More snaps for Hartline means fewer for ...

Although I included this in Thursday afternoon's blog about the coordinators, it bears repeating because on my housetop where I constantly scream to the world the Dolphins need wide receiver help, any nugget of news suggesting the help is coming is going to get extra attention.

Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning did say this week that rookie Brian Hartline is going to get more playing time very soon, and I'm told that soon starts Sunday against New England.

"Hartline is coming along," Henning said. "We haven't pushed him to the front as much. We probably will here in the near future. We like him. He's making plays. He seems to show up as much as Greg [Camarillo] showed up in training camp the first year we were here, albeit we know and he knows what his shortcomings are. But he's an accountable guy.

"Hartline isn't quite as accountable yet. He hasn't been through the ropes and once in a while he'll blow this or blow that. But he has the ability to make explosive plays and we do need to get him the ball more."

Well, unless the Dolphins plan to open in a three- or four-wide package and stay there all game long, or unless the offense gets 30 or so more snaps than usual, the fact is when Hartline gets more snaps, someone will have to get fewer.

So who gets bumped down?

The choices among Miami's receiver corps is, well, almost everyone and anyone.

Consider:

Greg Camarillo? I love this guy because I still believe he is Miami's most polished and dependable receiver. But something obviously happened between last year and this year because of his knee injury. Coaches don't believe him to be as explosive (which is bad because, running 4.6 40s, he was never a track star to begin with).

And the proof that something is up is in Camarillo's numbers. Last year he caught 55 passes for 613 yards and a 11.1-yard per catch average. He also scored two touchdowns. And he did this in only 11 games because he went on injured reserve after that 11th game.

Well, through 11 games this year, Camarillo's production has dropped by about half. He has only 28 catches. He's gained only 281 yards and he hasn't scored a TD. His yards per catch is also down by 1.1 yards.

So he is a candidate for less time.

Ted Ginn Jr.?

He was demoted earlier this season, at New York and New England, following that meltdown game against New Orleans that made it clear to me he'll never be a go-to guy. But for some reason, Ginn quietly worked himself back into the coaching staff's good graces and started games against Tampa Bay, Carolina and Buffalo.

Why?

Given some new life in the five games since New Orleans, Ginn has responded with a resounding seven catches. Seven catches! In five games! Seven catches is a half of work for Wes Welker, but I digress.

The fact is I'm not all that troubled by Ginn's number of catches. The fact is the troubling numbers with him are his average yards per catch and his drops.

Ginn has 25 catches this year. And he has eight drops. That means Ginn drops almost one-quarter (24.2 percent) of the passes in his hands. And in the last six games, Ginn has not once climbed into double figures on average yards per catch. Miami's alleged deep-threat receiver is averaging 8 yards per catch since Oct. 25.

So you know what happens to kids in high school and college who drop one out of every four passes they touch and average only 8 yards per each rare catch?

They get moved to cornerback.

Ginn? He regained his starting job.

For perspective and to be fair, I want you to know I'm not picking on Ginn because he is failing to meet standards set by Andre Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald or anyone else playing outside his universe. He is failing to meet standards set by, well, Ted Ginn.

Last year Ginn led the team with 56 receptions for 790 yards. He had a 14.1-yard-per-catch average and scored two touchdowns. So far this year, he has less the half the number of catches (25) for a humilating 268 yards. And his yards per catch have dropped by nearly 4. In the year we expected him to step forward, to break out, to improve, he has taken a drastic step backward.

So maybe the Dolphins have seen the light. He is a candidate to lose receiver snaps.

Davone Bess is not really a candidate to lose snaps. Although his yards per catch average is down from 10.3 last year to 8.8 this year, he be hella ballin' of late, with 13 catches for 169 yards (13.0 yards per catch) the last three games.

Bess is on pace to finish this year with more catches and more yards than he did last year. In that regard, he is alone on the Miami receiver corps.

So, my opinion which player gets fewer snaps Sunday? Both Ginn and Camarillo.

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Comments

[cuban menace]

OMG, ITS HAPPENING AGAIN NJ, WE'RE POSTING THE SAME THING AT THE SAME TIME...... Please stop it sir...WE'RE NAMISES..

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Lips . thanks !

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Dolphins4life. what's up ?. lee evans would be a solid pick up. He's also a good citizen and NOT a DIVA !

[DyingBreed]

Cuban Menance,

Yes Marshall was suspended for 3 games(reduced to 1 after appeal) by the commissioner. It had to do with allegations of physical abuse by his girlfriend and a pending dui. Those are all correctible offenses.

I would classify and place him in a Randy Moss-like category as far as trouble child. I still believe there's great promise he could develop into a "model citizen", especially in the disciplined Parcells-typed atmosphere as did Moss with Bellichek, a Parcells-typed disciplinary deciple.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Breed , did you see marsahll getting into a shoving match with K Moreno on the sideline 2 weeks ago ? He's a punk !

[Dolphins4life]

Yup no divas on this team absolutely right!

I HOPE your wrong about G Wil thou I mean the guys has had one good game and 10 bad ones. lol
I really like Kurt Coleman from Ohio State as our saftey next year if the regime draft him.
You know Berry if he comes out might not be there in the second or third round much less Mays from USC. But this guy Coleman looked real good the times I've seen him play.

[cuban menace]

Dying, He's a idiot......No offense, id rather keep the lame guys that are there now instead of adding a idiot to the rooster..

[H8dpats]

Let's go Gators!

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Menace , that devil marc got in my way and made it snow up here. I'll fix him. GOD has spoken !

[DyingBreed]

Not arguing with anyone and believe all are viable options. I just can hardly wait and see what really happens. The anticipation is killing me , even though we still have 5 games remaining in the current season. Whatever happens, as Dolphin fan I hope it all works out for the best. As I'm sure we all are.

[dolphins46]

Bess is good as a second year man. Welker was no better at the same point of his career. Once an over the top threat is gotten that can actually catch. His numbers will explode.

[DyingBreed]

LOL, I kinda wish our wr's had the balls to start a fight with someone, anyone. Teammates, garbageman, shoe salesman, Dagwood and Blondie, etc... Anyone to show they have some kind of fire. LOL!

[cuban menace]

NJ, i think its starting to snow....DAMN YOU....lol.....

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Anybody watching my boy rolando McClain make plays all over the Field ? I'm out til later. see ya !

[cuban menace]

Agree Dying, But you cant teach fight, your either born with it or your not...Like Ted(No testicular fortitude)Ginn, no fight in that guy...

[DyingBreed]

Cuban,

Just like Parcells says, " If they dont bite as pups, they wont bite."

[Dolphins4life]

But the most help we need is on defense cause as I said it before if your gonna have a top rushing attach and control the ball you have to have a ver good top five defense. Teams have been throwing all over us and especially in the fourth quarter when teams like the Saints, Colts, and of all team Buffalo last week have to catch up against us.
I read some post last night saying that Channing Crowder wasnt the problem or he didnt need replacing, well I've seen his soo many missed tackles and poor angles from this guys that after what 4 years in the league and as a starter that would have been corrected. IMHO hes got to go. Thing is you can not replace them all as I have also said before. We shall see but I think he along with Ayodele need to be upgraded pronto. Question is what position on defense gets upgraded first cause NT is a concern and is pivotal in the 3-4. Not sure if they are ready to give up on Cam Wake yet and I think Taylor stays one last year and Porter is gone. That said we have Moses and Anderson who need to play before seasons end to see what we have and then evaluate that position. My two biggest concerns are IL and NT.

[cuban menace]

TURN OFF THE SNOW NJ.........

[LipsinToronto]

Dolphins4life. what's up ?. lee evans would be a solid pick up. He's also a good citizen and NOT a DIVA !

Posted by: NJ PHIN FAN | December 05, 2009 at 05:03 PM

Ya, I think Lee Evans is probably the type of guy parcells would want. Someone with talent, that can fight for the ball, but that is not a super star diva. Parcells hates ME, ME, ME people.. he wants to hear his team thump and grunt, not yap and whine.

[cuban menace]

DAMN YOU.............

[Dolphins4life]

Sorry typos Catch you guys later

Dolphins upset the Patsies late FG wins this one.
later catch you guys tomorrow

[DyingBreed]

NJ,

no offense, but you like Moses, Nalbone and Fasano too. If we did get McClain, I hope he doesnt play like any of those guys. LOL

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Breed , Nalbone and fasano are fellow joisey boys. i had a little fun with that. Fasano did tie a dolphin record with 8 td's for a te last year. I know everybody loved him. He had a real good game last week. He's been asked to block more this year and was playing hurt. He's a good football player. Moses is developing into a olb. McClain is a STUD. ! I'm out. Later.

[jj]

I say sign evans or walter,if we cant get jackson or marshall.Sign ben watson and some depth,then draft with first 5 or 6 picks
dt
wr
lb's
s
if we can hit on 3 or 4 of the picks we will be set with a young talented core.your thoughts bloggers.

[Jessie Z!]

Sounds like a good plan to me, or we could just pound the ball all day. Go Phins!

[cuban menace]

Last time i heard that , my girlfriend said to me "the more you pound "IT" doesn't always mean your gonna " SCORE " , though I don't think she was talking about football though..

[cuban menace]

OK GUYS have a FINTASTIC nite tonite, talk to you all tommarrow..(hopefully it will be a pleasant talk...)

[mrmikejohnson]

Ginn only has 286 yards receiving this year? WTF.

[Victor Barney]

Can you imagine how bad Patrick Turner must be if he can not start ahead of Ten Ginn! However, I can't believe that is true so I must believe that it is just another bad coaching decision by Tony Sparano. Bill Parcels, Bill Parcels were are you???

[STONE]

why i feel NJ PHIN has A PLASTIC CHRISTMAS TREE IN HIS BASEMENT AND EVERY YEAR HE DUSTED IT OFF AND PUT IT ON THE FRONT WINDOW W/LIGHTS AND ALL HIS GOODIES FROM WALMART .

[ALoco]

DID NALBONE EVER PLAYED SO FAR THIS YEAR ?

FASANP WE ALL KNOW HE DID COAST US 2 BIG GAMES .

[Ace]

mimmijhonson ....ted ginn had so far this year 645 yards .are you drunk ?

[carlito]

Why i feel somebody talking to himself.

[ALoco]

why i feel the spirit of the cuban menace watching over us in the days leading to christmas ?

[ALoco]

is ted ginn ready to be eaten by WILFORK ?

[Bobacwrd]

People, you have to all take one thing in mind...If Henne gets nervous tomorrow when the slightest bit of pressure develops, it won't matter who are receivers are. Henne is scared in the pocket. he gets nervous when pressure comes and throws the ball in coverage. he short arms the ball, his feet start to dance and heloses focus on his reads. if you watched the game last week, every one of his interceptions were his fault and was all a factor of him feeling pressure.

[Hal in Hallandale]

Lindbergh-baby kidnapper was a Joisey Boy too!

[ALoco]

what?????

[Paul in Parkland]

yup....y'know it's true, 'co. keepin' it real. peace out.

[Hyman]

Hal , didn't i tell you to make some Motzo ball soup and please get off the blog SIR !

[bobbyd12]

Is Wilfork ready to get eaten by Rex Ryan??

[ALoco]

bobbyd12 ,

what do you love to have for dinner in christmas eve ?

[d]

Hands of stone .

[Lito 4 Prez]

Manos de Piedra

[carlito from golfito]

Go Dolphins!

I still believe.

Kill the Pats

[Aloca]

Aloco , you are an imbecile ! please leave this blog sir !

[carlito from golfito]

Pat White will be the hero of this game.

[ALoco]

dolphins are very good at home, they always score high points,fins will win this game,they r very good team ,i don't doubt it at all .they just unlucky team this year due to injures and drop balls .

[ALoco]

is rex ryan a better coach than TS ?

CARLITO , DO YOU MISS YOUR NATIVE LAND MEXICO ?

[ALoco]

GOOD NIGHT PEOPLE , MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU .

[Aloco]

Carlito . You think you're a know-it-all please leave this blog sir.

[Beerndrums]

If the Dolphins don't win tomorrow,then that means the Patsies will have won.

[HOLLY]

LOOKS LIKE THE PATS ARE THE AFC CHAMPS FOR SURE THIS YEAR WHILE WE DO SUV
CK AND THANKS TO FASANO .

[Sean]

Ginn is what I thought he was a KR and a deep threat not a #1 WR or even a posession WR, so use him as a deep threat and a STeamer.... Send him deep every time he is in the game and force the D to cover with 2 men.

[Sean]

speed killz but not if you can not catch!!!!

[Finatic]

Go Fish!

[gumby]

NJ---

Mando really should make all commenters submit their comments to you for screening & approval, so that you can maintain the purity of the blog according to your self-righteous standards.

Why don't you create your own blog, so you can talk to yourself and your handful of slavish followers all day, and not be annoyed by dolphin fans who dare have opinions other than yours

I give ou credit for taking all the joy out of us fans following the dolphins here.

And by the way, Fasano blows, douchebag!

Posted by: Heinrich Himmler | December 05, 2009 at 01:42 PM

Well said. NJ he put you sad sap @zz in place. Bwhahahhahahahahahha

[Aloco]

Sean , please leave this blog sir.

[Dishpan]

Good stuff Mando. But feel free to incorporate this point: any reduction in numbers, any apparent "step back" a member of the offense seems to have taken can be credited in large part to the ridiculous playcalling.

[Ace]

Ginn is what I thought he was a KR and a deep threat not a #1 WR or even a posession WR, so use him as a deep threat and a STeamer.... Send him deep every time he is in the game and force the D to cover with 2 men.

Posted by: Sean | December 05, 2009 at 10:33 PM

I agree with you. We know now Ginn is not #1 material, but were hopeful at first. Use him on special teams works well for me. Lets go Phins!!