The
Miami Dolphins have been a tough team to figure out over the past few seasons. In 2007 the Dolphins reached rock bottom, finishing with the worst record in the NFL at 1-15. In 2008, enter both Bill Parcells as team president and Tony Sparano as head coach, and magically the Dolphins transform themselves into an 11-5 ballclub to win the AFC East.
No longer having the ability to sneak up on anyone, it was a step back to reality in 2009 as the team finished 7-9 and out of the playoffs. The big question now is what should we expect in 2010?
The
NFL oddsmakers have listed Miami at 3/1 to win the division, 16/1 to win the AFC and 30/1 to win the Super Bowl. The 'over/under' on the Dolphins' projected win total is 8.5.
The division title could be an interesting bet, but with
New England and New York standing in Miami's way, getting past both teams could be a stretch. The 'over' on the win total could be a good play, but with away games against teams like Green Bay, Minnesota and Baltimore the losses could pile up fast.
After quarterback Chad Pennington went down with an injury early last season, he was replaced by second-year man Chad Henne as the starter. Henne’s numbers were not fantastic (2,878 passing yards with 12 TD’s and 14 interceptions in 14 games), but he did enough to earn the job for this season as well.
His primary targets in 2010 will be WR’s Davone Bess, who led the team in 2009 with 76 receptions for 758 yards, and Greg Camarillo, who added another 50 receptions for 552 yards. The big addition to the receiving corps this offseason was Brandon Marshall, who came to the team via a trade with Denver. He is coming off minor hip surgery, but is expected to be ready to go by Opening Week.
Miami’s primary strength on offense will still be its running game led by Ronnie Brown and 10-year veteran Ricky Williams. Brown rushed for 648 yards before missing the final seven games with a foot injury. Williams filled in admirably, rushing for 1,121 yards in what was his first 1000-yard season since 2003. How much he has left in the tank for this season remains to be seen.
The Dolphins
defense struggled across the board last season, giving up big plays and making mental mistakes at crucial times that ended up costing the team some games. They finished the year ranked 22nd overall and 25th in points per game allowed. The pass defense was ranked 24th, giving up an average of 234.6 yards per game in the air while the rush defense was almost as bad ending up 18th, giving up 114.7 yards per game on the ground.
Miami decided to focus on improving the line by drafting DT Jared Odrick in the first round and DE Koa Misi in the second. In a coaching change, Mike Nolan was brought in as the new defensive coordinator in an effort to improve the unit as a whole.
There is a very talented core of players on this team and some experts are predicting the Dolphins are the team to watch in the
AFC East this season, not the Patriots or Jets. While I do not disagree they have some talent, Henne has yet to show he can be a top-notch NFL QB and that is what it takes to prosper and win on a consistent basis. Maybe 2010 will be his breakout year, but I am not ready to bet on it.
