Live blog an opportunity to understand Dolphins offense

CINCINNATI -- I love game days. They answer questions. They speak strongly and authoritatively over the speculation.

There has been much speculation about the Miami Dolphins offense this week. As I point out in my weekly Dolphins Sunday column the Dolphins have scored the fewest points in the AFC and that simply does not compute when you consider the tons of resources, draft picks and money the club has invested in the unit.

Check it out, because the inventory of resources Miami has used for this offense makes the result puzzling.

But here's the thing: All those resources succeeding or failing will come down to one player, and his name is Chad Henne. If Henne becomes a great player, the rest of the unit will be great. If Henne fails, the compilation of great talent around him isn't going to hide the fact the most important player on the field isn't good enough.

And the biggest problem with that?

The Dolphins are neither allowing Henne to succeed or fail. There seems to be such a collar around him that it is hard to believe Henne is free to either fail or succeed. The Dolphins are only asking Henne to manage games.

And, amazingly, the only time they ask him not to manage games is when they find themselves in a crisis. The only time the Dolphins put the game in Henne's hands is when they're behind. And if they're behind in the fourth quarter, then they really ask him to do things they don't otherwise ever ask him to do.

How does that make sense?

You don't trust the guy in the good times. But when things are going poorly, then you put the game in his hands.

Consequently, we don't know what Chad Henne is yet. He's got good stats, but he's terrible in the fourth quarter. He is fine on third down, but he isn't a quarterback that has proven his mettle with a handful of fourth-quarter comeback victories.

Henne is in limbo. We don't know what he is yet. And that's not his fault. That's where the Dolphins have placed him.

Join me for the live blog today starting in the comments section below. I'll update you with the inactives when they are released.

[UPDATE: Davone Bess will replace Brian Hartline as Miami's No. 2 WR today.]

[UPDATE 2: The inactives are Marlon Moore, Reshad Jones, Nolan Carroll, Clifton Geathers, Patrick Brown, Lydon Murtha and Mickey Shuler with Tyler Thigpen as the third QB.]

[UPDATE 3: Johnathan Joseph will not start at CB for the Bengals today. He is inactive. He is replaced by Morgan Trent. Also starting SS Roy Williams is also out. Reggie Nelson will start at SS for the Bengals.]

Comments

[bbacni101]

unbelievable...game's blacked out in ohio and its not on the sunday ticket cause its sposed to be on our local CBS

[dave]

glad jerry is back. hope they target wallace a few more times. id like to know kinda what we have in him by the end of the season.

[Armando Salguero]

Holding on the Bengals on the return.

The Dolphins special teams winning!

[woa]

Derek, what are you saying? You are proud of believing in a team that was 1-15? Sounds like your living in denial to me. I'd like to see them win too...but just because its the 3rd season of hohoho Parcells doesn't merit blind faith. The team is mediocre with future potential at this point. 31st in offense and for two seasons now the D is #1 at giving up the big play. Sparano is not a game day coach and Henning is senile.

[Armando Salguero]

I would love to hear what he said, Marc. Why wouldn't he let that stuff go?

[woa]

Oh, and I forgot to mention the worst ST in the league. Hope is just not part of the equation.

[fin fan buck]

any links...

the previous one ain't workin for me!!!!!

[Marc]

First tackle..Crowder

[Ashley Farrington]

link anyone?

[David]

Defense-take the ball away and sore!

[Marc]

I should have recorded it...Douchebag

[Marc]

Not you Mandy...JJ

[Mark Zuraf]

Armando, you are correct.

However, Henning is correct in the way he is using Henne. He cannot and should not be trusted, at least not at this stage.

Let him "manage" the game and rely on the running game.

Would I like to see more downfield passing, more "tight window" throws, less checkdowns? Sure.

But until Henne proves he can do those things in practice and games, you put a tight leash on him. The Stats don't lie, you lose the turnover battle and your chances of winning go way down.

The leash will come off next year. We all have to wait.

[Marc]

TO between Bell and J Allen

[Armando Salguero]

Someone explain to me what Jason Allen was celebrating on that bomb he got beat on but TO dropped?

[Marc]

J Allen ALMOST roasted, but the ball fell short

[David]

Cincy looks serious-are we?

[dave]

come on 3rd down D is sucking

[TorturedDolphan]

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Go home Vonte. You can't cover Ocho. Pathetic fish d getting fish fried already. 3 3rd down conversions.

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Nice work Mikey,

[brett144]

looking slow

[Marc]

OCHO is killing VD

[Armando Salguero]

The Bengals have had a receiver on every single pass play they've run so far.

[mike d]

defense looks exhausted

[Craig M]

Amando, did you predict Dolphin victory today? I did but I have to admit this game scares me a lot!

[dave]

damn man this isnt fun so far. lets go D

[acwalsh8]

its amazing to me how we can constantly shut down the run yet let teams throw the ball around like its a high school 7 on 7 tournament.

[TorturedDolphan]

7 minutes of the clock and ....

ahhhh never mind. Get owned Clemens. Get owned. Its a fish fry through the air and on the ground.

[Marc]

Clemmons isn't a big hitter, but, at least he wraps up

[FB]

We are being man-handled guys.

[brett144]

Bengals have not scored on one opening drive this season. Uh Oh

[mike d]

time out!!!

[dave]

well that was easy

[TorturedDolphan]

Well thats half the first quarter gone losers.

Can't stop the run. Can't stop the pass.

TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD TD

Nice work Vonte. BURN .............

[Marc]

Their O-Line is making HUGE holes

[DC Dolfan]

3 Cheers for Mike Nolan! Hip Hip...

[brett144]

wow, were in deep trouble.

[Po White Trash]

Ouch.....

That sucked.

[Marc726]

Well that was easy. What a surprise!

[woa]

fins looking pathetic...

[/Facepalm]

Doesn't get any easier then that...

[dave]

ok phins i dont know if you realize this but the game started 8 min ago. you guys should get out there on the field

[Armando Salguero]

Yeah, Craig, I predicted a victory. Doesn't look good unless Nolan tightens things up.

[TorturedDolphan]

Come on coach give em a big old Sparano pep talk. You can do it! Throw in a fist pump or two. Maybe even a chest pump. Get em going like Bill showed you how!

[Marc]

It's gonna be a long day...

[eddie from new england]

JASON ALLEN SUCKS he is terrible god keep him on special teams pleas.

[jamesc]

man can we plz blitz on first or second down? we only doin it on 3 and long

[FB]

How many 3rd and longs does this idiot Nolan want? Stupid ass!!!

[mike d]

Now if we go 3 and out. it will be 14-0. should have called a time out there on 3rd down. defense was gassed. also get jason allen off of T.O. he got beat pretty easily. need a beer already

[M]

Jason Allen can't cover a barn with paint. Get him out of there.

[Dave]

What part of Jason Allen Sucks does the coaching staff not understand.

[dave]

they always start loose and tighten up.

[acwalsh8]

cobbs got out to the 30!!!!!!

but he caught it at about the 20.

[The New Kid]

Cincinnati really pushed the Dolphins around there. They did exactly what they wanted to, running and throwing. That was an awful performance by the defense, that included - of course - surrendering a 3rd and very long.

What TD drive surrendered by the Dolphin defense is complete without the opposing offense converting a 3rd and 10 or more?

[fin fan buck]

that drive was bull%$%#...why the non call on the push off of 85 on davis...refs suck again

[sptaylor]

cant wait to see henne/bess/marshall action!

[PA Phin fan]

They are who we thought they were...a better team than us.

[test]

pathetic...

here comes the tony lets play for fist pump fgs morono

[bill_cnnrs@yahoo.com]

if we cant throw on cincy then we cant throw on anyone.

[The Seer]

3 yrs into the Tuna era and we cannot scruff up 2 adequate corners & 2 adequate safeties........but Hey, at least we didn't flatter Ryan Clark when he was here to sign.

It's time to blow this up

[bill_cnnrs@yahoo.com]

owens gonna kill allen all day, better start doubling right now