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SCORING SPREE: There's been a lot of talk about the Dolphins offense lacking weapons, but that hasn't kept them from racking up the points
By ALAIN POUPART
Dolphin Digest Associate Editor
There are two things that inevitably come up whenever the Dolphins offense is discussed.
The first, obviously, is the Wildcat. The second is the lack of playmakers outside of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, more specifically the lack of playmakers in the receiving corps.
Yet, lack of playmakers or not, the Dolphins continue to find a way to get the job done on offense. Actually, it's more than just getting the job done.
There's a reason the Dolphins have been able to climb out of their 0-3 hole and put themselves back in contention for a playoff spot, and it's the ability to put points on the board.
Miami has reached 30 points in each of its last four games, three of which were victories.
To consider the magnitude of that achievement, here are a couple of pertinent facts:
- The Dolphins' streak of 30-plus points is currently the longest in the league.
- It also matches the longest in franchise history, accomplished by the 1987 team.
- Only one other team in the league has had a four-game streak like that this season, and that would be the Indianapolis Colts. With leading MVP candidate Peyton Manning at quarterback.
- The undefeated New Orleans Saints are putting up absurd offensive numbers, but they haven't reached 30 points in four consecutive games.
- In Dan Marino's Hall of Fame career, he never guided the Dolphins to 30 points or more in four consecutive games.
Remember, there was a strike in 1987 and two of the four games during the 30-point streak that year were replacement games, and the Dolphins quarterback for those was Kyle Mackey.
Even in 1984, when Marino had perhaps the greatest season a quarterback has ever had in the NFL, the Dolphins never scored 30 or more four consecutive games - they did have two three-game streaks.
The recent spurt has put the Dolphins at 176 points scored in their first seven games. At that pace, they'll finish with 402 for the season.
The last time the Dolphins reached 400 was in 1986. Pretty heady stuff indeed.
Obviously, the offense didn't have much to do with the Dolphins reaching 30 points against the Jets last Sunday, what with Ted Ginn Jr. returning two kickoffs for touchdowns and Jason Taylor adding a fumble return for another score.
But the other three 30-point outbursts - in the 38-10 victory over Buffalo, the 31-27 victory over the Jets and the 46-34 loss to New Orleans - were the result of great offensive work.
Sure, rookie Vontae Davis returned an interception for a touchdown against Buffalo, but the Dolphins still would have had 31 points without that play.
The offense has been able to thrive thanks mostly to its devastating running game, which had averaged 185 yards in its previous five games before it was stuffed by the Jets last Sunday.
Chad Henne and his receivers have mostly played a supporting role, but he came up huge in the fourth quarter of the Monday night victory over the Jets with a couple of clutch third-down completions to Greg Camarillo on the game-winning touchdown drive.
ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski made the point, in the middle of the Wildcat frenzy, that the Dolphins needed more than that, that they would need to make big plays to be able to win big games.
During their run of 30-point games, the Dolphins got a 38-yard run by Brown against Buffalo; a 59-yard screen pass to Williams and a 53-yard touchdown pass to Ginn in the first Jets game; a 68-yard run by Williams and a 67-yard completion to Brian Hartline against the Saints; and the returns for touchdowns (from 100 and 101 yards by Ginn and from 48 yards by Taylor) in the Jets rematch.
How's that for big plays? That's how you win games. That's how you're able to score 30 points in a game when your personnel is said to be lacking.
How long can this run continue? Logic says, not much longer. After all, let's be honest, these Dolphins are not the 2007 Patriots.
Then again, who would have thought the Dolphins could put four consecutive 30-point games to begin with.
The Dolphins just might need to extend the streak at least one more game if they hope to upset the Patriots Sunday at Gillette Stadium, considering New England has averaged 47 points in its last two games.
At this point, no one would dare say it's an impossible task.
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