In 2007, the
Miami Dolphins were one overtime loss against the
Baltimore Ravens away from a winless season. Needless to say, expectations couldn't have been much lower heading into 2008. A new head coach, a new quarterback and 10 additional wins later, and the Miami Dolphins were one of the most unexpected playoff teams in recent memory. Can they do it again?
Offense -- One man's trash is another man's treasure, or something like that. After the Jets parted ways with
Chad Pennington to make room for their one-year experiment with
Brett Favre, the Dolphins scooped up the former first-round pick and were rewarded with an AFC East title and their first trip to the playoffs since the 2001 season. Pennington excelled in the regular season, tossing 19 touchdowns to only seven interceptions and posted a 97.4 passer rating -- second only to San Diego's Phillip Rivers -- before struggling in an opening round playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The most notable aspect of the Miami offense, however, is the phenomenon that has become the "Wildcat offense." It remains to be seen whether or not it's just a fad, or something a team like Miami can continue to build on, but it certainly appears as if it's going to be something to watch in '09, especially with the addition of second-round pick Pat White. 2008 No. 1 overall pick
Jake Long has the look of a franchise offensive tackle.
Heat Index: 8
Defense -- Chad Pennington was a nice comeback story on the offensive side of the ball, and boisterous outside linebacker
Joey Porter was a nice comeback story on the defensive side of the ball. After signing with Miami prior to the 2007 season, a year that saw him record a disappointing 5.5 sacks, Porter played like a man possessed in 2008 and set a new career-high with 17.5 sacks, shattering his previous high of 10.5. After a disappointing one-year stint with the
Washington Redskins,
Jason Taylor has returned to Miami, while the team also signed free-agent safety
Gibril Wilson, and continued to rebuild its secondary with first-round draft pick
Vontae Davis and second-round pick
Sean Smith.
Heat Index: 7
