Defense still vulnerable against run

[BAMAPHIN 22]

The Dolphins' run defense was the worst in the NFL last year, but players and coaches thought they had reason to be optimistic as they entered 2008.


The starters in the new 3-4 alignment held Jacksonville's Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew to a total of 19 yards on nine carries in an Aug. 16 exhibition win. On Aug. 23, Kansas City's Larry Johnson ran for just 36 yards on 13 carries.

"We've proven (we can) stop the run - our ones against somebody else's ones - in the pre-season," coach Tony Sparano said. "It wasn't like our ones against somebody else's threes."

Then Thomas Jones came to town. Jones, the Jets' starting tailback, "gashed us," as linebacker Joey Porter said Wednesday.


Jones rushed for 101 yards, averaging 4.6 yards per carry, and scored the game-winning touchdown Sunday in the Dolphins' 20-14 loss. Jones averaged 5.1 yards per carry and gained most of his yardage through the first three quarters, helping the Jets stake a 20-7 lead.

"We should go out, just try to knuckle up against the run, because we know we're going to get a heavy dose of that after last week," Porter said.
As a team, the Jets gained 112 yards on 3.6 yards per carry, respectable totals for the Dolphins' defense. Leon Washington rushed for just 9 yards on six carries, and Brett Favre had three scrambles that netted 2 yards.

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