Miami
Here's a team that was haunted all year by the Kickoff Weekend loss to the Houston Texans at home. The Dolphins wound up 10-6 and missed the playoffs, even though three teams with an identical record made it. The big perception about the Dolphins is they always fade down the stretch. Not true in 2003. They won five of their final seven games, including victories against the Bills and Jets in the final two weeks. In fact, they swept New York and Buffalo, and finished up 4-2 in the division. Their problems last year were against the Patriots. In the two losses, they scored only 13 points combined. But they rolled up their sleeves this offseason and went to work on the coaching staff and personnel.
This season, the Dolphins will use packages with five or six defensive backs on more than 50 percent of their plays. The addition of cornerback Reggie Howard and draft pick Will Poole will strengthen those units. They must get Ogunleye back on the practice field and ready for the season. He combined with Taylor for 28 sacks to give Miami the best pass-rush tandem in the NFL. Ogunleye has 24½ sacks in the past two seasons and he wants a blockbuster deal. He knows he has more sacks than Jevon Kearse and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, and negotiations will continue to be difficult. Ogunleye is threatening to stay away for the first 10 games; that would have a negative effect on the early season.
As for the offense, there are a number of critical questions. With Boston in the lineup, will the team throw the ball more? Even though neither Jerry Sullivan (wide receivers coach) nor Marc Trestman (quarterbacks) is responsible for the offense, I believe the Fish will add five or six pass plays per game. They have the weapons at wide receiver. Chambers caught 11 TD passes last season and Randy McMichael might be the best pass-catching tight end in the division. There's no doubt former offensive coordinator Norv Turner will be missed, and there are some who believe Wannstedt will have too much of a conservative influence over the offense. He knows his back is to the wall, and I suspect we will see more passing. Williams led all AFC backs last year with 50 receptions; we should expect about the same this year.
There is a serious quarterback issue in Miami between newcomer A.J. Feeley and returning starter Fiedler. From what I'm told, Fiedler has a commanding lead on the position -- at least for Kickoff Weekend. He knows the offense as well as the coaches do, and with Boston on the field he might have enough weapons to hold off Feeley, much like Jon Kitna held off Carson Palmer in Cincinnati last year.
Finally, Miami has to regain home-field advantage and protect leads. Wannstedt will keep his job if the team plays loose and the offense does a better job on third downs, where it ranked 26th last year. GM Rick Spielman has done an excellent job of fortifying the back end of the roster; there is quality depth if injuries become a factor. The Dolphins might not win the division, but they should make the playoffs with 10 or 11 victories.
Here's a team that was haunted all year by the Kickoff Weekend loss to the Houston Texans at home. The Dolphins wound up 10-6 and missed the playoffs, even though three teams with an identical record made it. The big perception about the Dolphins is they always fade down the stretch. Not true in 2003. They won five of their final seven games, including victories against the Bills and Jets in the final two weeks. In fact, they swept New York and Buffalo, and finished up 4-2 in the division. Their problems last year were against the Patriots. In the two losses, they scored only 13 points combined. But they rolled up their sleeves this offseason and went to work on the coaching staff and personnel.
This season, the Dolphins will use packages with five or six defensive backs on more than 50 percent of their plays. The addition of cornerback Reggie Howard and draft pick Will Poole will strengthen those units. They must get Ogunleye back on the practice field and ready for the season. He combined with Taylor for 28 sacks to give Miami the best pass-rush tandem in the NFL. Ogunleye has 24½ sacks in the past two seasons and he wants a blockbuster deal. He knows he has more sacks than Jevon Kearse and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, and negotiations will continue to be difficult. Ogunleye is threatening to stay away for the first 10 games; that would have a negative effect on the early season.
As for the offense, there are a number of critical questions. With Boston in the lineup, will the team throw the ball more? Even though neither Jerry Sullivan (wide receivers coach) nor Marc Trestman (quarterbacks) is responsible for the offense, I believe the Fish will add five or six pass plays per game. They have the weapons at wide receiver. Chambers caught 11 TD passes last season and Randy McMichael might be the best pass-catching tight end in the division. There's no doubt former offensive coordinator Norv Turner will be missed, and there are some who believe Wannstedt will have too much of a conservative influence over the offense. He knows his back is to the wall, and I suspect we will see more passing. Williams led all AFC backs last year with 50 receptions; we should expect about the same this year.
There is a serious quarterback issue in Miami between newcomer A.J. Feeley and returning starter Fiedler. From what I'm told, Fiedler has a commanding lead on the position -- at least for Kickoff Weekend. He knows the offense as well as the coaches do, and with Boston on the field he might have enough weapons to hold off Feeley, much like Jon Kitna held off Carson Palmer in Cincinnati last year.
Finally, Miami has to regain home-field advantage and protect leads. Wannstedt will keep his job if the team plays loose and the offense does a better job on third downs, where it ranked 26th last year. GM Rick Spielman has done an excellent job of fortifying the back end of the roster; there is quality depth if injuries become a factor. The Dolphins might not win the division, but they should make the playoffs with 10 or 11 victories.
