Volume 1, Number 4

Beautiful Day, Beautiful Victory

• As they have done all year, the Dolphins decided to defer after winning the coin toss. The defense then made the decision look good by stuffing two running plays and then picking off a Jay Cutler pass.
  
  
• The interception comes courtesy of Jason Allen, who is starting to look like he might indeed have a good future as a cornerback.
  
  
• The offense, meanwhile, has a rather uninspired start, with three straight Ronnie Brown runs gaining 7 yards. The last run came out of the Wildcat formation, but it seemed as though Brown never let the blocking develop. We've come to expect more from the Wildcat.
  
  
• It's three more running plays to start the Dolphins' next possession before Pennington throws his first pass. Obviously, the Dolphins want to establish their running game.
  
  
• Will Allen picks off Jay Cutler and returns the pick 32 yards for the Dolphins' first defensive touchdown of the season. It's Allen's second pick in two games. Is it time to change the description of Allen as a good corner who has no hands and can't make interceptions, and just leave the first part?
  
  
• Pennington gets sacked on a play that right tackle Vernon Carey will want to forget. Carey got pushed to the ground by defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban, who barely was slowed on his way to Pennington.
  
  
• For most of the first half, Porter couldn't get much pressure going against Broncos rookie tackle Ryan Clady. Then Denver has the brilliant idea of assigning tight end Daniel Graham to block Porter. Down goes Cutler.
  
  
• The sack gives Porter 11.5 for the season, which not only represents a career high for the veteran linebacker but also keeps Porter on pace to break Michael Strahan's single-season NFL record of 22.5.
  
  
• The Wildcat, which has been so good all year, was an absolute flop in the first half. Three runs by Ronnie Brown gained 1 yard each, and his one pass attempt resulted in an 8-yard loss on a sack. As we watch mascots take on kids in a halftime mini-game, there's a strong feeling here in the press box we won't see the Wildcat in the second half.
  
  
• The Dolphins had the Broncos pinned at their 8-yard line in the second quarter, but the defense bit on a Cutler play-action fake and the result was a 39-yard completion in the flat to fullback Peyton Hillis.
  
  
• That was just about the only bad play by the defense in a tremendous first half.
  
  
• The offense wasn't quite as impressive, but closed the half with an 88-yard drive that featured completions of 17, 13, 23 and 13 yards to Davone Bess, Anthony Fasano, Fasano again and Ted Ginn Jr. It's too bad the Dolphins had to settle for a field goal after getting a first-and-goal at the 5.
  
  
• Nice kickoff return by Ginn to start the second half. Don't know if it's the reality, but he looks like a guy playing with a lot more confidence.
  
  
• Porter drops Michael Pittman for a 3-yard loss in the third quarter. Just to show everybody he's not just a pass rusher.
  
  
• Two more completions to the fullback, both good for first downs. Can the Dolphins cover this guy already?
  
  
• That tag of good defender with bad hands might go to Yeremiah Bell after he drops what should have been an easy interception.
  
  
• Either the Broncos' vaunted running game is hurting bad or the Dolphins are playing splendid run defense. Because Denver is getting nothing - and we mean nothing - on the ground.
  
  
• We don't see coffin-corner punts much anymore, but the one Brandon Fields boomed at the Denver 2-yard line for 53 yards was as good as it gets.
  
  
• Unfortunately, Fields' next punt also went out of bounds, but this time because he shanked it. Net result: 14 yards and it set up a Denver field goal.
  
  
• A step back for Ginn, who dropped a pass near the sideline after slipping while making his cut. He's still playing a lot better, though.
  
  
• Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall was supposed to be the big threat for the Dolphins defense, but he didn't catch his first pass until late in the third quarter. He caught a 77-yard touchdown pass on the next play, but he was flagged for offensive pass interference for pushing Jason Allen just enough to create separation down the sideline.
  
  
• Dan Carpenter kicks his fourth field goal in the fourth quarter, which means the rookie is having the best day of his young career. It also means the Dolphins are not finishing drives.
  
  
• Denver's next drive begins with a 47-yard completion. Of course, it's to the fullback, who also will end the 80-yard drive with a touchdown catch.
  
  
• The touchdown is set up by a 32-yard pass interference penalty on Renaldo Hill in the end zone, which might have been a legitimate call but also smelled like a make-up call - considering the intended receiver was Brandon Marshall.
  
  
• The Dolphins answered that score with a game-clinching drive that ended with their first offensive touchdown drive of the game. It might have been even more impressive than the game-clinching drive against San Diego.
  
  
• The biggest play of the drive might have been the 23-yard completion to Ricky Williams on third-and-7 from the Broncos 25-yard line, but the star clearly was Greg Camarillo. The guy just keeps doing nothing but making plays.
  
  
• Turns out we were right, the Dolphins never ran the Wildcat in the second half. It didn't matter. They still have Denver's number.
  
  
• Don't look now, but if New England loses at Indianapolis on Sunday night, the Dolphins will be only one game out of first place in the AFC East. Amazing.
  
  
• And the next two games are against Seattle and Oakland, who both are 2-6. Don't want to jinx anything, but it's looking like we might have some meaningful football in Miami in December for the first time in a while.
  
  
• Caught some tremendous college football action while in Denver on Saturday and couldn't help but be impressed with Texas Tech's wide receivers, particularly Michael Crabtree. The redshirt sophomore, who will be eligible for the 2009 draft if he decides to leave school early, brings to mind Texans star Andre Johnson and would look awfully good in a Dolphins uniform. But if he comes out next spring, the Dolphins won't be picking high enough to get a shot at him.
  
  
• Joey Porter and John Beck were among a group of Dolphins players who checked out the Brigham Young-Colorado State game before they had to return to the team hotel to make curfew. Porter showed his high energy isn't limited to just his team; the CSU alum body-bumped a Rams running back after a fourth-quarter touchdown.
  
  
• Watched some of the early games from the press box at INVESCO Field at Mile High and saw both Buffalo and Kansas City run plays where a running back lines up at quarterback and takes a shotgun snap. Hmm, maybe that's something the Dolphins should try.
  
  
• All Wildcat kidding aside, kudos to K.C. for a nice wrinkle, with running back Jamaal Charles giving the ball on a reverse to wideout Mark Bradley, who then threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to quarterback Tyler Thigpen. Something else the Dolphins might try, although it's debatable Chad Pennington could sprint that far downfield.