MINNEAPOLIS -- A victory today?
More than making the Dolphins 2-0 and keeping them in first place in the AFC East no matter what happens elsewhere in the NFL, it would catapult this team we know so much and yet so little about into a state of legitimacy.
Miami beats the team that went to the NFC title game a year ago and you have to believe that is a pretty good team.
Some keys to the game:
Inactives: Chad Pennington is the No. 3 QB. Why is that interesting? He was the No. 2 QB last week. All this means is the Dolphins are allowing themselves the option of using Tyler Thigpen as a spread option QB today. The other Miami inactives are Roberto Wallace, Nolan Carroll, Channing Crowder, Jared Odrick, Ikaika Alama-Francis, Lydon Murtha and Jermey Parnell.
Jake Long versus Jared Allen: I do not expect a shutout by Long. It's hard to expect that when the guy opposing him is a classic 4-3 DE of the highest order. Allen is stud. He's strong, he's quick, he's experienced and he's always seemingly motivated, meaning he doesn't take plays off. Long is similarly a stud. Today will measure exactly how healthy Long is following that knee injury in the preseason finale.
Brandon Marshall's day: I am sitting here two hours before the game and not many playes are on the field yet. Marshall is on the field. He's warming up his hips. He's practicing catching all sorts of passes -- over his head, too low, one-handed, Scene interesting perhaps only to me: Marshall is not catching those passes from Chad Henne. He's catching them from a trainer type. Henne is on the field about 20 yards away and he's throwing passes and working with Davone Bess. Fact is Henne has spoken more with former Dolphins WR Greg Camarillo on the field the past 30 minutes than he has with Marshall. Interesting.
[Update: Marshall eventually finished his regimen and came over to where Henne and Bess were working out routes and started working with them, too.]
Henne versus Brett Favre: It cannot be a blowout here, folks. We cannot have Favre throwing three TDs and 1 INT and have Henne deliver a stat line like he did last week -- zero TDs, zero INTs -- and expect the Dolphins to win. If you have not read it yet, I wrote my Sunday column on Henne and the message the Dolphins give him over, and over and over. It can be something of a confusing message, if you ask me because the Dolphins want Henne to do two things that aren't necessarily opposites -- throw TDs and not throw INTS. To throw TDs, you see, you almost always have to live with some interceptions. The Dolphins have drilled Hennes so much on not throwing INTs, it makes me wonder if he can be a big TD passer anytime in the future.
Alrightie, that's quite a bit to digest before the live blog begins at kickoff. Come back here for all the pregame updates. And let's meet in the comments section for the live blog.
Dudes... our defense looks really awesome.
great tackling, pressure, J.allen looks awesome.
Posted by: dolfanSF | September 19, 2010 at 01:30 PM
Why is Jared Allen punching after the play is over?
Posted by: Ryan | September 19, 2010 at 01:30 PM
dammit Ricky!
Posted by: Marc | September 19, 2010 at 01:31 PM
keep up the pressure! vikes are on their heels!
Posted by: standley23 | September 19, 2010 at 01:32 PM
LOVE IT WHEN DOLPHINS ARE PLAYING WELL AND NO ONE ON THE BLOG IS BIOCHING!!!
Posted by: DyingBreed | September 19, 2010 at 01:32 PM
That wasn't a first?
Posted by: FIn Fans in So Cal | September 19, 2010 at 01:32 PM
lets go offense
Posted by: Dolphins4Life73 | September 19, 2010 at 01:32 PM
Polite?
Posted by: Marc | September 19, 2010 at 01:32 PM
my big man chest could tackle ricky
Posted by: test | September 19, 2010 at 01:32 PM
Po, perfect game plan so far. Make them game plan run and pass the ball
Posted by: cocoajoe | September 19, 2010 at 01:32 PM
test u need to shut it
Posted by: mikeoliver1313 | September 19, 2010 at 01:33 PM
Yep Joe, lookin like we can play with the big boys!
Posted by: Po White Trash | September 19, 2010 at 01:33 PM
no play-action pass to marshall or bess! polite can get it on forth down
Posted by: Dolphins4Life73 | September 19, 2010 at 01:33 PM
TEST THIS ISNT THE JETS BLOG LOSER BOYYY!&%$!!
Posted by: DyingBreed | September 19, 2010 at 01:33 PM
FAVRE RETIREMENT IS ON SCHEDULE.
Posted by: ALoco | September 19, 2010 at 01:33 PM
Test-icle, go to the Jets blog. Dolphins look awesome!!!
Posted by: bobbyd12 | September 19, 2010 at 01:33 PM
need this first down and a TD
Posted by: dave | September 19, 2010 at 01:33 PM
when miami is winning... i feel like were all brothers. lol
Posted by: finatic | September 19, 2010 at 01:34 PM
Told you...Polite
Posted by: Marc | September 19, 2010 at 01:34 PM
MONEY!
Posted by: Po White Trash | September 19, 2010 at 01:34 PM
LOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: DyingBreed | September 19, 2010 at 01:34 PM
No one stops Polite on that!
Posted by: bobbyd12 | September 19, 2010 at 01:35 PM
Damn...
Posted by: Marc | September 19, 2010 at 01:35 PM
Whoops!
Posted by: drbruce2 | September 19, 2010 at 01:35 PM
at least henne's big face broke his fall
Posted by: test | September 19, 2010 at 01:35 PM
Incognito just stopped blocking him.
Posted by: Ryan | September 19, 2010 at 01:35 PM
what was incockneato doin?
Posted by: jamesc | September 19, 2010 at 01:35 PM
henne needs a shock belt and if he holds it longer than 5 sec it shocks him so he gets rid of it
Posted by: dave | September 19, 2010 at 01:35 PM
THE LIVE BLOG ONTINUES IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THE NEW POST. GO THERE PLEASE.
Posted by: Armando Salguero | September 19, 2010 at 01:35 PM
ugh
Posted by: LipsinToronto | September 19, 2010 at 01:36 PM
2-18 and we run?
Posted by: Los Lobos | September 19, 2010 at 01:36 PM
Such awful play calling and execution.
Posted by: Dexter | September 19, 2010 at 01:36 PM
well that series ended bad.
Posted by: FIn Fans in So Cal | September 19, 2010 at 01:36 PM
why the hell would we do that????????? pass for 10 or 12 and we kick a field goal. i hate when they play not to lose instead of playing to win.
Posted by: dave | September 19, 2010 at 01:37 PM
here we go again. Playing not to lose when we should be playing to win
Posted by: Los Lobos | September 19, 2010 at 01:37 PM
can't be too conservative (polite 3rd & 20) and expect to win on the road in Minn.
But our defense is looking very good.
Posted by: dolfanSF | September 19, 2010 at 01:38 PM
IS ANYONE OUT THERE REALLY GOING TO COMPLAIN AT THIS POINT???????? WHY EVEN WATCH....
WE ARE DOING GOOD ITS TIME TO BE HAPPY!!!!
Posted by: Roman | September 19, 2010 at 01:38 PM
Playing not to lose. Sure sign of a non-playoff team
Posted by: kula | September 19, 2010 at 01:39 PM
2nd and 3rd and 18 and we run. why are they so afraid. thats playing into minny's strength.
Posted by: dave | September 19, 2010 at 01:39 PM
guess we had the same thought dave
Posted by: Los Lobos | September 19, 2010 at 01:39 PM
NostraHomeUs says:
Very Soon
Dolphins to get INT
Posted by: Home | September 19, 2010 at 01:39 PM
they want to win the field postion battle guys.
Posted by: Dman | September 19, 2010 at 01:39 PM
Somebody poke Henning...he's gone brain dead again
Posted by: cocoajoe | September 19, 2010 at 01:39 PM
THE LIVE BLOG HAS MOVED TO THE NEW POST FOR THE START OF THE SECOND QUARTER. GO THERE NOW.
Posted by: Armando Salguero | September 19, 2010 at 01:41 PM
Gotta play on third down!
Posted by: drbruce2 | September 19, 2010 at 01:41 PM
we are doing great
Posted by: mobiljorge | September 19, 2010 at 01:42 PM
is it me or does miami D act like they have a little attitude lately?
Posted by: Los Lobos | September 19, 2010 at 01:42 PM
someone cover the f'n tightend
Posted by: dave | September 19, 2010 at 01:43 PM
Go D!
Posted by: ms cuba | September 19, 2010 at 01:43 PM
come onD!!
Posted by: dave | September 19, 2010 at 01:44 PM
Here we go again!
Posted by: drbruce2 | September 19, 2010 at 01:44 PM
Mando tell Henne to defend those passes better. Whe we lose this game it will all be Chad Henne's fault and no one else's.
Posted by: PriceMaster | September 19, 2010 at 01:44 PM
dont see the new post, mando
Posted by: jbarrett | September 19, 2010 at 01:45 PM
Two questions about the Fins. Maybe some of you can help here:
Who are they going to draft at QB next year?
And who do you think they'll get at Defensive and Offensive coordinators next year?
Posted by: FormFactor | September 19, 2010 at 01:46 PM
yes!!!!
Posted by: miamiphinphan | September 19, 2010 at 01:47 PM
me either
Posted by: drbruce2 | September 19, 2010 at 01:47 PM
YEAH BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: dave | September 19, 2010 at 01:47 PM
NostraHomeUs says:
Very Soon
Dolphins to get INT
Posted by: Home | September 19, 2010 at 01:39 PM
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Home | September 19, 2010 at 01:47 PM
we are doing better
Posted by: mobiljorge | September 19, 2010 at 01:47 PM
thats how its done!
Posted by: ms cuba | September 19, 2010 at 01:47 PM