Yes they can.


I don't think they will.

 

is it possible? of course. probable? not really. especially with our offensive line looking the way it is, henne will look like cutler running around back there

 

Any team can beat any other team any given Sunday. But I have a real hard time imagining us winning that game against a great team that has a huge advantage over us when it comes to the lockout shortened off season. I'm hoping for the best, but expect the game to get out of hand quickly.

 

I'm with MB, except I think that the Dolphins keep it close til the end of the 1st. By then Belicheat has figured out Daboll's scheme, and its all downhill from there. Pats 34, Dolphins 17.

 

No I don't think Miami can beat the Patriots on MNF in Week 1. If I were a betting man, I would bet against it. If I were a betting man, I would also bet on the Patriots to cover whatever the spread is. Does anyone know the spread for that game? Has any casino released it yet?

 

To add if we're going to have any shot at this game, we need to have a ferocious pass rush on Brady and be in his face all night. If we can get him off his game early we might just have a shot.

 

Of course they can. NE has difficulty with teams that can get pressure with their front four and still cover well. Miami is certainly capable of that. And Miami may be more capable than most at shutting down NE's TE attack. That could really hurt them if Welker can't go. NE's D was vulnerable last year as their DL was weak. They have been generating pressure this preseason by using blitzes. While Miami's OL is a question mark, Henne seems to be doing well against the blitz and Bush would seem to be the kind of weapon that could explode against a blitzing team. Obviously, NE should still be favored, but I can't say I'd be surprised if Miami won this one.

 

Daboll's scheme beat the Pats by a wide margin last year while with the Browns. Daboll won't be the reason we lose if we do in fact lose.

 

Can they? Yes. Will they? Maybe.

 

Pats are favored by 6 right now at the Mirage and Ceasers.

 

Belicheat hates to get beat, and look at what he did to us the 2nd time we played in 2008. He destroyed us. Belicheat has a long memory, and that game I am sure is burned into memory. He has a score to settle with Daboll. With this setup, history favors Belicheat.

 

Miami has a great shot at winning this game. We have the defense to do it. It's all about getting in Brady's face and causing him to go into tantrums. Detroit did it. We've done it in the past. We can do it again. NE will rely on blitzes to pressure the QB, because they did not address their pass rush needs in the off season. Henne has done well against the blitz and getting the ball to Bush on the blitz in space will create problems for NE. Marshall is already a problem. To me, it all comes down to who is able to pressure the QB the most and create more TOs. We're at home. It's Monday night. Our crowd we be our 12th man. We have a 50/50 shot at this game. It could certainly go either way. But I think Miami pulls it out and gets our season started on the right foot.

 

Of course they can. The key to beating the Pats since 2001 has been to get pressure on Brady. If the pressure can get there, (and with the way the Pats O-Line seems to always play great that's a big if), Brady will wilt like the little flower he is. Lessen Brady's 30 seconds in the pocket and the Dolphins will win. Can you ever recall Brady getting harrassed and playing well? I sure can't and if there is such a time I'm sure it's no more than 2 or 3 games.

 

So BB's memory is going to beat us now?

lol...

 

ne -6.5

 

I think the Dolphins HAVE to go 1-1 to start the year. If not, things could get ugly sooner that I'd have thought.

Luckily, I think they will. I think Sparano will get the team going and press some buttons to where they beat the Texans at home in Week 2. Henne could have quite the day against that defense, truth be told...like 300 yards, 3 TDs, the kind of day we generally haven't seen in Miami in god knows how long.

But then I think they travel up to Cleveland and lose. It'll come as a shock, most people will be euphoric after the Texans win and expect Cleveland not necessarily to be a pushover but definitely a W, and I think we go up there and lose because the Dolphins seem to have trouble putting together strings of good team performances. Wouldn't surprise me if the defense lets us down in that game.

They'll travel cross-country to face the San Diego Chargers and honestly I just think the Chargers are too much football team for the Dolphins to handle on the road, cross-country, second straight week of traveling. I think the road record last year was at least half coincidental, not some great sign that we're an awesome football team on the road. Too much was made of it, IMO. I expect the Chargers to win their division this year. Phil Rivers throwing to a healthy Antonio Gates, a healthy and up-to-speed Vincent Jackson, Malcolm Floyd...I dunno. Too formidable. I don't like their running backs much but Ryan Mathews is a good straight ahead runner with tremendous speed and they have some decent OLs like Hardwick and Dielman, so when they blow open a hole Mathews can take it really far before you know it. And then when they get into short yardage it's hard to stop Mike Tolbert the battering ram. Between Luis Castillo, Antonio Garay, and I really like what I've seen out of Corey Luiget, Takeo Spikes added to the ILBs, Antwan Barnes has looked nigh on unblockable at times this preseason on pass rush downs, solid guys like Shaun Phillips and Travis Laboy, Eric Weddle is a beast, Bob Sanders added to the mix and (currently) healthy...I mean let's not forget that for all that we fawn over our own defense, the Chargers defense came in ahead of ours on points last year, and #1 in the NFL on yardage, plus they forced more turnovers and had more defensive touchdowns. This would be a formidable team to play if everything were perfect and we were at home...but cross-country second straight road game? Just not seeing a W here.

I think we head into the bye week 1-3 with a 0-2 road record and 1-1 home record...everyone wondering how our home/away thing got turned on its head (as if it matters, as I said I think it was mostly coincidence to begin with). Also everyone will be wondering how it came to be that the defense let up far more than they should have to the Patriots, Chargers and even the Browns. We'll all continue to argue about Chad Henne, even though honestly I don't think you could isolate him as having been the problem, except that in one of the three losses I'm sure he'll have accounted for multiple turnovers and some people will talk about that as a reason the defense was put in a tough spot.

After the bye week will be gut check time, traveling up to New York for yet another prime time showdown with the Jets. Since Rex showed up in 2009, these early season prime time matchups against the Jets have been the stuff of legends. In 2009 we won on the final play, Ronnie Brown into the end zone off the Wildcat. In 2010, we lose 31-23 in a similarly exciting game filled with just-missed opportunities, including an interception in the end zone where we'd gotten to their 5 yard line trying to tie the game up for overtime. These games are always good. The Dolphins will be pissed off from their 1-3 record and will have had a week's rest. The Jets could quite possibly have their own motivation after having played the Pats in Week 5 during our bye. If the Pats win (and I think they will) then Rex and the Jets will be awfully upset looking to take back control of their season, not that they ever have trouble finding the motivation to play against Miami.

That should be a great game. But the stakes are high. If the Dolphins take their third straight loss, going 1-4 with losses bracketing their bye week...things could get ugly on the team. That very next home game could be ugly. I could see the crowd turning on the team. The very last time they saw the Dolphins they were icing the Texans and topping off a promising 1-1 record. Now they'll be taking on the Denver Broncos and curiously honoring Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators...a decision which definitely has some people pretty enraged. Could be all the Dolphins could do preventing the crowd from storming the field. I certainly wouldn't hand out any free souvenirs that are easily throwable onto the field.

 

I liken this game to the Bills vs. Pats opener a couple years back. Nobody gave Buffalo a shot at winning that game. They had New England flat out beat until the final play of the game when one of Buffalo's young special teamers (was it Leodis?) coughed the ball up on a kick return.

 

Brady does well against the blitz. IIRC he had something like a 104 rating against the blitz last season. He is incredibly good at quickly finding the hole the blitz leaves open. The key is getting pressure without blitzing. Then he's forced to make that throw with no obvious hole in the D.

 

I actually think Miami has a better chance against NE than Houston. I have a bad feeling about that one. I would not be surprised if Cleveland was 2-0 when we face them so they should be getting some respect. I see that game as very close.

 

I don't get the Pat fear.

Last year, if it were not for the single worst ST effort in the history of the NFL, we'd have easily won that game. We're a better team this year.

We beat the Pats and riding that high...we lose to the Texans again.

 

the key will be to put points on the board early on & pressure Brady

 

Yes. We can beat NE. I believe they have a better team this year, but they'll have a worse record. It'd be nice if we could find a way to consistently run the ball on them. I think we're better suited against their TE's this year.

We won't lose to the Texans. And we won't start the season 0-2, at home. I had us going 10-6 with a loss to Cleveland. I think they could be a sleeper even in that division...although their recent injuries hurt them (especially Steinbach).

 

Take the points and run. Before they come to their senses.

 

Well, pats just cut one of their starting Safeties, which is odd to me, but whether or not we beat them?

I hope it is a hot, humid night in September in Miami.

 

Well if it was on a Sunday we'd destroy them but clearly we to get a damn stupid night game. Sparano is terrible in primetime. Please wear white...

 

If the Patriots blitz they'll be opening themselves up to some very unfavorable matchups. Bess, Marshall and Bush are all capable of beating blitzes and making big chunks, Henne plays some of his best ball when he's facing pressure looks. IMO NE's best bet is to sit back, play coverage and wait for Henne to make a mistake(s), which is exactly what they did last year. I pray they go the aggressive route.

Defensively we've got to be able to pressure Brady w/o blitzing, especially on the early downs. Their RBs and TEs worry me more than their WRs, we should focus on clogging the short/middle areas, leaving Davis and Smith to fend for themselves outside.

I like the way we match up with those guys, it's a Monday night game, Week 1, there's the revenge factor from last year, if we're ever going to give our best effort it'll be in that game. If the line if +6 I'd take it in a heart beat.

 

Last year we ran PA after PA after PA.

 

I think NE will sit back in a lot of zone, rush 3, and dare Miami to run it.

 

I would say go four wide and isolate Bush against Mayo that is if they decide to cover him one on one.

 

The beauty of the NFL is, that week 1, everybody has a chance. Except the Bengals.

 

Probably slide in and out of the Under front. They've done a lot of even and odd spacing this preseason and have played a ton of different coverages. Tested out some Nick Saban married-coverages as well. Noticed that in JAX game.

 

Nobody knows, but I think we'll go spread early and often.

 

I grew up in Florida which is why I am a huge dolfan but now I live in New England. The one thing I can't stand every year are the fans and talk shows up here who automatically crown them Super Bowl Champions. Reading some of the post in here it seems many dolfans feel the same, they automatically assume the Pat's are an elite team. Miami does have a chance to win this game.
If Henne can control the tempo and not make mistakes it will make things easier for the defense to knock Brady around. I understand the Patriots have been historically a winner for awhile now and will not be a push over and I know they attend to win this game and unlike some of the fans are not looking beyond this game. I really believe Miami has a larger chip on their shoulder then the Patriots to do, after all they need to send the league a message. Call me crazy but I am on board. Miami 27- Spies- 19.

 

I watched us come back from a 28-17 deficit with five minutes left in a MNF game against the Pats in 2004. Won it 29-28.
If that was possible...... Anythings possible.

 

Henne given Sunday...er Monday!

 

Yes. JT historically owns Brady and hopefully he can do the same.

 

Easily? Don't you think that's a bit much?

We were up 7-6 at halftime and Henne had already tossed two INT's. I don't know what about a one point halftime lead suggests we would have beaten NE easily, had the ST snafus not occured. And ST's are a part of the game. Some times they help you, sometimes they hurt you (see Ted Ginn v. the NYJ) but just because ST had an affect on the game doesn't mae the result illegitimate

 

My expert analysis:

1. If the Phins defense can limit the Patriots from scoring the ball
2. If the Phins offense can score more points than their defense gives up
3. If the Phins ST unit doesn't shoot us in the foot again
4. If the Phins can sustain this effort for 60 minutes

The Dolphins will win. Otherwise, it's going to be tough, and I'd go as far as to say that they lose and go 0-1 to start the season.






...oh yeah. There's also the chance that they get blown out again if they don't. Excuse me, "blowed out".

 

I am going to go out on a limb and say we are going to win this game and we will thrash the pats 28 to 7 . ok a fan can dream cant he? realisticly we will win 17-7 if we get blown out we will go 5 -12 but if this front office had any smarts they would stop spending first rd picks on guys who dont touch the ball and get a big brusing tight end or another big and fast wr or qb . if this team brings in two more olinemen to replace towo duds we can salvage the season .