This was my write-up on the game nobody looked at:
The Cheifs game is over, it was a disapointment. Especially losing to a team who most likely had jetlag. Now, the Chiefs are a good team, and that office can work like a well oiled machine, but the Dolphins played a sorry game and the outcome of the score rightly reflects it.
So - ONTO NEXT WEEK! We play another team that has faced double the adversity this season, the homeless New Orleans Saints, who have looked very much like the Saints of the old - one minute they'll look amazing, the next they will look like the Aints. Last week they lost a controversial game to the Falcons, which was on a second attempt last second field goal.
It's so hard to determine Saints games because its unpredictable - they will have a close game with the Falcons and yet somehow got demolished by the Packers and the Vikings. Seeing as how they are home, well, atleast close to it, the edge would almost go to them - but Nick Saban also returns to the college stadium in which he became immortilized with the LSU Tigers.
To win this game, the Dolphins must establish the run early, and that might not be so hard considering that the Saints have given up 774 yards on the season at a whopping 129.0 average per game.
Stephen Davis - 13 attempts, 81 yards, 1 TD 6.2 avg.
Deshuan Foster - 9 attempts, 41 yards 4.5 avg.
Tiki Barber - 22 attempts, 83 yards 1 TD 3.8 avg.
- Brandon Jacobs also notched a TD this game.
Mewelde Moore - 23 attempts, 101 yards 4.4 avg.
Willis McGahee - 16 attempts, 84 yards 1 TD 5.2 avg.
- Bills fans had no clue why Willis didn't get more than 16 attempts, note
also that J.P. Losman royally sucked this game. 8 men in the box anyone?
Najeh Davenport - 12 attempts, 54 yards 2 TDS 4.5 avg.
- Najeh busted his ankle in the SECOND QUARTER.
Warrick Dunn - 22 attempts, 100 yards 1 TD 4.5 avg.
I'm throwing out all these stats, and they are very simple stats to understand. The Saints secondary is decent (5th rated, but just like the Phins last year, that happens when you get run on so much), and I'm hoping Sage gets the nod over Gus. Something needs to change, as Gus played awful against a low ranked Chiefs secondary - overthrows, underthrows, missing COMPLETELY, interception, etc. If Gus hits Chambers early on and doesn't aim for the ground, its a completely different game.
Give Ricky's carries to Ronnie, he is not ready for the NFL at this point in time. Ronnie carried the rock well with only 8 carries, which is baffling to all of us, and I'm angry he wasn't able to reach 100, because that would have been a confidence builder for the rookie.
Every game is winable, you know, "Any Given Sunday." (Which obviously does NOT apply to Friday), but I have a feeling that the posters on this board are underestimating the Saints, who are like a dog backed into a corner - very dangerous.
TWO KEYS TO THE GAME
Establish the run - Ronnie racked up 95 yards on 8 carries, and even if you take away his 65 yard knock-over-burst, he still has 4.2 yards a carry. The Saints weakest point on defense is against the run as shown. Pound early and often.
Pressure Aaron Brooks - So cliched, of course every team wants to pressure the QB, and establish the run - but in this case our secondary is so depleted and underachieving that the only way we can help them is to force Brooks into making the mistakes he is prone too. Catch him off guard, blitz cornerbacks, blitz safeties - the safety blitz worked a few times against the Chiefs. LeCharles Bentley vs Keith Traylor/Vonnie Holliday is going to be huge, because outside of Bentley they have marginal (solid though) talent on the line.
I look forward to a good game coming up this week, as one of my best friends is a Saints fan. Hope the analysis is good, seeing as how I have quite the hangover this morning.
And, of course.
GO DOLPHINS!
