Live blog here to celebrate season ticket milestone

The Dolphins tonight celebrate their most important preseason game of 2010 and already they have good news on the horizon: The team will soon announce that it has surpassed the 50,000 season-ticket mark for the first time in the Bill Parcells era and the first time since 2007.

Although the club has not yet made it official, I'm told by several sources there is a sense of pride at the fact the local fans have seen fit to invest in season-tickets at a rate not seen in several years despite the tough economic times that plagues the nation and South Florida.

There is much work to do, however, for the Dolphins business side. While there has been a steady increase in the sale of tickets since they fell off the table following Nick Saban's departure, 50,000 to ,51,000 is not the goal. The club would like to be closer to 2006 levels and be in the 60,000s season tickets sold.

One supposes the success the team will have this year will go far toward determining that.

To that end, I present to you tonight's game.

Things to look for:

The secondary: Um, they've been pretty bad this preseason and now they're facing the best quarterback (Matt Ryan) they've seen so far and for a much longer period of time. The expectation is the Ryan will go at least one half tonight as will Miami's starting DBs.

[Update: Jason Allen is slated to start ahead of Sean Smith at RCB. Smith has been on notice all preseason that his job is at stake. Count this another strongly worded message that he needs to pull up and play better or he'll find himself coming off the bench when the season begins.]

To blitz or not to blitz: I've shared with you what the Dolphins' defense is going to be this year in previous posts. Attacking is the operative word. But this preseason the Dolphins have shown no blitzes with their first-team defense. Do they unwrap some of that package tonight? I do not know. But I'll be watching with interest to see how effetive Koa Misi and Jared Odrick can be when three or four of their teammates are also trying to bust down the offensive line wall along with them.

No injuries, please: That is a key goal. The coaching staff hasn't babied this team, but it has been cautious to avoid the physical, emotional, and psychological distress that a season-ending or other signifcant injury can have upon a team. Today the St. Louis Rams are sick at the loss of receiver Donnie Avery for the season. Teams that come out the third preseason game relatively healthy usually go into the regular season that way because the final preseason game is usually a passing excersize on the field. If Miami can escape this contest unscathed, that will bode wll for the opener.

Last minute news: Will Allen and Nate Garner are the only scratches for the Dolphins. That is interesting because it suggests Channing Crowder is dressed ... but he will not start. Tim Dobbins is starting for Crowder tonight. Jake Grove is starting at center.

So meet me at kickoff in the comments section for the live blog. It should be a hoot. 

Comments

[ALoco]

i love it when carlito starts a fire then says i am just the messenger ,

p.s...the story is true parcell didn't want p.white .

[come on mando!!!]

channing is a starting LBer

[BoulderFinFan]

Man I never thought we'd miss Will Allen this much. Jason Allen to start? I always liked J Allen. I hope he has a good game

[Armando Salguero]

It is a beautiful, clear evening in South Florida.

Of course, that means it could rain in the next five minutes.

[ALoco]

armando, how many hours did you sleep today armando ?

[carlito from golfito]

Mando,

I have always heard from several different people, including yourself, that what you're saying is the case... Thats why I found it interesting to hear otherwise... I don't know if it matters anyway... Its most likely a lost cause either way...

[Yazzi]

bootang25:

My guess is that they've talked to him MULTIPLE times this week about his preseason play...

I saw a recent interview...I'm a little worried because he doesn't sound like the smartest guy on the team.
.
.

[come on mando!!!]

i like allen too, i feel he just had to much going on to early in his career! cb,s,cb,s,now cb again!! he will tackle and has speed, just hoping the game slowed down a little bit that way!! classic tony s

[carlito from golfito]

LOL @ Aloco, you da man

[Yann]

cannot really imagine a serious NFL franchise "celebrating" because it has sold 2/3 of its stadium capacity.
The waiting line for season tickets in Green Bay or Pittsburgh would fill our stadium...
Speaking of waiting line, good idea to bench Smith tonight.

[BoulderFinFan]

I'm also interested in seeing Odrick. I wonder if grant can unseat him

[Slippery Soap]

Here is another chance to watch the guy we passed up in 2008 with the No.1 overall pick Matt Ryan. Instead we got Jake Long who so far has not scored any touchdowns.

Imagine were this team would be if Parcells had the guts to select a franchise QB instead of a Franchise Left Tackle.

Instead we have Chad Henne.

Same thing this year. I would rather had stayed at 12 in first round and selected Dez Bryant to pair along with Brandon Marshall. Kept Ginn and had one of the most potent offenses in the NFL.

Instead we get vanilla Jared Odrick and Koa Misi. On this pace we will never be a dynamic team.

[Armando Salguero]

How could anyone give up on Pat White? LOL.

[BoulderFinFan]

I think henne is as good as ryan if not better

[Cuban Menace]

Watch it guys, Hating on Sean Smith will only awaken Home... Is this what you want?????

[ALoco]

henne has the same numbers as mat ryan BOULDERFINFAN .

[SoiledBottom]

I never gave up..never believed in him in the first place

[come on mando!!!]

you think they are trying to fill spots at G and C, i couldnt imagine this team without LONG, plus what ryan had 1 good year and 1 bad yr vs. long 2 good yrs

[DyingBreed]

What I'm anxious about most is to see how the starting defense fairs against thier first premium TE this season in Tony Gonzalez.

[Armando Salguero]

Henne isn't as good as Ryan. Yet.

[Jeees]

any stream links ??!?!?!

[Bootang25]

Yazzi,

He seems to preoccupied with all of the other nonsense, instead of completenfocus on football. It should be interesting to see how he responds.

[carlito from golfito]

I think Sparano is sending a message to Sean Smith... I certainly hope the Dolphins arent heading into the season with jason allen as a starting CB

[Jeees]

please links !

[Dope Smuggler]

Ryan had a step back last year, so everyone stop with the BS. Henne has a shot at being just as good and better then him. Unless you think Sanchez is also good, then your definition and mine are different.

[come on mando!!!]

he on par mando!! stop anointing these young QB's so early! to be elite they have to do it year in year out!! its way to early for all these guys!! judge by years 5

[come on mando!!!]

p2p4u.net great site

[Stefan]

anyone know where we can get a stream of the game online?

[BoulderFinFan]

What has ryan done that makes him better than henne. His completion percentage was not much better than henne's last year. I bet this year henne has a better QB rating.

[DyingBreed]

Sean Smith is a very athletic corner but it seems he has no mean streak in him. He seems to me to be the Miami Dolphins player most likely to end up on GQ magazine.

[Jeees]

stream links anyone ?!?!?!

[TampaPhins]

I live in Tampa and both preseason home games are or will be blacked out. I know the team is bad but there were only 31,000 people through the turnstile last week.

[caymanfinfan]

Hey mando,

do you think that it is now safe to say that BOTH of our second round picks last year are busts?

[carlito from golfito]

Bob Griese is Stoned

[come on mando!!!]

damn i gave you a site!!!!!!!!!!!!! p2p4u.net

[test]

jason allen....oh lord.

if he starts in regular season, our secondary is 100% doomed.

[Cuban Menace]

Wow a stadium a quarter full 10 minutes before kick-off, Either there's a large line to get beer or to get rid of the Beer, Mando, what are you seeing??????LOL

[Armando Salguero]

Atlanta wins the coin toss and will receive.

[Jeees]

a real link !

[CJ]

quit whining test

[DyingBreed]

Nice broadcast team: Griese, Moore, Bokamper on the sidelines with Sparano.

[BoulderFinFan]

does anyone have a link for the game?

[superPHIN]

Good start Special teams

[DyingBreed]

Nolan Carroll!

[Jeees]

anyone have a link to stream please?

[DyingBreed]

Wake looked good against the run on that play

[DolphinsInMemphis]

Here, try this one. Was working good last week!

http://atdhe.net/index.html

[bobbyd12]

Nice play by Caroll

[DyingBreed]

Dansby on Gonzalez, YES!

[Po White Trash]

Anyone gotta link????

[superPHIN]

Thats what i want to see

[Armando Salguero]

Karlos Dansby has good coverage around Gonzalez on two consecutive downs. When's the last time we saw a LB do that for Miami vs. a great TE?

[DyingBreed]

Good breakup by Jason Allen on Gonzalez

[cocoajoe]

Carlito, SS is rotting your brain.

[boomtownrat25]

live feed: http://www.justin.tv/mediphins#/w/346043152

your welcome

[carlito from golfito]

Nice opening series by the defense

[Darryl Dunphy]

bootang25 Good to see your back, it's been awhile!

Armando be nice to Carlito, he may leave for good this time.

What I think we will see tonight.
A huge improvement on special teams. I'm sure that a lot of instruction went into improving this unit during the week.
How will the offensive line play tonight, I think the starters are set, but the second unit got thrashed last week. Will there be improvement there?
Can we continue to cause turnovers? This has been an area of concern that so far we have done well by.
Will the tight ends be a factor tonight. This position is important to the success of the offense. IMO

[DyingBreed]

YAC baby!

[Armando Salguero]

I like first down passes.

[come on mando!!!]

that one drive showed me that our LB core is way better,bess is timid as hell had big hole