What Lamar Miller’s Injury means for the Dolphin run game posted by Dolphins Fan

If you thought the Miami Dolphins were in dire straits at the running back position when they lost Knowshon Moreno with a season ending injury, things got even worse when Lamar Miller left the San Diego game with an injury.

This is a make or break moment for the Dolphins as they will have to dig deep into their roster for production on the ground.

Miami has struggled this year but the one lone bright spot has been their run game, averaging almost 130 yards a game. It was a constant, and a point of stability for an otherwise struggling offense. Moreno and Miller work a great one, two duo.

Miller was having a breakout season, setting a career high in rushing touchdowns when he got his third in Week 6 against the Packers. He averaged more than five yards per carry in three of the first four games and ran for a career-best 108 yards on 15 carries in Week 3 against the Chiefs. 

The fourth round pick was on pace for 200 carries and more than 1,000 yards, both of which would be career highs. But now with both of these work horses out, the odds of maintaining that level of production is quite unlikely.

 So now the offense falls on the arm of quarterback, Ryan Tannehill. He hasn’t been electric but now he will to step up. If there was ever a moment to solidify oneself as the framchise quarterback for this team, the quarterback to build a team around for years and years to come, this is that moment.

If Tannehill can navigate the rest of this season relatively unscathed, he will get amazing on the job training in shouldering an entire offense. He will build the confidence of his teammates that

Why the Lions cannot overlook the Dolphins. posted by Lions Fan

With a restful bye-week, the Lions square off against the Miami. The Dolphins, many people may not think so, but are a very dangerous team, most recently showcased by their 37-0 route of the San Diego Chargers last week.

Ryan Tannehill is a highly accurate quarterback who can shred defenses with a barrage of crossing routes or beat you with his legs. Something the Lions need to game plan for.

Now the Lions have an excellent run defense and they will needto be more eye disciplined than ever as Tannehill runs read-options. They must stay on their assignments, linebackers and defensive ends must be disciplined and not overrun their assignments as they follow the ball through the mesh point so that Tannehill doesn’t slip out of the pocket and gash them with chunk yardage on the ground, which while is devastating from a yardage stabd point, is also demoralizing when a quarterback is eating up yardage on the ground.

On the other side of the ball, the Dolphins have a great pash rush and Lions’ right tackle Waddle will need to play his very best in order to give Stafford time to get the ball out to their playmakers.

One way to combat an effective pass rush are quick screens and short hot routes. Something the Lions naturally do well, so look to them to start their tempo with high percentage, quick release passes.

This is in no way a ‘gimme’ win for Detriot and they will need to play their very best if they stand a chance to win. Odds makers only have them favored by a few points so it’s going to be a dog fight. Hopefully with the returning healthy starters back in the line up, it will give the Lions offense a much needed boost.

The 2014 Miami Dolphins posted by Dolphins Fan

The Miami Dolphins look to improve their 8-8 record last year. But they’ll be dealing with the loss of Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin who were both implicated in last year’s bullying scandal. The news caused a lot of distraction in the locker room and the Dolphins hope that their players would eventually put everything behind.

The Dolphins signed Branden Albert to a multi-year contract with the hope that the skilled left tackle would help in improving their offense. While there is no denying his talent, the main concern about Albert is his health. The team also drafted Ja’Wuan James with the 19th pick in this year’s draft.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill will have a solid supporting cast this year. Brian Hartline should be back healthy after a second straight 1,000 yard season and tearing his PCL last year. Rookie Jarvis Landry is projected to become the slot receiver of the team. Tight end Charles Clay will likely play better this year as he enters his contract season.

 The Dolphin will have a lot of questions to answer on defense. One is their starting cornerback positions manned by Brent Grimes who’s one of the best top corners in the league and Corland Finnegan who is perhaps the worst player at cornerback. The Dolphins mysteriously signed him to a two-year contract after he was exiled from St. Louis.  

The team also lost safety Chris Clemons to free agency and he’ll be replaced by Jimmy Wilson, who’s not as talented as Clemons but works hard. He could be paired with Reshad Jones in the secondary.

Ready, Set, Go! Counting Down to the 2014 NFL Season posted by Dolphins Fan

As we rapidly approach the end of another August that can only mean one thing, it’s time for some football! So grab your favorite team jerseys from the closet (if they still fit you) and brush up on your betting strategy for the season with this post, dig out your little car flags and let’s get ready for another exciting year! As 32 teams prepare to hit the field, we will be waiting, watching and listening in anticipation to see which players and teams will reach the top. We fix our eyes on the rookies to see if they are going to live up to our expectations or if they will crumble like the leftover chips in the bottom of the bag.

We can’t forget about the cheerleaders! They will gather around their team on the sidelines and stir up excitement among the players and their fans. They will shout and clap, they will jump and flip and no matter how many times they do the same things over and over again, it will never get old.

And then there are the coaches! They are the wheels that carry the train. I get fired up watching the coaches jump and shout whether in triumph or in defeat. If the coaches cannot coach then their teams cannot win. They are what make football exciting to me. They are the giants and they know exactly how to handle their teams.

Whether you watch football for the players, the cheerleaders or the coaches there is one thing for sure, football is the most exciting sport of all times. During one play, a player who gets thrown down and trampled on by the biggest guy on defense may get right back up like nothing happened. On the next play, the same player may take a wrong step and twist his ankle enough to sit out the next two games.

Free Agency 2013: Day One Recap posted by Joe Anello

NFL Free Agency started with a flurry this afternoon, with deals being announced by the minute shortly after the clock struck 4PM ET. I’m here to take a look at some of the bigger deals of the day and offer a quick take. First though, I want to cover a few of the moves made on Monday, before free agency.

(Note: I’m only going to discuss ACTUAL roster movements. While a running back visiting a crappy team *cough*ReggieBush*cough* might be newsworthy, I ain’t got time to talk about every little flight here.)

(Second note: for those of you looking for my take on the Chicago Bears’ moves, check out my earlier post here.)

Minnesota Vikings trade WR Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks

The Vikings received first and seventh round picks in the 2013 draft and a third round pick in the 2014 draft.

The Seahawks received Harvin and signed him to a six-year, $67 million dollar deal. ($25.5 guaranteed.)

Minnesota obviously wanted to get Harvin out of their hair. Despite Harvin’s interviews to the contrary, he and head coach Leslie Frasier did NOT get along. But what player won’t love Pete Carroll? An A-HOLE, that’s who. Props to Minnesota for getting a decent bounty for Harvin, but that 25th overall pick might not be a game-breaker. Still, they’re better off. For Seattle, this deal signifies how close they think they are to a title. They’re putting all of their chips in the Harvin basket now, as they released return man Leon Washington as a result of this trade.

With the big game looming on Sunday against the New England Patriots posted by Dolphins Fan

With the big game looming on Sunday against the New England Patriots, the Dolphins cut their holiday season short to begin training again this Thursday. Despite missing earlier practices, Koa Misi and Sean Smith were back at training on a limited basis - although it’s not looking good for Davone Bess who was not seen on Thursday. There is no doubt that when it comes to betting football is the game of choice for many; not only is it an additional adrenaline boost whilst watching the match, but there are plenty of casino games now based on the nation’s favourite sport. 
The $5 Million Touchdown slot is a favourite 5-reel slot game with many football fans. The non-progressive, 20 payline slot offers a coin jackpot of 5000000 coins; not to mention various other payouts. When the reels with maximum paylines are adorned with the 5 scatter symbols, you can win up to $5 million if you’ve bet 20 coins or $10. When all 5 wild symbols appear, 15,000 coins is the top payout. All the other reel symbols are based around the American football theme - including cheerleaders, the quarterback and the football itself. To practise for the basic concept of slots, you could also run through the impressive selection in  http://www.gamingclub.com/nz/.
When you get through to the second screen, there is a bonus game that is bound to entertain you whilst you’re waiting for a beer at half time. Football players are lined up in rows on one edge of the field. As if passing the ball from one to the other, the player selects a footballer from each line, and each pass or choice increases your bonus credits. This play is only completed once there is a fumble or a touchdown.
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The Opening Drive: Week 14, 2012 posted by Joe Anello

You guys, week 14 is here. The NFL regular season only has three weeks left! Playoff races will tighten and draft orders will be cemented this weekend, so there’s plenty to talk about in The Opening Drive!

(9-3) Denver Broncos at

(3-9) Oakland Raiders

Two reasons why this is getting a mention. First: it’s Thursday Night Football, so it’s the game we all have to watch. Second: Peyton Manning. That one’s pretty simple. (And third: the Raiders are terrible, which is wicked fun to watch.)

(6-6) Dallas Cowboys at

(7-5) Cincinnati Bengals

This match-up features two teams right in the thick of their respective playoff hunts. Cincy could be in line for a wildcard spot if they can get ahead of the Steelers, but in their way are the Cowboys, who are still alive in the NFC East. The least mistakes wins. But who do you trust more: Tony Romo or Andy Dalton?

(4-8) San Diego Chargers at

(7-5) Pittsburgh Steelers

So the Chargers are on the road… in Pittsburgh… against the best defense in the league… with Ben Roethlisberger returning to the starting line-up? HAHAHAHA. I want to watch this demolition in its entirety.

(9-3) Baltimore Ravens at

(6-6) Washington Redskins

For all we keep talking about the “injured” Ravens, they sure manage to keep (mostly) winning. But now that aging defense gets a real test against RG3, who managed to excel versus the best front four in the game. Griffin’s got his Redskins right in the NFC East mix, so he’ll be at the top of his game. I honestly don’t trust this Raven offense AT ALL.

The Opening Drive: Week 13, 2012 posted by Joe Anello

A week removed from the holiday and metric ton of food you ate, week 13 in the NFL season has arrived! This schedule feature’s a rematch of… unique proportions as well as what could be the best Thursday nighter of the year. It’s time to kick-off The Opening Drive!

(5-6) New Orleans Saints at

(10-1) Atlanta Falcons

Well look at what we have here. The NFL Network might actually have a decent game for us this week. The Saints are the only team to have beaten the Falcons this year and have taken them down in 11 of their last 13 meetings. If Atlanta is going to be taken seriously, they have to snuff out this division rival and get a solid primetime win. (Because that Eagles win is looking really soft now.) I love the offenses in this game, so this should be really fun to watch.

(7-4) Indianapolis Colts at

(4-7) Detroit Lions

Here’s a prime example of an overachiever versus an underachiever. The Colts have succeeded in spite of their mediocre defense and lack of experience with this offense. Meanwhile the Lions have struggled despite their highly talented d-line and offensive skill position players. In a dome, the Colts should be able to keep pace with Detroit and hang around for a Luck game-winning drive. (Because we all know he’s going to pull out the W. He’s that good already.)

(6-5) Minnesota Vikings at

(7-4) Green Bay Packers

The Final Drive: Week 12, 2012 posted by Joe Anello

Week 12 in the NFL saw some crazy action on Thanksgiving Day, followed by the requisite slate of dramatic finishes and utter disappointing performances. I love this game. Now let’s start The Final Drive!

(10-1) Houston Texans 34

(4-7) Detroit Lions 31          

Lesson of this game: It’s okay to kick someone in the balls if you have a prior record of unnecessary aggression.

Also: Detroit finds a way to lose.

(5-6) Washington Redskins 38

(5-6) Dallas Cowboys 31

Speaking of finding a way to lose… these Cowboys are a freaking roller-coaster. I can’t wait to see them in primetime nineteen more times this season. And now they’re tied with the ‘Skins, who are suddenly back in the playoff hunt? Am I the only one weirded out by everyone thinking these under .500 teams are actually capable of playoff pushes?

(8-3) New England Patriots 49

(5-7) New York Jets 19

Few things IN LIFE please me more than watching Rex Ryan’s Jets stumble and trip all over themselves. That clip of Sanchez running into the butt of a teammate and hopelessly fumbling the ball away will be forever attached to his career. And for that, I thank you, New England Patriots.

(6-5) Cincinnati Bengals 34

(3-8) Oakland Raiders 10

This game essentially illustrated the results of the Carson Palmer trade. Palmer is wasting away in the Black Hole while Dalton is surging in Cincy. With the Steelers struggling to pick up wins, the Bengals might gain ground on their AFC North rivals. Either way, the Bengals look poised to stick around in the wildcard hunt.

The Opening Drive: Week 12, 2012 posted by Joe Anello

With Thanksgiving taking up time with travel, family, and friends, I decided to forgo the now-typical Thursday posting of The Opening Drive. But don’t worry, week 12 in the NFL still has a few games worth checking out this weekend!

(6-4) Seattle Seahawks at

(4-6) Miami Dolphins

Wait, am I liking Seattle on the road? That’s a switch. Miami’s been disappointing in its last few outings, so another loss essentially eliminates them from the postseason picture. If Seattle can pound on Miami’s front seven with Marshawn Lynch, Russell will likely see his receivers in single coverage on the outside against lesser corners. That’s a recipe for success.

(9-1) Atlanta Falcons at

(6-4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Game of the day. Tampa Bay’s offense has been nearly dominant as of late, and they’re matching up against an Atlanta defense that can’t halt the run with any regularity. Doug Martin could be in line for a ridiculously awesome fantasy stat line today. Get him in your starting line-up. I really like the Bucs are home here.

(8-2) Baltimore Ravens at

(4-6) San Diego Chargers

I appreciate everyone thinking the Ravens are weak enough that they could travel across the country to San Diego... after a Sunday night game… against the always physical Steelers… and lose. Wait, I may have just talked myself into taking the Chargers. Wait, I’m taking the Chargers? Screw that noise. They’re terrible.

NFL notebook: RB Foster joins Dolphins (The Associated Press)

Running back Arian Foster will join the Miami Dolphins on a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. Mike McCartney, Foster's agent congratulated the former Texans star via Twitter on Monday. Foster will compete with Jay Ajayi and rookie Kenyan Drake for playing time. [read full article]

From Yahoo Sports

Ex-Pro Bowl RB Foster reaches deal with Dolphins (Yahoo Sports)

[read full article]

From Yahoo Sports