One thing the Eagles won’t have to deal with in Miami on Sunday is a whole lot of opposing crowd noise…
“Laces out, Dan” moment up in Section 48 ?
In fact, there may be more Eagles fans with tickets to this game than actual Dolphins supporters… Lofty expectations for a 9-7 Miami season and a wild-card berth were shot down for “Dolphans” in a heartbreaking loss to the Cowboys about two weeks back. Now apathy has replaced hope in Miami, and the Dolphins are having trouble giving tickets away. The Sparano regime is rumored to be on the rocks despite the head coach’s current contract.
But the Eagles need to focus on game tape right now, not gate receipts. Surely they will notice the Dolphins are actually getting better on the field from week to week. Michael Serrania of Phins Phocus .com (hhtp://www.phinsphocus.com) points us in the direction of what and who is improving on the Dolphins, and trends the Eagles need to be aware of as they prepare for the Dolphins:
“Don’t get me wrong, there are some glaring issues with the Miami Dolphins,” said Serrania. “The fact that the Dolphins could be heading to near mediocre status is nothing new over the last 10 years. However, here are the aspects of the team that I really like and can appreciate as a Dolfan”:
1. Charles Clay as that H-Back threat… Last week we saw why Charles Clay was drafted and what he brings to the table. He brings speed at his position and great hands. He brings a Chris Cooley of the Washington Redskins-type of player to the Dolphins. Combined with Anthony Fasano as threat, that combination can be special. Charles Clay can be set out wide or off the line. I like him in a play as a TE screen. Will we see him go all Keith Byars 1993 for us??? I sure hope so.
2. Reggie Bush… He can continue to thrive if he’s being used in space. When Reggie turns upfield and has nothing but green turf/grass in front of him, he shows you what he can do. He has the speed and agility to make defenders miss. It’s actually quite comical when defenders are flying and flailing to catch him. Reggie has also shown he can catch the ball out of the backfield. Will he rush for 200 yards in a game? No, but he can still threaten a defense because you never know where he will be.
3. Matt Moore… Matt Moore has lately been a very productive QB and has thrived in this offense. You can’t discount that he has gotten better and shown greater efficiency every week. He rebounded from the horrible Jets game to the Chiefs game where he threw for 3 TDs and no interceptions. Matt Moore has also showed leadership and earned the respect of Jake Long and others, which helps with team chemistry when you win. Is he better than Romo? Moore is headed in that direction.
4. Brandon Marshall… Right now, I like Brandon Marshall on first and second down. I like his chances in the redzone, but he has to hold on to the ball. He’s still a very real threat.
5. Jimmy Wilson… I know he’s a young player, but he is a total stud at corner. He hits with a fury and he loves to play defense. Not to mention, he’s fast, and in 3rd down or nickel packages he can change the game. Yes, as a CB he’s been beat, but I will take this 7th round talent any day and count on him to make a stop more than Sean Smith. Is he better than Jimmy Smith of Baltimore? It sure looks like the Dolphins drafted the better Jimmy (time will tell).
(Tied for 5th): The Dolphin secondary: Much beleaguered to start the season. They have become a physical bunch. I am starting to believe that most teams do not want to throw into the secondary with Yeremiah Bell and Tyrone Culver running like a freight train at a “defenseless” receiver. Having Vontae back has taken away the deep threat for teams that like to go deep.
(Tied for 5th): Jared Odrick: I am starting to see why the Dolphins drafted down to get him in 2010. However, I want to see more. I want to see him get more sacks and would be curious to see if he can stop the run more frequently. Is the 3-4 the best D for him? I believe that the 4-3 might suit him more because he would have more freedom to pass rush from the outside. Jared Odrick’s dance ranks up there with the best of them after a sack. He made it his own, even though it’s Pee Wee Herman’s dance. Classic.
Thanks, Michael, for the current trending report on the Dolphins…
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EEB Brisucksegg Fantasy Football League Update:
Week 13 results are finally in. This is the Week that determines who made the playoffs. Big winners this past weekend were the Amputatoes (Jerked), Sunny’s Jock Strap (Mothra), Green Machine (David), Lancaster Rubbernecks (Gary), Team Conahan (Robert) and the Nut Chokers (JB)…
| EAST | |||||
| TEAM | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
| The Amputatoe’s | 8 | 4 | 1 | .654 | — |
| The Nut Chokers | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | 0.5 |
| How you like Dem APPLES! | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | 0.5 |
| Team BONE | 5 | 7 | 1 | .423 | 3 |
| Team Conahan | 4 | 9 | 0 | .308 | 4.5 |
| McLuvin’s Pastries | 3 | 10 | 0 | .231 | 5.5 |
| WEST | |||||
| TEAM | W | L | T | PCT | GB |
| Marty Funkhouser | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | — |
| Team Jax Eagles | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | — |
| Dem Stinken Bums | 7 | 6 | 0 | .538 | 1 |
| Sunnys Jock Strap | 7 | 6 | 0 | .538 | 1 |
| Lancaster Rubber necks | 6 | 7 | 0 | .462 | 2 |
| Green Machine | 5 | 8 | 0 | .385 | 3 |
Only four (4) teams allegedly make the playoffs… obviously The Amputatoes are IN as the team with the best overall record and a 1st-place finish in the East… That leaves 4 other teams with identical records of 8-5… Who gets left out? Only way to find out is to dive into the Livefyre community pool and start snooping around. See you there!
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