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.
FIRST DOWN
Posted by: Mike W | January 04, 2009 at 01:09 PM
here we go baby cobbs next brian westbrook
Posted by: joey devilles crotch is rising | January 04, 2009 at 01:09 PM
Lets go
Posted by: Bernski | January 04, 2009 at 01:09 PM
Every week for the past three weeks Sparano has asked his Offensive coaches, 'How are we going to get the ball to cobbs this week?'
Posted by: Armando Salguero | January 04, 2009 at 01:09 PM
those horizontal runs on shotgun work very rarely. not a fan
Posted by: Andrew H | January 04, 2009 at 01:10 PM
GO GO GO DOLPHINS!!
Posted by: darncart | January 04, 2009 at 01:10 PM
We can't run the ball to save our lives
Posted by: Bernski | January 04, 2009 at 01:10 PM
omg im telling brian westbrook
Posted by: joey devilles crotch is rising | January 04, 2009 at 01:10 PM
... I guess the answer this week was, 'We're going to throw it to him at least twice in the first two pass plays.'
Posted by: Armando Salguero | January 04, 2009 at 01:10 PM
FIRST DOWN
Miami has Balts number
they are confused and
SCARED
Posted by: Mike W | January 04, 2009 at 01:10 PM
now pound cobbs up the middle for the 2
Posted by: Mike W | January 04, 2009 at 01:11 PM
mando f this blog get up make that noise
Posted by: joey devilles crotch is rising | January 04, 2009 at 01:11 PM
David Martin wide open on the play-action but Pennington was running for his life.
Posted by: Armando Salguero | January 04, 2009 at 01:12 PM
terrible terrilbe
Posted by: Andrew H | January 04, 2009 at 01:12 PM
Get the points.
Posted by: Hayden Fox | January 04, 2009 at 01:12 PM
Silly to run up the middle on the goal line vs these guys.
Posted by: darncart | January 04, 2009 at 01:12 PM
We need to score when we get on the 1 yd line
Posted by: Bernski | January 04, 2009 at 01:13 PM
Gotta come away with points. They could be hard to come by for both teams today.
Posted by: Armando Salguero | January 04, 2009 at 01:13 PM
low scoring game this will be.. 3 points off turnover huge....ala yoda lol
Posted by: joey devilles crotch is rising | January 04, 2009 at 01:13 PM
NEED td'S. lets go D another turnover
Posted by: David | January 04, 2009 at 01:14 PM
just give to polite on 2nd and goal. his conversion rate is like over 90% I don't get it. If you have first and goal at 1 then you can play fake. Not wise.
Posted by: Andrew H | January 04, 2009 at 01:14 PM
SONOFA............!! Same damned story!@!!!! You can't settle for a &*#^*#% field goal after goin that far! And, you can't get into the endzone against a great defense with J A C K A S S playcalling! *)&$*(
Posted by: aj | January 04, 2009 at 01:15 PM
now hold them to 3 and out
Posted by: Mike W | January 04, 2009 at 01:15 PM
exactly. polite is the man with 1 yard needed
Posted by: David | January 04, 2009 at 01:15 PM
No more dancing Ronnie!! Hit that hole hard!!!
Posted by: David | January 04, 2009 at 01:16 PM
The Ravens are bunch of bullies and bums. I wish I had the game in which the Giants ran all over them on DVD.
Posted by: Hayden Fox | January 04, 2009 at 01:16 PM
i think everybody extpected polite on goal line so going for playaction was a good idea just a great defense.
Posted by: joey devilles crotch is rising | January 04, 2009 at 01:16 PM
Is Carpenter the worst kickoff guy in the league or is that planned crappiness?
Posted by: Joel | January 04, 2009 at 01:16 PM
the tight end was open on the goaline playaction but pennington didn't want to force it.
Posted by: sonny crockett | January 04, 2009 at 01:17 PM
they were moving on us fine before the fumble. I'm not convinced of our ability to stop them yet.
Posted by: Andrew H | January 04, 2009 at 01:17 PM
smack the flac
Posted by: | January 04, 2009 at 01:18 PM
hear that crowd and that fumble rattled these guys im sure
Posted by: joey devilles crotch is rising | January 04, 2009 at 01:18 PM
can ronnie brown hit a hit with some power please.....
Posted by: jason | January 04, 2009 at 01:18 PM
That was real bad.....we needed that TD more than any other time in this franchises' history. The Ravens "D"D is only going to get better and now, after that goal line stand the ravens are pumped, and will be jaw jackin, and the Phins O line knows they were shut down....this is NOT a good combo.
Posted by: aj | January 04, 2009 at 01:18 PM
Keep tackling hard-go Joey
Posted by: David | January 04, 2009 at 01:18 PM
3rd down
Posted by: darncart | January 04, 2009 at 01:18 PM
Vonnie Holliday with the pressure.
Posted by: Armando Salguero | January 04, 2009 at 01:18 PM
3rd and long...Let's go!
Posted by: Marc | January 04, 2009 at 01:18 PM
at least we put Flacco on his back
3-8
Posted by: Mike W | January 04, 2009 at 01:19 PM
flac got punched in the mouth
Posted by: joey devilles crotch is rising | January 04, 2009 at 01:19 PM
3 and out....lets go.
Posted by: Hayden Fox | January 04, 2009 at 01:19 PM
interecept
Posted by: Mike W | January 04, 2009 at 01:19 PM
Defensive holding. Or PI.
Posted by: Armando Salguero | January 04, 2009 at 01:19 PM
ball not cathable
Posted by: Mike W | January 04, 2009 at 01:19 PM
way too much time again.
Posted by: Andrew H | January 04, 2009 at 01:19 PM
SH@T!
Posted by: Marc | January 04, 2009 at 01:19 PM
5yd better tahn 25
Posted by: Mike W | January 04, 2009 at 01:20 PM
We have to blitz to get pressure b/c rushing 4 ain't gonna get it done.
Posted by: Joel | January 04, 2009 at 01:20 PM
Terrible pass rush. They have to send more than they can block.
Posted by: Hayden Fox | January 04, 2009 at 01:20 PM
Pretty ticky tack, but I don't blame goodman when Flacco has 10 seconds
Posted by: Andrew H | January 04, 2009 at 01:20 PM
Again, not enough pressure. Seems to me this team needs to draft/sign another DL/OLB that would prssure the QB.
Posted by: Armando Salguero | January 04, 2009 at 01:20 PM
It doesn't matter if you hit the line with power if there isn't an inch of room, and ANY back the Phins have is no match (in terms of pure power) with the weakest of the Ravens players. That's why the O line has to do better, or better yet, we need some type of quick pass like the one that Ricky had a play or two before the goal line plays!
Posted by: aj | January 04, 2009 at 01:20 PM
Porter is playing patty cake with the LT
Posted by: Mike W | January 04, 2009 at 01:20 PM
crowd noice please
Posted by: Mike W | January 04, 2009 at 01:22 PM
Holliday experience paying off on that penalty.
Posted by: Armando Salguero | January 04, 2009 at 01:22 PM
Wait a minute...How did Hochuli get this game??
Posted by: Hayden Fox | January 04, 2009 at 01:22 PM
someone shut Phil Simms up
Posted by: Mike W | January 04, 2009 at 01:22 PM
The Ravens have obviously scouted the Dolphins pretty well. Dolphins bring CB blitz on long-yardage but Ravens rollout Flacco to counter.
Posted by: Armando Salguero | January 04, 2009 at 01:23 PM
Review it...
Posted by: Hayden Fox | January 04, 2009 at 01:23 PM
Last week Simms was gobbling Farve, this week's it's Flacco.
Posted by: Joel | January 04, 2009 at 01:23 PM