Boston.com: 3 Questions for Sunday's Game

Colmax · Nov 3, 2009

1. Will Tony Sparano single cover Randy Moss?

Last year, the Dolphins surprised the Patriots in Miami when they chose to cover each of their receivers – including Randy Moss – with one defensive back. Moss responded with eight catches, three touchdowns, and 125 yards in a 48-28 Patriots win.

“I don’t know why Coach disrespected me like that,” Moss said after the game, meaning Sparano. “I think they disrespected me today by giving single coverage. If I see single coverage, man to man, I think I can beat anybody in this league.”

Even with Moss having fought some injuries this year, it seems less likely the Dolphins will give him the same coverage. First, they’ve seen what happens. Second, the Patriots’ have yet to find a reliable third receiver (it might be Brandon Tate, but it’s too soon to say for sure), which should allow them to shift more coverage to Moss.

2. Which Chad Henne will show up?

Holding the first pick in last year’s draft, the Dolphins took offensive line cornerstone Jake Long, passing on potential franchise quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. Their reasoning, in the wake of Chad Pennington’s season-ending injury, has become evident: They believed in Chad Henne.

Since Pennington went down in Week 3 against the Billis, the Dolphins handed Henne the offense. His numbers are pedestrian – 60 percent passing for 154.2 yards per game – but with Henne guiding the huddle, Miami has gone 3-1 in games he started.

Henne has a big arm, and an up-and-down career playing under a harsh spotlight at Michigan gives him poise beyond his professional experience. On Sunday, the Jets proved he can be rattled. In their first game against Henne, in Week 5, they sacked him zero times, and Henne threw for 241 yards on 20-of-26 passing. This week, they held Henne to 112 yards on 12-of-21 passing while sacking him six times.

Patriots defensive coordinator Dean Pees said after the watching the film, Henne missed some open receivers who had beaten the secondary. Putting pressure on the young quarterback may decide the effectiveness of the Patriots defense.
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