Aug 10 2008
Dolphins free from the net?
Last year the Miami Dolphins attempted to set a record that no one wants to be a part of; going 0-16. With that said, they did manage to pull a win out. Yes, that’s right, a win! This was the team that everyone loved to play. Well, all except for the Baltimore Ravens who lost to them On December 16th with a final score of 22-16 played in front of 70,287 screaming fans at Dolphin Stadium . The game was televised on CBS with Kevin Harlan (play-by-play ) & Rich Gannon (color commentator ) calling the game.
Now, the Dolphins have taken 2007 and put it behind them. Gone is Jason Taylor, and in is Chad Pennington. The Big Tuna Bill Parcells is making his presence felt already. Bill signed a 4 year deal for the Dolphins to become 
the team’s executive vice president of football operations. You can already see a difference in the team with him at the healm. In life there are people that watch things happen and then there are those that make them happen. Bill falls into the last category. I could end this here and say that the Dolphins will improve on last years record but that is not fair. So lets take a look at this rag tag bunch.
Taylor is not the only name gone either. Other notable names that will not appear on the 2008 roster for the Dolphins are Quarterback Trent Green, wide receiver Marty Booker, linebacker Zach Thomas, offensive tackle L. J. Shelton and defensive tackle Keith Traylor.
Before I forget to mention this, Bill cleaned house and fired both the General Manager and Head Coach from 2007. Can you really blame him? Out is GM Randy Mueller and head coach Cam Cameron and in is Jeff Ireland as the new GM and Tony Sparano as the new head coach.
As I said before Chad Pennington is in Miami and he is looking to mix it up with first string QB Josh McCown. Chad will give him a run for the money and if nothing else make young Josh better. Personally I think that Chad will be the starter by week 3. Whoever the QB is, he will have both Ted Ginn Jr. and Ernest Wilford to throw to. I truly think that these two receivers can make a huge difference if you get the ball in their hands. As for the backfield, I still have reservations on Ronnie Brown. He might have been the teams leading rusher at 602 yards, but to me he has to hit that 1000 mark if this team is going to have success.
On the defensive side of the ball, Joey Porter is the type of player that can change a game. With that said, it is time for him to step up. I can understand that he was second on the team with overall tackles at 65, but I need to see him penetrate and make that stop at the line or behind it, not on this side of the ball. Channing Crowder is back again to improve on his team leading 78 tackles. With Jason and Zack both gone it leaves a void on 108 tackles, and with a net points total of -170 from 2007 that is not something that this team can go without making up.
Jason Allen , who led the team in interceptions in 2007 with 3, is back again to anchor the secondary. This is a secondary that is vulnerable. They can be scored on and they need to learn how to stop that. I think that as time goes, they will adapt and learn how to cover better. For now, it is up to the interior to put pressure, and the opposing QB to make the turn overs happen.
As I said in the beginning, I actually see this being a better season for the Dolphins. I am sure that this will shock a lot of you out there, but my prediction is simple. The Dolphins will get free of the net and end the year at 7-9.
I think you are being a bit generous with the fish. They took some heavy losses to an already weak team. Pennington will help them but they are just plain weak.
Rich, I guess that is why we are allowed our opinions.