Volume 1, Number 2

Ronnie Brown scored his sixth touchdown of the season with yet another run out of the Wildcat offense

Great Work All Around

• The play of the offensive line should not get lost amid all the hoopla over the "Wildcat" formation. The guys up front are getting it done. Chad Pennington was sacked once on Sunday, but he usually had plenty of time to throw. And, "Wildcat" or no "Wildcat," 167 yards rushing doesn't happen without good blocking up front.
  
  
• Speaking of the ever-popular "Wildcat," did anyone really think the Dolphins wouldn't use it after the success it had at New England. The Dolphins actually used it a lot more against the Chargers and it still was effective, even if it didn't produce a 65-yard touchdown run.
  
  
• Hard to decide whether it was the Dolphins offense or the Dolphins defense that was most impressive against the Chargers. Let's see, the offense gained 390 yards and killed off the last 5:55 to clinch the victory. Impressive stuff. But so was the defense holding San Diego to 202 total yards and keeping LaDainian Tomlinson to 35 yards rushing. OK then, we'll call it a draw.
  
  
• Chris Chambers catches a pass in the first quarter, and the play draws some boos. Kind of sad to hear, given that Chambers was never anything but classy during his time with the Dolphins.
  
  
• Later in the opening drive, the Chargers try an end-around with Chambers, but it goes only for a 1-yard gain. While Renaldo Hill is the one who makes the tackle, it's Joey Porter who kills the play by getting into the backfield and forcing Chambers to go wider than he wanted to. It's a great play that shows Porter can do more than just rush the passer.
  
  
• Then in the second quarter, Porter meets LaDainian Tomlinson in the backfield and drops him for a 3-yard loss. The man is on fire.
  
  
• But Porter wasn't even the most effective outside linebacker on this day. That honor went to Matt Roth, who had three tackles for loss and a sack. The 3-4 defense relies on good play from the outside linebackers, and the Dolphins sure got that on Sunday.
  
  
• Didn't like seeing Chambers carted off the field after the third quarter after the play where he was tackled at the Dolphins 1-yard line. One can only hope the injury isn't serious.
  
  
• Sitting in the press box, just caught a glimpse of the Redskins-Eagles game and just saw Jason Taylor walk onto the field in his sweatsuit to congratulate a teammate. Have to say it looks weird to see him in Redskins burgundy.
  
  
• Looks like getting rid of Matt Millen isn't going to provide a rapid cure for Detroit's problems. It's bad enough they got blown out by Chicago, but being offside on the second-half kickoff? Wow.
  
  
• For the second consecutive week, four former Dolphins players started at quarterback around the league. Last week it was Brian Griese, Gus Frerotte, Damon Huard and Trent Green. This week it was Griese, Huard, Sage Rosenfels, plus Frerotte on Monday night. Rosenfels appeared on the verge of leading Houston to a huge win at home against Indy, but he got careless with the ball and had two fumbles in the final five minutes. As a result, the Colts rallied from a 27-10 deficit for an improbable 31-27 victory.
  
  
• Those wondering why Ted Ginn Jr. hasn't been back there returning kicks got the answer when he got a look on Sunday. He failed to come up to catch a high punt that rolled out of bounds after 66 yards, but caught a break when the Chargers were flagged for a penalty. On the re-kick, Ginn muffed the punt before picking it up and returning it 11 yards.
  
  
• On the flip side, Ginn made a couple of catches, none bigger than his 14-yard reception on third down on the last drive of the game.
  
  
• Credit for that play, though, goes to Chad Pennington, who lofted it beautifully and dropped it between defenders. The last two games have shown us the Pennington we thought - and hoped - the Dolphins were getting when they signed him.
  
  
• Having a dependable quarterback does make a little bit of a difference on offense, wouldn't you say?
  
  
• Greg Camarillo beating Chargers cornerback Quentin Jammer, a former high first-round pick, shouldn't have come as a major surprise. Word is Jammer simply couldn't cover Camarillo one-on-one in practice when Camarillo played for San Diego.
  
  
• Looks like the emphasis on kickoff coverage in practice worked for the Dolphins. They held Darren Sproles, who is as dangerous as there is, to only a 23.7-yard average.
  
  
• Speaking of special teams, what about the show put on by Chargers punter Mike Scifres. He average 55.8 yards on six kicks with a net of 50.5. And that includes a 31-yard punt late in the game to pin the Dolphins at their 15. Amazing.
  
  
• Yeremiah Bell followed his strong game at New England with an even better one against the Chargers. In addition to breaking up a deep pass intended for tight end Antonio Gates, he tipped away a third-down pass on the Chargers' last offensive play. He's starting to look like the Bell who was a major factor in the Dolphins defense's resurgence in 2006.
  
  
• Tight end Anthony Fasano has been a major revelation this season, but this clearly wasn't his best effort. In addition to committing the Dolphins' only penalty of the game, he dropped a third-down pass in the fourth quarter.
  
  
• In recent years, that would have led to another crushing defeat. But these aren't the same old Dolphins. The old Dolphins wouldn't have converted four third downs to kill off the last 5:55 and clinch the victory.
  
  
• Is it ridiculous to start thinking playoffs?