Big Dave's Position By Position Breakdown.
What's that you're
saying? No team repeated as divisional champions last year? You're now saying
that the Dolphins sport the 5th toughest schedule in the NFL? Well, didn't
you know they had the 2nd toughest schedule in the NFL last year and won
the AFC East with an 11-5 record? You're right , the Dolphins finished the
preseason with a 1-4 record with their only win coming on a Hail Mary pass
from Mike Quinn to Robert Baker ... two players no longer on the team. Now
there's no need to sound like a newsgroup troll by saying the Dolphins'
last game of any importance was a 27-0 rout by the Oakland Raiders in last
year's playoff game... there was nothing left in the tank after the Colts
playoff game. It all doesn't matter to me as I'm believing that the Dolphins
will finish at worst with an 11-5 record and be playing in the AFC
Championship game only to lose to the Baltimore Ravens who everyone is writing
off for some reason. Yep, you read that right. Not only will the Dolphins
break the Jets' 6 game winning streak, but the overrated Jets will be once
again watching the Dolphins in the playoffs from their homes. I'm not being
mean ... I'm just being honest. So, let me break down the excitement for
you as we enter the 2001 football season. And don't forget this ... the
Miami Dolphins are the defending AFC East Champions!!
While most teams
can get excited about a Peyton Manning, an Edgerin James, a Marshall Faulk,
or a Keyshawn Johnson let me say that the Dolphins don't have a #1 pick
starting on the offensive side of the ball. What they do have are some hardworking
overachieving athletes and some very intelligent coaches that can put it
all together. Last year the Dolphins showed the players that if they can
trust in the coaches they can not only win at home but on the road in December.
Yes, that's right, HEAD COACH Dave Wannstedt has the Miami Dolphins believing
in him.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Chan Gailey and DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR Jim Bates are back leading the charge.
They aren't satisfied with what they did last season and are hoping to improve
on 2000 by adding new plays and formations. There were times during the
preseason where you'd see QB Jay Fiedler having to read his wrist to figure
out the new play they were running. Bates, having to adjust to the departure
of Miami's top sack machine, Trace Armstrong, is using the speed of the
linebackers in his blitz packages. There is more "team work" going on among
the coaching staff as Wannstedt dismissed OL Coach Paul Boudreau and ST
Coach Mike Westhoff and brought in buddies Tony Wise (OL) and Keith Armstrong
(ST) who are proven winners. Now that the Dolphins are into the second year
with Gailey and Bates, they're going to expect the players to know and do
more.
A lot of the "experts"
are writing the Dolphins off because they're looking at QUARTERBACK Jay
Fiedler. While a lot of us would have enjoyed Wannstedt going out and getting
Trent Green or Brad Johnson, it didn't happen. What Fiedler has shown us
facing good first string defenses (Bucs, Packers, Chargers, and Vikings)
is that he has improved. He has a year of experience in Chan Gailey's system,
his shoulder is healed, and he has finally had a full camp to work the kinks
out. He still throws the occasional "bad pass" but is a very intelligent
quarterback who makes quick reads and delivers the ball accurately. Backing
up Fiedler is ex-Jets QB, Ray Lucas, who is a big upgrade over Damon Huard
(who is now with the Patriots). If the Dolphins had Lucas last year then
Fiedler would not have been in the lineup last year throwing all those interceptions
because of the injury. Admit it, before that injury we were all starting
to believe in Fiedler as a good fit for this offense. The 3rd string QB
is Cade McNown, a former #12 overall pick in the draft a couple years ago.
While the playboy mansion may be off limits to him, QB Coach Dave Shula
will welcome our future with open arms.
After the Dolphins
improved dramatically last year on the OFFENSIVE LINE play, Dave Wannstedt
did a surprising thing and fired OL Coach Paul Boudreau and hired his buddy
Tony Wise. Tony Wise immediately looked over the film and was shocked by
the number of sacks the Dolphins OL gave up last year. Well, under Wise
the Dolphins first team OL didn't surrender a sack in the preseason. The
Dolphins let LT Richmond Webb go and were counting on Brent Smith to carry
the load, but he went down in the preseason with a season ending injury.
The Dolphins grabbed ex-Bills starter Marcus Spriggs and he has done a decent
job so far. While he isn't spectacular the Dolphins athletic quarterbacks
don't rely on the protection of the LT position as they aren't the typical
"drop-back" quarterbacks. LG Mark Dixon, while fighting back problems, is
Miami's best offensive lineman. C Tim Ruddy is fresh off of making the Pro
Bowl last year and has become a very good offensive lineman leading by example.
RT Todd Wade did an excellent job last year as a rookie and there is no
reason to believe that he won't improve this year. Right now he's working
out the chemistry between he and newcomer RG Todd Perry whom Wannstedt brought
in from Chicago to replace Kevin Donnalley. Tony Wise has made some changes
to the OL and has gone to an older formation making it harder for defensive
penetration. So far it's worked out very well as the Dolphins are passing
and running the ball well.
Don't expect an
ultra conservative attack this year by Miami's offense as Chan Gailey will
open up the offense this year. Gailey did a good job in Dallas a couple
years ago by disguising the Cowboys flaws with some intelligent coaching
and playcalling. It was the last time the Cowboys made the playoffs. Last
year he only gave the offense what they could work with and it ended up
being very conservative. Not this year. Gailey still has a bruising back
in Lamar Smith, but he also has some speed burners in the WIDE RECEIVER
position. Wannstedt brought in WR James McKnight from the Cowboys and he
immediately becomes Miami's fastest player as he runs a 4.2 in the 40. Not
only is he fast but he is also Miami's best route runner. In the second
round, Wannstedt traded up and grabbed WR Chris Chambers who is also incredibly
fast. When he gets the ball he runs like a running back. He and McKnight
have the ability to add yards after the catch ... what we Fin Fans have
waited a long time for. Chambers has been the most impressive rookie WR
so far and if he continues to make those acrobatic catches then he could
well be the offensive rookie of the year. This hasn't gone unnoticed as
ESPN's Joe Theismann is predicting that Chambers will be the rookie of the
year. With McKnight and Chambers on the field you won't see all those double
teams that WR Orande Gadsden would get next year. While Gadsden isn't fast
he is huge and has the best hands on the team. That one handed catch against
the Raiders in last year's playoff game still makes the highlight films.
Gadsden is definitely Miami's "money-man" in the Red Zone as he can outleap
DB's for the ball. WR Dedric Ward was brought in from the Jets and he has
blazing speed. Being injured in preseason has retarded the chemistry that
he may have been developing with Fiedler, but he'll be worked into the offense.
AND don't discount WR OJ McDuffie as he could make an appearance in week
7 when he gets off the PUP list. Hopefully his toe will be ready to go or
it could be retirement time for OJ. Then again, he may just get tired of
it all and want to be part of the action and tell the trainers to just "kill
the pain." Yep, this is the best group of wide receivers the Dolphins have
had since Mark Duper, Mark Clayton, and Nat Moore.
The person who will
benefit from all the speed of the wide receivers besides QB Jay Fiedler
will be RUNNING BACK Lamar Smith. Smith is entering the last year of his
2 year contract and lost some weight to make himself faster. Not only is
he faster but he is hard to bring down as it usually takes more than the
first man to tackle him. With all the quality wide receivers that the Dolphins
now have you won't see defenses stacking the line of scrimmage focusing
on Lamar Smith. Defenses have done this the past 3 years just daring the
Dolphins to pass. In my opinion (IMO) there is no one more important to
this team than Lamar Smith as he brings good ball control to the offense
keeping the defense fresh as the officials move the first down chains. If
he can stay healthy Lamar Smith has the ability to become Miami's first
1500 yard running back. Behind Smith is JJ "Jello" Johnson who is always
hurt. Rookie RB Travis Minor is explosive and an excellent pass blocker.
Chan Gailey has some surprises for us as he'll line up as a wide out at
times and chew up yardage ... if he can hold onto the ball. The FULL BACK
position is held by Rob Konrad and backed up by Deon Dyer. They're both
bruising blockers and perhaps we'll see Rob Konrad show us why he can be
an exciting player. He disappeared in the last 2 preseason games, but don't
expect that to happen with Gailey in charge during the regular season.
There is nothing
spectacular in Miami's TIGHT END position. In Chan Gailey's offense, the
tight end is nothing more than another blocking guard. That's why the Dolphins
drafted LT/TE Shawn Draper. TE Hunter Goodwin will definitely be the starter
as he is clearly the best blocking TE on the team. Backing him us is Jed
Weaver who made some exciting catches near the end of the season last year.
He is probably Miami's most balanced TE on the team. One thing of note here
is that by the end of the season Gailey started throwing more to his tight
ends and we also saw it in the preseason. Alonzo Mayes, whom the Dolphins
got from the Bears last year is talented but is on the PUP list pulling
splinters out his rear end from the bench. Ed Perry is only on the team
because of his long snapping abilities ... which he is outstanding at.
The Dolphins are returning
10 of their 11 starting defensive players. In fact, too much was made about
replacing QB Jay Fiedler that no one took notice that the Dolphins miraculously
kept the #6 DEFENSE in the NFL together. When the first team defense has
been together in preseason they have looked unstoppable. In fact, I'll go
on a limb and say that they'll look better this year than last year.
A Defense is only as healthy
as they defensive line. Miami's DL is the deepest and most talented part
of their team. With DT Tim Bowens and DT Darryl Gardener in the middle,
it's like trying to move a boulder out of the way. It's no wonder that Kevin
Mawae listed them as two of the 5 hardest linemen to move in the NFL. If
Gardener can keep his back healthy you can expect to see them both in the
Pro Bowl game. Outside is DE Jason Taylor and he excels in the passing game.
He has the word "playmaker" written all over him. His run stopping abilities
are underrated. Not only is he fast, strong, instinctive, and rich, but
he is also married to MLB Zack Thomas' sister. On the other side is Kenny
Mixon who is looking for a big contract next year. He is a very good run
stopper but has been taken out of passing plays in the past. To get the
coaches to turn their head he lost 15 pounds to give himself more quickness
by eating only 1 meal a deal ... but it was a whopper of a meal. Lorenzo
Bromell will alternate with Mixon on the end and in my opinion you can expect
to see 13 sacks betweeen the both of them ... more than an adequate replacement
of Trace Armstrong. There is plenty of depth on the DL as Daemon Gregory,
Earnest Grant, Jermaine Haley, and Adewale Ogunleye have proven they could
start and be effective. Keep an eye on Ogunleye as he has developed into
a playmaker.
The weakest part of Miami's
defense is their LINEBACKER position. Last year injuries to Zack Thomas
made the running game fall to 14th in the league. Part of that stat is due
to having the nickel package in the game 60% of the time. OLB Derrick Rodgers
is back with a new contract and Bates is drooling over using his speed as
a pass rusher on blitzes. I think we'll see why Rodgers was the defensive
rookie of the year a few years back. The new starting linebacker on the
strong side is Twan Russell who has looked OK so far. He'll always be on
the Dolphins squad because of his special teams abilities which he excels
at. The Dolphins were hoping that 3rd round pick Morlon Greenwood would
be the starter, but because of an injury early in camp he may not contribute
too much until midseason. I've left the best for last, but MLB Zack Thomas
is still one of the best linebackers in the NFL. His pass coverage abilities
have improved over the years. Bates will use his speed more in the blitz
packages. I think defenses will try to exploit Miami's weakness on Twan
Russell's side of the ball.
Many Dolphins fans groaned
outloud when Wannstedt made CB Jamar Fletcher his #1 pick. His reasoning
for it was that Miami's nickel package was on the field 60% of the time
and the Dolphins wanted the best covering/tackling/intecepting CORNERBACK
in the draft on their team. They didn't realize then that CBs Ben Kelly
and Terry Cousins would be much improved and able to play in Miami's nickel
position, a sore spot for many years. Jamar Fletcher has been slown down
due to 2 injuries and was late because of contract squabbles, but has improved
steadily the past 2 weeks of preseason. Fletcher is who Miami will want
in their nickel package because he knows how to bait a receiver only to
be there for an interception. No one intercepted the ball more than Fletcher
the past 3 years in college ball. The starting duo of Sam Madison and Patrick
Surtain form the best starting cornerbacks in the NFL. Teams can't throw
the ball away from Madison anymore because Surtain is just as good.
The Dolphins are privileged
to have SAFETY Brock Marion back for one more year at free safety. Marion
tested the free agent market last year and didn't get any real takers, so,
he decided to come back to Miami for one more year ... as Miami's cheapest
defensive personnel. Even part-timer Lorenzo Bromell makes more than he
does. But don't cry any tears for Marion as he has made a bundle over the
past few years. Marion was Miami's leading tackler last year. FS Brian Walker
is the other starter and he made people wonder why he was never drafted.
He's a good cover safety and knows how to deliver a good bruising hit. Backing
them up is Arturo Freeman (Marion's heir apparent), and Shawn Wooden (a
former staret who is back from his stint in Chicago).
To say that SPECIAL TEAMS
will be improved would be incorrect as newcomer Keith Armstrong is leading
the troops. Wannstedt felt that the former ST coach, Mike Westhoff (who
is now with the Jets), undermined his authority at times, so, he brought
his buddy to Miami. While Westhoff is a good coach he definitely benefitted
from Jimmy Johnson and Dave Wannstedt's passion for great special teams.
The personnel is in place even though the Dolphins lost Larry Izzo to the
Patriots. Trent Gamble and Twan Russell will be leading the Special Teams.
WR Chris Chambers turned some heads with some good kickoff returns and WR
Jeff Ogden will return the punts as he became Miami's most dangerous punt
returner since OJ McDuffie used to do them early in his career. Kicker Olindo
Mare is one of the best kickers in the NFL and it was wise for Wannstedt
and Spielman to give him $2 million a year making him the highest paid kicker
in the NFL. The Dolphins will rely on him for the close games. Punter Matt
Turk is showing Wannstedt why he was a Pro Bowl punter a few years ago as
he is getting distance and hang time on his punts impressively. Last year
his inconsistency was due to his brother fighting a losing battle with cancer.
Other Dolphins News And Rumors.
Whether you like Dave Wannstedt
or not you have to admit that he's a breath of fresh air in the Dolphins
organization. Shula, in the midst of retirement, mellowed out in his later
years and didn't make the personnel changes that were required of him (like
hiring a real defensive coordinator). Jimmy Johnson was all about Jimmy
and never gave Miami that Super Bowl that he promised as his biggest task
was fixing the salary cap hardships that was handed by him by Don Shula
(who still is my favorite coach). JJ lost heart and patience and quit when
all he needed was another year or two. Wannstedt has come in and hired good
personnel all around him. He's been honest with the players and has been
unafraid to make the tough decision. Many times when a coach gets a second
opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL he'll end up making the same mistakes,
but Wannstedt has not. Just look at his draft the past 2 years as he's drafted
speed instead of the lumbering athletes that he drafted in Chicago. You
saw his leadership last year after the Dolphins lost that heartbreaker to
the Jets on MNF and witnessed the Dolphins rebound and win 2 in a row after
that. The Dolphins the year before that weren't like that as they did their
usual slide into the playoffs losing one game after the next.
The Dolphins are typically
a very fast starting team and that's what is needed for them to face Tennessee,
Oakland, and St Louis ... teams that someone-somewhere has picked to be
in the Super Bowl this year. While this is the first year since '97 that
their starting 3 wide receivers (McDuffie's injury has been ongoing) are
healthy, the same thing can't be said about their defense. So far MLB Zach
Thomas, FS Brock Marion, DT Tim Bowens, DT Daryl Gardener, and CB Patrick
Surtain have missed at least one game during the preseason due to injury.
On the offensive side of the ball the Dolphins lost starter LT Brent Smith
for the season and LG Mark Dixon is having his share of back problems. For
the Dolphins to spring off to a good start they need to be healthy.
Yes, we know that Jay Fiedler
is the quarterback, but the fact remains that the Dolphins have some playmakers
catching the ball. The last time the Dolphins had this much potential problems
for defenses was back in '95 when OJ McDuffie, Irving Fryar, and Gary Clark
had 161 repections for 2254 yards and 18 touchdowns. With a good running
game this is reachable as Chan Gailey is dying to chuck the ball downfield.
Did you know the Dolphins
are one of only 2 teams in the NFL who are projected to have a starting
offense without a first round pick in the lineup? Who is the other team?
They're the Denver Broncos and many people are projecting them to be Super
Bowl champs by season's end. In fact, Miami has 4 starters on the offense
who weren't even drafted: QB Jay Fiedler, LG Mark Dixon, Wr James McKnight,
and WR Orande Gadsden. Incredible as it may sound these four players didn't
make the final cut on the 53 player rosters.
What are the coaches saying
about the Dolphins?
Dave Campo (Cowboys Coach/Jerry Jones Puppet)
"In the AFC, I think a team that might surprise some people is the Miami
Dolphins. Dave Wannstedt is doing an excellent job of building a good
team with Miami."
Paul Boudreau (Panther's OL Coach)
"Miami has a terrific defense Jay (Fiedler) had a solid year at quarterback
and Lamar (Smith) had a great year at running back."
Robert Ford (Dolphins WR Coach)
"I think we've got a really good football team. (But) it looks like we're
playing ALL of the contenders this year. Last year we supposedly had the
second toughest schedule in the league. This year, in my opinion, our
schedule is even more difficult. When you're talking about playing Oakland,
Denver, St. Louis and Tennessee, along with our division schedule, it
makes you wonder whom Baltimore is playing."
I found 3 Preseason Power
Rankings. They give a bit of insight into the upcoming year.
ESPN (Chris Mortenson)
"10. Well, it wasn't all just talk after all. New WRs James McKnight and
Chris Chambers flashed their speed for big plays Saturday night against
the Chargers. QB Jay Fiedler was a happy man. The concerns in Miami relate
to DT Tim Bowens (knee) and the left side of the offensive line, where
G Mark Dixon (a Pro Bowl-caliber player) may have to move to LT. Overall,
I see the Dolphins and Colts in a terrific fight to the finish."
CBS Sportsline (Pete Prisco)
"8. The big question with this team is the quarterback spot. Can Jay Fiedler
lead this team to a Super Bowl? He is healthy now and has played well
in the preseason. He might not be able to win games by himself, but he
is good enough to keep defenses honest. Having speed outside will help.
The defense will be outstanding. The corners are suffocating, while the
line is deep. This is now a fast team, and a confident one. "
CNN/SI (Dr. Z)
"13. Coach Dave Wannstedt is the only guy sold on QB Jay Fiedler. Everyone
wanted him to pick up someone, anyone, to run things, even untried Matt
Hasselbeck. Wannstedt remains loyal, despite the fact that Fiedler threw
six picks in the two playoff games. Good defense, of course, which is
Wannstedt's trademark, and a surprisingly effective running game. If Jay
is OK, then the Dolphins will be, too."
Wannstedt said that prior
to the year his biggest task was to improve the offense. By looking at the
stats that Curt Fennell
put on the Dolphins newsgroup it looks he made a lot of changes.
"The position breakdown on the team is as follows: 3 QBs (2 new) 4 Rbs (1 new) 2 FBs (0 new) 4 TEs (1 new) 5 WRs (3 new) 8 OL (4 new) 5 DTs (0 new) 4 DEs (0 new) 6 LBs (1 new) 5 CBs (2 new) 5 Ss (1 semi-new - Shawn Wooden returns) 1 P 1 K There is just 1 new starter on defense - Twan Russell at SLB. There are 3 new starters on offense (James McKnight, Marcus Spriggs, Todd Perry)."
ESPN's Chris Mortenson recently rated the quarterbacks from 1 to 31. He
put Fiedler in at #21. Below is what he had to say about Fielder and if you
want to read the whole thing then follow this link.
21. Jay Fiedler, Miami Dolphins. "He may be
the ideal No. 2 quarterback who happens to be a starter. But that still
means he's a solid starter, maybe even underrated. He did deliver a division
title, despite injuries. Now he has more weapons, and offensive coordinator
Chan Gailey is pretty good at maximizing his arsenal. Fiedler still will
throw an inopportune interception, but don't dismiss him."
After seeing QB Cade McNown
fail at Chicago, some Dolphins fans are wondering what the big deal is about.
While you can't look at what a person did in college and declare him a star,
he does have a lot of potential. When you're the #12 pick of the draft big
things are expected of you. In Miami the pressure is off and hopefully the
Dolphins can resurrect his confidence. When he led UCLA to 20 consecutive
victories in his last two years, he completed 59 percent of his passes for
49 touchdowns and threw only 17 interceptions. In his final game he led
UCLA to a 49-45 victory over the Miami Hurricanes. On the way he passed
for 513 yards and 5 touchdowns. Pretty impressive.
What's with all the Bears
cluttering the Dolphins roster and coaching staff? Maybe we should call
them the Miami Bears. Anyways, the
Sun Sentinel put a good list of Bears on the Roster. Here ya go!
Name Chicago connection Dolphins connection Dave Wannstedt Bears head coach 1993-98 Dolphins asst. head coach/head coach 1999- Rick Spielman Bears dir. pro personnel 1997-2000 Dolphins VP-player personnel 2000- George Paton Ass't. dir. pro personnel 2000 Dir. pro personnel 2001- Keith Armstrong Bears special teams coach 1997-2000 Dolphins special teams coach 2001- Robert Bass Bears linebacker 1995 Dolphins Dir. Player programs 2000- Clarence Brooks Bears defensive line coach 1993-98 Dolphins defensive line coach 2000- Pat Jones Bears offensive line specialist 1995 Dolphins tight ends coach 1996- Mike Shula Bears tight ends coach 1993-95 Dolphins quarterbacks coach 2000- Alonzo Mayes Bears tight end 1998-99 Dolphins tight end 2000- Todd Perry Bears guard 1993-2000 Dolphins guard 2001- Tony Wise Bears offensive line coach 1993-98 Dolphins offensive line coach 2001- *Shawn Wooden Bears safety 2000 Dolphins safety 1996-99, 2001-
For all their hard work,
these wannabees deserve some recognition. At one time, QB-Jay Fiedler(twice),
K-Olindo Mare, LG-Mark Dixon(twice), SS-Brian Walker, P-Matt Turk(twice),
WR-James McKnight, and WR-Oronde Gadsden(twice) were once "training camp
casualties" at other NFL camps, so, you may see these names resurface again.
I felt that S Nick Sorensen and CB Zebbie Lethridge did a fairly decent
job in training camp and we may see their names again in the NFL. My greatest
disappointments would be seeing G Jamie Nails, S Darryl Porter, and LB Paris
Johnson not make the team.
2001 Dolphins Training Camp Casualties:
* DT-Buck Gurley
* C-Jason Andersen
* DE-Rameel Connor
* DE-Devon Finn
* WR-David Foye
* WR-Daniel Guy
* LB-Aaron Gatten
* FB-Matt Kalapinski
* CB-Zebbie Lethridge
* LT-Michael Lies
* S-Nick Sorensen
* QB-Josh Heupel
* LB-Nate Hemsley
* WR-LaVell Boyd
* QB Mike Quinn.
* G Ben Adams
* WR Robert Baker (**cleared waivers**)
* WR Corey Bridges (**cleared waivers**)
* OT Anthony Cesario
* LB Paris Johnson
* DE Otis Leverette
* CB Deshone Mallard
* LB Tyrus McCloud
* G Jamie Nails
* S Daryl Porter
* RB Vaughn Sanders
* OT Brandon Winey (**cleared waivers**)
When I couldn't find a picture
of Zack Thomas' sister who recently married teammate Jason Taylor, I sent
out my buddy Pa Pa Razzi to snap a few pictures of her. This is what he
found:)
Here's a list of predictions
I've found over the 'net with a star (or WC/C/SB) if they thought the Fins
would make the playoffs. At the very end of the table is the projected finish
in the AFC East. I should have them all filled in by the end of the week.
* -Play Offs (not specific)
WC - Wild Card
2R - 2nd Round
C - AFC Championship Game
SB - Super Bowl.
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MAGAZINE/MEDIA
PREDICTIONS
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WEBMASTER
PREDICTIONS
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I frequent the Dolphins Newsgroup
from time to time and get a lot of info for my web pages there. These guys
seem to know their stuff, so I decided to put a few of their predictions
on the page as well.
James (JLFINFAN) ....
* Miami returns 10 of 11 starters on defense,
and have injected some speed into their offense. Travis Minor has shown
some solid potential. Chris Chambers could very well be the steal of the
draft. Lamar Smith has looked terrific in the preseason, and should pick
up where he left off last season. And the Dolphin defensive line is the
best in the country, hands down!For these reasons alone, I predict that
Miami will once again return to the playoffs.
* But there are some concerns. The Dolphins
lack depth at LB, and depth on the offensive line is almost non-existant.
I think that Miami's once dominate special teams will miss coach Westhoff.
And finally, Miami's schedule is not very friendly, especially the last
4 weeks. Miami plays the Colts at home on a Monday night. They then travel
to San Fransico for a game on Sunday, only to travel to New England six
days later for a game against the Patriots. Just thinking about it gives
me "Jet Lag".
* So for these reasons, I don't see Miami repeating
as AFC East champs. Still, a 10-6 season and a trip to the playoffs as
a wild card is nothing to cry about! And that is what I predict for the
Dolphins.
Rick ....
I see the Fins finishing 11-5 again, the improvement in their offense
offsetting weaknesses from injuries to the defense. That record should
be enough to win the East again. I see the Rams beating the Broncos in
the Superbowl.
MoonScorch ....
I, too, see the Fins finishing at 11-5. The offense will rely on Lamar
Smith heavily and the defense will bend but not break. As far as the Super
Bowl goes, there seems to be a streak of teams nobody is really predicting
to go all the way. So what the (heck): Dolphins beat the Packers. I've
been waiting for this my whole life!
Todd Paler ....
My prediction, barring major injuries, particularly along the O-line and
Linebacking corps (which is the key!), is 12-4. Yeah! You heard me right.
Our defense will be better than last year. Couple this with a more balanced
offense marked by some big passing play potential, and we have the formula
for a very successful season. I see a 2nd AFC East title and more importantly
a 1st round bye. This will lead us to at least the AFC title game. Beyond
that it's hard to predict. Just for the sake of predicting, I'll say Fins/Rams
in Superbowl XXXVI.
StuGotts ....
Now that the final cuts have been made and the season's upon us: 9-7 or
10-6 is my gut feeling. TOUGH schedule.
LT? Using the term "journeyman" is giving them
the benefit of the doubt IMO. And aside from Wade, there's nothing to
write home about with the rest of the OL.
Gardener? His back problems are chronic. He's
gonna be relegated to spot duty... like Haley wound up doing in SF at
the end of his career. And considering that Bowens is coming off knee
suregery...
LB? Twan's not the answer, neither is Galyon.
Greenwood's just an injured rookie. Definitely not the Phins strong suite.
TE? See LT.
Better at: WR, QB, DB & RB but the minuses
are just too much.
All in all... a 2 game drop-off.
Gerald Lichtcsien ....
Fins -- 12-4. Bucs beat Fins in Superbowl, 73-3, unless the Fins hire
Coach Ditka who would guide Miami to a 62-6 win.
SAR I (a Jets fan) ....
Dolphins go 8-8, miss the Playoffs. Indianapolis' rise from mediocrity
spells doom for the Fins. When gimpy Fiedler goes down, who will Wanny
turn to? See the forest, not the trees. Super Bowl Titans 6 Bucs 3
What are the experts saying?
Dan Pompii/Sporting News ....
"If the passing game is as improved as it has appeared so far, they could
be better than you think." Super Bowl: Bucs over the Broncos.
Don Banks/Sports Illustrated ....
"Call us naysayers, but if the Dolphins are so sold on quarterback Jay
Fiedler, how come they tried to trade for Matt Hasselbeck and then did
so for Cade "Mr. Chicago" McNown? And while we're at it, can Miami's always
suspect running game rely on Lamar Smith repeating his career-best 1,139-yard
showing of 2000? What's not to like about that Dolphins defense? But a
brutal September schedule -- Titans, Bills, Raiders and Rams -- should
tell us whether that spare-parts offense is for real. "
Alex Marvez/Sun Sentinel ....
"My guess -- 10-6 and first place in the AFC East. If that prediction
comes true, the Dolphins probably aren't getting a first-round postseason
bye even though they may field a better team than in 2000. And without
getting a home playoff game in round two, forget about the Dolphins in
the Super Bowl. Again."
Keven Lerner/Sun Sentinel ....
"11-5. Miami's defense has 10 of 11 returning starters from last season,
when it ranked fourth in the AFC and sixth in the NFL in total defense.
The Dolphins' offense is clearly improved with the addition of deep threats
Chris Chambers and James McKnight. Playing Carolina, Atlanta and Buffalo
and New England twice equals six wins. I also think the Dolphins will
split the season series with Indy and the Jets, and beat the Raiders and
Broncos at home. Throw in an upset along the way."
Michael Mayo/Sun Sentinel ....
"10-6. The Dolphins exceeded expectations last year, making me not only
look foolish but dyslexic. I predicted 5-11, and they turned out 11-5.
I predicted doom and gloom, and the Dolphins won the AFC East. This year,
I say no division title (that goes to the Colts), but a wild-card berth.
Second-round splattering, here we come."
Chris Perkins/Sun Sentinel ....
"10-6. I think this team is a bit improved over a year ago, but the early
injury trend is unsettling. The big thing with the Dolphins isn't how
many games they win or whether they win the AFC East, rather it's getting
to the AFC Championship game and/or Super Bowl. The window of opportunity
for this group is open for another two, maybe three years, but things
get real tough for the Dolphins if they don't have some playoff success
this year."
Steve Svekis/Sun Sentinel ....
"12-4. The Dolphins' schedule, headed into the season, is less difficult
than last year's. The defensive line injuries are a concern. The offense,
however, should be vastly improved. Chris Chambers looks like the best
offensive rookie talent for the Dolphins since Dan Marino. I'm figuring
a loss to Indianapolis, and losses in Seattle, in St. Louis and in San
Francisco."
Craig Barnes/Sun Sentinel ....
"10-6. The talent is about the same with the exception of left tackle,
strong linebacker and one defensive end. Some areas are better like wide
receiver, cornerback and safety, but the three positions previously mentioned
have to prove themselves. The offense should be able to throw it more
effectively, and the defense, if it can remain healthy, should be strong
again. Injuries, as in any season, are the key. The early schedule and
late schedule are killers. The Dolphins have to survive there and make
up ground in the middle."
Phish Bowl/FinHeaven & Co ....
"The Dolphins will once again finish the season a respectable 11-5, finish
tied for first in the AFC East (but lose the tiebreaker to the Colts),
and host a first round playoff game. Miami can win a road playoff game
in the second round if they are matched up with a division opponent. Realistically,
look for our beloved Fins to exit in the second round in a much closer
game than in recent years (probably to Tennessee or Oakland). I guess
the old saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same"
can sum up the Miami Dolphins in 2001."
eUphemism/JL's Dolphins ....
" ... In fact, for those who have lost their faith, here's a very reasonable
shopping list of Minimum Dolphin Achievements for the 2001 season - submitted
for your approval.
* Regular Season Record: 11-5 or better
Truthfully, I really would like to request that Miami advance to the AFC
Championship game, but then people might call me unrealistic. As it stands,
I suppose many will probably say that this missive should have opened with
a "Dear Santa" salutation."
* Win The Division
* Do NOT Get Swept By The (lousy, rotten, stinking)
Jets
* Do NOT Get Spanked Or Humiliated In The 2nd
Round
more to come ....
Big Dave's Rambling Football Thoughts
Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain
rated their five toughest quarterbacks to intercept:
1. DOUG FLUTIE, San Diego Chargers Surtain: "He's so good he throws the ball behind you and gets it in the right position for the wide receiver. You don't know where to look for the ball." 2. PEYTON MANNING, Indianapolis Colts Madison: "You can't compare him to Dan Marino with his quick release, but with the way he sits in the pocket and delivers the ball at the drop of a dime, he's definitely one of the toughest." 3. BRETT FAVRE, Green Bay Packers Madison: "One guy I'd hate to see week in, week out is Brett Favre. The things he's done is phenomenal. He never gives up. You'd think he's a defensive player the way he goes out there." 4. RICH GANNON, Oakland Raiders Surtain: "You have to put him on the list because he throws a lot of underneath stuff, a lot of crossing stuff, and it's hard to pick those." 5. DAUNTE CULPEPPER, Minnesota Vikings Surtain: "You've got to put him in there because they make so many plays with those guys (Cris Carter and Randy Moss)."
How bad is QB Billy Joe Hobert?
Well, the Colts cut him in favor of Mark Rypien who hadn't played football
in 2 years. Yep, he was Mike Ditka's poster-boy quarterback in New Orleans.
I got a lot of these bits
of cool info out of the Sporting News NFL Preview Issue. I think you'll
have fun looking them over.
From The Sporting News NFL Preview Issue:
***MISCELLANEOUS***
The War Room
Top 5 TV Game Analysts
1. Joe Theisman (ESPN)
2. John Madden (FOX)
3. Paul Maguire (ESPN)
4. Dan Dierdorf (CBS)
5. Phil Simms (CBS)
Phil Simms
5 Loudest Stadiums
1. Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans)
2. Ralph Wilson Stadium (Buffalo)
3. Husky Stadium (Seattle)
4. Mile High Stadium (Denver) - retired
5. Dome At America Center (St. Louis)
***QUARTERBACKS***
Craig James
Top 5 Running Quarterbacks
1. Rich Gannon
2. Daunte Culpepper
3. Doug Flutie
4. Steve McNair
5. Kordell Stewart
Dan Pompei
Top 5 QBs In The 4th Quarter
1. Brett Farve (Packers)
2. Kurt Warner (Rams)
3. Rich Gannon (Raiders)
4. Brian Griese (Broncos)
5. Jeff Garcia (49ers)
Dan Pompei
Top 5 Backup Quarterbacks
1. Jeff Blake (Saints)
2. Trent Dilfer (Seahawks)
3. Neil O’Donnell (Titans)
4. Gus Frerotte (Broncos)
5. Jim Harbaugh (Lions)
Trace Armstrong
Top 5 Toughest QBs To Sack
1. Daunte Culpepper (Vikings)
2. Doug Flutie (Chargers)
3. Brett Farve (Packers)
4. Kurt Warner (Rams)
5. Peyton Manning (Colts)
Dan Fouts
Top 5 West Coast Offense QBs
1. Brett Farve (Packers)
2. Jeff Garcia (49ers)
3. Brian Griese (Broncos)
4. Rich Gannon (Raiders)
5. Elvis Grbac (Ravens)
***RUNNING BACKS***
Craig James
Top 5 Running Backs At Picking Up The Blitz
1. Emmitt Smith (Cowboys) “Gets under rusher, holds his ground.”
2. Mike Alstott (Bucs) “You can’t get around him.”
3. Howard Griffith (Broncos) “Smart and determined.”
4. Lorenzo Neal (Bengals) “He is an oucher.”
5. Eddie George (Titans) “Just check out his ‘pipes’.”
Junior Seau
5 Toughest RBs To Tackle
1. Edgerrin James (Colts)
2. Emmitt Smith (Cowboys)
3. Eddie George (Titans)
4. Terrell Davis (Broncos)
5. Corey Dillon (Bengals)
***RECEIVERS***
Rod Woodson
5 Toughest Receivers He Has Faced
1. Jerry Rice
2. Michael Irvin
3. Andre Reed
4. Sterling Sharpe
5. Irving Fryar
***DEFENSE***
Dan Pompei
Top 5 CB Tandems
1. Sam Madison-Patrick Surtain (Dolphins)
2. Chris McAlister-Duane Starks (Ravens)
3. Troy Vincent-Bobby Taylor (Eagles)
4. Charles Woodson-Eric Allen (Raiders)
5. Champ Bailey-Darrell Green (Redskins)
Kevin Mawae
5 Toughest Guys to Move In The Trenches
1. Ted Washington (Bears)
2. Tim Bowens (Dolphins)
3. Tony Siragusa (Ravens)
4. Pat Williams (Bills)
5. Darryl Gardener (Dolphins)
The War Room
Top 5 Pass-Rushing Tandems
1. Jevon Kearse-Kevin Carter (Titans)
2. La’Roi Glover-Joe Johnson (Saints)
3. Warren Sapp-Anthony McFarland (Bucs)
4. Michael Strahan-Keith Hamilton (Giants)
5. Jason Gildon-Joey Porter (Steelers)
Shannon Sharpe
Top 5 Safeties He Has Faces
1. Rod Woodson
2. Ronnie Lott
3. Darren Woodson
4. Albert Lewis
5. Rodney Harrison
Larry Allen (Cowboys)
5 Toughest Defensive Linemen He Has Faced
1. Reggie White (Packers)
2. Eric Swann (Cardinals)
3. Joe Johnson (Eagles)
4. Warren Sapp (Bucs)
5. Keith Hamilton (Giants)
***MORE MISCELLANOUS***
Jon Gruden (Raiders HC)
Top 5 Players Older Than Jon Gruden
1. Jerry Rice (Raiders)
2. Gary Anderson (Vikings)
3. Bruce Matthews (Titans)
4. Darrell Green (Redskins)
5. Bruce Smith (Redskins)
Ron Wolf (GM)
5 Smartest Players
1. Derrick Brooks (Bucs)
2. Ray Lewis (Ravens)
3. Tom Nalen (Broncos)
4. Peyton Manning (Colts)
5. Marshall Faulk (Rams)
With the way the salary cap
has teams strapped these day keeping their star players, everyone's looking
for diamonds in the rough ... finding that great player that the scouts
didn't pay much attention to. Someone like Hall of Fame Linebacker Nick
Buoniconti. Pete Prisco of CBS Sportsline listed the best undrafted players
in the NFL. Click
HERE to read the full article.
BEST UNDRAFTED PLAYERS IN THE NFL
(Starters are first name or names listed.)
OFFENSE
QB: Kurt Warner, Rams;
Jeff Garcia, 49ers;
Jay Fiedler, Dolphins.
FB: Greg Comella, Giants.
RB: James Allen, Bears;
Priest Holmes, Chiefs;
Randy Jordan, Raiders;
Troy Hambrick, Cowboys.
WR: Wayne Chrebet, Jets;
James McKnight, Dolphins;
James Jett, Raiders;
James Thrash, Redskins;
Terrence Wilkins, Colts.
TE: Chad Lewis, Eagles;
Marcus Pollard, Colts;
Dwayne Carswell, Broncos.
C: Andy McCollum, Rams;
Bubba Miller, Eagles.
G: Mark Dixon, Dolphins;
Wally Williams, Saints;
Kerry Jenkins, Jets;
Matt Campbell, Redskins (swing).
T: Matt Lepsis, Broncos;
James Williams, Bears;
Derrick Deese, 49ers.
K: Olindo Mare, Dolphins.
KR: Tony Horne, Chiefs.
DEFENSE
E: Eric Hicks, Chiefs;
Bryan Robinson, Bears;
Keith Washington, Broncos;
Jay Williams, Panthers.
T: Tony Siragusa, Ravens;
John Randle, Seahawks,
Pat Williams, Bills;
Josh Evans, Titans.
MLB: London Fletcher, Rams;
Charlie Clemons, Saints;
Bernardo Harris, Packers.
SLB: Keith Mitchell, Saints;
Shelton Quarles, Bucs.
WLB: Don Davis, Rams,
Orlando Ruff, Chargers.
CB: Donovan Greer, Redskins;
Otis Smith, Patriots;
Todd McBride, Packers;
Mustafah Muhammad, Colts.
SS: Robert Griffith, Vikings;
Victor Green, Jets,
Sammy Knight, Saints.
FS: Brent Alexander, Steelers;
Kwame Lassiter, Cardinals.
PR: Wilkins, Colts.
P: Darren Bennett, Chargers.
The 2001 Miami Dolphin Schedule
DOLPHINS 2001 SCHEDULE:
PRESEASON:
Mon., Aug. 6 LOSS Dolphins-10, Rams-17
Mon., Aug. 13 WIN Dolphins-17, Buccaneers-14
Sun., Aug. 18 LOSS Chargers-23, Dolphins-20 (OT)
Sun., Aug. 25 LOSS Dolphins-12, Packers-17
Sat., Aug. 31 LOSS Minnesota-20, Dolphins-7
REGULAR SEASON:
Sun., Sept. 9 at Tennessee 8:30 (ESPN)
Sun., Sept. 16 BUFFALO 1 (CBS)
Sun., Sept. 23 OAKLAND 1 (CBS)
Sun., Sept. 30 at St. Louis 1 (CBS)
Sun., Oct. 7 NEW ENGLAND 1 (CBS)
Sun., Oct. 14 at N.Y. Jets 4:15 (CBS)
Sun., Oct. 21 ----BYE ----
Sun., Oct. 28 at Seattle 4:15 (CBS)
Sun., Nov. 4 CAROLINA 1 (FOX)
Sun., Nov. 11 at Indianapolis 1 (CBS)
Sun., Nov. 18 N.Y. JETS 1 (CBS)
Sun., Nov. 25 at Buffalo 1 (CBS)
Sun., Dec. 2 DENVER 1 (CBS)
Mon., Dec. 10 INDIANAPOLIS 9 (ABC)
Sun., Dec. 16 at San Francisco 4:15 (CBS)
Sat., Dec. 22 at New England 1:30 (CBS)
Sun., Dec. 30 ATLANTA 1 (FOX)
| Preseason Game #1 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | OT | TL |
| Dolphins | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
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| Rams | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
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| Preseason Game #2 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | OT | TL |
| Dolphins | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
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| Buccaneers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
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| Preseason Game #3 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | OT | TL |
| Chargers | 10 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 26 |
|
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| Dolphins | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
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| Preseason Game #4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | OT | TL |
| Dolphins | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
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| Packers | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
|
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| Preseason Game #5 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | OT | TL |
| Vikings | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
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| Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
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The Miami Dolphin Depth Chart (Unofficial)
Here's the Miami Dolphin
roster at the start of the season. Miami's draft picks are in "orange",
our new free agents are in "blue", our rookie free agents are in "purple",
our Dolphins on injured reserve are in "black", and our Franchise player
is in "red."
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Dolphins Preseason Stats Leaders
This info is found at USA Today's Stats Page
PASSING Att Cmp Yds Cmp% Yds/Att TD TD% Int Int% Long Sack/Lost Rating Fiedler 54 36 460 66.7 8.52 2 3.7 3 5.6 72 0/ 0 82.3 Lucas 46 26 251 56.5 5.46 0 0.0 0 0.0 41 4/ 19 71.9 Quinn 38 21 223 55.3 5.87 1 2.6 0 0.0 43t 4/ 33 81.4 McNown LG 29 14 124 48.3 4.28 1 3.4 1 3.4 21 2/ 12 57.3 McNown TM 6 1 17 16.7 2.83 0 0.0 1 16.7 17 1/ 6 0.0 Heupel 8 4 62 50.0 7.75 0 0.0 0 0.0 24 2/ 17 76.0 TEAM 152 88 1013 57.9 6.66 3 2.0 4 2.6 72 11/ 75 73.7 RUSHING No. Yds Avg Long TD Minor 30 130 4.3 21 0 Denson 41 113 2.8 16 0 L. Smith 22 97 4.4 23 1 Lucas 13 47 3.6 14 2 Quinn 4 32 8.0 11 0 Sanders 14 26 1.9 12 0 Fiedler 4 19 4.8 10 0 Heupel 1 7 7.0 7 0 J. Johnson 1 0 0.0 0 0 TEAM 131 468 3.6 23 RECEIVING No. Yds Avg Long TD McKnight 13 205 15.8 72 0 Chambers 10 145 14.5 41 0 Denson 9 118 13.1 49 0 Gadsden 8 92 11.5 25 1 Bridges 7 71 10.1 29 0 Minor 6 57 9.5 21 0 Weaver 6 49 8.2 13 0 Baker 5 85 17.0 43t 1 Ogden 5 40 8.0 16 1 Sanders 5 8 1.6 5 0 Konrad 3 38 12.7 25 0 Boyd 3 32 10.7 14 0 Goodwin 2 23 11.5 17 0 L. Smith 2 16 8.0 15 0 Foye 2 14 7.0 8 0 Draper 1 16 16.0 16 0 Dyer 1 4 4.0 4 0 TEAM 88 1013 11.5 72 3 INTERCEPTIONS No. Yds Avg Long TD Fletcher 2 13 6.5 13 0 Madison 1 56 56.0 56 0 Cousin 1 0 0.0 0 0 PUNTING No. Yds Avg Net TB In Lg B Turk 22 916 41.6 35.5 2 4 59 0 PUNT RETURNS Ret FC Yds Avg Long TD Baker 5 3 66 13.2 20 0 Kelly 5 1 50 10.0 19 0 Ogden 3 1 48 16.0 31 0 KICKOFF RETURNS No. Yds Avg Long TD Chambers 7 165 23.6 36 0 Kelly 6 141 23.5 37 0 Minor 4 78 19.5 27 0 SACKS Ogunleye 3.0 regory 2.0 Bromell 1.0 Connor 1.0 Mixon 1.0 Russell 1.0 Taylor 1.0
Won 11, Lost 5
Statistics provided by Elias Sports Bureau
PASSING Att Cmp Yds Cmp% Yds/Att TD TD% Int Int% Long Sack/Lost Rating
Fiedler 357 204 2402 57.1 6.73 14 3.9 14 3.9 61 23/ 129 74.5
Huard 63 39 318 61.9 5.05 1 1.6 3 4.8 29 4/ 22 60.2
L. Smith 1 0 0 0.0 0.00 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0/ 0 39.6
Lucas (JETS) 41 21 206 51.2 5.02 0 0.0 4 9.8 30 6/ 24 26.1
T. Thomas 0 0 0 --- --- 0 --- 0 --- --- 1/ 2 ---
TEAM 421 243 2720 57.7 6.46 15 3.6 17 4.0 61 28/ 153 72.2
OPPONENTS 530 282 3170 53.2 5.98 13 2.5 28 5.3 59 48/ 270 57.5
WON 11, LOST 5
09/03 W 23- 0 Seattle 72,949
09/10 L 7-13 at Minnesota 64,112
09/17 W 19- 6 Baltimore 73,464
09/24 W 10- 3 New England 73,344
10/01 W 31-16 at Cincinnati 61,535
10/08 W 22-13 Buffalo 73,901
10/23 L 37-40 OT at New York Jets 78,389
10/29 W 28-20 Green Bay 73,740
11/05 W 23- 8 at Detroit 77,813
11/12 W 17- 7 at San Diego 56,896
11/19 L 3-20 New York Jets 74,320
11/26 W 17-14 at Indianapolis 56,935
12/03 W 33- 6 at Buffalo 73,002
12/10 L 13-16 Tampa Bay 74,307
12/17 L 13-20 Indianapolis 73,884
12/24 W 27-24 at New England 60,292
Miami Opp.
TOTAL FIRST DOWNS 251 289
Rushing 104 92
Passing 122 156
Penalty 25 41
3rd Down: Made/Att 75/214 70/211
3rd Down Pct. 35.0 33.2
4th Down: Made/Att 4/6 8/15
4th Down Pct. 66.7 53.3
POSSESSION AVG. 30:43 29:17
TOTAL NET YARDS 4461 4636
Avg. Per Game 278.8 289.8
Total Plays 945 995
Avg. Per Play 4.7 4.7
NET YARDS RUSHING 1894 1736
Avg. Per Game 118.4 108.5
Total Rushes 496 417
NET YARDS PASSING 2567 2900
Avg. Per Game 160.4 181.3
Sacked/Yards Lost 28/153 48/270
Gross Yards 2720 3170
Att./Completions 421/243 530/282
Completion Pct. 57.7 53.2
Had Intercepted 17 28
PUNTS/AVERAGE 92/42.1 87/40.6
NET PUNTING AVG. 92/36.2 87/33.3
PENALTIES/YARDS 115/920 86/793
FUMBLES/BALL LOST 12/9 30/13
TOUCHDOWNS 34 23
Rushing 16 9
Passing 15 13
Returns 3 1
SCORE BY PERIODS Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT PTS
TEAM 67 109 90 57 0 323
OPPONENTS 50 57 9 107 3 226
SCORING TD-Ru-Pa-Rt K-PAT FG S PTS
Mare 0 0 0 0 33/34 28/31 0 117
L. Smith 16 14 2 0 0 96
Gadsden 6 0 6 0 0 36
Shepherd 4 0 4 0 0 24
Ward (JETS) 3 0 3 0 0 18
McKnight('BOYS) 2 0 2 0 0 12
Emanuel 1 0 1 0 0 6
Fiedler 1 1 0 0 0 6
Goodwin 1 0 1 0 0 6
Johnson 1 1 0 0 0 6
Madison 1 0 0 1 0 6
Ogden 1 0 0 1 0 6
Taylor 1 0 0 1 0 6
T. Thomas 1 0 1 0 0 6
Williams LG 1 0 0 1 0 6
Haley 0 0 0 0 1 2
TEAM 34 16 15 3 33/34 28/31 1 323
OPPONENTS 23 9 13 1 20/20 22/30 0 226
2-Pt. Conversions: TEAM 0-0, OPPONENTS 1-3
SACKS:
Armstrong 16.5
Taylor 14.5
Bowens 2.5
Gardener 2.5
Mixon 2.5
Bromell 2.0
Walker 2.0
Haley 1.5
Z. Thomas 1.5
Surtain 1.0
Owens 0.5
Rodgers 0.5
Wilson 0.5
TEAM 48.0
OPPONENTS 28.0
RUSHING No. Yds Avg Long TD
L. Smith 309 1139 3.7 68t 14
Fiedler 54 267 4.9 30 1
Johnson 50 168 3.4 16 1
T. Thomas 28 136 4.9 25 0
Denson 31 108 3.5 12 0
Izzo 1 39 39.0 39 0
Konrad 15 39 2.6 5 0
Ward (JETS) 4 23 5.8 12 0
Shepherd 4 3 0.8 14 0
Emanuel 3 -2 -.7 0 0
McDuffie 1 -3 -3.0 -3 0
TEAM 496 1894 3.8 68t 16
OPPONENTS 417 1736 4.2 45 9
RECEIVING No. Yds Avg Long TD
Gadsden 56 786 14.0 61 6
Ward (JETS) 54 801 14.8 61 3
McKnight (COWBOYS) 52 926 17.8 48 2
Shepherd 35 446 12.7 46t 4
L. Smith 31 201 6.5 28 2
Martin 26 393 15.1 44 0
T. Thomas 16 117 7.3 15 1
McDuffie 14 143 10.2 24 0
Denson 14 105 7.5 28 0
Konrad 14 83 5.9 18 0
Weaver 10 179 17.9 41 0
Johnson 10 61 6.1 11 0
Emanuel 7 132 18.9 53t 1
Goodwin 6 36 6.0 9t 1
Mayes 4 40 10.0 19 0
Ogden 2 24 12.0 12 0
Dyer 2 14 7.0 13 0
TEAM 243 2720 11.2 61 15
OPPONENTS 282 3170 11.2 59 13
INTERCEPTIONS No. Yds Avg Long TD
Walker 7 80 11.4 31 0
Madison 5 80 16.0 34 0
Marion 5 72 14.4 24 0
Surtain 5 55 11.0 43 0
Wilson 1 19 19.0 19 0
Jeffries 1 3 3.0 3 0
Taylor 1 2 2.0 2 0
Bowens 1 0 0.0 0 0
Shaw 1 0 0.0 0 0
Z. Thomas 1 0 0.0 0 0
TEAM 28 311 11.1 43 0
OPPONENTS 17 102 6.0 32 1
PUNTING No. Yds Avg Net TB In Lg B
Turk 92 3870 42.1 36.2 14 25 70 0
TEAM 92 3870 42.1 36.2 14 25 70 0
OPPONENTS 87 3532 40.6 33.3 6 21 65 1
PUNT RETURNS Ret FC Yds Avg Long TD
Ogden 19 11 323 17.0 81t 1
Shepherd 15 7 164 10.9 32 0
Kelly 5 0 31 6.2 10 0
TEAM 39 19 518 13.3 81t 1
OPPONENTS 36 21 258 7.2 40 0
KICKOFF RETURNS No. Yds Avg Long TD
Williams 24 615 25.6 97t 1
Marion 22 513 23.3 47 0
Denson 20 495 24.8 56 0
Goodwin 2 6 3.0 6 0
Johnson 2 26 13.0 26 0
Shepherd 1 14 14.0 14 0
Weaver 1 15 15.0 15 0
TEAM 51 1133 22.2 56 0
OPPONENTS 68 1260 18.5 37 0
FIELD GOALS 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+
Mare 0/ 0 7/ 8 9/10 12/13 0/0
OPPONENTS 0/ 0 4/ 4 10/12 7/ 9 1/5
Dolphins August Practice Schedule
The key to making the Dolphins
roster in September is the hard work and dedication that a player puts into
the 5 mini-camps and the 6 weeks of training camp. In fact, when the season
is over, most players are all ready getting their bodies in NFL shape for
the upcoming year. Here is Miami's August training camp that I got from
the Sun Sentinel. I put it into calardar format to make it easier to read.
| August 2001 | ||||||
Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
|
|
|
1 9-10:45 a.m. 7-9 p.m |
2 4:15-6 p.m. |
3 9-10:45 a.m 7-9 p.m. |
4 2-3:45 p.m. |
|
| 5 Depart for Canton, Ohio |
6 Dolphins vs. Rams Hall of Fame game 8 p.m. (ABC-TV) |
7 Players off |
8 4:15-6 p.m |
9 9-10:45 a.m. 4:15-6 p.m. |
10 9-10:45 a.m 3:45-5:30 p.m. w/Bucs in Tampa |
11 9-10:45 a.m 3:45-5:30 p.m. w/Bucs in Tampa |
| 12 No practice scheduled |
13 Dolphins vs. Bucs 8 p.m. (ESPN) |
14 Players Off |
15 4:15-6 p.m. Practice w/Chargers |
16 9-10:45 a.m. 4:15-6 p.m Practice w/Chargers |
17 No practice scheduled |
18 Dolphins vs. Chargers Pro Player Stadium 7 p.m |
| 19 Players Off |
20 4:15-6 p.m |
21 7-9 p.m. |
22 4:15-6 p.m. |
23 2-3:45 p.m. Last scheduled practice open to the public |
24 |
25 Dolphins vs. Packers Lambeau Field 8 p.m. |
| 26 |
27 |
28 | 29 | 30 | 31 Dolphins vs. Vikings Pro Player Stadium |
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