« Dolphins getting healthier while Packers are limping | Main | Dolphins special teams: Not aggressive »

Much happening at Dolphins camp on a Wednesday

Tons happening at Dolphins camp today aside from the fact everyone practiced for the first time since the regular season began.

Quarterback Chad Henne talked to the media for his usual 11 minutes or so for the week and while the time is brief, we do cover a lot of bases.

He was asked what he thinks of the calls in some circles for his ouster as the Dolphins starter and Henne didn't flinch as he answered.

"That's up to the coaching staff," Henne said. "I'm going to prepare like I'm a starter and play like I'm the starter. It's my job to lose so I have to perform well and win some games."

Henne is interesting in that in two of the games most pressure-filled moments he is getting vastly different results this year.

Think about it, third-down passing and fourth-quarter passing is money time for a QB. Third down is typically when the defense comes full throttle so it can get off the field. And the fourth-quarter is when the game is decided.

And on third down, Henne has been excellent so far. He has completed 68.3 percent of his passes (28 of 41) for 296 yards with three TDs and zero INTs. That means Henne's quarterback rating is 113.5 on third down, just behind Tom Brady (124.4) and Michael Vick (118.1). Drew Brees is fourth behind Henne.

"There's things where we get Davone [Bess] involved a lot more," Henne said trying to explain the success. "I don't know if we're third-and-short at times and so we're in favorable position off first and second down that we can be more efficient. Maybe it's that we keep executing in practice. You see it in practice where we get better and better in practice and we feel good that when we get in third down situations, we have a good chance of getting a first down."

Unfortunately for Henne, he is not too good in the fourth quarter so far. His QB rating is 51.1. He is completing 61.3 percent of his passes (19 of 31) for 249 yards with zero TDs and two INTs.

"I can't explain that," Henne said. "I haven't really looked at that a lot. Whether it's that we're up in the game and we're trying to run the ball or making smarter decisions with the ball if we have the game won, like the first two games. Or it's like the last two game where we're in two-minute situations and have the force the ball down the field and make those type of throws."

-------------------------------------------

I love listening to cornerback Vontae Davis talk. He always says something interesting and is simply genuine.

Today he was talking about how his assignment doesn't get easier any week the team plays when he accidently, sorta, threw a former college opponent under the bus.

"Every week is not an Ohio State and then you go and play Northwestern," Davis said. "... Every week it's different. Every week it's a challenge because everybody's good."

The good receivers Davis might face this week include Greg Jennings and Donald Driver.

Davis on Jennings: "He's a good receiver. I still have to study him some more. I'm going to study him after meetings but he's a good receiver, very crafty, smart guy. Before I got to the league I seen him making big plays and I haven't seen anything change. He's still making plays."

Davis on the 35-year-old Driver: "Oh, man. Yeah, he's been around a long time. I'm going to go back to the Brett Favre comment. He's old enough to be my father, Donald Driver is. The older he gets, the smarter he gets. But I'm not looking for him to shake me. I'm younger, I should win most of the battles, but he's older, he's got the most experience."

---------------------------------

And then there's this final (I hope) update about the Birdman ownership saga that has strangely put my name in a lot of hip hop blogs I never thought I'd be referenced in.

I received an unsolicited e-mail from Bryan "Birdman" Williams' media representative today. I asked her to please explain how it is Birdman said a couple of days ago he was awaiting "clearence" from the NFL to become a minority owner of the Dolphins and the NFL and the Dolphins both denied anything about that or even every speaking with Birdman.

The statement from the media rep:

"A lifelong sports fan, Bryan “Birdman” Williams has always been interested in ownership of a pro-sporting team and had asked an advisor to help him begin the process. Although Mr. Williams mistakenly believed he was further along in the  process, a partial ownership of a pro-sporting team is something he is still interested in and may actively pursue in the future."

Clarity. Finally. 

Follow me on twitter.

Comments