A playoff live blog today of Fins-Ravens game

The day is finally here. Are you just a little excited?

The Miami Dolphins return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2001-02 season today. They play the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore is favored by 3 points.

But so far in these playoffs, the home team is 2-0.

One thing I know: The Dolphins lost to Baltimore 27-13 on Oct. 19 and two things the Dolphins want to address on offense are the use of the wildcat package and turnovers. On the turnover front, the Miamians must avoid the kind of game-changing plays that they allowed in the first game.

That means no interception returns for touchdowns, such as the one Terrell Suggs had in the regular season.

On the wildcat front, the Dolphins have studied and schemed to beat the blitz the Ravens showed every time Miami lined up in the formation the first game. That suggests passes and other tweaks out of wildcat, rather than just Ronnie Brown runs up the pike. The former might work. The latter didn't work on Oct. 19.

One last thing: The Dolphins defense must make Joe Flacco play like a rookie. He played more like Joe Montana in the first game. That means pressure. It will be interesting to see how Miami brings that pressure. Joey Porter, with 17.5 sacks in the regular season, needs to step up.

As you know, the reason you're here is to get the live blog going. It begins in the comments section at 1 p.m., although if you start now, I'll be checking in and out while I do my pregame show on 790 The Ticket in Miami.

The show streams online at 790theticket.com. You can also call me toll free at 1-888-790-3776.

Comments

[bob]

1st!

[timm13]

the off. needs to come up with plays that keep ravens def. from doing what it wants at will.that could include the no huddle, different looks in the wildcat or some new twist.
miami's off. needs to dictate to the ravens def., make the play miami's game ,not a ravens deffensive game.

[studioWI]

I'm 1st!
'Cause bob is an idiot and doesn't count.

[C-los]

Armando,
I've just heard on NFl Network (Adam Schecter)that the Dolphins have an interest in Carl Peterson....1) Why does that #$^#& network insist on not covering the team other than to try to blow us up (for example, the Parcells special clause report from Mortensen (on ESPN) and now the Carl Peterson interest from Schecter?) and 2) is there any truth to those stories or is the NFL Network as incorrect in these stories as they were with their picks? (ESPN & NFL NETWORK had ATL & IND winning big yesterday)
Can you clear any of this up or is DOLPHIN~NATION in for another regime "change" as those networks predict? Also, why are we hearing this now, just before our playoff game w/ the Ravens...(seems like it couldn't come @ a worse time?)

[Stuart]

I feel good going into this game today...GO DOLPHINS!!!!!! Everyone talks about how great the Ravens are...we'll see. I'll be the first to acknowledge them and their dominance if they do dominate. But, I think our Miami Dolphins are going to continue to prove people wrong during this cinderella season. One thing I know...we MUST punch them in the mouth and match their physicality. We do that...don't turn it over and make Flacco look like what he IS...a rookie.

[dolfanSF]

god bless the dolphins.

[D]

They are all reporting the same thing, that the new owner is really close with Parcells.

That is what these networks do, they report on tidbits of things they find out, eventually it might add up to something and they can refer back to this.

Otherwise its just space filler.

How many times can you say Miami was 1-15 last year and 11-5 this one? They need something to talk about.

[Stuart]

None of us need to be too surprised if Parcells does in fact leave...EVERYTHING is about money in this greedy, corrupt world. Sad...but true man. If he bails for more money he can kiss my poor, middle class white ass. Th Dolphins will continue to be my team, despite where fat ass Tuna carries his big belly. I thnk him for what he has done..but it's also Sparano, Ireland, Pennington, Porter, and a bunch of players who made it happen.

[D]

Sorry, I meant Peterson, not Parcells.

[C-los]

stephen ross better do everything in his power to keep parcells in the fold

[AK47]

This goes to all those so-called experts from espn, nfl network, si, abc, nbc, and all those letters:
whats gonna be your excuse today? that we played against a rookie QB??
ravens 17, Dolphins 20

[Stuart]

PHYSICALITY from MIAMI!!!!!!!!

[D]

Are you really ripping Parcells for something he has not even done yet b/c some beat writer said there is a very long shot he will do it?

What is wrong with you? Genius

[cuban menace]

I shall root for the fish today..... go fish,fish,fish....

[dub14]

Greetings from Dublin, Ireland. 6pm start for us here so I'll get the dinner and walk the dog before then. It's been a hell of season so far let's hope we get at least another week out of it.

[Stuart]

I just had an inkling that Ricky Williams is going to be huge today. Count on it!

[cuban menace]

I wonder how many people ray lewis mugged last nite, you know how it is when you go" back to ol' hood"

[C-los]

D,
I'm not ripping PARCELLS, i like him and i WANT him to stay in MIAMI along w/ SPARANO & IRELAND...Moreover, what i really don't want is CARL PETERSON in MIAMI cause he SUCKS as a GM and that means ppl like IRELAND will leave too (can't have 2 GM's on one team)....
DOLPHINS 24 RAVENS 20

[dolfanTexas]

This Miamian thing is getting childish! I like your blogs and read them all the time, but there are more fans not from Miami than there are from Miami just look in the stands every Sunday. You are alienating thousands of fans to pee off one person. I think you have got the better of him or her by now. I will continue to read your blog regardless, but come on Mando I think you've won by now! GO PHINS!!!!!!! LET'S B-B-Q SOME ravens TEXAS STYLE!!!!!! MIAMIANS 31 ravens 16

[C-los]

ARMANDO, PLEASE CLEAR THIS BIT OF NEWS UP FOR US??? (CHECK THE THREAD)

[Pat-London]

Today is a day where we simply can not back down. We need to smack them in the mouth first and stand right there.

Linebacker play will be critical. We've all made the point that Ferguson (Handful of plays only) and Soliai werent there first game. Now they are.

Inside backers need to be strong at the point of attack.

YB cant get sucked in to quickly or the play pass will get behind him.

Mason will get his yards but we need to limit them.

And last but most importantly.. we need to scare the b'jesus out of Flaco with pressure and unsettle him from the outset. If we sit back Cameron will have him manage the game.

Offense. Simple... OL needs to create some holes in the running game and be strong in pass pro. Keep their eyes open, they'll be coming from everywhere

We do all that, we win.

Here's to a great game.

[Slater]

Pumped and cant sleep. Pulling an all nighter here in Sydney Australia. Go Dolphins..

[Hayden Fox]

I just don't know how this team is going to score today.

The Ravens are a GREAT example of a mentally tough team. The gaffes that Fins got away with against their easy schedule will finally get exploited today.

[Armando Salguero]

Two things:

I did not see the report about Peterson but why would the Dolphins be interested in him a. Unless they KNOW Parcells is gone. B. Unless they know Ireland is gone with him. C. Unless they have forgotten Peterson has not done a good job in KC for three or four years.

Second thing: Miamians!

BREAKING NEWS:A-TO FORGET WHAT PARCELLS DID TO RESTORE THE DOLPHINS NAME AGAIN IN NFL IT'S PURE FACT HOW FIN FANS HAS 0 EXP WITH WINING AND FOOTBALL AS PRO SPORT.B-TUNA IS THE ONLY PRO FOOTBALL EXC IN LOVE W/FOOTBALL .C-WHAT 3 MIL IN PER YEAR IN TODAY PRO' IT PAY'S FOR ANY LOUSY PLAYER ON TLE ROASTER.D.TUNA ONE AMERICAN ORIGINAL INA OF TIME FAKE EXC.IN THE END PRO SPORT TODAY IS ABOUT YOUNG TEAMS GOING TO THE TOP WITHOUT A LIKE OF T.O OR TAYLOR. I FORGOT TUNA IS GREA FOR BUSSINES . POSTED BY ALFRADO

[PHX FIN FAN]

Coach Henning, Secondary, Cobbs and Special Teams will need to come up huge today...This Baltimore D is no joke, we need to keep them from blitzkreig-ville and keep Penny upright! That short dink and dunk stuff will just allow the Ravens to bring the heat...couple of shots downfield, Bess & Ginn need to play HUGE today...

So excited, couldn't sleep, LET'S GO MIAMI!!!!!!

Dolphins 28 - Ravens 13

We don't need Carl Petersen, what has he done? KC has been run of the mill for 20 years...

[joey devilles crotch is riseing]

can somebody explain to me if there isint a salary cap for coaches or personel why is this even an issuie other teams are willing to give cowher 10 mil a year from what i heard on a report just give these guys the money i dont understand.. didint they pay wilford like 6 million this year?

[joey devilles crotch is riseing]

patrick cobbs reminds me of the next brian westbrook what do u guys think?

[Hayden Fox]

BTW, I think it was terrible how Channing Crowder and Joey Porter ripped Cam Cameron after the game last week. It was classless and they simply spit in the face of any karma they gained.

BTW, Cameron smoked those guys last time. Those guys are idiots and will come up small.

[Hayden Fox]

One other thought...can Channing Crowder stop talking about his contract? When has he EVER made a big play let alone multiple big plays? He is an idiot that we should replace via the draft.

[Jimmy in nc]

did anyone see the preview that nbc did last night for the game or should i say ravens highlights they didn't say one thing about the dolphins as if the ravens are just playing them selfs.
WHO RIDE?? WE RIDE!!!! WHO RIDE????? WE RIDE!!!!! WHO RIDE????? WE RIDE!!!!!!! LETS RIDE ON 3!!!!!!! ONE!!!!! TWO!!!!!! THREE!!!!! LETS RIDE!!!!!!!!!

[nyfinfan]

Matt Ryan was a lil flustered, so was Rivers and Manning. We win this game by making Flacco look like a ROOKIE!!! lunge at his feet and KNOCK HIM DOWN EVERY CHANCE YOU GET!!! go fins!

i did see the preview and it was very fair based on dolphins record from last year you remember.get ready to ride to basement in first 10 MIN OF THE GAME.BY LOGIC

[nyfinfan]

oh please house money? house money? I want to F'n WIN!!!!

I know they are building but I wanna WIN NOW!!

WHO COULD ANSWER THIS Q.HOW MANY INTERCEPTION THE RAVENS WILL HAVE TODAY.AS YOU KNOW C.P FAMOUS FOR THOSE IN IMPORTANT GAMES.POSTED BY SHERK.P

i say three.by ny fin fan

[joey devilles crotch is riseing]

hey armando why are they blasting tito jackson on the ticket?

[Cam Cameron]

"One thing I know:"

I agree. You do know one thing.

[joey devilles crotch is riseing]

armando give me a shout out for using my bill cowher comment on the ticket lol..

[joey devilles crotch is riseing]

hey armando i know next years schedule will be tough but could u inform us of our salary cap.. and the availability of it?

[Matt in NC]

Armando-

I agree with the above comments regarding the "rumors" regarding Carl Peterson's association with Ross.

Anyway you can confirm or deny these rumors?

If not, can you provide us Dolphin fans with Stephen Ross' email or snail mail address?

I truly think that if he shows even a HINT of monkeying with the Parcells/Ireland/Sparano regime currently in place, he will face a backlash from the fans that is unheard of in the annals of Dolphin history.

Us fans, particularly the oldtimers, have been through the glorious highs of the early 70's to the dazzle of the Marino years, to the pure-T crap of the post-Shula years, this season being the exception of this era.

We were spoiled by Shula (and many of you youngsters didn't KNOW how good you had it), disappointed by Johnson, dismayed by Wannstedt, disparaged by Saban, and disgusted by Cameron. In this lone sea of 14 years of stench, Parcells-Ireland-Sparano have given us one of the most memorable seasons ever.

And if Ross wants to take that away by monkeying around in any capacity, I will walk away from this team faster than a Marino bullet and irresistably as a Csonka plough up the middle.

So please, Armando, give us fans some contact information to let Mr Ross know how we feel.

In the meantime, let's enjoy the magic we have today, and as always---

GO DOLPHINS!!!!!!

Matt

[joey devilles crotch is riseing]

flipper would be a great idea .

[Cam Cameron]

There is no "e" in rising.

[joey devilles crotch is riseing]

armando what does the coach tell the team usually after a playoff loss the coach usually tells the team he is proud of them and all that pep talk u know.

[bryan in ohio]

parcells will stay all bs!

[joey devilles crotch is rising]

thanks cam

[Cam Cameron]

You're welcome

[joey devilles crotch is rising]

hey cam whats the final score..

[Cam Cameron]

Hopefully, Ravens X, Dolphins X + at least 1

[Cam Cameron]

Smith beats Sparano for coach of the year.

[joey devilles crotch is rising]

i feel good after both home teams won last nighy especially after 8-8 chargers took care of buissnes and beat the nfl mvp and the colts.

[Pinch me I'm dreamin']

PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS? Yes, let's talk about the stinking PAYOFFS!!! GO DOLPHINS!!!!

[joey devilles crotch is rising]

no doubt mando

[joey devilles crotch is rising]

why cant people see the division's toughness that should have something to do with coach of the year this is bs

[joey devilles crotch is rising]

if bill parcells had a headset and was on the sidelines i would agree on the parcells shadow

[LOL]

get ready for a loss

we have no chance to beat the ravens.

[Cam Cameron]

I'll take a playoff win over an individual award anyday.

This would be nice:

Favre - Pro Bowl
Manning - MVP
Pennington - Playoff winner

Smith - Coach of the Year
Sparano - Playoff winner

[joey devilles crotch is rising]

im hopeing for flea flicker as the first play of the game.

[joey devilles crotch is rising]

wow lets get suggs next year as a free agent.

all fin fans should send big thank you tuna note to be in playoff .second get ready for the old lousy dolphins for coming years.also on this blog fin fans start to talk about american idol .THAT IF NEW OWNER PUSH TUNA TO.WALK--------------POSTED BY LOGIC