This is usually a bad thing for defenses when safeties rack up tackles.  But the Dolphins defense has been on the field a long time in games because the offense has been playing bad.  FS Reynaldo Hill has 37 tackles this year and SS Tavares Tillman had 36 tackles.  These guys are solid players, but they don’t make big plays, which is what the defense needs to do with the offense not playing well.

I’m starting to get the feeling that Nick Saban is over his head as an NFL head coach.  He’s getting out-coached almost every Sunday this season.  Joey Harrington completed 27 of 43 passes for 266 yards with 1 TD and 2 INT.  Ronnie Brown finally broke out and had a good game carrying the ball 22 times for 127 yards (5.8 ypc) and a TD.  TE Randy McMichael caught 8 passes for 72 yards.  Rookie WR Derek Hagan caught 6 passes for 66 yards.  Chris Chambers caught 5 passes for 60 yards and a TD.  Everyone’s favorite, Wes Welker pitched in 6 catches for 56 yards.

The Dolphins defense played another good game.  The Dolphins held the Jets to 103 yards rushing on 27 carries (3.8 ypc).  The Jets completed 17 of 29 passes for 169 net yards passing.  LBs Zach Thomas and Channing Crowder each had 10 tackles.  FS Reynaldo Hill had nine tackles.

This loss hurts, because they wasted another good effort by the defense.

Dolphins TE Justin Peele is out for Sunday’s game (knee) with the Jets.  Jason Rader will replace him.

The Dolphins are wasting great defensive play (263.6 yards per game) because of their pathetic offensive play (284.2 yards per game) so far this season.  The Dolphins must win this game, because if they fall to 1-5 they might as well play young players and get ready for next year.  The Jets on the other hand are on the fast track in their rebuilding effort.  The Jets are 2-3, but they’ve been in every game except the last one (41-0 loss to Jacksonville).

If the Dolphins don’t have a good game on offense this week….they might never have one.  The Dolphins should come out running Ronnie Brown (278 yards rushing) against the porous Jets run defense.  Teams are averaging 148.6 yards rushing and 4.4 yards per carry against the Jets defense.  As soon as the run is established, Joey Harrington should go to the air.  The Jets are allowing 216.4 yards passing per game this season, but they do have 5 interceptions this year, so Harrington will have to be careful.  Chris Chambers (21 rec, 210 yards) needs to get going this season and this is the perfect team to get it started against.  Wes Welker (27 rec, 299 yards) and TE Randy McMichael (16 rec, 197 yards) should be able to get open against the Jets too.

The Jets will try out their newest weapon on the Dolphins defense.  Rookie RB Leon Washington might be small, but he’s fast.  Washington has 159 yards rushing this season and he’s a good receiver out of the backfield and will challenge the Dolphins OLBs.  If the Jets protect Chad Pennington well, he will have a good day throwing against the Dolphins.  The Dolphins haven’t given up alot of yards passing (172.2 per game), but opposing QBs have been very efficient (93.2 QB rating) against their defense.  WRs Laveranues Coles (33 rec, 431 yards) and Jerricho Cotchery (22 rec, 333 yards) could have field days against the Dolphins secondary.  Watch TE Chris Baker if he draws Zach Thomas to cover him, because Baker will have a tremendous speed advantage in that case.

The Dolphins have the more talented team on paper, but games aren’t played on paper.  I’m going with the Jets until the Dolphins do something this season.

WR Marty Booker will miss at least 2 weeks with a pectoral injury.  Wes Welker will take his spot in the starting line-up and rookie Derek Hagan will replace Welker as the #3 WR. 

CB Travis Daniels will be out at least 2 weeks with an injured knee.  Andre Goodman will take his spot.   Look for the Jets to come after Goodman on Sunday.