It's Henne time in Miami

A bad start for the Miami Dolphins got even worse with the news that starting quarterback Chad Pennington has a torn capsule in his right shoulder and will be lost for the season.

With Pennington gone, Miami loses the ultimate game manager, and one of the players most responsible for last season's 11-5 record and AFC East division title.

Pennington passed for 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and quickly became the leader of a young Dolphins offense. It's no coincidence that the Dolphins turned the ball over a league-record low 13 times in a 16-game season, a testament to Pennington's ability to make good decisions under pressure.

So far this season though, Pennington's struggles had mirrored the Dolphins'.

Through 2 1/2 games prior to the injury, Pennington had thrown just one TD pass, and an uncharacteristic three INTs. He also was the 27th highest-rated quarterback in the NFL.

Now, with the season on the brink of going off the rails as Miami faces a possible 0-4 start, it's Chad Henne's time.

Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano are going to see exactly what Henne has in the first extended action of his NFL career.

The second-year pro will make his first NFL start Sunday, after completing 10-of-19 passes for 92 yards and a key interception in last week's 23-13 loss to San Diego.

Last year, Henne played sparingly, hitting 7-of-12 passes for 67 yards in parts of three games.

He had a so-so preseason, though he was anointed as the starter in 2010.

Dolphins fans and the coaching staff will now get to see how Henne performs in the pressure of an NFL game, where the outcome hinges on his performance.

He has a stronger arm than Pennington, so maybe the Dolphins will be able to take the deep shots Pennington seemed to largely avoid so far this season.

And maybe Henne will be just the tonic Ted Ginn needs to break out in this, his third season.

Henne missed on a couple of passes to Ginn last week, as the Dolphins' top receiver did not make a single catch a week after torching the Colts for 11 receptions for 108 yards.

The most important thing Henne must do is avoid the traps a young quarterback faces: Not looking off defenders and failing to read coverages.

He didn't to do that last week, when he telegraphed a pass that safety Eric Weddle ran back for the clinching TD in San Diego.

Henne must show he's more like Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco and Peyton Manning -- three quarterbacks who excelled in their first seasons.

Whatever happens, this is likely Henne's audition for 2010.

Will he make the grade?

That depends on the last 13 games of this season, a season that is quickly slipping away for Miami.

For added insurance, the Dolphins traded with the Kansas City Chiefs for third-string quarterback Tyler Thigpen, giving up an undisclosed draft pick next year.

Last season, Thigpen, 25, started 11 games for Kansas City and completed 232-of-420 passes for 2,608 yards. He threw for 18 TDs and 12 INTs.

Thigpen will be the most experienced quarterback for Miami, with Pat White a rookie who has played sparingly in the team's first two games.

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Dolphins fall to 0-3

The nightmare of a 2009 season continued for the Miami Dolphins, as they fell 23-13 to the San Diego Chargers.

Philip Rivers completed 18-of-33 passes for 303 yards in the victory.

Trailing 3-0, the Dolphins were driving for the go-ahead score when Chad Pennington fumbled the handoff with Ronnie Brown.

The ball bounded out of the end zone, and the Chargers ended up with a momentum-swinging touchback.

From then on, the Chargers dominated.

Vincent Jackson caught five passes for 120 yards, and Antonio Gates added five catches for 64 yards to lead San Diego.

Chad Pennington was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury after completing 8-of-12 passes for 54 yards.

Fans who wanted to see Chad Henne become the future had to be disappointed, as last year's second round pick struggled with 10 completions in 19 attempts for 92 yards and an interception that Eric Weddle returned 31 yards for the clinching TD and a 23-6 lead.

Ronnie Brown had a decent game with 18 carries for 75 yards, but he was less effective in the second half, when he ran for just 24 yards as the Dolphins tried to mount a comeback.

But, what's happened to Pat White?

The team's second round choice from West Virginia has played less and less as the season has worn on, after an ineffective game in Week 1 vs. Atlanta.

In San Diego, White never took the field, and in the last two Wildcat-heavy games, he has not been involved.

Could this mean White isn't worth the pick the Dolphins spent on him? Are Tony Sparano and Bill Parcells admitting they made a mistake by drafting him, when they could have had an impact defensive player like USC's Rey Maluaga?

He certainly could have helped Sunday. Kendall Langford and Joey Porter each had a sack, but the Dolphins couldn't put consistent pressure on Rivers.

At 0-3, the Miami faces another must win at home against Buffalo next week.

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Conservative Dolphins done in by Colts

As we've often heard, statistics don't always tell the story, and Monday night was proof of that.

The Miami Dolphins dominated time of possession, holding the ball for more than three full quarters.

They had 27 first downs to the Indianapolis Colts' 14, ran for 239 yards to Indy's 61.

Yet, by game's end, the scoreboard read, Indianapolis 27, Miami 23.

A must win for the Dolphins became a blown opportunity.

Yes, they had the ball for the majority of the game and kept the Peyton Manning-led offense off the field.

But the defense couldn't stop the Colts when it counted.

Manning read a blitz and hit second-year receiver Pierre Garcon, who wove his way to the 48-yard TD that won the game.

Then, the Dolphins went into the worst two-minute offense since Donovan McNabb gagged his way through the end of Super Bowl XXXIX against the Patriots.

With 3:18 to play, and needing 82 yards to score the game-winner, the Dolphins ran on first down, let the clock wind down to 2:26, then called time out.

They then inexplicably ran the ball again to get down to the two-minute warning.

Quarterback Chad Pennington resorted to play action fakes against a defense that was expecting nothing but pass, fooling no one and wasting precious seconds in the process.

Then came the coup de gras, as Ted Ginn, who had a good game with 11 catches for 108 yards, had the potential winning TD pass bounce off his hands in the end zone.

A pass to Ginn on fourth-and-10 gained 12 to the Colts' 30, but with no timeouts left, Pennington had to spike the ball with 12 seconds left.

A desperation heave followed, which was intercepted by Antoine Bethea, and the Dolphins' chances for victory vanished.

Just as damning was the previous possession, when the Dolphins and Colts were tied 20-20 and Miami was driving.

On third-and-6 from the Colts 30, the Dolphins called another run. Ronnie Brown got just two yards, and Dan Carpenter booted a 45-yard field goal to give them a three-point lead.

That is not exaclty going for the jugular against the Colts, and Manning made the Dolphins pay.

Brown ran for 136 yards on 24 carries, scored two TDs and ran the "Wildcat" flawlessly.

But in the end, the Dolphins' inability to get to Manning -- and to tackle in critical situations -- cost them as much as the conservative playcalling did.

On the first play of the game, as expected, Manning went to tight end Dallas Clark, who beat a befuddled Akin Ayodele, and safety Gibril Wilson could not wrap him up.

Clark's marathon 80-yard TD was a sign of things to come.

The Colts did not have the ball often, but Manning made the most of it every time they did.

Wilson and Yeremiah Bell continued to struggle, missing tackles and coverages, and Clark had a second straight huge day for a tight end against Miami: seven catches for a career-high 183 yards.

The defense got no pressure on Manning. Joey Porter had the team's only sack, and Jason Taylor was missing in action.

Now, at 0-2, the Fins go to San Diego to play the high-powered Chargers, and you can bet Antonio Gates has to be licking his lips right now after the way tight ends have feasted on the defense.

There are also rumblings that if things continue to head south, Pennington -- who had a solid game with with 22 completions in 33 attempts for 183 yards -- will be benched in favor of second-year pro Chad Henne.

If that happens, it might already be time to start thinking about 2010.

(Photo: Yahoo Images)

Manning vs. Miami Monday night

Needing a win in Week 2, one of the last players the Miami Dolphins want to see is Peyton Manning and his 1-0 Indianapolis Colts. Kickoff is at 8:30 p.m. Monday in Land Shark Stadium.

True, Manning has had his struggles against the Dolphins. In fact, aside from New England, Manning's 4-7 record as a starter against the Dolphins is his worst against any NFL team.

The Dolphins have also had more success historically against No. 18 than any team in the NFL. Manning's passer rating (76.3) and minus-2 TD/INT ratio are his worst numbers vs. one team.

But many of those successes came early in Manning's career, when future Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino was still throwing passes for the Fins.

In fact, since the teams were realigned into new divisions in 2002, Indy is 2-0 against Miami, including a 27-22 triumph in Indianapolis in 2006.

Overall, Manning has also shone on the Sunshine State stage, compiling a 9-4 record as a pro. The last time he played in Land Shark (then Dolphin Stadium), he was the Most Valuable Player in the Colts' 29-17 win over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.

Last week though, the Colts struggled in a 14-12 win over division rival Jacksonville.

Indianapolis gained 365 yards of total offense, but only punched the ball in twice.

Manning was still Manning, hitting 28-of-38 passes for 301 yards and a TD.

But the Colts couldn't run the ball, gaining just 71 yards against a rebuilt Jacksonville defense.

That was part of the reason for the Colts' demise last year, as starter Joseph Addai was hurt much of the season, and Indianapolis had injuries on the offensive line.

Indy finished next-to-last in the NFL in rushing, and the Dolphins held the mighty Atlanta Falcons to just 68 yards rushing in last week's 19-7 loss.

So, for Indy to win, the onus is again on Manning and his receivers.

Reggie Wayne dominated the Jags last week, catching a game high 10 passes for 162 yards and a TD.

The Dolphins corners were solid last week against the Falcons, as leading receiver Roddy White caught just five passes for 42 yards, and Miami rotated rookies Sean Smith and Vontae Davis at one cornerback position opposite Will Allen at the other.

With Wayne's running mate Anthony Gonzalez out 2-8 weeks with a knee injury, look for the Dolphins to double Wayne, providing more opportunies for young Colts receivers like Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. Newly acquired Hank Baskett could also see some passes Monday.

But just as last week, it's the tight end position the Dolphins need to fear most.

Future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez routinely beat safeties Gibril Wilson and Yeremiah Bell in Atlanta, to the tune of five catches for 73 yards and a TD.

The Colts' Dallas Clark provides a similar threat, only with more speed, and in recent years he has become Manning's security blanket and one of his favorite targets.

Clark only caught four passes for 39 yards last week, but the Colts will line him up in a variety of ways (the slot and wide, maybe even in the backfield) to keep the Dolphins guessing.

Miami only had two sacks last week, but the Dolphins should be able to apply more pressure against the Colts' leaky line.

And that is the key. Can they get to Manning and do a good job on Wayne and Clark?

Offensively, the Dolphins must do more than their putrid showing last week, when they gained 259 yards against an inexperienced Falcons defense.

Most distressing, Miami could not stretch the defense and test the Falcons' young secondary.

The Colts only gave up 228 total yards last week, but Jacksonville did not have the weapons to probe a Colts secondary that was without one of its best players in safety Bob Sanders.

Sanders is still nursing a knee injury that might keep him out of Monday's game, which is good for Miami's running game. But the Dolphins must still find a way to threaten the Colts backline through the air. Ted Ginn (2 catches, 26 yards) must be better utltized for Miami to have a chance.

The other big concern is the Colts pass rush, particularly defensive end Dwight Freeney, one of the fastest at his position in the league.

Freeney had the Colts' only sack last week, and he is a major test for Dolphins left tackle Jake Long, who had his worst game as a pro last week, when he gave up two sacks against Atlanta.

The overall protection for Chad Pennington was poor, and one of the reasons why he could not locate Ginn or go deep.

The stats say the Colts should win. They have the better quarterback, receivers and pass rush.

But the Dolphins are at home on Monday night, they are the more desperate team and they are surely angry over last week's miserable performance.

This will be an exciting game, and Miami will prevail, 21-20.

(Photo: Yahoo images)

No offense dooms Dolphins

It was a loss that was reminiscent of the way the Dolphins started 2008: No offense and sloppy play.

The Dolphins' 19-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons was also the continuation of a preseason trend.

Miami (0-1) could not run the football, gaining just 96 yards on the day.

The team also struggled through the air, as Chad Pennington completed 21-of-29 passes, but for only 176 yards, one TD and one INT.

The Dolphins didn't stretch the field enough all day, and the one time they did, rookie Pat White overthrew a wide open Ted Ginn by a good seven yards.

The offensive line was terrible, as left tackle Jake Long was beaten for two sacks, including one where he got run over by defensive end John Abraham.

Ronnie Brown also whiffed on a block that resulted in backup defensive end Kroy Biermann sacking Pennington and producing a fumble, which the Falcons recovered. Biermann and Abraham combined for all four of Atlanta's sacks.

Tight end Anthony Fasano was the biggest culprit, fumbling twice in key situations. The first time, he killed a Dolphins drive inside the Falcons' 15. The second fumble led to Atlanta's final points, a field goal by Jason Elam.

For a team with little margin for error, the Dolphins gave the football away too often -- four times on the day. Part of the reason Miami went from 1-15 to 11-5 last season was the Dolphins set an NFL record for fewest turnovers in a 16-game regular season with 13.

The Dolphins also could not stop future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, who repeatedly beat safeties Yeremiah Bell and Gibril Wilson for big plays. Gonzalez finished with five catches for 73 yards, and he pushed Bell aside on the way to a 20-yard TD.

Pass coverage was a weak point for the Dolphins' safeties all preseason, and it reared its ugly head against Atlanta.

The Dolphins did manage to shut down the Falcons running game, holding Atlanta to 68 yards. But Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was good enough to compensate, completing 22-of-36 passes for 229 yards and two TDs.

The Dolphins did not look good, and their offense needs to pick up if they're going to beat Indianapolis on Monday night next week.

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Dolphins should ground Falcons

After weeks of player moves, exhibition games and endless preseason analysis, the games are finally set to begin.

And the Miami Dolphins certainly face a difficult challenge in Week 1, at an Atlanta Falcons team that made the playoffs with an 11-5 record last year and is considered to be a rising power. It's the first of three straight games against playoff opponents for Miami. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. in Atlanta.

The Falcons boast one of the NFL's top offenses, led by second-year quarterback Matt Ryan. "Matty Ice" was a revelation in his first season, completing 61.1 percent of his passes and throwing for 16 touchdowns.

And he has plenty of weapons. Running back Michael Turner ran for 1,699 yards and scored 17 TDs in his first season in Atlanta, and he continued that dominance in the preseason, leading the Falcons with 187 yards rushing, two TDs and a remarkable 6.9 average per carry.

To stop the Falcons, the Dolphins must stop Turner first.

But even if they do, Ryan has several options in the passing game. Roddy White emerged as the team's best receiver in 2008, catching 88 passes for 1,382 yards and seven TDs, and Michael Jenkins caught 50 passes for 777 yards and three TDs.

Atlanta also added maybe the greatest pass-catching tight end in NFL history: Tony Gonzalez, who caught 96 passes for 1,058 yards and 10 TDs last season with Kansas City.

The Dolphins addressed their secondary in the offseason, bringing in rookie corners Sean Smith and Vontae Davis, along with former Oakland Raiders safety Gibril Wilson. The hope is they will shore up a pass defense that ranked 25th last year.

However, Wilson and fellow safety Yeremiah Bell struggled in pass coverage in the preseason, and if that doesn't change Sunday, Allen and Smith are going to have to be on the top of their game.

Allen will likely draw the assignment of covering White, with Smith covering Jenkins. Davis will play after suffering a knee strain in the final preseason game against New Orleans, but the Dolphins must find a way to match up with Gonzalez, who could be Ryan's top target Sunday.

Miami should also have an improved pass rush, with Joey Porter and his 17 1/2 sacks getting support from the return of Jason Taylor, who will start at the other outside linebacker position.

Offensively, the Dolphins face a young and inexperienced defense.

The Falcons brought in five new defensive starters after finishing 25th in the league against the run, and 24th overall.

Peria Jerry, a 6-foot-2, 294-pound defensive tackle from Ole Miss who Atlanta drafted with the 24th overall pick this year, will start his first NFL game against Miami.

The Falcons also promoted free safety Thomas DeCloud, outside linebacker Stephen Nicholas and cornerback Brent Grimes.

The new-look secondary struggled in the preseason, allowing a whopping 8.3 yards per completion, which should excite a veteran passer like Chad Pennington.

Ted Ginn will start at one wide receiver position, while Coach Tony Sparano said the team will rotate several receivers at the other spot, from among Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess and Ohio State rookie Brian Hartline. The Dolphins will also likely find time for another rookie, Patrick Turner of USC.

Running the football was a problem for the Dolphins in preseason, particularly with the first unit. That will have to change, so the Dolphins can keep defensive end John Abraham and his team-leading 16 1/2 sacks at bay.

Also, the Dolphins will likely break out the "Wildcat" formation that has become a staple of offenses across the league.

Second round pick Pat White did not run the "Wildcat" during preseason, but he could be called upon to give the Falcons something else to think about.

The Dolphins defense may not stop Michael Turner, but I think they will be able to slow him down.

Ryan and his offense are too talented to be shut down, but Pennington is going against a young defense that will surely make some mistakes.

I think Miami will get just enough offense to eke out a win, 20-16.

Mixed results for Dolphins

The Dolphins won their third straight preseason game, 10-6 over Tampa Bay Thursday night, but it was far from a complete effort. For the second time in three games, the defense was strong, holding an opponent to under 10 points.

In fact, Miami limited the Bucs to 288 yards of total offense, and despite not forcing a single turnover, the Dolphins managed to keep Tampa Bay out of the end zone.

Of course, the Bucs were not fielding their top unit, with wide receivers Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton both out. And Tampa Bay's offense isn't expected to light up the league in 2009.

The problem was, the Dolphins' offense was just as anemic as the Bucs'. Miami gained just 250 total yards, ran for only 79 yards against a rebuilding Tampa defense, and turned the ball over three times.

The first half was a disaster, as Miami did not gain a first down until the 11:27 mark of the second quarter, and the first three possessions gained just 29 yards.

Chad Pennington was shaky until the end of the half, when he guided the team 53 yards in 10 plays in the final 1:45.

A Dan Carpenter field goal put Miami on the board, and the Dolphins went into the locker room trailing 6-3.

Pennnington came out firing in the second half, rolling to his right and hitting rookie Brian Hartline for 55 yards to the Bucs 6.

Two plays later, Pennington rolled right, turned back to his left under pressure, and found a wide open Anthony Fasano in the end zone for the winning score.

Pennington finished 9-of-16 for 128 yards and a TD.

Hartline, who started alongside Ted Ginn, made his case to line up with the first unit with a team-high 79 yards on three catches.

The running game was not up to snuff though, as the Dolphins struggled to gain yardage up the middle.

Lex Hilliard again led the team in rushing with 32 yards on 11 carries, but he almost cost Miami the game when he fumbled as the Dolphins were driving inside the Bucs' 25.

Surprisingly, the Dolphins didn't run the "Wildcat" at all, after using it five times for 53 yards in last week's win against Carolina. Rookie quarterback Pat White also did not see any playing time, though that should change when the Dolphins empty the bench in their last preseason game next week.

For the third straight week, the special teams gave up a big return. Clifton James ran back a kickoff for 30 yards, and Sammie Stroughter had a 25-yard effort.

There was some good though, as Patrick Cobbs came through the line untouched to block a Dirk Johnson punt at the end of the game's first series. But reserve linebacker Charlie Anderson dropped the ball, and Tampa Bay recovered in Miami territory for a first down. The drive ended in a 29-yard field goal by Mike Nugent.

The second half was much better, as the Dolphins' kick return coverage was excellent, though Davone Bess could not take advantagte of good blocking on one return because he couldn't turn the corner. Bess had just six yards on four returns on the night.

Chad Henne relieved Pennington in the third quarter, but he did not play well, completing 2-of-8 passes for 55 yards. He also had a bad interception inside the Tampa Bay 15 when Miami was threatening to put the game away.

The defense got off to a shaky start, as Byron Leftwich hit on 9-of-17 passes for 100 yards, but he missed three more open receivers that could have amounted to a huge day.

The run defense also struggled early, as Cadillac Williams gained 54 yards on eight carries. Earnest Graham came in and picked up where Williams left off, pounding for 39 yards on five carries, including a 27-yard run where four Dolphins missed tackles.

The defense got better as the game wore on, and did not allow a TD.

As for the cornerback battle, all signs point to rookie Sean Smith being the starter opening day. Despite missing last week's game with flu-like symptoms, Smith was back in the starting lineup Thursday.

Against the Bucs, he was targeted seven times and allowed three completions, all on passes from Leftwich to receiver Maurice Stovall for 34 yards. Smith also had one pass breakup and one tackle.

Twice Smith appeared to be beaten -- including once when Brian Clark was wide open in the end zone -- but both times Leftwich overthrew the target.

Fellow rookie Vontae Davis played the second half, starting opposite Smith. He was targeted seven times for four completions -- all coming off the arm of rookie Josh Freeman for 37 yards.

Davis broke up three passes, including the final one on fourth down, which he should have intercepted but dropped. He also got away with an illegal hands to the face on the play. All told, Davis was more active with five tackles.

Considering who the completions were against, it's safe to say that Smith should be the opening day starter.

The defensive line didn't get much pressure against the Bucs' first unit, though offensive line should be one of Tampa Bay's strengths this year. It wasn't until the second- and third-stringers entered the game -- and defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni started to call blitzes -- that the Dolphins were able to generate any pressure.

The most impressive performance amongst the first-stringers was Kendall Langford, who hit Leftwich as he was about to pass on the opening series and knocked the ball loose. Tampa Bay ultimately recovered, but had to settle for a field goal. Langford also got nice penetration to stop Williams behind the line of scrimmage. He finished with one tackle and one assist to go with his sack and forced fumble.

Paul Soliai continued his strong preseason with a sack on Luke McCown that resulted in a four-yard loss in the second quarter, and Nate Jones had another sack on the corner blitz.

In all, the Dolphins had four sacks, three coming against the Bucs' backups. Tampa Bay did a good job of picking up Joey Porter and making him a nonfactor, while Jason Taylor was held in check as well. Taylor was a step late on a blitz that resulted in a rushed McCown pass, and he finished with three tackles and an assist on the night.

It wasn't the performance Coach Tony Sparano wanted, particularly offensively, but the Dolphins have another chance to open up the playbook against New Orleans next Thursday.

(Photo: Yahoo Images)

Two Chads to see time in Tampa

The Dolphins' third preseason game is tomorrow night, and as most NFL fans know, this is the game in which the starters get major minutes as they work on their timing. The fourth preseason game is little more than a dress rehearsal for backups and third-stringers, making tomorrow's game the last time you'll see Chad Pennington and Ronnie Brown get major playing time until the season opener in Atlanta.

And that's just how Tony Sparano plans to do it, announcing that Pennington will play the entire first half, with Chad Henne playing the second half.

Second round pick Pat White was not mentioned, but he will probably see some action anyway.

The offensive line will go for three quarters, with Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown running the ball most of the time. That means we won't see much of preseason star Lex Hilliard until the fourth quarter.

Hilliard has been a big surprise, leading the Fins in rushing with 94 yards and a TD through the first two games.

Tomorrow's game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Williams injured
There was speculation that kick returner/receiver Chris Williams had been injured in the Dolphins' last preseason game, and that has been confirmed. Williams apparently broke his left hand in the Carolina game, though it was before he fumbled a punt return late in the first half that turned out to be his last play as a Dolphin. Williams was waived injured Monday.

Turner dies
T.J. Turner, a mainstay of the Dolphins' defensive line from 1986-1992, died after complications of a stroke Tuesday. He was only 46.

I have a fond memory of Turner, as I still own his player card from a set during the 1987 season, the year Joe Robbie (now Land Shark Stadium) opened.

His early death seems to be a recurring theme in pro football, where the life expectancy for ex-NFLers is much lower than the national average, and is even lower than their counterparts in pro baseball, basketball and hockey. Too many collisions between large men causing untold trauma to the body.

We don't know if that had anything to do with what happened to Turner, but it's still sad that another former pro has died too soon.

Dolphins sharp in win over Panthers

After the offense struggled Monday in a 12-9 win over Jacksonville, the Dolphins regrouped in a 27-17 win over the Carolina Panthers Saturday night at Land Shark Stadium.

Chad Pennington and Chad Henne were both razor sharp; Pennington especially so in limited action.

The former New York Jet completed 8-of-11 passes for 105 yards and a 28-yard touchdown pass to Ronnie Brown.

Henne played most of the second half, hitting on 10-of-16 passes for 75 yards, including a 2-yard scoring toss to running back Joe Kowalewski that clinched the game with 3:03 to play.

The offense, which was held to 257 yards against the Jags, gained 312 yards of total offense against Carolina.

Brown looked fully recovered from his ACL tear two years ago, running seven times for 31 yards, and he displayed some nifty moves, spinning off defenders and showing more elusiveness than he did last season.

Ricky Williams added 21 yards on just three carries and Patrick Cobbs gained 24 yards on five carries as the offensive line, which did not block well against the Jags, pounded the Panthers for 141 yards rushing.

"I was happy," Coach Tony Sparano said in his postgame press conference. "I was pleased with what Ronnie and Ricky were able to do."

The running star of the second half was Miami's fourth-string running back, Lex Hilliard, who had a second straight good game with nine carries for a game-high 52 yards, including a 39-yard TD run that was the finest of the game.

The rookie from Montana hit the hole hard and showed a surprising burst.

"Lex has done a nice job," Sparano said. "He's a big back who runs like a big back."

Pat White completed 2-of-3 passes for just four yards in limited action in the second quarter, and he ran twice for 11 yards. But the big surprise was that White wasn't involved in the Dolphins' five "Wildcat" plays.

Midway through the first quarter, the Dolphins unveiled the offensive formation that swept the league last year, as Brown lined up in the shotgun and ran for two yards on the first play.

The second time the Dolphins ran the "Wildcat," Brown faked to Williams up the middle, turned and faked to Cobbs coming around the end, then kept it for no gain.

But in the second quarter, the Dolphins ran the "Wildcat" three times in four plays to much greater success.

Williams took the handoff from Brown on a sweep and gained 11 yards and a first down.

Two plays later, Brown kept the ball and ran up the middle for five and another first down.

But the Dolphins saved the biggest play for last, as Brown handed to Williams coming around the end, and he tossed the ball back to Pennington, who lofted a 38-yard pass to Cobbs to the Carolina 10-yardline.

"We ran the same four plays that every team in the league knows we have," Sparano said. "It's good homework for us to see how they defend us."

Connor Barth ended the drive with a 22-yard field goal that put Miami ahead 10-7.

The running backs also dominated on the receiving end, as Cobbs led Miami with four catches for 56 yards, and Brown added 43 yards on three receptions. Rookie Patrick Turner was Miami's leading receiver with three catches for 25 yards.

Defense shines
But while the offense rang up yards and points, the Dolphins defense held the Panthers to 244 yards of total offense.

Last year, Carolina was third in the NFL with an average of 152 rushing yards per game, but Saturday, the Dolphins front line stymied the Panthers, holding their talented backs to 98 yards rushing.

DeAngelo Williams, who rushed for 1,515 yards, gained 40 on eight carries. But that was a misleading stat, as Miami held Williams to 14 yards on seven carries. The big one came in the first quarter, when Williams was seemingly stopped behind the line of scrimmage, broke a tackle, broke another in the secondary, and scored on a 26-yard run to tie the game at 7-7.

Cornerback Vontae Davis, whistled for three penalties last week, rebounded with three tackles and an assist, and several passes defended.

"I liked what Vontae did," Sparano said. "We shouldn't have judged him on a couple of plays. He was active and made some nice tackles."

Davis played most of the game, since rookie Sean Smith and veteran Jason Allen were out with flu-like symptoms. Test results are pending, but Sparano said Smith should be back in practice Monday.

Defensive end Cameron Wake also made his presence felt with a big hit on Panthers quarterback Jake McCown on third-and-3 on a pass that was ruled incomplete.

Special teams struggle
While the offense and defense played well, the special teams were not very good, particularly in the first half.

Returner Chris Williams, who was a bright spot in the Jacksonville game, had just two yards on three returns, and he made the biggest mistake of the game when a ball bounced off his facemask at the Miami 10, and Carolina recovered at the 14.

That led to a Decori Birmingham 2-yard TD run that gave the Panthers a 14-10 halftime lead.

Williams got an earful from Sparano on the sidelines, and was replaced in the second half by Davone Bess and rookie Brian Hartline, who managed to hold onto the ball for the remainder of the game.

Williams wasn't the only special teams performer to struggle, as the Panthers took advantage of poor kick coverage to post a 14-yard average on punt returns, as well as an average of 20 yards a kick return, including two the Panthers nearly broke for scores.

Punter Brandon Fields was the best special teams player for the Dolphins, averaging 45.4 yards a kick, including a boomer that Carolina fumbled and Miami recovered at the Panthers 14-yardline.

That led to Henne's clinching TD pass to Kowalewski.

Overall, the Dolphins could have gotten an A, but the spotty special teams bring them down to a B.

Again, Miami only has a five-day layoff before taking the field, this time Thursday at 8 p.m. at Tampa Bay.

The cornerback position should be one to watch, with Davis and Smith each having one good game so far. If Smith is fully recovered, Thursday could go a long way towards deciding who will start next to Will Allen on opening day.

Also, no player has emerged from the logjam at wide receiver, with eight different wideouts getting playing time Saturday. That group will be pared to five, though Anthony Armstrong did himself no favors Saturday when he dropped a perfect third down pass from Henne that would have given the Dolphins a first down across midfield.

Right now, he's probably the wideout most likely to go, but really, no receiver has been very impressive this preseason, so Sparano has some difficult decisions ahead.

I'll check back later with any new developments.

Dolphins cut Green

Well, this is the initial post on the Dolphins Watch blog, and I hope to provide you with analysis, commentary and observations from this Miami Dolphins season. This is a new and exciting venture, and I hope to make the most of it.

Just by way of introduction, my name is Mario Sarmento and I have been a sports writer for the past nine years, in both print and the Internet. I've covered high school, college and pro sports, with the highlight of my career undoubtedly being when I covered Super Bowl XLI two years ago in Miami between the Colts and the Bears.

As far as this blog goes, I will offer commentary of Dolphins' moves and games during the season, with the occasional interview mixed in. If needed, I'll also comment on some of the larger issues in the NFL, and I'll add notes about fantasy football and anything else I think you might find interesting.

Since there are so many other outlets covering the Dolphins and the NFL, I will try to provide a different spin on the team's coverage, while keeping up with and commenting on any team news.

But, enough about what I plan to do, and let's get down to the big news of the day.

As you've probably read elsewhere, the Dolphins made a surprising move today by releasing cornerback Eric Green, who the team signed as a free agent from Arizona.

According to published reports, Green was likely a victim of being too comfortable on a Tony Sparano-coached team.

Like his mentor, Bill Parcells, Sparano believes being comfortable leads to complacency, and complacency leads to losing football games.

Thus, an early message was sent to any malingerers that anyone is expendable on this team (are you listening, Matt Roth)?

The other message this sends is the Dolphins must be very high on rookie cornerbacks Sean Smith and Vontae Davis, both drafted this year, to have made the move at all.

Smith has played well in training camp, and he had an interception in the Fins' 12-9 win over Jacksonville in the opening preseason game Monday night.

Right now, he is the starter opposite veteran Will Allen. But this is the NFL, where change happens quickly.

Davis struggled against the Jags, picking up three penalties -- two on special teams. But, he is a first round pick who will be given every benefit of the doubt in this battle. Expect it to last right up until the end of preseason.

Also, Green was victimized by Jacksonville backups for three straight completions Monday, which apparently was the continuation of a trend started in training camp.

Still, will the Dolphins only rely on the rookies when they have to face Terrell Owens and Randy Moss in division play? Or will the loss of Green hurt when the Dolphins need veteran savvy in the secondary? The answers to those questions will come starting Sept. 10.

As for Roth, the fifth-year player who was supposed to start at oustide linebacker, there are conflicting reports as to his absence in training camp.

Sparano said he failed the team's first conditioning test due to illness, while his agent Drew Rosenhaus said Roth failed because of a groin injury.

Whatever the reason, Sparano has made it clear the team is moving on without him, and Jason Taylor is now starting at linebacker until further notice.

As for the rest of the team, it looks much improved from the 2008 team that shocked observers by going 11-5 and winning the AFC East for the first time since 2000.

The Dolphins overhauled the secondary in an effort to improve a pass defense that only ranked 25th last year, adding the rookies as well as former Oakland safety Gibril Wilson.

Offensively, Miami acquired new weapons in the form of second round pick Pat White, recruited to run the "WildPat," and rookie receivers Patrick Turner and Brian Hartline.

Add those players to reigning Comeback Player of the Year Chad Pennington, third-year receiver Ted Ginn and fellow wideouts Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess, and the offense should improve on last season's pedestrian average of 21.6 points per game.

The problem is, the team may in fact be better than last year, but the Dolphins could end up with a worse record.

Part of that is due to the strengthened AFC East, with Tom Brady back in New England and T.O. taking his show to Buffalo, as well as the new look New York Jets.

The other part is a brutal schedule that sees the Dolphins face six playoff teams, including three straight to open the season.

But, as we all know, preseason expectations are usually hyperbole. After all, no one expected a playoff year in 2008 after the Dolphins won just one game the previous year.

And, if there's anything we've learned in the NFL, it's that each year there seem to be new teams rising to the top. Look at how Atlanta turned its fortunes around last season, and of course, the Cardinals surprised everyone by making the playoffs and advancing to their first Super Bowl.

So, that means we don't know anything at this point, try as we might to prognosticate. And that's the beauty of sports.

Fantasy angle: The Dolphins have the potential to improve this year, but not from a fantasy football perspective. The Dolphins defense may just be the best bet this season, as Taylor and Cameron Wake should complement Joey Porter nicely in the pass rush, and we've already mentioned the secondary upgrades. Offensively, there are a lot of pedestrian fantasy players, with running back Ronnie Brown being the best of the bunch. He's two years removed from ACL surgery, which means he should be back to his pre-2008 self. But I wouldn't spend higher than a fourth round choice on him, unless you are desperate for running backs. Ginn is another possibility, since he is entering his third season and that's when wideouts typically start to flourish. But if you take him, buy low, as I've already mentioned the other receiving options he must compete with. And remember, Pennington likes to spread the ball around, and he prefers to throw short passes. As a deep target, this is not a good fit for Ginn. Pennington and Camarillo also merit consideration as backups.

Misc: Dan Marino is back, but no, it's not what you think. This is not a Brett Favre unretirement. Marino is being featured in this month's McFarlane SportsPicks NFL Legends collection, a group that includes Barry Sanders, Randall Cunningham, Steve Young, Archie Manning, Bart Starr and Joe Montana. McFarlane has been making NFL figures for the last eight years, and they are incredibly realistic. Marino was already featured in the Legends 3 lineup, wearing his home white uniform and looking like he did as a rookie. This version is the older, bulkier Marino from around 1994 or '95, I'd say. He's wearing his road green jersey, and you can see the bulge in his leg from the knee brace. It's a highly accurate figure, and a good buy at $11.99 for the Dolphins fan in your life. You can pick him up at any retail store that sells toys.

Well, that's it for the initial Dolphins Watch. I'll return with more news and notes later.