Week Five (Chargers @ Dolphins): Early Thoughts

The San Diego Chargers are coming to Miami and it shapes up to be a good game, maybe. I'm not quite sure what to think of the Chargers. I picked them to go to the Super Bowl but then they lose their first two games and Shawn Merriman goes down for the season. They have bounced back reasonably well beating the Jets and Raiders and now stand at 2-2. If it weren't for a last gasp TD in week one, and a blown call in week two, then they would be 4-0. But, they also just sleepwalked their way into Oakland and needed a big second half to overcome a 15-0 deficit. I think this game could go in any number of directions.

Scenario One: San Diego come ins ready to play and shows why they are a year or two ahead of Miami. They have a balanced offense and can exploit the weaknesses in our defense. They also have had time to prepare for our Wildcat formation and will not be fooled. Their defense also thrives on turnovers and if we let them make plays then it could be a long day for us in Miami.

Scenario Two: Any combination of Miami playing well and San Diego struggling to start the game. It is an early kickoff and it wouldn't surprise me to see Miami jump out in front early. Ultimately though, the Chargers will make enough plays to overcome the deficit and continue their winning streak.

Scenario Three: San Diego comes out flat and Miami totally takes advantage. If this is the case it will probably look like the New England game but I don't think the score would be as convincing. The Chargers will put up a fight and won't go down easy.

I know I didn't go into much actual football breakdowns but I will as the week goes on. I also hope to exchange a Q&A with a Chargers blogger to get more info on how they feel about their team and this game. As for right now I would say Scenario One is the most likely, probably at around 50%. The other two I would peg at 25% each, meaning I think we would win this game one out of every four times.

Week Five Picks

Last Week: 9-4
Season to Date: 25-34-1

Tennessee @ Baltimore (+3): The ravens defense will slow down the Titans running attack and make a late play to win the game.

Seattle @ New York Giants (-7): This should be a close game, but a late score will cover for the G-men.

Washington (+5.5) @ Philadelphia: The Redskins are on a roll and are looking for back to back road wins in the division. The Eagles will probably win this one, but it should be a real close game.

San Diego (-6.5) @ Miami: The Chargers are on a mission since the Hochuli disaster. I suppose they may be looking ahead to the Patriots but the Dolphins aren't sneaking up on anybody anymore.

Chicago (-3) @ Detroit: The first game of the post-Millen era shoudln't look too much different than what went on during the Millen reign. The Bears know they need to stay consistent and win in the division.

Atlanta @ Green Bay (-7): I may be changing this pick depending on what happens with Aaron Rodgers, but even if he's out the Falcons should have a tough time in Lambeau.

Indianapolis (-3) @ Houston: This is a game of true desperation, neither team can afford to lose. I'll take Manning over Schaub.

Kansas City @ Carolina (-9.5): It was nice for the Chiefs to show up at home against a division rival. Going on the road is another story. The Panthers are saving John Fox's job so far.

Tampa Bay @ Denver (-3): The Broncos never showed up in Kansas City. With the Chargers resurgence they know they need to get back on track.

Buffalo @ Arizona (-1): Arizona's east coast trip didn't go well, but they will take out their frustration on an east division opponent in their building. The Bills undefeated run will end.

New England (-3) @ San Francisco: This game should tell us a lot about each team. The 49ers can make a real statement, but they won't.

Cincinnati @ Dallas: I can't find a spread anywhere yet for this game. I think Dallas wins big.

Pittsburgh @ Jacksonville (-4): The Jags play well at home and their defense will be up to the task. The Steelers haven't been too impressive.

Minnesota @ New Orleans (-3): The NFC South has turned out better than I thought and their success will continue here with the Saints outscoring Adrian Peterson.

Week Four Picks

Note: I didn't have a recap of the week three ass pounding the Dolphins gave the Patriots because the early part of this week I was very busy and then sick. I think you have probably heard enough of it by now so I'll just get to the picks and hope the Dolphins can deliver a few more performances like that.

Last Week: 5-11
Season to Date: 16-30-1

Okay, I'm going to stop letting Matt Millen make my picks for me.

Atlanta @ Carolina (-7)
Denver (-9.5) @ Kansas City
San Francisco @ New Orleans (-5.5)
Arizona @ New York Jets (-1)
Minnesota @ Tennessee (-3)
Green Bay (+1) @ Tampa Bay
Houston (+9) @ Jacksonville
Cleveland (+3.5) @ Cincinnati
San Diego (-9) @ Oakland
Buffalo (-9) @ St. Louis
Washington (+11) @ Dallas
Philadelphia (-3) @ Chicago
Baltimore @ Pittsburgh (-5.5)

Week Three Picks

Last Week: 5-9-1 (before MNF)
Season to date: 11-19-1 (before MNF)

Kansas City @ Atlanta (-5)
Arizona @ Washington (-3)
Houston (+5) @ Tennessee
Oakland @ Buffalo (-9.5)
Tampa Bay @ Chicago (-3)
Carolina (+3.5) @ Minnesota
Cincinnati (+13.5) @ New York Giants
Miami @ New England (-12.5)
New Orleans (+5.5) @ Denver
Detroit @ San Francisco (-4)
St. Louis (+10) @ Seattle
Cleveland (+2.5) @ Baltimore
Pittsburgh (+3) @ Philadelphia
Jacksonville @ Indianapolis (-5.5)
Dallas @ Green Bay (+3)
New York Jets (+9) @ San Diego Chargers

Week Three: Keys to the Game

Coming off an embarrassing blowout loss the Dolphins will go on the road again, this time to division and conference power, New England. This is not exactly the type of game that I would ask when trying to rebound from two tough defeats in the first couple weeks of this season. Nonetheless, the schedule is what it is, and Miami will have to find a way to improve, play better, and compete. These should be the keys to Sunday's matchup

1. Start Well: Right now I'm trying to think of the last time the Dolphins started a game well. I'm going to have to look it up. We haven't had a lead at any point this year and once again have had poor first quarters, being outscored 21-0 so far. This team must get ahead early which will give them confidence to keep playing well and stay ahead. Okay I looked it up, the last time the Dolphins had a lead of seven or more points in the first half was in week five of last season against Houston. The last time we scored a touchdown on our opening drive was in week thirteen of the 2006 season. Wow.

2. Running Game: Week one we didn't run the ball enough. Week two we ran it some more but not well enough. Hopefully the next step will be running it a lot and doing a good job at it. We need to control the clock and churn out first downs. The blame for the below average running game falls on both the offensive line and the running backs. The line must give the backs a better opportunity for positive yards and perhaps a big play. I would run behind Jake Long and the left side. The running backs also must do a better job of getting all the yardage they can and avoiding negative plays. Too many times I have seen rushes for losses, setting up the team in hard to convert third down situations.

3. Defensive Backs: I've gone over several times about the abysmal play of our passing defense. The main problem is that our defenders don't do a good job of playing the ball, so even if they cover a receiver very well, if the ball comes that way, it's likely to be a reception. They must learn to break up passes any way possible. Bat the ball away, make a big hit as the ball arrives, but please don't stand next to a guy and watch him catch the ball. I'll say this again, Jason Allen needs to start in place of Chris Crocker.

4. Penalties: Looking at the boxscore, we only ended up with six penalties but if you remember correctly, there were several more that were declined as well. The most concerning point about the infractions is when they occurred. On an Arizona missed field goal, we had twelve men on the field. On that drive kept alive, they scored a touchdown. That's a seven point difference. On a third and goal for the Cardinals we made a sack but committed a facemask violation. They scored another touchdown afterwards. That's a four point difference (if they make the field goal). In this game it didn't matter much because we were dominated in all facets of the game. But, in close games, these kinds of penalties can you lose you a game, all by themselves. That can't happen.

Week Two Recap: Dolphins vs Cardinals

This was one of the worst NFL performances I've ever seen from a secondary. The defensive backs looked atrocious and like they didn't belong in the league. Granted they were playing against the best 1-2 wide receiver tandem in the league with another experienced veteran quarterback distributing the ball, but that is not an excuse for getting as torched as they did yesterday.

The Cardinals first play from scrimmage was a 79 yard touchdown pass, where Anquan Boldin escaped 10 yards past our secondary made a catch and ran free for the final 50 or so yards. On the next drive Kurt Warner threw one up for Larry Fitzgerald near the sideline and Will Allen failed to prevent the reception or make the tackle. Chris Crocker failed to make the tackle as well. Will Allen eventually chased him down but not before a total of 75 yards setting up first ad goal.

Kurt Warner continued to find open receivers or just throw into coverage knowing the Miami DB's wouldn't make plays on the ball. He started 9/9 and finished 19/24 with 361 yards and 3 touchdowns. Yes, that is good for a PERFECT quarterback rating (158.3).

I will now take time to pull a Cam Cameron, and just give the Cardinals credit for making the plays they needed to make to win. But let's be honest, the Dolphins (mainly the secondary) was a total embarrassment on Sunday. Adjustments need to be made. There is no way Chris Crocker should be a starting safety for an NFL team. I never thought I'd be saying this, but Jason Allen needs to be the starter or I will go ballistic. I'd also recommend Michael Lehan start in place of Andre Goodman, but I know Lehan is still working his way back from an injury so I just don't know if he is ready.

About the offense, well, it sucked. They were never threatening. They could not establish the run and that pretty much set back everything. This team needs to play from ahead and be able to run the football. We haven't seen anything close to a good running game the first two weeks of this season. I don't know the solution is anything more than just every cog in the machine do a little bit better. Each offensive linemen needs to do a bit better job of blocking and both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams need to finish runs and eliminate negative plays.

Chad Henne came in the game in the fourth quarter and looked very solid. He led the only meaningful drive and it ended with a touchdown. Those of you arguing he should be the starter, please shut up. This was a nice exercise for him but nothing more. Chad Pennington is the quarterback we invested in and he needs to run the offense so Henne can watch and learn. If you think the offense's problems are quarterback-related then you are mistaken.

But, I do really like Henne and he will probably be the starter before the season is over. You can't help but be encouraged by seeing the strong arm and the confidence in him. For now, that is the only bright spot of the team.

My thoughts on the Dolphins performance today...

Here it is, except when he says "second half" replace it with "entire game."

Getting To Know the Arizona Cardinals

To be honest, I don't know much about the Arizona Cardinals other than the outstanding wide receiver tandem of Fitzgerald and Boldin and the fact that Matt Leinart likes to party. To learn more I sought out Cardinals bloggers and came across Eli Wahlstrom of Voice of the Cardinals. We agreed to exchange a Q&A about each others team in advance of the Sunday matchup. You can find my answers to his Dolphins questions on his site shortly. Below are the questions I asked about the Cardinals and the answers Eli provided.

What are the expectations for Arizona this year? They always seem to be a trendy pick to make the playoffs. Are fans buying that this year?

• Every season is suppose to be the Cardinals season. In my opinion this year looks better than any other year. Not because the Cardinals are so great but because the rest of the division including Seattle looks so bad. Once again we could see 8-8 or 9-7 win the NFC West and I think the Cardinals will do just that.
  

Outsiders always talk about Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Who are some under the radar stars for the Cardinals that the Dolphins should keep an eye on?

• Rookie RB Tim Hightower has been a pleasant surprise for the Cardinals. He scored a touchdown in the first game against the 49ers and looked very good in the preseason. On defense Travis Laboy is a guy that really puts pressure on quarterbacks. He had 2 sacks and a forced fumble against San Francisco and I expect him to make things tough on Jake Long and the Dolphins offensive line.

What is the biggest weakness of the team?

• The biggest weakness is still the offensive line. Kurt Warner is a sitting duck in the pocket, any team that has a good pass rush is really going to cause some problems for the Cardinals offense.

What's the deal with the Leinart/Warner situation? Are fans happy, angry, ambiguous or what about the decision to go with Kurt Warner as the starter?

• It's kind of mixed emotions, all Cardinals fans want Leinart to work out here in Arizona, But I think the majority of fans are happy with the decision to start the better quarterback which is Kurt Warner. It's nice to know that if Kurt does get hurt we have a quarterback that is capable to fill in and still lead this team to the playoffs.

Finally, what's your prediction for game?

• I don't think the Dolphins can keep up with the Cardinals offense. My prediction is 31-17 Cardinals

My Thoughts

This is the second time I've heard Tim Hightower's name mentioned. I haven't seen him but if he or Edgerrin James has any kind of success then we can be in trouble. We will have enough trouble stopping the passing game. If they can run effectively then it will be a very long day.

The fact that their offensive line is a weakness is good news for us. We have shown ability to rush the passer and if Warner really is a sitting duck then we should get a good amount of QB pressures, sacks and hopefully a dumb interception or two.

Week Two Picks

Last Week: 6-10, So I have picked up right where I left off last year.

Oakland @ Kansas City (-3.5)
Green Bay (-3) @ Detroit
Tennessee (+1) @ Cincinnati
Chicago @ Carolina (-3)
Buffalo (+6) @ Jacksonville
New Orleans (+1) @ Washington
Indianapolis (-1) @ Minnesota
New York Giants @ St. Louis (+9)
San Francisco @ Seattle (-9)
Atlanta (+9) @ Tampa Bay
Miami @ Arizona (-7)
New England @ New York Jets (-1)
Baltimore @ Houston (-4.5)
San Diego (-1) @ Denver
Pittsburgh (-6) @ Cleveland
Philadelphia @ Dallas (-7)

Week Two: Early Thoughts

The next game on the slate for Miami is a road affair with the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona has seemed to be a trendy pick the last several years to make the next step and advance to the playoffs. That hasn't happened yet but last year they did go 8-8 and played well at home. This game will be no easy task.

Keys to the Game

• Eliminate Silly Errors: I talked about it in the week one recap, Miami must eliminate self inflicted wounds such as, bad kicks, penalties, wasted timeouts. In week one it is almost to be expected that there would be some "first game jitters" but now they must be eliminated. When they occurred at home, we still had a chance to win the ballgame. On the road, committing those mistakes is the easiest way to ensure you lose the game.
• Commitment to the Running Game: Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams need more touches. Both of those guys need to be force-fed the ball to get in the flow of the game. Even if we only use one of them primarily, we must run the ball more than 16 times. I would suggest removing Patrick Cobbs as the 3rd down back and having whoever isn't the 1st-2nd down back, will be the 3rd down back.
• Secondary Must Make Plays: The pass rush will not always get to the quarterback. The guys in coverage must find a way to keep receivers covered and more importantly, when the ball is in the air, make sure that the pass is incomplete or intercepted. It is fundamental, simply covering a man is not good enough in this league. Receivers (and Arizona has great ones) will fight for the ball and you must ensure they don't get it.
• Start Well: The Dolphins were always tied or trailing in week one. I'm not saying the team can't come back in a game (it's actually obvious they can, based on the Jets game) but for a young team that is learning how to win, it is much easier when you get ahead and start feeling the confidence. This is especially true on the road, where a good start can quite the crowd and make the home team feel the pressure.
  

Week One Recap: Jets vs Dolphins

I'm not very good at writing game recaps because I could literally talk for hours about any single game but instead I have to pare it down into a short piece of writing. There is lots to say about this first game of the year so I'll just get straight to the rambling.

Man was that tough. No matter what happens in a game, if you are just one touchdown away from winning, with time running down and the ball nearing the goal line, only to come up one play short, it is very frustrating and depressing. We saw similar situations last season an this just seems like the next in line of "how many different ways can you lose a close game?" I try to convince myself that at the end of the day, this seasons win-loss record is not as significant as the overall team play and improvement.

When you think about it, for the Dolphins to make as many mistakes as they did, and struggle (on offense especially) for three-plus quarters, and still be one play away from victory is encouraging. Just off the top of my head here is a list of mistakes.

• 9 yard punt: Pathetic, I could have come in and at least kicked it 10 yards
• Kickoff out of bounds: Unacceptable
• Penalties that negated first downs: There were at least two
• Timeouts needed in 3rd quarter: We could have used them on our final drive
• Defense on Favre's 22-yard hail mary: Ridiculous, I don't care if he was open, the ball was in the air long enough for a spectator to come down from the upper deck and call a fair catch.

On a broader scale here are my areas of concern

• Run defense: It wasn't as bad as last year, and as the game went on they got better, but at times the Jets ran the ball with ease.
• Running game: Weren't we supposed to be the grind it out tough team? Ronnie and Ricky combined for only 16 carries. They struggled but both of those guys usually get better as the game goes along. We need more commitment to the ground game
• Offensive execution: Everything just looked a half a second behind. Maybe the speed of the game jump from preseason to regular season was a difficult one, or maybe it was the high temperatures and humidity. Whatever it was, it needs to be adjusted to. Phil Simms said it best, when we were on offense it looked like a lot of work to move the ball. Nothing came easy.

Here are some positives

• Front seven: For once we saw a Miami defense that got better as the game went along. In the 4th quarter when Miami needed the ball back to have a chance, the defense did it's job. The Jets went three and out on it's final three possessions (minus the final kneel down). When you look at it, the secondary is more to blame for the scoring allowed. The front seven did look new and improved.
• Tight ends: Anthony Fasano looked every bit of Jason Whitten-lite. He had eight catches and a TD and just looked like the safety valve for Pennington and the offense. A tight end can be a quarterback's best friend and he sure was on this day. I also have to give credit to David Martin, who I'm usually critical of. He didn't have any drops and made a few big catches, including the difficult touchdown in the 4th quarter.
• Overall they just looked more like a capable professional football team than they did at the end of last year. Yes there is still a talent differential, yes they are still a year away, but this team has tough players that are capable of playing well and winning.
  

The true test of this new regime and coaching staff is what happens next week. I was going to write a post before the game about how important game one is. The last two years we lost in week one in games that we could have, and maybe should have won. This year has started in similar fashion. The key is to make the adjustments and move on. In 2006 and 2007, we had a hangover effect and we fell the next week. We must move on and fight another battle. Arizona plays well at home and it will be a tough challenge to go and beat them at their place. More on this game throughout the week.

Week One Picks

I am too lazy to go in the archive and retrieve my final record from last year. It was below.500% and not very good. This year will be different. My picks in bold

• Washington @ New York Giants (-4)
  
• Tampa Bay @ New Orleans (-3)
• St. Louis @ Philadelphia (-7.5)
• New York Jets @ Miami (+3)
• Kansas City @ New England (-16.5)
• Houston @ Pittsburgh (-6.5)
• Cincinnati (-1) @ Baltimore
• Detroit (-3) @ Atlanta
  
• Seattle (+1) @ Buffalo
• Jacksonville (-3) @ Tennessee
• Dallas (-5.5) @ Cleveland
• Carolina (+9.5) @ San Diego
• Arizona @ San Francisco (+3)
  
• Chicago @ Indianapolis (-9.5)
• Minnesota (+3) @ Green Bay
• Denver @ Oakland (+3)
  

2008 NFL Season Predictions

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Desean Jackson. I really wanted to pick one of the running backs that were taken in the first round of the draft but I just don't feel that any of them will get enough carries as a feature back to put up great stats. Jackson on the other hand will be a starting receiver and the Eagles really need him now more than ever, due to the injury of Kevin Curtis. He will probably have the most highlight-reel plays, especially in the return game, which gives him a slight edge. Watch out for Jonathan Stewart.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jerod Mayo. Yes, it pains me, but the Patriots needed some youth in their linebacking corps and Mayo is a great fit. In that system the linebackers are counted on to make plays and he should make plenty. He will also get great exposure due to playing for New England. Watch out for Leodis McKelvin and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Offensive Player of the Year: See MVP Award

Defensive Player of the Year: Jared Allen. I'll go with a fairly safe pick. He is one of the game's best pass rushers and he goes from a bad team to an average team with an already solid defense. I'm not sure how high his sack total will be, but he should win this award by being the best player on a great defense. Watch out for Antonio Cromartie.

Most Valuable Player: Tom Brady. I don't think he will match the 50 touchdowns total from a year ago. But he is still the MVP.

Now on to part two, the division and wild card winners

AFC

• East: New England Patriots. This is the easiest pick. No matter how good the Jets, Bills and Dolphins could be, they just can't challenge the dynasty of this division. The only way I see the Patriots not getting the job done is if Tom Brady is hurt and misses time.
• North: Pittsburgh Steelers. This division should be close and I don't think the division winner will have more than 10 wins, but Pittsburgh will get it done. Cincinnati and Baltimore should be better but not good enough and Cleveland will not match last years success.
• South: Jacksonville Jaguars. Mark this down as the first bold prediction. The Colts have won 12 or more games in five consecutive years, but this is the year to get them. I just feel that it is the Jaguars time to finally win the division. The Titans and Texans should be good, but I don't think this division will produce three playoff teams again.
• West: San Diego Chargers. They are loaded with talent and even without Shawn Merriman they should win this division with ease. The Broncos are still mired in mediocrity and the Raiders and Chiefs are simply not ready to challenge for a playoff spot.
• Wild Cards: Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills. The Colts are still a good team and should be the number five seed easily and possibly have a better record than one or more division winners. The Bills will grab the sixth playoff spot, probably in a tiebreaker. Their schedule isn't too difficult and last year they learned how to win. The big game for them will be hosting Cleveland in week eleven.
  

NFC

• East: Dallas Cowboys. Yes any team can win it. These four teams could finish in any order and it wouldn't be too surprising. I'm going with Dallas though because they have done it before, and have the most talent in the division. I don't think they will reach 13 wins again, but they should edge out the other three for another division title. Will they win a playoff game though?
  
• North: Minnesota Vikings. I don't like how everyone is dismissing the Packers just because Favre is gone and Aaron Rodgers is the guy, They have a great defense and should not drop off much. I do think the Vikings will win it though. They may have the best defense and their offense should be good enough with the solid play of Adrian Peterson
  
• South: New Orleans Saints. This division has been unpredictable in recent years but this is the one when it should go true to form. The Saints are the most talented team. They shot themselves in the foot last year by starting out 0-4. As long as they get out of the gates okay, they should cruise in this division.
  
• West: Seattle Seahawks. Seattle has been one of the more quiet divisional dynasties in recent memory. They have made the playoffs five straight years and won four division titles during that time. It doesn't stop this year. They have an underrated defense and should have an improved running game.
• Wild Cards: Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. I hate doing this but I think it will be another year with three playoff teams from the NFC East. Philly should be much improved and if they stay healthy, are good enough for a Super Bowl run. The Giants will have a much harder time than last year but I don't buy that they have fallen out of the playoff ranks.
  

Super Bowl XLIII

• Dallas Cowboys defeat San Diego Chargers. Your guess is as good as mine. I find it hard to believe the Cowboys will continue to struggle in the playoffs. This just seems like their year to me. They have a great mix of proven players and exciting young guys.
  

Final Roster Set

I've been hesitant to make this post because the organization has showed it will be continually making moves to improve the roster even though most teams would just settle on a 53-man squad and be done with it. But I can't wait forever, I'll discuss all of the moves now.

First, the team traded Josh McCown to the Carolina Panthers on Friday for an undisclosed draft pick (believed to be a 2009 7th-rounder). This move proves two points in my opinion. First, the team must feel that Chad Henne is an able backup and can be a solid quarterback, if needed to play in relief of Chad Pennington. Also, I believe the team just can't give up on John Beck. At this point he does look like a longshot to ever become a dependable player, but there is still some upside. McCown on the other hand, did not have much growing potential. I like this move and it is what I would have done. The fact that we got a draft pick, even though it's a minuscule asset, is a plus.

On Saturday the team cut 17 players to get down to the 53-player roster limit. You can get the full list here. None of these moves came as a real surprise. Most of the players released were ones who never had a great shot to make the team.

The team watched the waiver wire and on Sunday were awarded with three new players they made claims on. Andy Alleman (Center) was a third round pick in this years draft for the Saints but for whatever reason did not make their team. I like this pickup because our offensive line has very questionable depth and it needs all the talent it can get. PFT is saying that he was a popular guy and that six other teams made a claim for him. Nate Garner (Tackle) was a seventh round pick of the Jets this year but did not make the team. He is now a Dolphin. Again, we need help on the line. I approve. The last player claimed was Brandon London, a wide receiver formerly of the Giants. He was an undrafted free agent who made their practice squad last year but not this year. He takes the place of Anthony Armstrong as the 6th receiver (more on that later) on the team.

Now let's take a look at the 53-man roster and depth chart (according to the team's website)

OFFENSE
QB: Chad Pennigton, Chad Henne, John Beck
RB: Ricky Williams, Ronnie Brown, Patrick Cobbs, Jalen Parmele
FB: Boomer Grigsby
TE: Anthony Fasano, David Martin, Sean Ryan
WR1: Ted Ginn, Ernest Wilford, Brandon London
WR2: Derek Hagan, Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess
LT: Jake Long, Ikechuku Ndukwe
LG: Justin Smiley, Shawn Murphy
C: Samson Satele, Andy Alleman
RG: Donald Thomas
RT: Vernon Carey, Nate Garner

DEFENSE
LE: Kendall Langford, Randy Starks, Rodrique Wright
NT: Jason Ferguson, Paul Soliai
RE: Vonnie Holliday, Phillip Merling, Lionel Dotson
OLB: Matt Roth, Quentin Moses
ILB: Channing Crowder
ILB: Akin Ayodele, Reggie Torbor
OLB: Joey Porter, Charlie Anderson
LCB: Will Allen, Michael Lehan, Joey Thomas
RCB: Andre Goodman, Nathan Jones
SS: Yeremiah Bell, Renaldo Hill
FS: Chris Crocker, Jason Allen

SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Dan Carpenter
P: Brandon Fields
LS: John Denney

Notes:

• The six receivers surprise me. For a team that should depend on the running game, I thought they would go with the normal count of five. I don't imagine we will finish the season will all six of those guys active.
• I thought the team would have eight, maybe even nine linebackers. Usually the backups play special teams, but they must be relying on other players for that. I also think it's a big risk considering the questionable health of Joey Porter and the inexperience of Matt Roth.
  
• Of these 53 players, only 27 were with the team at all last year (some of them, just barely). Basically half of the team are guys that were never a Dolphin before this year. That's an impressive roster overhaul.
• 8 of the 9 draft picks from this year made the team, with Lex Hilliard being the lone exception. He is on the practice squad, however.