Smith comes into his own against TO, Sparano lets him go against him all game. Dolphins Offense easily scores on suspect defense, not to mention our devastating pass rush buries trent edwards and their shaky line. Expect Camron Wake to start making a little noise. -Win

Jets- Rex Ryan cant back up his talk, Sanchez sputters and doesnt get the job done. Expect confusing blitz packages employed by the dolphins heavy and often. Also expect Sanchez to throw a few interceptions. One for a score. Jets run game proves the dolphins still need a little help in the run department, but never the less they win this one pretty easily and Ryan eats his words. -Win

Saints- Brees will be Brees, but thats all who shows up during this game. Dolphins secondary bends but doesnt break expect a close win in this one. look out for bess and camarillo expect one of them to have a big game here. -Win

Jets- Chance they sneak one by us as much as it pains me to say, but i do believe Sanchez still does NOTHING and dolphins win the series. -Win

Pats- Cold Weather, Tom brady running on all cylinders (supposedly), welker and moss. Expect this one to be like the shootout that occured in the second game of the season last year, lets hope we dont fall apart, but i do believe we loose this one. -Loss

Bucs- Same As jets with Josh Freeman as there quarterback expect blitzes early and often, because of the defenses expect this to be a low scoring affair. Ronnie Brown and RIcky Williams will lead the way in this ugly win. Expect another win from the dolphins -Win

Panthers- Matchup between two of the best running back dous in the league. This game depends on how dehlomme plays, but believe steve smith will have a big game. -loss

Bills- Don't think TO will be beat two times in a row. Expect big game from him. Also running game of the bills take off. Our defense plays pretty well against the pass (other than TO). Offense doesnt get started against a pretty good bills D. -Loss

Patriots- Win just because no matter how good either team is, we always seem to split the series

Jaguars- I dont believe they corrected the problems of '08. Dont be suprised by another poor showing out of the '09 jags, dolphins should be running strong and Pennington has a career game. Ted Ginn Proves why he is in the league. -Win

Titans- Revamped O with good recievers, and a dominating D. Dont think were as strong as the titans yet, even without Haynesworth. -Loss

Texans- We Finnally get a win against a team we should always beat. Matt shaub is either hurt or inconsistent. Mario Williams is man handled by Jake Long as he proves that he deserved that number one pick. Dolphins win pretty easily dolphin fans around the world rejoice! haha. -win

Steelers- defending superbowl champs has almost all the right pieces, however our front seven destroy their suspect o-line. I believe this will be a very low scoring game. Expect big ben and the steelers D to pull it out in the end. -loss

Final Record: 10-6

I believe a few of these games could go either way, but having the fewest turnovers last season leads me to believe this well diciplined team will pull out the tough ones and keep the close games swinging towards there sides. Well there you have it my prediction Right Wrong?? did i forget something? let me know!

Vonte Davis pantsed at rookie symposium by raider

2009-07-03T01:22:41Z

They do if they’re Oakland Raiders fourth-round draft pick Louis Murphy (notes), anyway. From Dave George at PalmBeachPost.com:

That's exactly what happened Tuesday to Vontae Davis (notes), the Dolphins' top draft pick, who was in the middle of an interview with several reporters about the serious issue of identity theft when Louis Murphy, an Oakland Raiders rookie, snuck up from behind and snatched Davis' gym shorts down around his ankles as a harmless gotcha prank.

that's the type of thing you punch someone in the face for in my opinion

32 TEAMS IN 32 DAYS

2009-07-02T23:45:23Z

Where we at?

So does anyone know where we stand as far as the NFL networks segment? I can't seem to find it. But I will say one thing thats for sure. If we are not in the top 15, I am going to be livid. because we have such a great team that is so under rated. And the addition of the new players we just got poises to be a better team. I feel that we wont have a record as good as last year, but I also thing we will win the division. We area younger and quicker team than the Pats. And as far as the Jets and Bils, well............what about them? So can I get a heads up on this? If someone can give me a link that would be awesome too.

The TRUE Preminitions of your 2009 Miami Dolphins

2009-07-02T17:56:11Z

I've seen that alot of people have been making predictions. But I've been thinking... predictions are all about Confidence...But sometimes it's more than confidence; just the other day I was sleeping and Dan Marino appeared to me in a leopard thong bikini. It was quite a magnificent image. He proclaimed to me some of the most beautiful predictions my little ears have ever heard. So when I awoke, I knew what I had to do. I logged onto Phinsider, the most accurate, amazing source on the internet and created THIS fanpost. I was 100% sure that I was 79.8% confident that at least 8 of these predictions will come true. See that's a good number... I just gained some respect, a reputation of sort. You're all ears, aren't you... I can almost hear you through my speakers... "Speak to me", "Guide me with your wisdom". Well look no further my sons of orange and aqua. Here are 10 predictions that you can count on for 2009.

1. The Dolphins will win every game by atleast a margin of 54 points.

2. They will be the only team to have the opposite team in the Super Bowl forfeit, to avoid embarrassment.

3. Channing Crowder will be suspended 3 games for teabagging Rex Ryan during the postgame after the Week 5 69-0 victory. He would later get reinstated as Roger Goodell, who would call the situation, "too hilarious to punish"

4. For the next game between the jets and the Fins, Ryan actually resigns and appoints an interim head coach. Crowder teabaggs him anyway. Goodell is seen on the sidelines applauding.

5. Tom Brady will throw 5 touchdown passes in the Dolphin game. 2 to Sean Smith, 1 to Vontae Davis, 1 to Will Allen and 1 to Jason Taylor.

6. Tony Sperano is nominated by GQ as the Sexiest Man Alive. He becomes Oakley's new sponsor for sunglasses. He also replaces Jared in the "5 dollar footlongs" commercial.

7. Belicheck is seen by paparazzi after week 10, drunk on Bill Parcells' lawn in the middle of the night yelling and crying for football advice. Stuart Scott crowns the actions as "Crygate" the next day on ESPN.

8. Pat White will be the next ochocinco of endzone dances. One of his more subtle celebrations involves a ring of fire, three tigers and a bottle of 151.

9. The Battle of the Chads finally ends in week 7 when Sperano decides to put both in the backfield. They combine for 8 TD passes. Each.

10. The newly undefeated Dolphins reunite with the 1972 Dolphins, get drunk after the super bowl and toilet paper Tom Brady's house. "18-1" is said to be spray painted on his front door.

So there you have it. Remember these are no ~~predictions~~ these are preminitions of biblical proportions. Please tell me what you think, and let me know if you have had similar vision's of ~~God~~ Marino that you would like to bring to attention.

B-

Dolphins Off-Season Report Card

2009-07-02T16:36:50Z

Following an AFC East championship and arguably one of the most memorable seasons in franchise history the Dolphins still had many areas that needed improvement headed into the off-season. They did have a great year and all Dolphin fans should be very proud of the turnaround, but they benefited from several factors. First of all, to be honest, they most likely would not even have had the opportunity to compete for the division if Tom Brady didn't go down in week one. Secondly, they enjoyed a very easy schedule. They played the AFC and NFC West divisions which are arguably the two worst divisions in the league. The schedule thing might not be as big of deal if it were not for the fact that they struggled to pull out wins against teams that most playoff bound clubs blew out, like the Seahawks, Rams, Raiders, Chiefs, and 49ers. Yeah, a win is a win, but it does show there is vast room for improvement. Some of the main areas that needed improvement headed into the off-season were as follows:
1. Secondary: The pass defense was the biggest weakness of the Dolphins all season long. The unit ranked 25th in pass yardage surrendered and was torn apart on several occasions by, Matt Schaubb, Tyler Thigpen, and Matt Cassel.
2. Wide-Receiver: Though second year wide out Ted Ginn Jr. finally showed some promise, veteran Greg Camarrillo continued to over-achieve, and undrafted rookie free agent Davone Bess emerged into a solid starter they seriously lacked a go to threat or a red-zone target.
3. Offensive-Line: This group had a pretty good year but, the running game lacked the ability to run the ball effectively out of base formations.
4. Nose-Tackle: Jason Ferguson had a solid 2008 campaign, but the only problem is he is'nt getting any younger. Ferguson is now 34 and the Dolphins needed to add some youth to the position.
So, Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland and staff had some work to do this season to continue the turnaround of one of the most storied franchises in league history. They did not make a huge splash in free agency, as far as any big name signings, but they did make some very solid moves. They re-signed linebacker Channing Crowder, safety Yeremiah Bell, and offensive tackle Vernon Carey. All three played a huge role in winning the AFC East and Channing Crowder led the team in tackles. They also, signed gaurd Joe Berger, center Jake Grove, outside inebacker Cameron Wake, free safety Gibril Wilson, safety Ethan Kilmer, cornerback Eric Green, and welcomed back outside linebacker Jason Taylor. The Dolphins clearly improved their offensive line with the pickups of Grove and Berger which shoud impove the running game this season. The secondary was clearly starting to be rebuilt with the free-agent signings but, the Dolphins were waiting for the draft to find the future of the defensive backfield. The signing of Jason Taylor was a suprise for a lot of people but, really the Dolphins had nothing to lose. He wanted back in Miami so the Dolphins got him for pretty cheap. Sure, he is up there in age but, he is just two years removed from the Defensive MVP season and him and Joey Porter together have the potential to cause all kinds of havoc for quarterbacks this season. After a solid free agency the Dolphins had a somewaht controversal draft.
Dolphins Draft:
Round 1: CB Vontae Davis, Ilinois
Round 2: QB Pat White, West Virginia
Round 2: CB Sean Smith, Utah
Round 3: WR Patrick Turner, USC
Round 4: WR Brian Hartline, Ohio State
Round 5: TE John Nalbone, Monmouth
Round 5: FS Chris Clemons, Clemson
Round 6: OT Andrew Gardner, Georgia Tech
Round 7: LB J.D. Folsom, Weber State
So, the Dolphins defenately answered there need at corner with Vontae Davis and Sean Smith. Vontae Davis is a very strong, physical corner who might be the shutdown guy Miami is looking for and Sean Smith was the tallest corner in the draft who should match up well against some of the tall, lengthy recievers of the AFC East. The suprise pick, Pat White, who no one really expected to go to the Dolphins with Chad Henne being picked up in the second round last year. But, White is the dream prototype to run the wildcat. The dissapointing thing about this years draft however, is that they did not pick up a go-to reciever. Patrick Turner and Brian Hartine could be soid players but Miami aready has solid, with Ginn, Camarrillo, and Bess. The only positive is that Turner could develope into a potent red-zone target with him being 6-5. However, at the end of the day no one really knows how these kids will translate into the pros so it really is an inexact science. After the draft and free agency the Dolphins did address some of thier needs but will have to count on guys like Ted Ginn or Devone Bess to emerge into a number one reciever if the offense can go to the next level.
Off-Season Grade: B

Check out more on my blog www.miamidolphinnation.blogspot.com

Crowder, Ryan trash talk good for Fins-Jets Rivalry

2009-07-02T16:02:08Z

I, like most Dolphin fans found myself yelling at my television when I saw that Rex Ryan press conference where he was bashing Channing Crowder, saying "I've walked over tougher guys on my way to a fight than Channing Crowder." First of all Crowder is 6-2 250 and in the prime of his life, like that old fat guy would make that same comment if Crowder was actually in the room. Secondly, its ok to be confident but to be this cocky in the off-season is another story. The Jets have had this arrogance about them ever since free-agency, like they are the favorites in the division. I'm sure Jets fans love that there head coach is picking fights with rival linebackers but, is it that smart to give bullitin board material to a team that already feels pretty disrespected. I mean all off-season you have heard about is Sanchez, the Jets D, Terrell Owens, and how the Patriots are the favorite to win the Super Bowl again. The Dolphins really did not need any more motivation, being the proud group they are after last season. But, now when the Jets come to town week 5 for Monday Night Footall it is defenately going to be more than a game. It already is when its Dolphins-Jets and especially when its MNF but, this latest fued will just add that much more to the hatred. You woud have thought that the rivalry would have lost some intensity now that there is no Pennington vs. Farve, but this game will have just as much hype. You already know ESPN will be playing those clips and comments all week long before the matchup. As much as Rex Ryan disrespecting our leading tackler makes me furious, and as much as I hate the Jets even more every day I gotta admit this is great for the rivalry and I'm sure all Dophins fans will have week 5 circled on thier calendars.

www.miamidolphinnation.blogspot.com

How long have you been on Phinsider?

2009-07-02T13:56:01Z

Hey Dolphins Fans

Hey everyone what's up, I am new here to this site. I'm a long time reader and finally decided to jump in and test the waters. lol. I live Miami and have been a Dolphins fan since I can remember. I know July is a looooonnnnnggggg month for football, thats why I signed up. So just out of curiousity, how long have you guys been on the Phinsider? I'll start it off, me 1 day LOL.

ITT: Make bold predictions

2009-07-02T13:13:23Z

Ryan's predictions for Ronnie Brown's season really got me thinking, what else is this team capable of this season? Last year, in a different forum, I predicted that the Dolphins would make it to the playoffs, and as you might assume, I was laughed at, but boy did we show those chuckle heads. So away weeee goooo; I'll start us off with a few of my own:

Bold prediction 1) The Miami Dolphins will break the record they tied last year, and commit only 12 turnovers.

Bold prediction 2) Joey Porter will finish what he started last season as finish with 23.5 sacks.

Bold prediction 3) Cameron Wake will compile 15 sacks this season.

I'll list more as they crop up in the ol noggin. How about you fellas?

UNMASKING FANTASY FOOTBALL 1.0- The Draft Board

2009-07-01T19:32:34Z

Gentlemen it's almost here... Another Fantasy Draft!

Like Dave Phuller, I hope to add some insight and help out my fellow Dolphans.

I've been involved with Fantasy Football since 1990. A friend had access to "the internet" and we were introduced to the concept by some random kids dialing in through their modem somewhere in cyber space. We adopted some rules and implemented a bid style draft with a "full" roster. (defensive positions, O-lines, and even punters!!!) I have been involved with some high stakes leagues and even ran my own for a few years. Today, I have retired, for now. But I do "consult" and even draft teams for friends, for a mild % of the winnings of course. :)

As a thank you to my Phinsider Friends, I'll be posting some important tips, advice, strategies and more. If any of you need "real" help, I'd be happy to assist anytime.

The most important piece to Fantasy Football is the draft and your draft is only as good as your WAR ROOM DEPTH CHARTS. Building depth charts is a painstaking process, but once you do it right it's easy maintenance. When building a depth chart you must suspend all previous notions about a player, whether you like or dislike them, whether or not the "experts" like them, etc etc. Each player should have a face value. I use a 5 point system to grade their "overall" value. The next phase is tricky. You must begin to adjust your player's score based on several major variables.

RULE #1: LEAVE THE FANATSY MAGAZINES ON THE SHELF, UNLESS YOU ONLY NEED STATS... Besides most magazines and the select advice they offer are outdated by the time you read them.

Let's consider RBs in this article.

1) History: Are they in their prime> Most RBs have a 4 year stretch of their prime years. The few great ones have 7-10 years runs, but those players are easy to identify. For the average RB, you must downgrade them if they are getting older and/or moving away from their 4 "good years". Be mindful that each year should be based on that RB as a solo starter, If their productivity went down because of splitting time or injuries, and they are returning as the sole starter, you may not want to downgrade them as much. Factor in injuries and age as necessary. For rookies and young players, you can guesstimate but never fall in love with a rookie. Their value is suspect so try and give them moderate value dispite the hype.

RULE #2: Be careful watching PRESEASON GAMES. Every year the preseason showcases some exceptional players who never see the field all season or maybe the rest of their careers. Pay attention in case some of these guys get playing time during the season. But never become smitten with preseason Allstars!

I.E.

Ronnie Brown: he hasn't had a "real" full year yet, but based on his YPC and obvious potential. I consider Ronnie a 1200yd 8 TD rusher. That's including a possible setback and some shared time with Ricky. With the wildcat, I'll give him some extra credit (but be mindful of your league rules, a RB TD pass may be worthless) In short, I'd give Ronnie a grade of 3.5. (4's are for my elites)

Thomas Jones: IMO, Thomas is only an average/above back. He is at the back end of his prime and though I would label him a 1300yd 8 TD rusher, he's getting a downgrade to 1250 7 TDs. 3.7 rating for TJ.

2) Free Agents> Is your RB on a new team? You must consider the new team and what exactly they're walking into. You'll have to adjust accordingly. If your RB is staying put be mindful of the entire offense and how it improved or worsened with Free Agents. Though you may be adding FA talent, be careful because if the personality doesn't match or the systems are too different, you might have some false hope. Grade sparingly. You can also factor in the improvements of a team's defense. An improved defensive means the offense will likely be running more and hopefully playing from ahead.

I.E.

Ronnie Brown: You have to like Long yr2, Grove, Smiley, and (possibly) Thomas to improve the running game. Factor in CP in year two, with more weapons, and a young growing defense with some major improvements as well. Ronnie is getting a boast to 3.7- 1250 yds 8tds.

Thomas Jones: The Jets OLine did enough to protect Favre and make some holes for TJ in the first 11 games, but they did not shine as expected. With a rookie QB and marginal weapons you'd expect the Jets to be a run happy team. Though the focus on running may favor TJ, I do see the Jet's running game facing 8-9 men in the box often. TJ downgraded to 3.4 1200 6 TD.

3) Continuity and Coaching: Generally speaking most coaches and systems are on a 3-4 year test run. If your coaches or systems are changing this is not always a good thing in year one. There is an adjustment period and you don't want to get caught gambling on this kind of potential. Smaller impact here, but note worthy.

I.E.

Ronnie Brown: Sparano take 2. You have to like the upside. No change: 3.7- 1250 yds 8tds.

Thomas Jones: Rex Ryan did bring in some of his boys for the defense, but the offense is about to undergo a makeover. I smell a youth movement in NY. Downgrade: 3.3 1150 6 TD.

4) Love and Happiness: There is something to say about a players happiness and whether or not they are in a contract year ( the last year of contract- audition for free agency). There is some merit to players not playing as "good" once they get a big deal and playing "better" when they're auditioning.

I.E.

Ronnie Brown: Still hungry to prove he can stay healthy- realizes this will hurt him in Free agency. No change: 3.7- 1250 yds 8tds.

Thomas Jones: Swann song for TJ. I can see him gone next year, unless the Jets make a playoff push. He could push hard enough to spark interest for a contender next year slight upgrade: 3.4 1200 6 TD.

5) Last and Most Important: Strength of Schedule! -And I'm not talking about the garbage you'll see posted all over the place. I mean REAL Strength of Schedule. In my next post, I'll explain this in more detail and expose the real chart climbers and chart droppers. (Basically, I apply my per-player point system to each team, coming up with offensive rush/pass and defensive rush/pass scores. Then I apply to the schedule and whalaaa... you see who has the hard schedule VS the rush and who is facing the weakest passing teams, etc. This is important because the teams' values must be done each year.

The real story will unfold and we'll examine the true and final impact to Ronnie and Thomas. You can see already that Ronnie and Thomas have flip-flopped in value. You could have been in trouble if you went with your first instinct. Without building a proper Strength of Schedule, you may also now be inclined to downgrade Ronnie because of the impending DIFFICULT SCHEDULE, but we'll soon see how true that really is. (Even though we might face tough teams, they could have suspect defenses, like INDY, NO, etc. and if they have weak run defenses, we'll then, the schedule might not be so difficult after all- Stay tuned!!!!)

6) Mind Your League! Values of players can change based on the league. Some leagues value scoring more, or as much as, yards, and some account for receiving as much as rushing. Valuing guys like Bush and Westbrook can get tricky, so pay attention to the rules.

SIDE BAR: To compose my Strength of Schedule, I need to maintain and coordinate ever teams depth charts, usually going 1-2 deep at back up. I even factor in the back-up as a small percentage of the teams values. Rookies even get moderate grades.

Also, once we've graded out the running backs and list them accordingly, we will then begin the second most important thing in composing our war room draft board...and that is making BUCKETS!! You will need to begin lumping players together for the purpose of judging their value. Let's say Pederson, LT, Tuner, and Portis are your first bucket and your second might be S Jackson, Ronnie Brown, Westbrook, Forte, Thomas and Gore. You can now compare who might be around as your draft unfolds. Let's say you have a t10 team draft,... we'll if you want a top tier RB you better not wait till round 3. Also if during the draft you are ending round two and you see a few left in bucket 2, you might want to try your luck for a back in round 3 after all. This method also help to avoid going after favorites and gut feelings and rather forces you to concentrate on playing the field for value.

Stayed tuned for more.. The Real "Strength of Schedule" coming up next--

I saw the fear in Sanchez's eyes at the Rookie Symposium

2009-07-01T16:44:22Z

Last night was my last night working the NFL Rookie Sympoisum. Here are some interesting tidbits:

Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford are like two peas in a pod. They're always walking around together. Get a room
NFL Network was on all of our TVs at the bar because they were mentioning the symposium at our hotel. But at one point in the show, they talked about the Dolphins in their "32 teams in 32 days" segment (we were number 16). At one point, they were discussing the dangerous duo that is Joey Porter and Jason Taylor. I kid you not, when that part of the show came on, Mark Sanchez had a look on his face that I would describe as "concerned" HAHAHAHA! The look on his face was worth a million dollars. I will never forget that face!
I was able to snag one of the symposium footballs they had around the bar. Here's a picture of it

Go Dolphins!

Coach Pennington

2009-07-01T12:28:38Z

Alright since CP10's contract expires this year, Henne will likely take over the starting QB spot. Then I thought, if CP10 would retire after this year or some other year, he'd make a great quarterback coach or offensive coordinater. He's smart enough to be a coach and future star, Henne, would love to have CP10 as one of his coaches. As long as Sparano is still in Miami, in my opinion I think it's a great idea, to bring him back as a coach.

Poll

Would it be a good idea to bring back Pennington as a coach (quarterback or offensive)?

Salute the Beard!!!

2009-07-01T01:15:47Z

In the honor of a new member of our favorite team, i would like to discuss beards ( and the cool guys who sport them). After seeing the Sensei's (Patrick Turner) beard, i got to thinking....Has there ever been a great receiver who has had a full grown, manacured beard????? I can't think of any right off hand.....In fact, offensive players in general don't usually have beards.......I'm really pumped about The Sensei, and i think he will be a great addition to this team. And this gets me to my point...........Who do you guys think is the best bearded player in the NFL, who is your favorite bearded Dolphin, and (if you want), who is the coolest bearded guy ever???????? Discuss!!!!!!

GO PHINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Miami Dolphins Offensive Line Analysis

2009-06-30T19:07:20Z

2009 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Jake Long
Left Guard: Justin Smiley
Center: Jake Grove
Right Guard: Donald Thomas / Brandon Frye / Ike Ndukwe / Andy Alleman / Shawn Murphy
Right Tackle: Vernon Carey

2008 Injuries:
G Justin Smiley: Weeks 14 to 17
G Donald Thomas: Weeks 2 to 17

2008 Statistics:

Left End		Left Tackle		Mid / Guard		Right Tackle		Right End		Passing
ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	Sacks	Rank
4.27	19	3.99	20	4.05	23	4.51	9	4.93	3	26	10

ALY (Adjusted Line Yards): It is an alternate measure for yards per carry developed by Football Outsiders that takes into account various factors including down, distance, situation and opponent.
Source: www.footballoutsiders.com

Overview:
The Miami Dolphins surprised everyone in 2008 winning 11 games and ranking 12th in yards of offense, their highest rank since 1997 when they had Dan Marino. As everyone knows, the Dolphins were the first one to use the wildcat formation last season which allowed them to average 4.2 yards per carry as a team but they still weren’t particularly consistent in the running game. The line played much better in pass protection than in 2007 allowing only 26 sacks as opposed to 42.

The Dolphins selected Jake Long with the first overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft and there is no doubt that he will be the starting left tackle for the Dolphins for years to come. Long is very strong and has a very large wingspan at 6’7" and 315 lbs. He is an excellent run blocker because of his strength and intensity. His aggressiveness which serves him well most of the time will however occasionally play against him when opposed to more experienced defensive linemen. Long made great improvements to his technique as a pass protector and found ways to make up for his lack of agility and slower feet. He allowed only 2.5 sacks in 2008 ranking fifth amongst left tackles. On the other side will be 2004 first round pick Vernon Carey for the second consecutive season. Carey played left tackle in 2007 and did an adequate job but made the move to the right side last season and played much better. He is a big body at 6’5" and 335 lbs who, like Long, is an excellent run blocker. The downside with him is that he lacks agility and has very slow feet so struggled in pass protection against the top defensive ends in the NFL. Last season, he allowed only 4.5 sacks ranking 11th amongst right tackles and continued to be efficient as a run blocker. 26-year old Brandon Frye who was dressed for seven games last season should be the main backup at tackle but will also compete for the starting job at right guard. 2009 sixth round pick Andrew Gardner and 2008 seventh round pick Nate Garner also add depth.

The Dolphins improved at guard last off-season by signing Justin Smiley from the 49ers to a five-year deal. Smiley is quite athletic for a guard and has the ability to pull to the outside in order to block. He is pretty strong and has quick feet but lacks technique in pass protection and will get overpowered at times. Smiley is a very good run blocker and an average pass protector, a nice upgrade for this line. Smiley is a natural at right guard but was moved to left guard in order to have a veteran presence beside the rookie Long and it proved to be an excellent move. Smiley has had trouble staying healthy in the past two years missing 12 starts and the Dolphins definitely need him to stay healthy. The other guard spot will be the weak link of this offensive line once again and it will be a competition between five players. The leader for the job should be Donald Thomas who won the job last year as a rookie but the 6’4" and 310 lbs missed the entire season with a broken foot and is now missing time because of a torn pectoral muscle. Backup tackle, 6’4" and 300 lbs, Brandon Frye has been impressive so far this off-season and could earn the starting job at guard. Competing with those two are Andy Alleman who started four games last season in place of Smiley at left guard, Ike Ndukwe who started 15 games at right guard in place of Thomas last season and last year’s fourth round pick Shawn Murphy who totally fell off the radar last season but is working hard this year.

The center position is much clearer with Jake Grove who was signed as a free agent from the Oakland Raiders. Grove started 46 games with the Raiders over the past five seasons but missed a number of games because of injuries and poor play at times. Grove isn’t the most talented but he will play hard on every play and the Dolphins certainly feel he’s an upgrade over Samson Satele, especially in the running game.

2009 Outlook:
The Dolphins made big improvements to their offensive line last off-season and they certainly want to continue improving. Grove should be a slight upgrade at center and the right guard position can only be better since there are five players fighting for it including last year’s starter. Jake Long should only get better in his second season while Carey and Smiley should continue to be solid starters. In terms of depth, the Dolphins are in good shape at guard but they have very little at tackle. Overall, this line should be slightly better in both run blocking and pass protection, even if the starters inside miss a few games, but they will once again need the two tackles Long and Carey to stay healthy.

See all of our 2009 Offensive Line Analysis Articles

Hello Phin Fans

2009-06-30T09:41:54Z

Alright, this should have been my first post, but the Michael Vick thing seemed more important. http://www.thephinsider.com/2009/6/29/929881/please-dont-be-true

I live in Pennsylvania and you all know this is Steeler country up here. I think I'm the only Phin fan in my town. I've followed the Dolphins since I was young (5 maybe) and I'm in highschool. My favorite Dolphin of all time is, Dan Marino. My favorite current player is, Greg Camarillo. Looking forward to a great season this year. LETS GO PHINS!!!

Training Camp Dates set

2009-06-30T04:33:26Z

The Dolphins will report on August 1, with practice beginning on the 2nd with a double session. Below is a listing of the 21 practices that will all be open to the public - barring the need for the team to go inside the bubble due to bad weather.

Date	Day	Morning	Afternoon
Aug. 2	Sunday	9 p.m.	5 p.m.
Aug. 3	Monday		2 p.m.
Aug. 4	Tuesday	9 a.m.
Aug. 5	Wednesday		2 p.m.
Aug. 6	Thursday	9 a.m.	5 p.m.
Aug. 7	Friday		2 p.m.
Aug. 8	Saturday		2 p.m.
Aug. 10	Monday	9 a.m.	5 p.m.
Aug. 11	Tuesday		2 p.m.
Aug. 12	Wednesday	9 a.m.
Aug. 13	Wednesday		2 p.m.
Aug. 14	Friday	9 a.m.	5 p.m.
Aug. 15	Saturday	10:15 a.m.
Aug. 19	Wednesday	9 a.m.	5 p.m.
Aug. 20	Thursday	9 a.m.	5 p.m.

Source: Palm Beach Post