Running game isn't even average on per carry rate

Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning admits the Dolphins rushing attack does not exactly resemble the barbarian hordes running roughshod through the defenses of the Roman Empire back in ancient times. (The Romans, you see, had injuries to their linebacker corps and didn't protect the bridges or northern frontier very well.)

"We're not happy with the way the running game is going right now," Henning said today during his 10-minute weekly window for speaking with the media. 

That is actually more of an admission than coach Tony Sparano was willing to offer Wednesday. The Dolphins are averaging only 3.8 yards per carry this year and Sparano was asked if that is efficient or good enough.

“It’s not satisfactory but an efficient play, okay in this league is what?" Sparano said, uncharacteristically challenging the reporter (not me). "You tell me; give me the number. You guys make them up.”

Ouch.

Actually, the media doesn't make up that number. The league average gain per rushing play is 4.2 yards per carry. So the reporter told coach Sparano a good rushing play, an efficient play gains 4.6 yards.

“No, that’s not an efficient play, 4.6," Sparano insisted. "That was our average, 4.6. That’s not an efficient play. You tell me."

The reporter lowered the bar and said 4.0 yards per carry, even though average -- just average -- is 4.2 yards per carry leaguewide. 

“Four yards, we’re at 3.8," Sparano said with a shrug that seemed meant to bridge the gap between 4.0 and 3.8.

Neither one is good enough. Neither one is even good enough to be average.

Comments

[Cuban Menace]

"WE WONT'T BE FOOLED AGAIN"...........

[ALoco]

nice post to the point ....you guys should read mark in toronto's posts .most of the days, he writes amazing informative posts .

[odinseye]

Cuban,

We don't get fooled again! No No No!

[Mark in Toronto]

until Home gets under my skin - then I lose focus.

[ALoco]

cuban, i am just writing my crap ,you write your own crap and every one is happy .

[Mark in Toronto]

my guitar and play, just like yesterday
get on my knees and pray

WE WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN!

[DC Dolfan]

So, Dexter McCluster is out with a high ankle sprain (multiple weeks). There goes my fantasy team. Gotta start Ronnie (against Cincy). NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT!! But I'm playing Chad Henne, so feel better about that.

Lemme get some feedback, should I start Ronnie, or Ricky (I have him too)? Who do y'all think will score a freakin' TD this week. I'm going home, but will check your recommendations later. Thanks to all for supporting my football habit!

[Cuban Menace]

Watching "American justice" and there doing a show on a possible "Serial killer" and this on chick say's "He's the worst kind of Serial Killer", Is there a good serial killer???

[Cuban Menace]

Amend Aloco.....

[Mark in Toronto]

DC, go with Ricky, he's been running better and the coaches might have lost faith with Ronnie after he did the Texas 2 step in crunchtime

Cuban, actually I read something today that said Ted Bundy was the worst kind of serial killer because he was intelligent, handsome, well spoken, completely void of conscience. Apparently women were easy prey.

[Cuban Menace]

Lemme get some feedback, should I start Ronnie, or Ricky (I have him too)? Who do y'all think will score a freakin' TD this week. I'm going home, but will check your recommendations later. Thanks to all for supporting my football habit!

Posted by: DC Dolfan | October 29, 2010 at 05:02 PM

DC, Check the "Waivers", Dont play either.... Just saying.

[Cuban Menace]

Mark, Sounds like my cousin "Pulpo"....

[Mark in Toronto]

Do you hear me Cuban? You eating shrooms with Odin?

[Home]

Last time Brett Favre missed an NFL start, Bill Clinton was the governor of Arkansas. Think about that. The man earns his living as a human piñata, but he never misses a day of work.

And now he might miss one. Favre's ankle is suffering from seismic fallapartis -- he has two breaks, and the only question is how severe the breaks are, which just makes me thankful that it's not my ankle. Maybe Favre will play against New England on Sunday and maybe he won't.

But if he doesn't, that will mean one thing:

CONSPIRACY THEORY!

As you have surely heard, the NFL is investigating Favre for trying to organize an illicit huddle with a former New York Jets employee. And if a quarterback who never misses a game suddenly does miss a game ... well, people will talk. They'll gossip. And they'll wonder if he was suspended, or ducked a suspension

[odinseye]

Serial Killers?

That's it!!!!

Lets fire the Drive Killer and hire a Serial Killer.

[Cuban Menace]

LOL At Mark, no........Not yet, but I keep watching this offense play, I'll be up for anything... Almost..

[odinseye]

Mark,

Little Mescalito is NOT to be joked about.

He's a very real and integral part of my spirituality.

Speaking of hallucinations, did Homes just show up?

[Home]

Only hallucination is the Miami Dolphins doing better than 8-8 this season

on the other hand ...

At an international symposium held in Ghent, Belgium May 28-30, 2010, scientists asserted that “manipulation of climate through modification of Cirrus clouds is neither a hoax nor a conspiracy theory.” It is “fully operational”

[SoiledBottom]

Dear Mr. Salguero

Here's the problem with a Dan Henning, you just can't fire him to get rid of him.

Say if you just fire him, in two weeks his eggs will have hatched and your back to square one.

What you need to do is set Dan Henning bug bombs throughout the facilities along with a big helping of Boric acid.

In 2 weeks time repeat the procedure to kill off any baby Hennings.

You can never fully get rid of a Dan Henning infestation, but with enough chemicals and raw determination we should be able to contain him.

Soiled :)

[Cuban Menace]

CLASSIC SOILED........

[Home]

Miami Dolphins Have The NFL Lowest Number Of Rushing Touchdowns!

THE LOWEST!

THE ABSOLUTE BOTTOM!

#32 IN RUSHING TDS!

Dan Henning & Tony Sparano Claim The Dolphins r a Run 1st Team

Sounds Like A Henning & Sparano Conspiracy Theory

[Home]

Happy Halloween Dan Henning & Your 1 Rushing TD

Phucking Genius!

[Home]

Whats next for Henning trying to outwit himself

Run the Statue of Liberty play on 3 consecutive downs?

[Cuban Menace]

Home, Check out the conspircy of dan(DOA)Henning being dead since 1964.......

[Home on the Herald]

Home Thought the pass blocking was much better than the run blocking

Home Thought Brandon Marshall & Simply The Bess r pretty good receivers

but what does Home Know?

answer:
probably WAY TOO MUCH

[Martin]

PULPO!

Go Phins!

[BuckeyeFinFan]

When I mentioned Norv Turner I was talking about Offensive Coordinator Not Head Coach. I am well aware of Turner's shotcomings and he certainly wouldn't be my choice. derek said mention some names and so I did. other names for OC are:

Norm Chow now with UCLA, Gus Malzahn with Auburn. Brian Billick (remember his offense in Minnesota)

The thing is we do not have the personnel to run the Erhardt-Perkis offense so beloved by Parcells and his buddy Henning. Though a variation of the Broncos were able to run a decent version of it (as is New England). But in order to change out the offense we would need the following-

1. Speedy slot-we have a great slot but not a FAST slot guy
2. Pass catching running back (though we do have backs with pass catching ability it is not their strength)
3. TE that can exploit seams in zone coverage (not on our team)
4. Quarterback that has good short to medium accuracy and arm to take ball down field as well as good play-action fake. Henne is close on these.

[Martin]

You can't lose to a couple of guys named Carson and Cedric?

Carson excellent play on the approach at 3...why thank you Carson...perhaps we should join Biff and Brad at the 19th hole...Carry on my good man!

Karlos!...Channing! Over hear Fellows!

Go PULPO!

Go Phins!

[Martin]

Devone Bess- AKA My Little Pony

Brian "Flatline" Hartline

Ronnie "Curley Shuffle" Brown

Vontae "No Wae" Davis

Chad "C3PO" Henne

Dan "Weekend at Bernie's" Henning

Canning "Predator" Crowder

Paul "The Angry Pineapple" Soliai

Cameron "qWAKE"!

Jason " Bowling Shoes" Allen

Al "Meatball" Loco

Go Phins!

[Martin]

Dan Henning's favorite song-

RUST NEVER SLEEPS

BY

NEIL YOUNG

Go Phins!

[Derek4Dolphins]

Buckeye fan... Norv Turner would be a better O-Co then Dan Henning. I agree with you. Listen... Norv is just a few rivets short of a ship while trying to be a Head Coach... He has done well in San Diego... but comes up JUST SHORT because he has too many rods in the fire.

had Norv THIS bunch of players... The ones WE HAVE on Offense RIGHT NOW... and he will have Miami's QB Chad Henne dropping Bombs like Freaking B-52's... AND, will take about 2 weeks to find and plug in a fast, strong RB who makes guys miss and breaks in in the open field. He would have a burner opposite Marshall so fast it would Baffle ESPN's talking heads in one large wave of frustration...

Just don't EVER...EVER let him be your H-Coach. It just is a bit too much for him, he like to play offense... not deal with Defensive issues and Special Teams problems....

I personally would LOVE Norv back in the O-Co box (that's it..O-co... no more) in Sun Life Stadium...

[Martin]

I think it was Sapp who said listening to Norv would put guys to sleep in meetings. It was like watching paint dry.

Go Phins!

[Martin]

Isn't it Fn' strange that we are playing an Orange and Black team on Halloween? Halloween Colors?

I'm Fu*king outta here man!!!!

Yikes!

Go Phins! Run for your lives! Scooooooob! Wait for me!

[Derek4Dolphins]

You are the second person that I heard say that Martin...Lets hope is a "Smashing Pumpkins" sort of day.......
As long as Miami knocks Carson on his ass all day... we should do okay on Defense... if je sits back there with all day waiting while Ocho Cinco and To work their way open against Smith and Clemmons... we could be in for another nail biter.... That would suck.

[Stra8balla]

Can't throw deep when your wr's lack the speed and ability to separate. This team needs a serious injection of speed on offense. Teams sit at the line of scrimmage because no one fears us. Ronnie and Ricky are slow footed..non elusive runners who can't hit the home run. Lex Hilliard in even slower than Ronnie Brown. Non of our offense woes will be solved this year....they are all personnel related. It's not all on Hennings play calling.

[DC Dolfan]

Rewatching the game on NFL Replay. WE HAVE TO GET RID OF SAPP. He's as soft as sap, can't cover, can't tackle. And that screen to Hartline, c'mon. That's supposed to be used when you can get 5-10 yards (CB playing way off). But the CB was off slightly, and there was a LB in the area. PLUS, Hartline ISN'T A SPEEDSTER!

[DC Dolfan]

Sparano says to Pennington after the missed TD throw to Marshall, "when that play looked like that after all the work we put into it is too much." So, I wonder if he means working the ball down the field as the "work." Or working on that throw in practice. I'm not a Henne-hater, but that one was on Henne. He should have made that throw.

[IMAWriter]

Odinseye your post dated October 28, 2010 at 03:37 PM...
Awesome post, bro. (I don't use the word "dude")

Like most of us here, I like and respect Mando. He has a good heart, which is perhaps why it's tough for him to challenge another man who is doing the best he can, but who (Sparano) is obviously stressed out.

Still, it's his (Mando's) job to ask a few tough ones, and Tony needs to understand that as well, or he's not the character guy we thought he was/is.
I'm sure Tony gets in the face of his players, so turnaround is fair play.

[superPHIN]

I should have made that throw.....wheres the heat blog at armando????

[ALoco]

superPHIN, IS MEEK GOING TO DROP OUT SO CHRIST CAN WIN THE senate race .

[superPHIN]

only if meek has lifetime supply of meatball subs aloco, ONLY IF!!!!

[ALoco]

superPHIN ,

to love is to be loved
to eat is to life
to life is to make love

[student1776]

We are not getting the full expression of the talent we have. Part of it is a young team learning to play together - in reality they are improving day to day. Part of it is uninspired play calling. Part of it is that our QB has the physical tools but is not as accurate as needed and is not yet up to reading the speed of the pro game - getting better but not fully there. We will improve over the season. Longer term though we need an additional RB and a first-rate TE with our picks next year.

[test]

i predicted 6-10 or 7-9 before the season started...

still looks good.

i can't decide who is the worse coach...morono or shannon...both are inept.