Wildcat By The Numbers Week 12

Here's my latest tables for tracking the success of the Wildcat formation.

	Plays	Run	Pass	Yards	Yds/Play	FDs	TDs
Week 3, @NE	6	5	1	119	19.8	1	4
Week 5, SD	10	9	1	48	4.8	3	1
Week 6, @HOU	7	6	1	77	11.0	0	1
Week 7, BAL	5	5	0	4	0.8	0	0
Week 8, BUF	7	7	0	34	4.9	3	0
Week 9, @ DEN	4	3	1	-5	-1.3	0	0
Week 10, SEA	6	6	0	80	13.3	0	2
Week 11, OAK	10	10	0	52	5.2	1	0
Week 12, NE	8	8	0	25	3.1	1	0
Total	63	59	4	434	6.9	9	8
Avg./Game	7	6.6	0.4	48	-	1	.9

	Plays	FDs (non-penalty)	FD%	TDs	TD%	Run Avg
Non-WC Plays	603	201	33%	19	3%	3.8 yds
WC Plays	63	9	14%	8	13%	6.3 yds

	Runs	Yards	Avg	FDs	TDs
Ronnie Brown	37	224	6.1	5	5
Ricky Williams	21	143	6.8	4	1
Patrick Cobbs	1	3	3.0	0	0

Soliai suspended again; Al Johnson signed

DT Paul Soliai has been suspended for the second time this season for violating team rules. He did not make the trip with the team to St. Louis.

This is very disappointing and it's probably time to forget about Soliai having a future with the Dolphins. And that pains me to say that since I was so high on him coming out of the draft and thought he'd make a solid nose tackle for this team. Unfortunately, his poor attitude and work ethic once again leaves Miami with no apparent replacement in position to take over for Jason Ferguson in a few years.

*****

To take Greg Camarillo's vacated spot on the roster, the team signed C Al Johnson. Johnson (6'5", 305 lbs.) had tried out for the team on Friday.

Johnson began his career as a second-round draft pick of the Cowboys in 2003. He is 29 years old. In three seasons in Dallas, he played in all 48 games, starting 31 of them.

He signed as a free agent with the Cardinals in 2007, and started 14 games that season. He underwent two knee operations this off-season and was placed on Injured Reserve before the season began. He was then waived by the Cardinals in October.

Johnson has allowed only 2 sacks in 45 starts which is quite amazing.

I looked at the Football Outsiders stats (Adjusted Line Yards) for run-blocking to see how Johnson has fared in that regard. The following stats are for runs up the middle only:

• 2007 Arizona Cardinals: 4.29 ALY (10th in NFL)
• 2005 Dallas Cowboys: 4.34 ALY (11th)
• 2004 Dallas Cowboys: 3.59 ALY (31st)
  

It seems from those numbers that Johnson really struggled run-blocking his rookie year, but since then he developed into an above-average player in that phase. Of course, having endured 2 knee operations, it will be interesting to see how effective he still can be.

Practice squad: Barton out, Billingsley in

CB Will Billingsley, who is seemingly cut every other week from the practice squad only to be brought back, was indeed brought back once more.

T Kirk Barton was released to make room.

Here is what the team's practice squad looks like now:

1. RB Lex Hilliard
2. WR Anthony Armstrong
3. RB Jalen Parmele
4. LB Will Kershaw
5. WR Todd Lowber
6. DT Joe Cohen
7. LB Rob Ninkovich
8. CB Will Billingsley
   

Reader Mailbag: Running Game Woes

I'd like to share with you today a question I received from a loyal reader:

With the Pats game it seems that the Dolphins don't have much of a running game outside of the wildcat. Why is that? Is the O line wearing down? What do you think of Samson Satele? He didn't have a good day going against Wilfork.

You're right, the Dolphins running game out of conventional formations is anemic.

I haven't updated my weekly Wildcat stats tables yet to take into account the Patriots game, but prior to that game, by my calculations Miami was averaging 3.8 yards per carry from non-Wildcat sets (taking out QB kneeldowns) compared to 6.8 yards per carry from the Wildcat (51 rushes).

There's enough of a sample size in both cases to say definitively that the running game is simply not working except from the Wildcat. And even the Wildcat is a boom or bust proposition, with huge plays mixed in with minimal runs.

It's extremely difficult to pinpoint any one reason why this is happening, but here are some reasons that stick out to me:

• Samson Satele is not a powerful run-blocker. This was masked somewhat last year playing next to an experienced mauler like Rex Hadnot. This year, however, he's been stuck next to a revolving door of Ikechuku Ndukwe, Evan Mathis, and Andy Alleman. Alleman has the most upside of any of those players, but they are all very raw, and none of them is good enough at this point to hide Satele's run-blocking deficiencies.
• The lack of continuity at right guard has seemingly affected not only Satele, but also Vernon Carey. Carey had been an absolute beast in run-blocking up to this point in his career, but he seems to have taken a step back this season, despite playing for a new contract. It can't help that every two series there's a new guy playing next to him.
• Teams don't need to respect Pennington's arm past 20 yards. This means they can jam 8 guys in the box on a regular basis with little fear of giving up a big play.
• I think I would be remiss not to at least mention that Ronnie Brown is still recovering from major knee surgery. I think his explosive start to the season may have made everyone forget about that, but historically, very few running backs have produced at the same level the year after having major knee surgery. I'm not saying he's hurting or anything like that, but he probably is not back to 100% yet and that could factor into the running game's depressed production.
  

I don't really think the line is wearing down. They seem to be relatively fresh for this point in the season. Aside from Jake Long's ankle injury against the Pats, I would be most concerned about Justin Smiley's shoulder problems acting up again. If they do, he'll lose a lot of his strength and run-blocking power.

As for Satele, he is what I thought he was. And that's a superb pass protector and screen blocker who lacks the power to open up big holes down the middle or consistently take on huge nose tackles like Kris Jenkins and Vince Wilfork. That's a perfectly acceptable skill set to have, especially in an offense that should be looking to exploit screen plays regularly, but it requires him to be flanked by maulers. He has that on his left side with Smiley, but after Donald Thomas was lost for the season, his flaws were put on full display. He can't get the help he needs now, and as we saw against Wilfork this past Sunday, he will get destroyed without it.

This is still only his second season, so by no means am I suggesting the team give up on him. He's too good in pass protection and getting to the second level, but his flaws necessitate building quality depth at the guard positions to help him out should a starter go down.

*****

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY!

As Dolphins fans, we can all be especially thankful this year for a team that has far and away exceeded all reasonable expectations put upon them and is still playing meaningful games into December.

Patriots O-line douche-baggery spreads

I wrote in my post-game thoughts following the Patriots game that Patriots LT Matt Light is a piece of shit for the way he attacked Channing Crowder, using downward punches to the back of Crowder's helmetless head - moves that would be illegal even by MMA standards.

Well, apparently the Pats offensive line is chock full of assholes.

Here is what G Logan Mankins had to say, per the Boston Herald, about the fight:

“He was doing a good job, drilling him right in the head, so kudos to Matt.”

And kudos to you Logan, for proving just how rotten you really are and justifying the near universal hatred of your team.

Camarillo out for season

You had to know that with the amount of agony Greg Camarillo was in after going to the ground and clutching his knee against the Patriots, he wasn't "fine" as he proclaimed after the game.

Indeed, Camarillo will be placed on Injured Reserve, ending his season.

He suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in his left knee. This is a very serious injury that will require a long rehab process, possibly putting his status in jeopardy for the beginning of next season.

In the meantime, it is also a big blow to Miami's already paper-thin receiving corps. Ted Ginn has been improving weekly, but Camarillo has been the team's most consistent WR this season. There is now a big void at starting receiver opposite Ginn. Davone Bess will likely get a lot more snaps now, but a starting duo of Bess and Ginn leaves absolutely no size on the field. Hopefully, Ernest Wilford will be activated on game days now, and he can start providing a return on the hefty investment the team made in him. He and Brandon London are the only two tall receivers left on the roster.

It would probably be wise for the team to call up Anthony Armstrong from the practice squad as well.

Quick Thoughts on Patriots Game

This loss was definitely a blow to Miami's playoff hopes, but they aren't out of it yet - not by a long shot. Hopefully, the veteran leadership on this team will get the younger players' heads back into this thing right away.

The Rams are up next on the schedule, and Miami cannot afford to overlook them. This loss cannot put a damper on the rest of the games this season.

Here are a few quick thoughts on the game:

1. Patriots LT Matt Light is, pardon my language, a piece of shit. Absolute garbage. The way he went after a helmetless Channing Crowder by holding his head down by his dreadlocks and delivering multiple vicious downward punches to the back of Crowder's head was unbelievable. And replays showed that Crowder didn't do anything out of the ordinary to provoke that. Both guys shoved each other, and then suddenly Light thinks he's in an MMA fight. Light needs to be suspended in my opinion.
2. The last nine minutes of this game were awful. This team just completely collapsed mentally, most notably Ted Ginn. He dropped two passes in a row, and made a stupid mistake on a kick return by trying to do far too much. He needs to take this game and learn from it, so that he never loses his focus in a tight game like that again.
3. The special teams coverage was much better today, but why are they still experimenting with these short kickoffs? They don't work at all, and almost automatically guarantee competent offenses some points on the ensuing drive.
4. I did not like the defensive game plan at all. I don't think the team made nearly as many adjustments as they needed to, and players were continually put in poor matchups in the secondary. Look, Jason Allen got beat several times by Randy Moss, and the secondary as a whole had some poor tackling, but it's ridiculous to simply go back to calling Jason Allen a bust. He was in alright position most of the time, he just couldn't make the play. It's baffling that the coaching staff repeatedly made the decision to leave him in single coverage against Moss.
5. At this point in the season, I'm just assuming the offensive line is horrible at run-blocking from conventional formations because Dan Henning is seemingly petrified to run out of them.
6. Yes, Samson Satele got handled by Vince Wilfork. Again, I put this partly on the coaches. Why was Satele left on Wilfork with no help whatsoever? And to those who think Satele is suddenly a different player than last year, he really isn't. It's clear he's not a strong run-blocker but he's very good in pass protection and on screen plays. That shouldn't be surprising anyone at this point.
7. Joey Porter really crossed the line by not coming off the field when Sparano was screaming at him to get on the bench after committing two unsporstmanlike conduct penalties. To wave off Charlie Anderson and refuse to come off the field was a slap in Sparano's face. This team cannot afford to have Porter feuding with the head coach, and Porter had better do what is best for him and this team and apologize and accept any fine that should be coming his way.
   

Ninkovich brought back to practice squad

Just one day after being released, LB Rob Ninkovich was re-signed to the Dolphins' practice squad.

CB Will Billingsley was cut to make room.

Here is what the team's practice squad looks like now:

1. RB Lex Hilliard
2. WR Anthony Armstrong
3. RB Jalen Parmele
4. LB Will Kershaw
5. WR Todd Lowber
6. T Kirk Barton
7. DT Joe Cohen
8. LB Rob Ninkovich
   

Wildcat By The Numbers Week 11

Here's my latest tables for tracking the success of the Wildcat formation.

This past game against Oakland tied the season-high for Wildcat usage in a game with 10 plays, and it was also the most runs from the Wildcat formation in a single game.

	Plays	Run	Pass	Yards	Yds/Play	FDs	TDs
Week 3, @NE	6	5	1	119	19.8	1	4
Week 5, SD	10	9	1	48	4.8	3	1
Week 6, @HOU	7	6	1	77	11.0	0	1
Week 7, BAL	5	5	0	4	0.8	0	0
Week 8, BUF	7	7	0	34	4.9	3	0
Week 9, @ DEN	4	3	1	-5	-1.3	0	0
Week 10, SEA	6	6	0	80	13.3	0	2
Week 11, OAK	10	10	0	52	5.2	1	0
Total	55	51	4	409	7.4	8	8
Avg./Game	6.9	6.4	0.5	51	-	1	1

	Plays	FDs (non-penalty)	FD%	TDs	TD%	Run Avg
Non-WC Plays	549	180	33%	15	3%	3.8 yds
WC Plays	55	8	15%	8	15%	6.8 yds

	Runs	Yards	Avg	FDs	TDs
Ronnie Brown	31	198	6.4	5	5
Ricky Williams	19	144	7.6	3	1
Patrick Cobbs	1	3	3.0	0	0

Ninkovich waived; Walden claimed

The Dolphins were awarded a successful waiver claim today when they added LB Erik Walden to the roster.

LB Rob Ninkovich, recently called up from the practice squad, was waived to make room for Walden.

Walden (6'2", 245 lbs.) was a sixth-round draft pick of the Cowboys this year. He was cut at the end of training camp and was claimed by the Chiefs on August 31. He played in nine games for the Chiefs, registering 10 special teams tackles.

Here is an excerpt from his NFL Draft Prospect page:

Compares To: RODERICK GREEN-San Francisco...Like Green, Walden is strictly a situational pass rusher with minimal value otherwise. Even though he is built like a linebacker, he has marginal field awareness and lacks the loose hips needed to get depth in his pass drops. He is simply obliterated by bigger blockers on running plays directed at him, but shows a good burst coming off the edge to wreak havoc in the pocket. His inability to grasp the playbook will limit the amount of plays he performs in.

Camarillo signs new deal; practice squad player added

This new regime in Miami has placed a premium on hard work and roster flexibility, and it backed those sentiments up by signing RB Patrick Cobbs to a new two-year deal last month and it continued to lock up key young players today by signing WR Greg Camarillo to a new three-year contract worth around $6 million.

This is a great move. The deal is very fair and it won't pose any financial problems for the team in the future.

Camarillo has really come on strong this year, and despite not having No. 1 WR talent, he's holding down a starting spot admirably. Provided Miami can improve its receiving depth this coming offseason, Camarillo could likely slide down to third on the depth chart, and he'd be just as likely to thrive in that role as he is now.

*****

The Dolphins also filled out their practice squad today by signing DT Joe Cohen.

Cohen was drafted by the 49ers in the fourth round of the 2007 draft, but tore his ACL in the preseason. He was cut before the third preseason game last summer.

Cohen (6'2", 315 lbs.) played for the Florida Gators. Here is his page from the 49ers web site.

Here is what the team's practice squad looks like now:

1. RB Lex Hilliard
2. WR Anthony Armstrong
3. RB Jalen Parmele
4. LB Will Kershaw
5. CB Will Billingsley
6. WR Todd Lowber
7. T Kirk Barton
8. DT Joe Cohen
   

Thoughts on Raiders game; Reader Mailbag

There may be no such thing as an ugly win, but there certainly are causes for concern when a team makes too many mistakes and nearly hands games away against clearly inferior opponents.

Here's an email I received after the Raiders game:

Well, that was another close game the the Dolphins were expected to dominate. Lat year in close games like this one they would have lost. What is the difference ....... better coaching? Once again, the defense looked great. What are your thoughts on Channing Crowder? I don't think he is someone that the Phins should allow to become a free agent.

One of the consistent marks of the best teams is their ability to dominate the softest teams on the schedule. It generally is not, as many people believe, their ability to pull out close wins against good opponents. This idea was first explored by the guys at FootballOutsiders in 2005, and summed up eloquently as such:

Football games are often decided by just one or two plays -- a missed field goal, a bouncing fumble, the subjective spot of an official on fourth-and-1. One missed assignment by a cornerback, or one slightly askew pass that bounces off a receiver's hands and into those of a defensive back five yards away and the game could be over. In a blowout, however, one lucky bounce isn't going to change things.

Now, there's obviously no reason to complain about these past two wins against the Seahawks and the Raiders, but there are legitimate causes for concern.

The difference between this year's team and last are stark. And coaching is one of the first places I'd point to to explain why this year the team has a chance in these close games (another reason: Chad Pennington). It also just helps that the team is still playing relevant games, thereby preventing anyone from simply rolling over and giving in.

But coaching can only explain so much. It may not be pleasant, but I think we have to admit that some of these close wins against quality teams have come about with a healthy heaping of luck. Make no mistake, this team is better by leaps and bounds than the group that went 1-15. But these past two weeks serve as a barometer, and perhaps a wake-up call, to this group's chances of contending for a title this year. At this point, it looks as if this team has improved enough to make a serious run at the playoffs this season, but a conference championship game may have to wait.

Now this may seem like an overly dour post up to this point, but go back and read that last sentence (go ahead, I'll wait). This team won a single game last year, and less than a year after that history-avoiding win, we are already talking about playoff possibilities.

That itself is a beautiful testament to how far this team has come, blowing out its opponents or not.

Then again, Miami still has the easiest schedule remaining of any team in the league, so it'll have more opportunities to blow out some cream-puffs. And if they can do that at the end of the year, I'll have much more hope for their potential playoff success.

As far as the question about Channing Crowder goes, I think this team should re-sign him. Granted, the lingering questions about his play-making ability remain, and they become less a question and more a simple fact every year, but he has been more active on defense this year, and amazingly he's still only 24 years old.

Crowder has done an admirable job taking on a leadership role on this defense, especially wearing the radio helmet and getting the calls in quickly and clearly. He's solid against the run, and while he doesn't get any sacks, he has shown the ability to pressure the QB every now and then. I'm not too concerned with his lack of big plays because in this defense those plays usually fall on the outside linebackers. Crowder represents stability in the middle, and I'd rather see Akin Ayodele get replaced in the middle with a younger playmaker next season than Channing.

The 3-4 defense requires a lot of starting-caliber linebackers, and it'd be a stretch to get four on the same team that are all big play threats. Channing has done enough to warrant getting re-signed and it would probably be a good idea to do it before he hits the market and a possible bidding competition erupts over him.

Reader Mailbag: Miami vs. the Wildcat

With the Dolphins set to play the Raiders tomorrow, I'd like to field an interesting question I was emailed:

How well do you think the Dolphins defense will do when they face a team that will use the "wildcat"? Say either New England or the Raiders.

Good question.

Ever since Miami obliterated New England in week 3 with the Wildcat formation, up to half the teams in the league have experimented with their own version of it. I believe Oakland may have even used it as early as week one. The Raiders certainly weren't copycatting the Dolphins when they used the Wildcat. It was simply a matter of having and utilizing the key cog (Darren McFadden) who ran it so well at Arkansas.

So if any team other than Miami knows how to run this offense well, it's Oakland. Of course, McFadden has been hampered by injured toes for much of this season, so the Wildcat has yet to take off for them. But all reports are that McFadden will play tomorrow.

So what are Miami's chances of stopping this formation?

Well, I think the most important factor will be their familiarity with it. This defense sees the Wildcat, in all its variations, every day at practice. They should know how to react to it without being caught off guard. That being said, even knowing all of the options beforehand still does not guarantee that the defenders will know which exact one to defend.

The major key will be to maintain gap integrity, to ensure that the running backs do not have any cutback lanes.

The Ravens completely shut down Miami's use of the Wildcat by subbing out safety Ed Reed and putting in an extra linebacker on some downs. This will be an option for Miami, but I don't think they necessarily have the personnel to do it with the same effectiveness. Another option will be to run blitz the formation heavily. This way, even in the event of a pass, the running back will be forced to make a throw under pressure - something most running backs will really struggle with.

Make no mistake, defending against the Wildcat from other teams will surely be a challenge, but I have to believe that Miami has a slight advantage having seen it every day in practice.

McChesney to IR; Ninkovich called up

G Matt McChesney was called up from the practice squad less than a week ago following Evan Mathis' release. It turns out the game action he saw against the Seahawks will be his last this season, as he was placed on Injured Reserve with a knee injury.

To take his spot on the roster, LB Rob Ninkovich was called up from the practice squad. Ninkovich played in four games for Miami last season, primarily on special teams, where he recorded two tackles.

Miami now has an open spot on its practice squad, which should be filled early next week.

Wildcat By The Numbers Week 10

Here's my latest tables for tracking the success of the Wildcat formation.

I wrote last week that the Wildcat looked to be dying, and if it couldn't rebound against Seattle it may be time to pull the plug for a while. Well, thankfully that shouldn't be necessary anymore.

New life was breathed into the Wildcat this week, as it had its best performance of the season since its debut against the Patriots in Week 3.

I've previously characterized the Wildcat formation as Miami's home-run potential which comes with the possibility of striking out a lot. Well, that continues to be the case, as the plays are essentially feast or famine, with long runs and touchdown plays mixed in with lots of 1 and 2 yard runs. But as long as the formation can keep up its gaudy 18% TD rate, it needs to continue to be used week in and week out.

	Plays	Run	Pass	Yards	Yds/Play	FDs	TDs
Week 3, @NE	6	5	1	119	19.8	1	4
Week 5, SD	10	9	1	48	4.8	3	1
Week 6, @HOU	7	6	1	77	11.0	0	1
Week 7, BAL	5	5	0	4	0.8	0	0
Week 8, BUF	7	7	0	34	4.9	3	0
Week 9, @ DEN	4	3	1	-5	-1.3	0	0
Week 10, SEA	6	6	0	80	13.3	0	2
Total	45	41	4	357	7.9	7	8
Avg./Game	6.4	5.9	0.6	51	-	1	1.1

	Plays	FDs (non-penalty)	FD%	TDs	TD%	Run Avg
Non-WC Plays	499	161	32%	13	3%	3.4 yds
WC Plays	45	7	16%	8	18%	7.1 yds

	Runs	Yards	Avg	FDs	TDs
Ronnie Brown	26	169	6.5	5	5
Ricky Williams	14	121	8.6	2	1
Patrick Cobbs	1	3	3.0	0	0

Todd Lowber, Kirk Barton added to practice squad

Anyone who watched this summer's edition of HBO's Hard Knocks will recognize WR Todd Lowber, the player Miami signed to its practice squad on Monday.

Lowber has very little football experience, having never played in college, but his immense athletic ability got him an opportunity in the NFL with the Vikings in 2007. He was cut by the Vikings before the season began and spent the rest of the year on the Giants' practice squad. He then went to camp with the Cowboy this year but was cut in August.

As the HBO series showed, Lowber is still incredibly raw. His mind is still adjusting to a wide receiver's mindset and he struggles with some of the basic fundamentals of the position. But his physical attributes are rare. He has great size (6'3", 205 lbs.), he's fast, and he can jump.

I love stashing guys like this on the practice squad to see if the team can strike gold. Remember, this guy has only been playing football for a year. If the team can be patient with him on the practice squad, they may be able to turn him into a productive player down the road.

[Update] The team also brought back rookie T Kirk Barton to be on the practice squad. DT Anthony Toribio was released to make room. [/End Update]

Here is what the team's practice squad looks like now:

1. RB Lex Hilliard
2. WR Anthony Armstrong
3. LB Rob Ninkovich
4. RB Jalen Parmele
5. LB Will Kershaw
6. CB Will Billingsley
7. WR Todd Lowber
8. T Kirk Barton
   

Thoughts on Seahawks Game

Could they have made that game any more tense in the fourth quarter?

Nevertheless, I think Ethan Skolnick, from the Sun-Sentinel, summed up this win perfectly:

When does your team matter again?

Not when it starts winning a few games.

Rather, when people start whining about the way it wins them.

So true.

And yes, that means that the Miami Dolphins truly matter again. I held off talking about Miami and the playoffs until now, because it doesn't feel right to me to talk about a .500 team going to the playoffs. But now this team has gone over the .500 mark and their late season schedule is setting up as well as one could hope for if this team is to make a push for the playoffs.

There's no reason to hold back any more. This team has a legitimate shot to play in the postseason this season. Even so, I'll wait until after this week's Oakland game before getting too gung-ho about it.

The Dolphins proved as much as to the viewers as to themselves that they can beat teams they are expected to beat. That will be put on display once again against the Raiders. If they can take care of business, they will head into a crucial game at home against the Patriots. The remaining three AFC East games will have the biggest effect on Miami's playoff chances so let's wait until we face those games before taking stock of our chances.

Just like the players should not think past the next game on the schedule, in this case, neither should we, the fans.

Here are some thoughts I have about the Seattle game:

• The special teams coverage units continue to play as poorly as can be. This shouldn't completely surprise anyone since special teams are predicated on roster depth, something which Miami sorely lacks. Many of the special teams players brought in over the offseason were also cut before the season began, so this shouldn't be a complete shock. Even so, coach Bonamego better figure out a way to mask the deficencies of his schemes or the special teams phase will ultimately cost this team a win or two down the stretch.
• Lousaka Polite = clutch. Seriously, this guy has four carries since joining the team - all for first downs, and in some pretty tight situations. Perhaps Polite could be a longer-term answer at fullback than any of us originally believed.
• How did Ted Ginn make that catch at the back of the endzone with two defenders draped all over him? Simply amazing catch. (Pennington has to see the wide-open Camarillo on that play, though.)
• Don't worry about Will Allen being targeted slightly more than usual this game. The guys at FootballOutsiders brought up a good point. Seneca Wallace routinely ignores a complete half of the field, regardless of who is matched up on whom.
• The Wildcat found its second wind. I'll have a little more info on that later this week, when I compile its weekly statistical performance.
  

Condren released; Bryan brought back

There's no other way to say this, but Miami's special teams play this season, particularly its coverage units, have been horrible, among the very worst in the league.

In an effort to find some sort of solutions to the problem, the team released S Brannon Condren and signed S Courtney Bryan.

Bryan was with Miami all of last season as an undrafted rookie. He played in 12 games, collecting ten tackles and a fumble recovery. He also added one special teams tackle. And that is the area that Bryan will be asked to immediately contribute to.

Bryan was with the Dolphins throughout the entire offseason before being released in August, so he is familiar with the coaching staff.

There has been some talk about using starters on special teams to try to improve the units' effectiveness, but that option should be thrown out in my opinion. The Dolphins are doing so well this year in large part because of their relatively impeccable health. Putting starters, who are already on the field for upwards of 60 plays a game, on the special teams units is unnecessarily jeopardizing them. This team has very little depth at most positions, so it can ill afford that risk.

Wildcat By The Numbers Week 9

Here's my latest tables for tracking the success of the Wildcat formation.

This past week was easily the Wildcat's worst performance of the season. Ronnie Brown ran three times from the formation and gained only 1 yard each time. The coaches tried to set up a pass play from the formation, but Ronnie was sacked for an 8 yard loss. This was all coming against Denver's defense which is one of the worst in the league.

The Wildcat has now been in play for six weeks, and the difference between the first three weeks of its use and the last three are stark. The Wildcat is on life-support at this point, and it may be circling the drain.

I don't think the team should give up on it yet, especially since running from the base formation has been so impotent, but something clearly needs to happen to breathe new life into it. Hopefully, it can get back on track against Seattle; if not, it may be time to shelve it for a while.

	Plays	Run	Pass	Yards	Yds/Play	FDs	TDs
Week 3, @NE	6	5	1	119	19.8	1	4
Week 5, SD	10	9	1	48	4.8	3	1
Week 6, @HOU	7	6	1	77	11.0	0	1
Week 7, BAL	5	5	0	4	0.8	0	0
Week 8, BUF	7	7	0	34	4.9	3	0
Week 9, @ DEN	4	3	1	-5	-1.3	0	0
Total	39	35	4	277	7.1	7	6
Avg./Game	6.5	5.8	0.7	46.2	-	1.2	1

	Plays	FDs (non-penalty)	FD%	TDs	TD%	Run Avg
Non-WC Plays	441	141	32%	12	3%	3.4 yds
WC Plays	39	7	18%	6	15%	6.1 yds

	Runs	Yards	Avg	FDs	TDs
Ronnie Brown	23	144	6.3	5	4
Ricky Williams	11	66	6.0	2	0
Patrick Cobbs	1	3	3.0	0	0