h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

crazyhorse, The Flacons beat the Cowboys 27-13 last night..

thanks ku i'm glad to hear it

I'm not as glad to report it, I'm afraid, since I'm a Cowboys fan.

sorry bout yerbad luck mate..my younger bro was as well that's how i got started with the dolphins

BBS: Considering the three touchdowns Fiedler threw, and the fact that Griese isn't available due to injury, I don't expect to see a QB controversy anytime soon.

More importantly, where was the defense in this game? They should have been dominating, yet they did not record a single sack or turnover. Disgraceful.

THEY NEVER SHOULD'VE FIRED SHULA THE WAY THEY DID

You're right about "where's the defense?" my fantasy team is suffering because of this ...

What's the view Dolfans?

I know I often have a pop at the Fins (after all that's what they're here for ) , but after the Texans debacle they've regrouped nicely and are beginning to look like they'll be challenging for the AFC's spot in the Super Bowl.

*BUT* the one real concern I have for them is that they don't put games away. I thought they'd broken that habit with their triumph over the Bills, but against the Jaguars they had the ball twice in the last 6 minutes and went "3 and out" both times. They should have been able to run the clock down and close out the game. Fortunately the defense got a late int return to secure the victory.

I've also just noticed this article by Pete Prisco saying much the same thing ... http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/6715986

So Blathers, FF - are you feeling confident?

Okay, since you asked... and so nicely too!

Well, first of all, I can't complain too much. After all, we are 4-1 and leading the AFC East... you can't ask for too much more at this early juncture.

But you're right. The Fins are having troubles putting games away. This is how I see it at the moment...

Defense: absolutely awesome!!! They lead the league in points allowed and ppg. If they allow 10 points or less against New England then they will set a franchise record for least points allowed over a 5 game stretch. If you take out points scored by other means against Miami (ie return TD's against the offense or special teams) then Miami has a clear advantage over the rest of the league again... a full 2 ppg better than 2nd place Carolina...

Other stats for the offense (total yards, 16th, passing yards, 27th) are not so hot but these rankings are slightly misleading. Miami's early domination of games has had teams playing catch-up, along with a stout run defense, has had teams passing more (and their first 2 games while adjusting to the new zone schemes were not too hot). From the two games I've seen, you could probably put 150-200 passing yards as being given up under a soft prevent defense at games end. When the result has still been up in the air, they have been suffocating... dare I say it, on a par with more famous Tampa Bay and Baltimore defenses...

Can they keep it up? Who knows... that's why they play the games... if they can then the team can ride this D to the SB irrespective of the offensive shortcomings... if they don't, well, it'll be the same story in Miami as the last umpteen seasons...

Now the bad: Offense...

Okay, Jay is not playing well at all, continually missing the deep ball.. that said, Chris Chambers is really the only receiving threat with Derrius Thompson being a major bust to this point... the biggest problem though? The offensive line...

Ricky is not as dominant as he should be due to the O-Lines poor play... they are getting man-handled out there. I know the lack of a vertical passing game doesn't help the available running room, but Jamal Lewis and Stephen Davis don't seem to be having much trouble and Ricky is a better back than either of those... and I don't see defenses quaking at the prospect of facing Kyle Boller or Jake Delhomme... Nope, it's the O-Line... a veritable mess (though not as much as Chicago's)

Where from here... well, I'm reasonably confidant about the next two games... New England at home (and NE have NEVER won in Miami during the months of September and October) and a Monday nighter in San Diego... after that comes the real test... home against Indianapolis and then travel to Tennessee...

I'm not panicking by any means (hey, we're winning) but I'll reserve judgement a little until after those 4 games - although 2-2 through that stretch still won't be a disaster...

Here's hoping the D stays on form and the Offense starts to show weekly improvement...

To be honest, I'm quite excited really....

With regards to the defense ... I'd say Tampa's defense is still up there ... discount those 3 late TDs by the Colts and they've only given up 4TDs in 5 games ... that's pretty dominating ...

Looks like I may have to change my name....

As told by ESPN.coms Len Pasquarelli...

"No matter how the rest of the season plays out, the Miami Dolphins have already decided to make quarterback their top offseason priority. Even though the coaching staff goes to great lengths to defend Jay Fiedler, it knows, as does management that he isn't going to be a guy who ever gets the franchise to a Super Bowl. There has been plenty of rhetoric about Mark Brunell wanting to play in Miami, but don't count on it, for any number of reasons. The preference is to get a veteran for a year or so, maybe even (Brian) Griese if he reduces his financial demands, although no one is sold on him yet, either. But the push will be to get a quarterback in the draft, perhaps even the first round, or to trade for a young guy, like (Drew) Henson. There are financial ramifications, too, with Fiedler. He is due a $2 million option bonus by next March 14, is scheduled to earn a base salary of $5.775 million, and has a cap charge of $7.57 million. He's just not worth it. He's like the little girl with the curl. When he's good, he's good. But when he's bad, like (on Sunday), well, you know the rest...."

As it's a Monday nighter for me this week, I had free choice on the Sunday games. I chose the Dolphins-Pats game.

I listened to the Dolphins radio network (so they're certainly not biased against) and they just about spent the entire game slating the Fins offense as one-dimensional. Ricky runs, Ricky catches screen pass, Ricky breaks tackle, Ricky levitates above ground to avoid knee going down by contact ...

Now it's more like Ricky runs, Ricky catches, Ricky doesn't try very hard, Ricky gets tackled surprisingly easily, Ricky gets only a short gain, Ricky moves to the sideline while the team punts the ball away, Ricky plays the entire game like he's just going through the motions but doesn't really care about what's going on around him.

BTW the Fins are currently about $9 million over the cap for the 2004 season. Second only to the Titans ($16million).

After that it Pittsburgh and Denver at $2.5mm and the Raiders at $1.4MM.

They'll probably save most of that with the release of Griese and possibly Fiedler. And you have to expect they'll trim some fat at the WR position. None but Chambers are earning their pay.

The general manager position has been filled. And, as usual, the Dolphins did it with locals. Rick Spielman has been promoted from vice president to general manager, and will no longer report to Wannstedt. He and Wannstedt will report to the newly created office of senior VP of football operations... Dan Marino.

Danny is an offensive guy who will be required to guide us to a rebuilding of the offense through the draft... he may be uniquely qualified to help us in our greatest area of need. His strained relationship with Wannstedt is well-known, and he's never been fond of his successor, Jay Fiedler. Expect this front office to be aggressive in the offseason. Let's just hope Marino's learning curve in his new job is as smooth as his learning curve at QB was. Rick Spielman is pretty good, and he should be able to help him through the tough spots.

Well, it's been a quiet offseason in this thread, mostly because I don't know what to say about this team.

Marino left right away. So that ended that. Spielman is back in charge.

Norv Turner is gone. And his highly-touted replacement stepped down for health reasons. This leaves us very questionable at offensive coordinator.

The offensive line received a much-needed boost. Of particular interest is the addition from the stand-out Carolina line (Jeno James) who will help provide push up the middle. However... LT was still not addressed.

Is David Boston the answer to stretch the field and give Chris Chambers room to maneuver? This could be an excellent receiver tandem. Or not.

Is AJ Feeley the answer at QB? He was a feel-good story when he stepped in for the Eagles, but 4 games are hardly enough to evaluate him. And if not, Fiedler isn't accurate enough downfield to stretch the field... whether Boston is the answer or not.

Meanwhile, the real offensive star, who clearly ran soft at times last year, is in trouble for smoking weed. Look, Ricky, if you need a drug, you need something that will make you mean. You're too damned laid back already.

Adewale Ogunleye and his AFC sack title are sitting out offseason workouts while he demands a top-dollar contract. But he's a restricted free agent, meaning the Dolphins do not have to give him unrestricted free agent money. Neither side seems to be bending on this one.

The Miami draft was a mediocre one at best. They got the offensive lineman they needed, but they needlessly traded up to get him. They managed to steal a potential star corner in the 4th round because he's got greater potential to be a massive head-case. They didn't have a single pick in the second or third rounds, so here's hoping they grabbed someone on the second day that'll turn out to be useful.

This could all turn out to be the most successful chemistry experiment since teflon, but it looks more to me like it'll just explode in their faces.

Offensive coordinator ... didn't you get Marc Trestman ... the man Rich Gannon yelled on live MNF? Hmmm don't remember many runs in the Raider gameplan last year, but I think that was Callahan's fault.

Boston seems like a problem child to me, and the Fins seem more about teamwork than stars. Can't see him being too happy if Jay can't get him the ball ... shades of Terrell Owens ahead perhaps.

Maybe the lack of expectation will work in the Dolphins favour and they'll get it together ... *clutch*

BBS

There is no lack of expectation. Miami fans always expect thsi team to be a Super Bowl contender, and I'm sure the coach and GM are telling them that they feel they're headed in the right direction. This certainly doesn't look like a rebuilding year. The core of the team is still together.

Joel Collier was promoted from within to become our new offensive coordinator. When he stepped down to due to health reasons, Chris Foerster was promoted. This guy had only just joined the team... as a TE coach.

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