Well we now know the match-up for the Super Bowl and it should be a good one. More importantly, all is once again back to normal in the universe thanks to the Colts' win over the Jets. But why has nobody asked Rex Ryan about how "shocked" he must be now? Remember, he said last week that he would be "shocked" if the Jets lost. Well his defense allowed over 450 yards of offense and 30 points. What does he have to say now?
Of course, that game was an example of how the game of football is changing. No longer do good defenses beat good offenses. This is now a pass happy league. What does this mean for the Dolphins? I'll leave that open for debate.
Let's now talk about some of this weekend's headlines:
Is Dumervil on Miami's radar?
The biggest Dolphin-related story to come out of this weekend really relates back to the biggest story last week - Mike Nolan's hiring as defensive coordinator. With Nolan now in Miami, speculation is beginning about Miami's possible interest in Broncos outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil - who led the NFL in 2009 with 17 sacks.
Most of this speculation is stemming from a report by ESPN's Adam Schefter, who tweeted:
Mike Nolan brings 3-4 defense to Miami, along with knowledge of Broncos free agent LB Elvis Dumervil. Look for him to be on Miami's radar.
But Dumervil is scheduled to be a restricted free agent - meaning the Dolphins can't simply negotiate with him and sign him, if they were interested. Instead, they would have to work something out with the Broncos as well. I'd imagine that Denver will at least use the first round tender on Dumervil ($2.4 million) and could even use the first-and-third round tender offer ($3.1 million).
So if the Dolphins were interested, you'd have to expect the Dolphins to try working out a trade with Denver rather than simply handing over at least a first round pick. And in all honesty, I wouldn't even think about giving up the #12 overall pick for Dumervil. Why? The guy is only 5'11 and is a one trick pony. Yes - he can rush the passer. But he gets blocked into next week when teams run at him. He flat out stinks against the run. In fact, of all 3-4 OLBs to play at least 25% of their team's defensive snaps, ProFootballFocus rated Dumervil as the 2nd worst run defender in the league.
Besides, don't the Dolphins already have a one trick pass-rushing pony named Cameron Wake? Why not let him develop? Let's see what Nolan and his scheme can do for him.
Senior Bowl week upon us
On Monday, Tony Sparano and Miami's coaching staff will begin their week long job as the South's coaching staff. Practices, by the way, will air all week long on NFL Network.
This opportunity is an excellent chance for the Dolphins to see some of the top prospects in April's draft up close and personal. And the Palm Beach Post pointed out on Sunday that two players the staff will likely pay close attention to are Terrence Cody and Dan Williams - both candidates to play nose tackle in the NFL. Cody is massive, coming in at 365 pounds. Williams is also a big guy himself, tipping scales at around 327 pounds. Both are big and strong and are solid nose tackle prospects. But both have red flags.
Cody is rumored to be lazy. And he didn't exactly dominate at the college level like a 360 pound potential first round pick should have. Williams, meanwhile, also has conditioning issues and is known to not have a "full-go" kind of motor. The Dolphins will get a chance to see these two practice first hand - which should provide some valuable information.
Those two aren't the only two key players who are on the South squad, though. The full South roster can be found here. Some of the other notable guys Sparano and company will be coaching include QB Tim Tebow, TE Jimmy Graham, S Taylor Mays, DE/OLB George Selvie, and WR Jeremy Williams.
Quick Hits
- In PFW's latest "Audibles" article (where NFL scouts, coaches, and front office personnel share their thoughts on the condition of anonymity), the Dolphins are shown some love - with Chad Henne being referred to as a "very good" young quarterback.
- The Dolphins reportedly told CB Nathan Jones they are interested in re-signing him. But his agent and the Dolphins are apparently far apart in contract talks.