The Miami Dolphins NFL fans all over the place with the beat down they applied to the Patriots last Sunday.  Chad Pennington was very efficient in this game completing 17 of 20 passes for 226 yards.  Ronnie Brown had a helluva game for the Dolphins against the Patriots as he carried the ball 17 times for 113 yards (6.1 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  He also completed his only pass for a 19-yard TD.  Ricky Williams also had a solid game with 98 yards rushing on 16 carries (6.1 ypc).  He also caught 2 passes for 21 yards (10.5 avg).  Ted Ginn Jr. (5 rec, 49 yards), Greg Camarillo (4 rec, 60 yards) and TE Anthony Fasano (3 rec, 66 yards, TD) all pitched in for the Fins in the passing game.   The Dolphins finished up with 216 yards rushing on 36 carries (6.0 ypc) and they also completed 18 of 21 passes for 245 yards.

The defense was outstanding for the Dolphins in this football game.  Safety Yeremiah Bell led the way for the Dolphins in this game with 10 tackles.  Linebacker Joey Porter backed up his big talk leading up to this game with 6 tackles and 3 sacks.  Rookie DE Phillip Merling had his best game as a pro with 3 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.  The Patriots finished up with 79 yards rushing on 20 carries (4.0 ypc) and they also completed 22 of 35 passes for 137 yards.  The Dolphins are now 1-2 on the season with this victory.

The Patriots have won 21 regular season games in a row which is an NFL record, while the Dolphins have lost 17 of their last 18 games.  The Dolphins would love to run the football in this game and control the clock.  But, Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown have only combined for 100 yards rushing this season on 38 carries (2.6 ypc).  If the Dolphins can get the running game going somehow against the Patriots then Chad Pennington can work his play action passing game.  Still, with Chad Pennington’s lack of arm strength the Patriots will likely sneak the defense up towards the line of scrimmage and dare the Fins to throw the football.

The Dolphins have a stingy run defense allowing only 96.5 yards rushing per game and 3.1 yards per carry.  That, coupled with injuries to Laurence Maroney and LaMont Jordan could lead the Fins to finally unleash Matt Cassel in this game.  After all, opposing QBs have a Rating of 147.0 against the Dolphins this season and they are averaging 285.0 yards thru the air per contest.  This could be the game that Randy Moss has his first breakout game of the 2008 season.  Also look for Wes Welker to want to stick it to his old team.

PREDICTION:  NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 24, MIAMI DOLPHINS 13

The Miami Dolphins got completely dominated yesterday by the Cardinals.  Chad Pennington looked lost because the Cardinals pretty much took the TE away from him.  He completed 10 of 20 passes for 112 yards before being replaced by rookie Chad Henne.  Henne completed 7 of 12 passes for 67 yards in garbage time in this game.  Ricky Williams led the Fins’ in rushing with 28 yards on 11 carries (2.5 ypc).  Ronnie Brown rushed for 25 yards on 11 carries (2.3 ypc) with a TD run.  Derek Hagan was the leading receiver on the Dolphins with 51 yards on 3 grabs (17.0 avg).  Greg Camarillo pitched in with 4 catches for 49 yards (12.3 avg) against the Cards.  The Dolphins finished up with 72 yards rushing on 24 carries (3.0 ypc) and they also completed 17 of 32 passes for 164 yards.

The Dolphins’ Defense played well against the run but awful against the pass yesterday.  Linebacker Channing Crowder led the Fins’ D with 8 tackles.  DT Randy Starks pitched in with 4 tackles and a sack.  The Cardinals finished up with 81 yards rushing on 31 carries (2.6 ypc) and they also completed 20 of 26 passes for 364 yards.  The Dolphins are now 0-2 on the season but that was to be expected as they really stink!

The Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals both looked improved over last season.  The Dolphins will likely try to run the football with Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown to play keepaway from the Cardinals’ offense.  The Fins should have success on the ground as the 49ers rushed for 108 yards (5.4 ypc) last week against the Cardinals.  With Chad Pennington’s lack of arm strength look for the Dolphins to focus the passing attack on TEs Anthony Fasano and David Martin who combined for 12 receptions for 137 yards in the season opener.

The Cardinals will likely want to throw the ball often against Dolphins and if Kurt Warner has the time needed to throw the Fins will be in deep trouble.  The Dolphins don’t have the CBs and safeties to match up with Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston.  If the Cardinals can get a lead throwing the ball then they will try grind the game out on the ground with Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower.

PREDICTION:  ARIZONA CARDINALS 31, MIAMI DOLPHINS 13

The Dolphins have released TE Sean Ryan.  Ryan was let go mostly as no fault of his own but because of how well Anthony Fasano and David Martin played last week against the Jets.  Fasano led the Dolphins against the Jets with 8 grabs for 84 yards (10.5 avg) and a TD grab.  David Martin also was very effective with 4 catches for 53 yards (13.3 avg) with a TD catch.  The Dolphins won’t miss Ryan at all.

The Dolphins have lost rookie guard Donald Thomas for the season with a foot injury that has landed him on the Injured Reserve List.  The 22-year old Thomas started last week against the Jets as he earned his way into the starting lineup.  The Dolphins like Thomas so he will likely get another chance to compete for a starting job in 2009 for the Fins.

The Dolphins have signed fullback Casey Cramer to a 1-year deal.  The 26-year old Cramer played in 5 games (1 start) for the Titans last season but he didn’t touch the football.  He has played in 27 games (2 starts) in his NFL career so far and he hasn’t run the football but he’s caught 2 passes for 8 yards.  Cramer will replace Boomer Grigsby who has been released.

The Dolphins played hard in this football game and it came right down to the end when Chad Pennington threw a pickoff to CB Darrelle Revis late in the 4th quarter to seal the Fins’ fate.  Pennington was effective for the most part in this football game as he completed 26 of 43 passes for 251 yards with 2 TD passes and 1 interception.  Ricky Willians got the start at running back and he didn’t do much with it as he carried the ball 10 times for 24 yards (2.4 ypc) and he also caught 4 passes for 15 yards (3.8 avg).  Ronnie Brown did not play a whole lot better as he carried the ball 6 times for 23 yards (3.8 ypc) and he also caught 3 passes for 28 yards (9.3 avg).  The TEs were the main men in the passing attack for the Dolphins in this football game.  Anthony Fasano led the way for the Fins’ in this game with 8 grabs for 84 yards (10.5 avg) with 1 TD grab.  Fellow TE David Martin was also very effective with 4 catches for 53 yards (13.3 avg) with a TD.  The Dolphins finished up this game with 49 yards rushing on 17 carries (2.9 ypc) and they also completed 26 of 43 passes for 228 yards.

Linebacker Channing Crowder and safety Jeremiah Bell led the way for the Dolphins on defense with 10 tackles apiece.  The Jets finished up with 112 yards rushing in this game on 31 carries (3.6 ypc) and they also completed 15 of 22 passes for 181 yards.  Despite the loss the Dolphins played pretty well on defense and they threw the ball pretty well on offense.

This game should be a bloodbath as the Jets have a much better roster than the rebuilding Dolphins.  Brett Favre should have a field day throwing against a secondary that doesn’t have much talent.  The Dolphins also don’t figure to get much of a pass rush against the Jets as DEs Vonnie Holliday and Kendall Langford are not the most talented duo in the league.  Also, OLBs Matt Roth and Joey Porter will make no one forget Jason Taylor.  Look for the Jets to pass the ball to get the lead and then to run out the clock on the ground.  WRs Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles solid both have field days against CBs Will Allen and Andre’ Goodman.  If the safeties help double the Jets’ WRs look for Favre to attack the Fins’ defense with TEs Chris Baker and Dustin Keller.  RBs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington should also have good games against the 3-4 front of the Dolphins’ defense which lacks playmakers.

The Dolphins probably want to run the ball a lot to try to control the clock.  That will be easier said than done against NT Kris Jenkins and 2nd year linebacker David Harris.  But, the Fins will try in anyway handing off the football to Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown.  The Dolphins better hope that works because they don’t have a good receiving corps and Chad Pennington doesn’t have the strongest arm around.  Still, Pennington could be inspired playing against the man who took his old job (Favre) and the only team he has ever played for in the NFL.  If DEs Shaun Ellis, Kenyon Coleman and linebackers Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas are getting in the backfield it will be virtually impossible for the Fins to pass.  WR Ted Ginn Jr. has the speed to get down the field and he will be dealing with young CBs Darelle Revis and Dwight Lowery.  The Fins also would like to get the TE involved in the passing game with Anthony Fasano and David Martin having some talent but Pennington will have to be careful throwing to them because free safety Kerry Rhodes is a big time playmaker for the Jets’ defense.

PREDICTION:  NEW YORK JETS 31, MIAMI DOLPHINS 10

The Dolphins have released tight end Justin Peelle.  Peelle played in all 4 preseason games for the Dolphins this year and he caught 4 passes for 39 yards (9.8 avg).  Peelle played two years for the Dolphins covering 31 games (20 starts) in which he caught 45 passes for 344 yards (7.6 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  Anthony Fasano and David Martin were ahead of Peelle on the depth chart and that doomed him in the end.  He did land on his feet though signing quickly with the Falcons.