Live blogging Dolphins vs. Chargers about to kick off

The inactives for today's games are Erik Walden, Shawn Murphy, Andrew Gardner, Lionel Dotson, Patrick Turner, John Nalbone, and Chris Clemons with Chad Henne designated as the third QB.

Cameron Wake is active for the first time this season, hopefully to be used as both a pass rusher and special teams player.

Today's game between the Dolphins and the Chargers is a referendum on what really is important in the NFL.

The Dolphins are a team built from the inside out. They are strong along the offensive line where they're spent $156 million to put together their starting unit. They are built along the defensive line where they have drafted three players, signed a free-agent, and traded for nose tackle Jason Ferguson and defensive end Tony McDaniel.

The line of scrimmage is where the Dolphins expect to dominate.

The skill players? Not so much. Not so great.

The Chargers, on the other hand, are a team replete with playmakers on offense and defense.

Antonio Gates is one of the best TEs in the NFL. Their running back corps is deep enough that losing LaDanian Tomlinson hurts, but doesn't kill their chances. Vincent Jackson, Chris Chambers and Legadu Naanee are the cornerstones of a pretty good receivers corps.

And defensively, CB Antonio Cromartie can be a premier playmaker.

The problem for the Chargers is they're not very strong up the gut right now.

Pro Bowl nose tackle Jamal Williams is out for the season. Center Hardwick is out for eight weeks. The players along their two lines are not their best players.

So what's more important? Being great in the interior, in the trenches? Or being great outside where the playmakers can make a difference?

We'll find out today. And we'll be doing it during the live blog that begins soon in the comments section. I'll be back when the inactives come out to relay those to you. 

Comments

[Dolphininparis]

Go Dolphins the first win is coming up!!!!

[twitter.com/andilubio]

What time oes the game start? 4 sharp? cuz gamepass is telling me it will start in 11 min... i guess it has some delay.

[Lips]

Patriots win. Jets win. 4:00 game in my area? Buffalo.

So all 3 OTHER AFC east teams on the tube. My Dolphins? They will win without me watching :/

[Dolphininparis]

10;15 andres

[Lips]

Game time is 4:15

[Sammy in Dubai]

It's midnight in Dubai and I'm ready for some football -- I think Pat White will actually throw the ball today.

[twitter.com/andilubio]

Alright, so its a 3 min delay in gamepass.

As i said during the week, today ginn will make the catches he missed last week!

[Dolphininparis]

The Miami Herald Dolphins app is really great
Thanks mando
Go Dolphins

[Armando Salguero]

Some local 14-year-old just sang the best national anthem I've heard since Whitney Houston in Super Bowl 25

[twitter.com/andilubio]

This M. Sanchez hype is killing me, i cant wait to see JT and JP kill him!! xDD

[Bostonfinfan]

That's a bold statement, Armando!

[Armando Salguero]

Dolphininparis, are you currently located in Paris?

[Dolphininparis]

Yes mando
Im living in Paris

[Armando Salguero]

Dolphins kicking off and Wake is on special teams.

[twitter.com/andilubio]

theres a pretty good group of out usa people here today!

3 min to start here!

[Bostonfinfan]

I have this nauseous feeling in my stomach, much like the feeling I get as I wait for my mechanic to give me a $1k repair estimate.

[twitter.com/andilubio]

Dolphinparis you using gamepass?

[tufaro]

the tuna's free agent bust list
1. will woolford
2. eric green
3. gibril "burn me" wilson
4. That "crocker" safety last year
5. That mcgown qb dude.

[Armando Salguero]

You guys see Joey Porter getting after Marcus McNeil before the game?

[SoiledBottom]

Dear Mr. Salguero

I am very pleased you have a sense of humor to go along with your good heart.

Soiled :)

[chuck]

anyone have link? pretty please

[miateamsfan]

yay wake is active

[Bostonfinfan]

Nice lunging miss, crowder. Tool.

[Dolphininparis]

Ok guys im gonna leave the comment section because of the 5 mins delay of game pass
Have a good game
Go Dolphins

[Armando Salguero]

Dolphins safeties give up first completion to Antonio Gates. And can't get him down on the ground clean.

[orlinorl]

tight end again

[FrankieD]

Man our safety play is weak at best

[Bostonfinfan]

Got burned hard on that screen.

[miateamsfan]

ugh oh san diego driving for a score allread

[John]

Does anyone have a streaming link?

[Armando Salguero]

Despite not having Hardwick, Chargers still running between tackles ... but doing it by pulling the guards.

[miateamsfan]

san diego probably wont be able to run today but they sure going to be passing all over us

[FrankieD]

Great play by culver!!

[Hayden Fox]

Ty Culver!!!!!!

[miateamsfan]

lol good job of intefering with gates

[Armando Salguero]

Huge play!

Dolphins using Culver, who has better coverage skills than Bell or Wilson, on the tight end.

The Dolphins did blitz also on third down.

[Krome24s]

What? Good defense on a te!! For once

[rogperu]

wilson and crowter are terrible !

[orlinorl]

GO OFFENSE! run ricky run!

[miateamsfan]

i dont want to see bell, wilson or crowder in on passing situations.

[Armando Salguero]

Dolphins go deep first play of the game. Ginn open. Ball over his head.

[test]

nice crappy throw

[Joel]

Look at that cannon!

[Bostonfinfan]

I knew they'd open with that.

[joel]

anyone have a working link for the game?

[FrankieD]

Yeah look like they are using culver with 2 other TEs in passing downs!

[MA_Phins_Phan]

Holy cow, will Pennington throw that far ever again?

[orlinorl]

thought Ginn was a speedster! hell of a throw

[Pound]

damn! at least they took a shot

[miateamsfan]

smh chad overthrew ginn again

[rogperu]

cmon ginn !

[Po White Trash]

http://www.justin.tv/rey_mysteriotv

[Marc]

I HATE Pennington! That was a TD

[Armando Salguero]

Honestly, Ginn didn't look like he was chugging very fast on that first play.

Strange.

[John]

Anyone streaming the game?

[Joel]

Ginn is so fast but everyone over throws him.

[test]

ginn had that corner beat and noodle arm can't hit him.

[miateamsfan]

i like that call though .....attack them deep and wow minnesota won the game

[Po White Trash]

http://www.justin.tv/rey_mysteriotv

[orlinorl]

Ist DOWN