Jennette Van Dien's Miami Dolphins fan blog

So, for yet another week, we hear reports of Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter "running his mouth." The three-time Prow Bowler spent the days leading up to Dolphins' Week 3 matchup against New England reportedly saying that Matt Cassel was "no Tom Brady" and guaranteeing the Dolphins' win. Now, two weeks later to the Miami Herald, Porter says he didn't say any of that and that his quotes got construed. What he did say, according to Porter, was that the Fins would "try" to get a win. He did tell the press that he thought the practice of talking up opponents made them sound like "robots," and that he wasn't going to talk like everyone else becuase that's not how people really think. 

    The Miami Herald reports: 

    "It's all set up for you to be like robots,'' Porter said. "[Players are] supposed to come in here and say, `Yeah, he's great.' In the back of your mind, in your heart, you know you want to go out there and win the game. That's your mind-set. You practice all week to go out there and win. But in my interviews, I'm supposed to say how great he is? Why do I really want to talk about how good he is? You think he's over there really thinking, 'Man, those guys are really good.' No. He's like `We're going to whup their [behind] this weekend.

Continue reading "How the Dolphins Can Go .500: Let Porter Run His Mouth"

In my last column I briefly stated that I think the Dolphins could emerge at season's end winning at least half of their games. They have the talent to do so. Coming off of one of the worst seasons in franchise history, where they matched records held by expansion teams in their exhibition year, the Dolphins have done in Week 3 what they couldn't accomplish until Week 15—win a game. The list continues on what the Dolphins, widely known last year in cyberspace as the LOLphins, have accomplished in three weeks that they couldn't do in, well, nearly an entire season in some cases last year. But that's not the point. Coach Cam Cameron had a hands-off approach that the team would just coach itself, or so it seemed. The firing of nearly the entire front office by Vice President of Operations Bill Parcells at the close of last season shook up the team, and left many long-time players to find a new squad. But was that the right choice? Well, I’d like to think that if Big Tuna does something, it’s probably for the best. The out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-shit-or-get-off-the-pot approach to the 2008 season Parcells took showed that he’s getting the Dolphins back on track. It’s yet to be seen what will be the outcome of the two draft picks the Fins got for Jason Taylor, or if cutting defensive anchor Zach Thomas was the right move. After such a shake-up, including other major player and staff moves, is it possible for the Fins to go 8-8 this year? Aside from winning the seven of their 13 remaining games, there’s gonna have to be some changes. This week I look at positional strategies that could use some tweaking. We’ll start today at running back.

Continue reading "Tweaks and Tips: How the Dolphins Can Go .500"

Coming off perhaps the season’s biggest upset against the Patriots in Week 3, the Dolphins have a lot to live up to. The Fins offense ranks 3rd in the AFC with a 70% red zone touchdown conversion rate and has the 10th ranked rush defense after coming off their best defensive game of the season. The secondary that gave up 5 touchdown passes in the first two weeks held a Tom Brady-less offense to 156 passing yards, and the offense that scored three touchdowns combined in weeks one and two nearly doubled themselves last week, scoring five against New England.

But what does that really mean? I don’t think it means that much… yet. The kickoff coverage gave up 237 yards to Ellis Hobbs alone on returns in Week 3, the pass defense is 26, and that 10th rush ranking is a bit skewed— they have yet to be tested, with Kurt Warner throwing for 361 yards and three touchdowns Week 2 and third string New England back Sammy Morris taking the reins Week 3 for New England.

Continue reading "Dolphins have a lot to prove Week 5"