NFL Nation: Dan Carpenter
Belichick opposes kickoff rules proposal
March, 21, 2011
3/21/11
1:55
PM ET
By Tim Graham | ESPN.com
NEW ORLEANS -- New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is against the proposed rules to revamp kickoffs.
BelichickBelichick, speaking to a small group of reporters at the NFL owners meeting, expressed confusion and dismay over the competition committee's recommendation to move kickoffs up to the 35-yard line from the 30 and spot touchbacks at the 25-yard line instead of the 20.
The competition committee even considered removing kickoffs completely before coming up with this proposal.
"Pretty complicated proposal," Belichick said. "I don't like the idea of eliminating the kickoff from the game. I think it's one of the most exciting plays in football. It looks like the competition committee is trying to eliminate that play. I don't know that's really good for the game."
Safety is believed to be the chief concern, but after attending a presentation Sunday night about the kickoff proposals, Belichick didn't seem to know what the motivation was for change.
The proposal also calls for the ban of all wedge blocks, when multiple players assemble to clear a path for the return man. Wedge blocks result in violent collisions. The NFL adopted a rule that reduced the allowable number of players in a wedge from three to two in 1999.
"From the presentation last night, I don't know that it's because of head injuries," Belichick said. "And the ones they showed, there weren't very many of them. So I don't know. I think you should really talk to the competition committee. They're the ones, really, that proposed the rule.
"There's a lot of components to it, four different elements to it. It's kind of a complicated rule. ... It's pretty confusing. I mean, we're moving the kickoff up and the touchbacks out."
The rule also would help negate Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski as a weapon because he covers more distance than his peers. He averaged 67.9 yards per kickoff last year, fifth in the league, before a thigh injury sidelined him in November. He generated a touchback 35.7 percent of the time, second in the league behind Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff.
Miami Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter was next in the AFC East with a 65.8-yard average and 20 percent touchback rate. Buffalo Bills kicker Rian Lindell averaged 63.3 yards and 11.9 percent, and New York Jets kicker Nick Folk was at 62.0 yards and 8.6 percent.
The extra 5 yards will do them -- and their coverage units -- wonders.
ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton calculated how much the different spots would impact the game and figured the number of kickoffs last year that would have been touchbacks under the proposal would've risen from 416 to about 800.
The competition committee even considered removing kickoffs completely before coming up with this proposal.
"Pretty complicated proposal," Belichick said. "I don't like the idea of eliminating the kickoff from the game. I think it's one of the most exciting plays in football. It looks like the competition committee is trying to eliminate that play. I don't know that's really good for the game."
Safety is believed to be the chief concern, but after attending a presentation Sunday night about the kickoff proposals, Belichick didn't seem to know what the motivation was for change.
The proposal also calls for the ban of all wedge blocks, when multiple players assemble to clear a path for the return man. Wedge blocks result in violent collisions. The NFL adopted a rule that reduced the allowable number of players in a wedge from three to two in 1999.
"From the presentation last night, I don't know that it's because of head injuries," Belichick said. "And the ones they showed, there weren't very many of them. So I don't know. I think you should really talk to the competition committee. They're the ones, really, that proposed the rule.
"There's a lot of components to it, four different elements to it. It's kind of a complicated rule. ... It's pretty confusing. I mean, we're moving the kickoff up and the touchbacks out."
The rule also would help negate Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski as a weapon because he covers more distance than his peers. He averaged 67.9 yards per kickoff last year, fifth in the league, before a thigh injury sidelined him in November. He generated a touchback 35.7 percent of the time, second in the league behind Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff.
Miami Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter was next in the AFC East with a 65.8-yard average and 20 percent touchback rate. Buffalo Bills kicker Rian Lindell averaged 63.3 yards and 11.9 percent, and New York Jets kicker Nick Folk was at 62.0 yards and 8.6 percent.
The extra 5 yards will do them -- and their coverage units -- wonders.
ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton calculated how much the different spots would impact the game and figured the number of kickoffs last year that would have been touchbacks under the proposal would've risen from 416 to about 800.
Richard A. Brightly/Icon SMIMark Sanchez is set to earn $14.75 million in base salary next season, the most in the AFC East.While that's a catchy rhyme that sums up fan frustration, the phrase is not entirely true.
Inspired by a blog entry from the minister of all things AFC South, Paul Kuharsky, I looked at NFL Players Association files to count up the number of AFC East players scheduled for $1 million base salaries in 2011.
Granted, up-front bonuses and incentives can make base salaries misleading. But base salaries are the only figures that create a common ground, player for player.
You'll see a vast majority of NFL players make much less than $1 million a year. Although many will make seven figures before they walk away from the game, careers are short and treacherous. They'll never see that kind of cash again for the rest of their lives.
That's why they're fighting for every dollar now.
Of the 226 players under contract in the AFC East, only 62 of them (27.4 percent) will make base salaries of $1 million or more.
The NFLPA hasn't acknowledged any franchise tags that have been signed. Those players are marked with an asterisk and not factored into the totals.
Buffalo Bills
- Receiver Lee Evans, $3.275 million
- Cornerback Terrence McGee, $3.2 million
- Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, $3.195 million
- Defensive end Spencer Johnson, $3 million
- Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, $2.75 million
- Defensive end Dwan Edwards, $2.6 million
- Center Geoff Hangartner, $2.55 million
- Outside linebacker Chris Kelsay, $2 million
- Running back Fred Jackson, $1.75 million
- Defensive lineman Kyle Williams, $1.75 million
- Kicker Rian Lindell, $1.45 million
- Punter Brian Moorman, $1.425 million
- Cornerback Reggie Corner, $1.2 million
- Receiver Steve Johnson, $1.2 million
- Safety Bryan Scott, $1.15 million
- Linebacker Andra Davis, $1.1 million
- Receiver Roscoe Parrish, $1.025 million
- Safety George Wilson, $1.025 million
- Cornerback Leodis McKelvin, $1 million
Players under contract: 54
Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 35.2
Miami Dolphins
- Nose tackle Paul Soliai, $12.47 million*
- Tackle Jake Long, $11.2 million
- Receiver Brandon Marshall, $6.5 million
- Tackle Vernon Carey, $4.15 million
- Safety Yeremiah Bell, $3.7 million
- Defensive end Randy Starks, $3.625 million
- Inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, $2.7 million
- Inside linebacker Channing Crowder, $2.5 million
- Tight end Anthony Fasano, $1.9 million
- Cornerback Benny Sapp, $1.9 million
- Inside linebacker Tim Dobbins, $1.7 million
- Cornerback Will Allen, $1.5 million
- Safety Tyrone Culver, $1.25 million
- Fullback Lousaka Polite, $1.25 million
- Receiver Davone Bess, $1.013 million
- Kicker Dan Carpenter, $1.005 million
Players under contract: 55
Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 27.3
New England Patriots
- Quarterback Tom Brady, $5.75 million
- Cornerback Leigh Bodden, $3.9 million
- Tackle Nick Kaczur, $3.4 million
- Defensive end Ty Warren, $3.1 million
- Center Dan Koppen, $2.9 million
- Safety James Sanders, $2.8 million
- Tight end Alge Crumpler, $2.4 million
- Outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain, $2.3 million
- Receiver Deion Branch, $2.2 million
- Receiver Wes Welker, $2.15 million
- Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, $1.7 million
- Cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, $1.2 million
- Offensive lineman Dan Connolly, $1.025 million
- Inside linebacker Gary Guyton, $1 million
Players under contract: 60
Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 23.3
New York Jets
- Quarterback Mark Sanchez, $14.75 million
- Inside linebacker David Harris, $10.1 million*
- Cornerback Darrelle Revis, $6 million
- Tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, $5.615 million
- Inside linebacker Bart Scott, $4.9 million
- Outside linebacker Calvin Pace, $3.855 million
- Outside linebacker Bryan Thomas, $3.2 million
- Guard Brandon Moore, $2.75 million
- Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, $2.425 million
- Center Nick Mangold, $2.26 million
- Defensive end Mike DeVito, $2.125 million
- Safety Jim Leonhard, $1.95 million
- Receiver Jerricho Cotchery, $1.8 million
- Defensive tackle Sione Pouha, $1.28 million
- Quarterback Mark Brunell, $1.25 million
Players under contract: 57
Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 24.6
An AFC East take on Super Bowl matchup
January, 31, 2011
1/31/11
9:28
AM ET
By Tim Graham | ESPN.com
Super Bowl week is upon us. Prepare to get bombarded with stats, analysis, anecdotes and obscure storylines about the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers.
I won't go out of my way to hammer folks over the head with Super Bowl angles all week, but there's a fitting way to look at ahead to Sunday's showdown in this space.
Regardless of what AFC East team you follow, your boys squared off against both Green Bay and Pittsburgh in the regular season. AFC East cross-divisional opponents for 2010 were the AFC North and NFC North. They played each other nine times.
The Steelers went 3-2 against the AFC East, including their AFC Championship Game victory over the New York Jets. The Packers went 2-2.
The New England Patriots were the only AFC East club to beat both Super Bowl entrants, but the Miami Dolphins came close.
Let's review the games to see if we can find a comfort zone for making a prediction for Super Sunday.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Results versus AFC East: Won at Dolphins 23-22; lost to Patriots 39-26; won at Buffalo 19-16 in overtime; lost to Jets 22-17; won over Jets in playoffs 24-19.
What we learned: There are no perfect teams, but the Steelers looked particularly flawed in their games against the AFC East. They Steelers easily could have been swept in the regular season and wouldn't have won the AFC North if not for two lucky breaks against the AFC East's non-playoff teams.
The sloppy Dolphins didn't deserve to win at home in Week 7, but they should have anyway. Ben Roethlisberger appeared to fumble into the end zone in the final minutes and Dolphins outside linebacker Ikaika Alama-Francis appeared to recover. But officials prematurely blew the play dead and didn't follow the fumble as they should have. Video evidence didn't help clarify the sequence, so the Steelers maintained possession and kicked a field goal for the victory.
The Steelers, conversely, didn't deserve to beat the Bills in Week 12 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Steelers were shaky and went into sudden death against one of the league's worst teams. In overtime, Bills receiver Steve Johnson infamously dropped a perfectly thrown Ryan Fitzpatrick bomb in the end zone. The Steelers survived to kick a field goal.
The Steelers lost both of their home games against the AFC East. The Patriots thumped them in Week 10, and the Jets pulled out of a potential nosedive with a Heinz Field victory in Week 15.
Of course, the Steelers rebounded in the playoffs to beat the Jets in the conference title game. The Jets sleepwalked through the first half, but outscored the Steelers 16-0 in the third and fourth quarters before falling short.
Green Bay Packers
Results versus AFC East: Won over Bills 34-7; lost to Dolphins 23-20 in overtime; won at Jets 9-0; lost at Patriots 31-27.
What we learned: Green Bay's games against the AFC East went a little more by the book, but not totally. And one of their losses was mitigated by Aaron Rodgers' absence.
Buffalo still had Trent Edwards at quarterback when Green Bay properly cruised in Week 2. The other game that went (mostly) as expected was a Week 15 loss in Gillette Stadium. Rodgers was out with a concussion against New England, but backup quarterback Matt Flynn still drove Green Bay within 15 yards of victory in the closing moments.
The Packers' other games were a tad peculiar. The Packers lost a thriller to the Dolphins at Lambeau Field in Week 6. Rodgers scored on a fourth-down run from the 1-yard line to send the game into overtime. Dan Carpenter's 44-yard field goal won it.
Two weeks later, the Packers went to the Meadowlands and blanked the Jets in one of the biggest head-scratchers of the year. Neither team scored a touchdown. The Jets' shutout was even worse considering they were coming off their bye week.
Prediction
I'm basing my prediction on what I witnessed throughout the season.
All in all, the Packers looked pretty solid against the AFC East and had a shot to beat the Patriots without Rodgers.
But what stands out even more for me is how wobbly the Steelers looked in all four regular-season games and the second half of the AFC Championship Game. Without two fortuitous bounces, the Steelers would have been swept in the regular season and wouldn't have had a first-round bye.
I can't get that out of my mind when I predict the Packers to win 27-20.
I won't go out of my way to hammer folks over the head with Super Bowl angles all week, but there's a fitting way to look at ahead to Sunday's showdown in this space.
Regardless of what AFC East team you follow, your boys squared off against both Green Bay and Pittsburgh in the regular season. AFC East cross-divisional opponents for 2010 were the AFC North and NFC North. They played each other nine times.
The Steelers went 3-2 against the AFC East, including their AFC Championship Game victory over the New York Jets. The Packers went 2-2.
The New England Patriots were the only AFC East club to beat both Super Bowl entrants, but the Miami Dolphins came close.
Let's review the games to see if we can find a comfort zone for making a prediction for Super Sunday.
[+] Enlarge
Karl Walter/Getty ImagesHad Stevie Johnson hauled in this pass, the Bills would have defeated the Steelers in overtime.
Karl Walter/Getty ImagesHad Stevie Johnson hauled in this pass, the Bills would have defeated the Steelers in overtime.Results versus AFC East: Won at Dolphins 23-22; lost to Patriots 39-26; won at Buffalo 19-16 in overtime; lost to Jets 22-17; won over Jets in playoffs 24-19.
What we learned: There are no perfect teams, but the Steelers looked particularly flawed in their games against the AFC East. They Steelers easily could have been swept in the regular season and wouldn't have won the AFC North if not for two lucky breaks against the AFC East's non-playoff teams.
The sloppy Dolphins didn't deserve to win at home in Week 7, but they should have anyway. Ben Roethlisberger appeared to fumble into the end zone in the final minutes and Dolphins outside linebacker Ikaika Alama-Francis appeared to recover. But officials prematurely blew the play dead and didn't follow the fumble as they should have. Video evidence didn't help clarify the sequence, so the Steelers maintained possession and kicked a field goal for the victory.
The Steelers, conversely, didn't deserve to beat the Bills in Week 12 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Steelers were shaky and went into sudden death against one of the league's worst teams. In overtime, Bills receiver Steve Johnson infamously dropped a perfectly thrown Ryan Fitzpatrick bomb in the end zone. The Steelers survived to kick a field goal.
The Steelers lost both of their home games against the AFC East. The Patriots thumped them in Week 10, and the Jets pulled out of a potential nosedive with a Heinz Field victory in Week 15.
Of course, the Steelers rebounded in the playoffs to beat the Jets in the conference title game. The Jets sleepwalked through the first half, but outscored the Steelers 16-0 in the third and fourth quarters before falling short.
Green Bay Packers
Results versus AFC East: Won over Bills 34-7; lost to Dolphins 23-20 in overtime; won at Jets 9-0; lost at Patriots 31-27.
What we learned: Green Bay's games against the AFC East went a little more by the book, but not totally. And one of their losses was mitigated by Aaron Rodgers' absence.
Buffalo still had Trent Edwards at quarterback when Green Bay properly cruised in Week 2. The other game that went (mostly) as expected was a Week 15 loss in Gillette Stadium. Rodgers was out with a concussion against New England, but backup quarterback Matt Flynn still drove Green Bay within 15 yards of victory in the closing moments.
The Packers' other games were a tad peculiar. The Packers lost a thriller to the Dolphins at Lambeau Field in Week 6. Rodgers scored on a fourth-down run from the 1-yard line to send the game into overtime. Dan Carpenter's 44-yard field goal won it.
Two weeks later, the Packers went to the Meadowlands and blanked the Jets in one of the biggest head-scratchers of the year. Neither team scored a touchdown. The Jets' shutout was even worse considering they were coming off their bye week.
Prediction
I'm basing my prediction on what I witnessed throughout the season.
All in all, the Packers looked pretty solid against the AFC East and had a shot to beat the Patriots without Rodgers.
But what stands out even more for me is how wobbly the Steelers looked in all four regular-season games and the second half of the AFC Championship Game. Without two fortuitous bounces, the Steelers would have been swept in the regular season and wouldn't have had a first-round bye.
I can't get that out of my mind when I predict the Packers to win 27-20.
With jobs at stake, Dolphins are no-shows
January, 2, 2011
1/02/11
5:12
PM ET
By Tim Graham | ESPN.com
With head coach Tony Sparano's job in the balance, the Miami Dolphins came up small Sunday in Gillette Stadium.
The hodgepodge New England Patriots rested their top two wide receivers and best pass-rushers and shuffled backups in and out of the game throughout. Yet they still dominated the Dolphins 38-7.
The Patriots were up 38-0 with almost seven minutes left in the third quarter. The Dolphins avoided getting skunked when Davone Bess scored with 2:17 to play.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, who publicly declared before the season that his team was Super Bowl bound, must be embarrassed.
Ross didn't attend the game and reportedly was out of the country. Sparano, his staff and his players should pray that wherever Ross was they don't show NFL games on television.
The Dolphins were 6-5 and still had hope after Thanksgiving. They lost four of their last five games. The Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions beat them in Sun Life Stadium before the preseason-mode Patriots gave the Dolphins a clear idea how far behind they are in the AFC East.
The Dolphins went 1-7 at home this season, tying their worst record in club history. The only other time they were so bad at home was when they went 1-15 the year before Sparano and general manager Jeff Ireland arrived.
Ross didn't hire them. Former football operations boss Bill Parcells did with former owner Wayne Huizenga's consent. Huizenga sold the team shortly thereafter. Parcells supposedly still is with the Dolphins as a consultant, but he cleaned out his office months ago.
Ross put an emphasis on making Sun Life Stadium an entertainment destination from the moment he took over the Dolphins. One measly victory in an arena that was half-full toward the end of the season is unacceptable. And if Sparano can't motivate his players to play with any kind of edge, then how can Ross expect fans to respond at the box office?
The Patriots had nothing to play for Sunday other than tuning up for the postseason. It was like an exhibition for them.
But with jobs on the line, the Dolphins didn't show up.
Miami's offense, defense and special teams were equally disgusting. They gave up big plays all over the field. Their breakdowns were both strategic and mental. Tackling was poor. They committed bad penalties.
Chad Henne threw an interception on the opening drive and had a 29.2 passer rating in the first half. Dan Carpenter missed another field goal, this one from 40 yards. Ricky Williams fumbled, and Ronnie Brown ran six times for 14 yards in what might be the last games as Dolphins for the backfield mates.
Miami went into Week 17 with the third-ranked defense. Even with Wes Welker and Deion Branch not on the field, Tom Brady completed 10 of 16 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
The Dolphins' secondary also got torched by the immortal combo of Brian Hoyer to Brandon Tate for a 42-yard touchdown in the third quarter. One play before the bomb, the Dolphins' defensive line encroached on fourth-and-1.
The Patriots gained 502 yards -- that doesn't include Julian Edelman's 94-yard punt return for a touchdown -- and had the ball for over 36 minutes.
A call from the governor might not even save Sparano after a performance like that, and he has a direct line to Tallahassee. Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll's mother is Florida's new lieutenant governor.
When Ross gets around to examining what transpired Sunday in Gillette Stadium, it very well could be a lethal inspection.
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AP Photo/Stephan SavoiaThe Miami Dolphins won one home game this season under embattled head coach Tony Sparano.
AP Photo/Stephan SavoiaThe Miami Dolphins won one home game this season under embattled head coach Tony Sparano.The Patriots were up 38-0 with almost seven minutes left in the third quarter. The Dolphins avoided getting skunked when Davone Bess scored with 2:17 to play.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, who publicly declared before the season that his team was Super Bowl bound, must be embarrassed.
Ross didn't attend the game and reportedly was out of the country. Sparano, his staff and his players should pray that wherever Ross was they don't show NFL games on television.
The Dolphins were 6-5 and still had hope after Thanksgiving. They lost four of their last five games. The Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions beat them in Sun Life Stadium before the preseason-mode Patriots gave the Dolphins a clear idea how far behind they are in the AFC East.
The Dolphins went 1-7 at home this season, tying their worst record in club history. The only other time they were so bad at home was when they went 1-15 the year before Sparano and general manager Jeff Ireland arrived.
Ross didn't hire them. Former football operations boss Bill Parcells did with former owner Wayne Huizenga's consent. Huizenga sold the team shortly thereafter. Parcells supposedly still is with the Dolphins as a consultant, but he cleaned out his office months ago.
Ross put an emphasis on making Sun Life Stadium an entertainment destination from the moment he took over the Dolphins. One measly victory in an arena that was half-full toward the end of the season is unacceptable. And if Sparano can't motivate his players to play with any kind of edge, then how can Ross expect fans to respond at the box office?
The Patriots had nothing to play for Sunday other than tuning up for the postseason. It was like an exhibition for them.
But with jobs on the line, the Dolphins didn't show up.
Miami's offense, defense and special teams were equally disgusting. They gave up big plays all over the field. Their breakdowns were both strategic and mental. Tackling was poor. They committed bad penalties.
Chad Henne threw an interception on the opening drive and had a 29.2 passer rating in the first half. Dan Carpenter missed another field goal, this one from 40 yards. Ricky Williams fumbled, and Ronnie Brown ran six times for 14 yards in what might be the last games as Dolphins for the backfield mates.
Miami went into Week 17 with the third-ranked defense. Even with Wes Welker and Deion Branch not on the field, Tom Brady completed 10 of 16 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
The Dolphins' secondary also got torched by the immortal combo of Brian Hoyer to Brandon Tate for a 42-yard touchdown in the third quarter. One play before the bomb, the Dolphins' defensive line encroached on fourth-and-1.
The Patriots gained 502 yards -- that doesn't include Julian Edelman's 94-yard punt return for a touchdown -- and had the ball for over 36 minutes.
A call from the governor might not even save Sparano after a performance like that, and he has a direct line to Tallahassee. Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll's mother is Florida's new lieutenant governor.
When Ross gets around to examining what transpired Sunday in Gillette Stadium, it very well could be a lethal inspection.
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FALLING
1. Tony Sparano, Dolphins head coach: On a day ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Bill Cowher is getting itchy to return to the sideline and has Miami ranked highly on his short list of preferred destinations, the Dolphins lost at home to the Bills and fell to 1-6 at Sun Life Stadium. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross predicted his team would play in the upcoming Super Bowl, and while that bit of bravado shouldn't be taken as some sort of guarantee, winning a single home game must embarrass him. With Bill Parcells no longer around to protect his protégé, what's to stop the starry-eyed Ross from mixing up his dull team?
2. C.J. Spiller, Bills running back: The Bills' roster is loaded with contributors who were late-round picks or not drafted at all. Spiller, meanwhile, keeps struggling. Spiller was the ninth overall draft choice and the first back off the board. He ran nine times for 16 yards Sunday against the Dolphins, and that includes one carry for 12 yards. He has 248 rushing yards and is averaging 4.7 yards on 22 catches.
3. Dan Carpenter, Dolphins kicker: He refused to make any excuses after Sunday's three-point loss, but there were two big reasons he missed four field goals. The Dolphins' offense didn't exactly set him up for high-percentage attempts, and winds gusted around 20 mph. Carpenter was wide right from 48 yards, short from 61 yards, wide left from 53 yards and wide right from 48 yards again. But Carpenter did go to the Pro Bowl last year. He can't miss three kicks from 53 and shorter.
RISING
1. Chan Gailey, Bills head coach: The Bills continue to win despite mounting injuries and a roster that seems to get greener by the week. Gailey called a game that allowed Ryan Fitzpatrick to move the ball with a seventh-round pick and three undrafted rookies at receiver. Buffalo's defense also is finding its way. ESPN Stats & Information noted the Bills went into Sunday having allowed an NFL-high 959 rushing yards up the middle, but they let Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown gain 20 yards on nine carries.
2. Patriots cornerbacks: Devin McCourty and Kyle Arrington each had a strong game in Sunday night's victory over the Packers. McCourty continued his campaign for defensive rookie of the year with 10 tackles, two for losses and a sack. Arrington returned a third-quarter interception 36 yards for a touchdown.
3. Jets offensive line: LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene had been getting stopped cold for a while, and you couldn't have expected them to do much against the NFL's top-rated run defense. The Steelers went into Week 15 allowing 60.1 rushing yards a game. Tomlinson and Greene found enough room to combine for 89 yards. Mark Sanchez also ran for 15 yards, including a 7-yard bootleg touchdown.
FALLING
1. Tony Sparano, Dolphins head coach: On a day ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Bill Cowher is getting itchy to return to the sideline and has Miami ranked highly on his short list of preferred destinations, the Dolphins lost at home to the Bills and fell to 1-6 at Sun Life Stadium. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross predicted his team would play in the upcoming Super Bowl, and while that bit of bravado shouldn't be taken as some sort of guarantee, winning a single home game must embarrass him. With Bill Parcells no longer around to protect his protégé, what's to stop the starry-eyed Ross from mixing up his dull team?
2. C.J. Spiller, Bills running back: The Bills' roster is loaded with contributors who were late-round picks or not drafted at all. Spiller, meanwhile, keeps struggling. Spiller was the ninth overall draft choice and the first back off the board. He ran nine times for 16 yards Sunday against the Dolphins, and that includes one carry for 12 yards. He has 248 rushing yards and is averaging 4.7 yards on 22 catches.
3. Dan Carpenter, Dolphins kicker: He refused to make any excuses after Sunday's three-point loss, but there were two big reasons he missed four field goals. The Dolphins' offense didn't exactly set him up for high-percentage attempts, and winds gusted around 20 mph. Carpenter was wide right from 48 yards, short from 61 yards, wide left from 53 yards and wide right from 48 yards again. But Carpenter did go to the Pro Bowl last year. He can't miss three kicks from 53 and shorter.
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Jim Rogash/Getty ImagesOn Dec. 19, 2010, against Green Bay, Arrington grabbed his most famous interception to date -- running 36 yards and scoring a touchdown after the pick.
Jim Rogash/Getty ImagesOn Dec. 19, 2010, against Green Bay, Arrington grabbed his most famous interception to date -- running 36 yards and scoring a touchdown after the pick.
1. Chan Gailey, Bills head coach: The Bills continue to win despite mounting injuries and a roster that seems to get greener by the week. Gailey called a game that allowed Ryan Fitzpatrick to move the ball with a seventh-round pick and three undrafted rookies at receiver. Buffalo's defense also is finding its way. ESPN Stats & Information noted the Bills went into Sunday having allowed an NFL-high 959 rushing yards up the middle, but they let Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown gain 20 yards on nine carries.
2. Patriots cornerbacks: Devin McCourty and Kyle Arrington each had a strong game in Sunday night's victory over the Packers. McCourty continued his campaign for defensive rookie of the year with 10 tackles, two for losses and a sack. Arrington returned a third-quarter interception 36 yards for a touchdown.
3. Jets offensive line: LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene had been getting stopped cold for a while, and you couldn't have expected them to do much against the NFL's top-rated run defense. The Steelers went into Week 15 allowing 60.1 rushing yards a game. Tomlinson and Greene found enough room to combine for 89 yards. Mark Sanchez also ran for 15 yards, including a 7-yard bootleg touchdown.
A look at Dan Carpenter's day to forget
December, 20, 2010
12/20/10
11:43
AM ET
By Tim Graham | ESPN.com
Dan Carpenter wasn't asked to kick any gimmies Sunday for the Miami Dolphins. His attempts were long. The wind was gusting about 20 mph.
And it's tough to get on him for missing all four of his kicks. If not for Carpenter consistently bailing out the Dolphins' moribund offense, the Dolphins' playoff hopes would have died weeks earlier. He was the AFC's special teams player of the month for October.
Still, the Pro Bowl kicker had a miserable afternoon -- one of the worst in the past 30 years for any kicker, as you'll read below. The Dolphins desperately could have used just one field goal in a 17-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Sun Life Stadium.
Carpenter was a Pro Bowler last season. He missed from 48 yards (wide right), 61 yards (short), 53 yards (wide left) and 48 yards (wide right). The last miss came with 1:48 left in the game and the Dolphins in need of three points to maybe force overtime.
Instead, the Dolphins fell to 1-6 at home and had their nominal playoff hopes extinguished. The Bills beat their first opponent with a winning record.
"It hurts knowing that you cost your team and the chance to move on to the playoffs," Carpenter said.
If the Dolphins' offense could move the ball, then Carpenter wouldn't have been asked to kick from a different zip code.
Nevertheless, his performance was epically unsuccessful.
Carpenter was just the second kicker to miss four field goals without making one since 1992. He was the first kicker to miss four field goals in a loss of three points or less since Kris Brown did so on five attempts in 2001.
The Elias Sports Bureau found Mike Cofer in 1991 was the last kicker to miss all four without a conversion in a loss of three points or less.
"I'm going to put the guy out there and let him take his swings," Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano said. "He's been kicking great. I've got a lot of confidence in the guy. I felt like he would knock it through on a 44- or 45-yarder. He's made a bushel of those kinds of kicks and farther.
"We wouldn't have a chance to be where we are right now without him, we know that."
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Marc Serota/Getty ImagesDan Carpenter missed four field goals in Sunday's loss to Buffalo.
Marc Serota/Getty ImagesDan Carpenter missed four field goals in Sunday's loss to Buffalo.Still, the Pro Bowl kicker had a miserable afternoon -- one of the worst in the past 30 years for any kicker, as you'll read below. The Dolphins desperately could have used just one field goal in a 17-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Sun Life Stadium.
Carpenter was a Pro Bowler last season. He missed from 48 yards (wide right), 61 yards (short), 53 yards (wide left) and 48 yards (wide right). The last miss came with 1:48 left in the game and the Dolphins in need of three points to maybe force overtime.
Instead, the Dolphins fell to 1-6 at home and had their nominal playoff hopes extinguished. The Bills beat their first opponent with a winning record.
"It hurts knowing that you cost your team and the chance to move on to the playoffs," Carpenter said.
If the Dolphins' offense could move the ball, then Carpenter wouldn't have been asked to kick from a different zip code.
Nevertheless, his performance was epically unsuccessful.
Carpenter was just the second kicker to miss four field goals without making one since 1992. He was the first kicker to miss four field goals in a loss of three points or less since Kris Brown did so on five attempts in 2001.
The Elias Sports Bureau found Mike Cofer in 1991 was the last kicker to miss all four without a conversion in a loss of three points or less.
"I'm going to put the guy out there and let him take his swings," Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano said. "He's been kicking great. I've got a lot of confidence in the guy. I felt like he would knock it through on a 44- or 45-yarder. He's made a bushel of those kinds of kicks and farther.
"We wouldn't have a chance to be where we are right now without him, we know that."
The Miami Dolphins thumped the Oakland Raiders 33-17 on Sunday in the Black Hole.
What it means: A great victory is somewhat muted by the fact the New York Jets, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are not losing. The Dolphins are 6-5, but still three games out of the division race. They probably can afford to lose only one of their remaining games to still have a shot at a wild-card berth.
Run attack on track: Ten days after one of the flimsiest rushing performances in Dolphins history, Ricky Williams ran 20 times for 95 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to stamp the victory. Ronnie Brown added 85 yards on 24 carries.
Henne returns: With a big brace on his left knee, quarterback Chad Henne started and played well even though Brandon Marshall (hamstring) could not play. Henne completed 17 of his 30 throws for 307 yards and two touchdowns with one bad interception near the goal line. His touchdowns were to Marlon Moore and running back Patrick Cobbs.
Not-so-special teams: The Dolphins continue to struggle in that phase. Raiders rookie Jacoby Ford returned the opening kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown. Dolphins punt returner Davone Bess did have a 47-yard return though.
Pro Bowl watch: Outside linebacker Cameron Wake added another sack, giving him 10.5 for the season. Dan Carpenter kicked four field goals with a long of 49 yards. Carpenter missed from 51 yards and 49 yards.
What's next: The Cleveland Browns will visit Sun Life Stadium in Week 13.
What it means: A great victory is somewhat muted by the fact the New York Jets, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are not losing. The Dolphins are 6-5, but still three games out of the division race. They probably can afford to lose only one of their remaining games to still have a shot at a wild-card berth.
Run attack on track: Ten days after one of the flimsiest rushing performances in Dolphins history, Ricky Williams ran 20 times for 95 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to stamp the victory. Ronnie Brown added 85 yards on 24 carries.
Henne returns: With a big brace on his left knee, quarterback Chad Henne started and played well even though Brandon Marshall (hamstring) could not play. Henne completed 17 of his 30 throws for 307 yards and two touchdowns with one bad interception near the goal line. His touchdowns were to Marlon Moore and running back Patrick Cobbs.
Not-so-special teams: The Dolphins continue to struggle in that phase. Raiders rookie Jacoby Ford returned the opening kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown. Dolphins punt returner Davone Bess did have a 47-yard return though.
Pro Bowl watch: Outside linebacker Cameron Wake added another sack, giving him 10.5 for the season. Dan Carpenter kicked four field goals with a long of 49 yards. Carpenter missed from 51 yards and 49 yards.
What's next: The Cleveland Browns will visit Sun Life Stadium in Week 13.
Clayton's Midseason All-Pro team
ESPN.com NFL senior writer John Clayton picks his midseason All-Pro team:
OFFENSE
| Pos. | Player | Team | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| WR | Roddy White |  | White was the most targeted receiver in the league and keeps getting better with Matt Ryan. |
| WR | Hakeem Nicks |  | His nine touchdown receptions puts him ahead of a great group of No. 1 wide receivers. |
| LT | Jake Long |  | By only giving up one sack in the first half of the season, Long nosed out Joe Thomas for left tackle honors. |
| LG | Carl Nicks |  | Last year, Jahri Evans became a star at right guard. Now, Nicks gets his recognition at left. |
| C | Nick Mangold |  | The Jets rewarded him with a new contract as the game's top center. |
| RG | Ryan Lilja |  | His move back to Kansas City has helped make the Chiefs one of the league's top run teams. |
| RT | David Stewart |  | Top right tackles are hard to find in this league, but Stewart clears out the right side for Chris Johnson. |
| TE | Antonio Gates |  | Gates has become one of the top tight ends in league history. |
| QB | Peyton Manning |  | It doesn't matter who is left in the backfield or as pass-catchers, Manning keeps his offense moving. |
| RB | Adrian Peterson |  | Peterson nosed out Arian Foster because he resolved his fumbling problem and improved as a pass-catcher. |
| FB | Ahmard Hall | | He has been one of the best blocking fullbacks for the past couple of years. |
DEFENSE
| Pos. | Player | Team | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE | Osi Umenyiora | | He has mastered the strip sack and has become a turnover machine. |
| DT | Haloti Ngata |  | Ngata is unblockable and is having his best season. |
| DT | Ndamukong Suh |  | Suh's 6.5 sacks puts him on pace to have one of the best rookie defensive tackle seasons ever. |
| DE | Trent Cole |  | He's had an incredible year for sacks, quarterbacks hits and pressures, one of the tops in the league. |
| OLB | Clay Matthews |  | Leading candidate for defensive player of the year. |
| ILB | Patrick Willis |  | This might not be his best season but he's still one of the most dominating inside linebackers in football. |
| ILB | Ray Lewis | | Lewis may be getting older but he hasn't lost anything in his game. |
| OLB | Cameron Wake | | Wake's relentless style is driving opposing quarterbacks crazy. |
| CB | Nnamdi Asomugha |  | He's the most difficult cornerback to challenge. No one throws on him. |
| S | LaRon Landry |  | Landry has become a tackling machine in the Redskins' new 3-4 defense. He's everywhere. |
| S | Troy Polamalu |  | Now that he's healthy, the Steelers have returned the top of the defensive stats. |
| CB | Champ Bailey |  | With Darrelle Revis injured, Bailey gets first-half recognition. |
SPECIALISTS
| Pos. | Player | Team | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| K | Dan Carpenter | | The Dolphins' inability to complete touchdown drives may have Carpenter filing for overtime on field goals. |
| P | Shane Lechler | | Next to Ray Guy, Lechler may go down as one of the greatest punters ever. |
| KR | Leon Washington |  | He has had an amazing comeback from his broken leg and should go to the Pro Bowl. |
Rapid Reaction: Ravens 26, Dolphins 10
November, 7, 2010
11/07/10
3:56
PM ET
By Tim Graham | ESPN.com
BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Miami Dolphins 26-10 in M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday.
What it means: The Dolphins no longer are kings of the road. They were thoroughly outplayed on both sides of the ball and would've lost by a wider margin had the Ravens not collapsed twice inside the 15-yard line.
Great start squandered: The Dolphins' struggling offense made a statement on their opening possession, driving 75 yards on 11 plays for a touchdown. They didn't score another one. Chad Henne threw three interceptions.
Defensive troubles: Throughout the game, the Dolphins struggled with tackling the Ravens' backs. Cornerback Sean Smith should have had a pick-six in the third quarter but dropped a Joe Flacco pass he broke on perfectly.
Brown out: Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown ran six times for 45 yards and a touchdown on the opening drive. He had one more carry the rest of the first half. He finished with nine runs for 59 yards.
Carpenter's streak ends: Dan Carpenter received the NFL's special teams player of the month honor a few days ago and extended his streak of successful field goal attempts to 14. But he missed from 46 yards early in the fourth quarter on a kick that would have drawn the Dolphins within a touchdown.
What's next: The Dolphins will see Randy Moss' debut with the Tennessee Titans firsthand in Sun Life Stadium.
What it means: The Dolphins no longer are kings of the road. They were thoroughly outplayed on both sides of the ball and would've lost by a wider margin had the Ravens not collapsed twice inside the 15-yard line.
Great start squandered: The Dolphins' struggling offense made a statement on their opening possession, driving 75 yards on 11 plays for a touchdown. They didn't score another one. Chad Henne threw three interceptions.
Defensive troubles: Throughout the game, the Dolphins struggled with tackling the Ravens' backs. Cornerback Sean Smith should have had a pick-six in the third quarter but dropped a Joe Flacco pass he broke on perfectly.
Brown out: Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown ran six times for 45 yards and a touchdown on the opening drive. He had one more carry the rest of the first half. He finished with nine runs for 59 yards.
Carpenter's streak ends: Dan Carpenter received the NFL's special teams player of the month honor a few days ago and extended his streak of successful field goal attempts to 14. But he missed from 46 yards early in the fourth quarter on a kick that would have drawn the Dolphins within a touchdown.
What's next: The Dolphins will see Randy Moss' debut with the Tennessee Titans firsthand in Sun Life Stadium.
BALTIMORE -- Looks like a postcard autumn day here at M&T Stadium for the Miami Dolphins' game against the Baltimore Ravens, one of the best matchups of Week 9.
Skies are blue with only a trace of a cloud here or there, but you have to look hard. The Weather Channel forecasts a 51 degree kickoff, with a high of 55 degrees.
But you can't tell how windy a place is by looking at a postcard, and it might be tough for kicker Dan Carpenter to bail out Miami's offense like he has for the past month. Flags atop the upper deck are flapping furiously. Gusts of up to 18 mph are expected.
The Dolphins must get their offense clicking against a Ravens defense that's had their pride hurt and is coming off a bye. The Ravens let the Buffalo Bills score 34 points before winning in overtime two weeks ago. The game before that, the Ravens lost to the New England Patriots in overtime.
It will be a busy afternoon on the AFC East blog. All four teams are in action and playing outside the division with 1 p.m. kickoffs.
All of them are away from home, too. The Bills technically are playing a home game against the Chicago Bears, but the game is in Toronto. The New York Jets are in Detroit, and the Patriots are in Cleveland.
I'll handle the Rapid Reactions from Baltimore, obviously, and Toronto. ESPNNewYork.com reporter Rich Cimini will file from the Jets game. ESPNBoston.com reporter Mike Reiss will file from the Patriots game. So keep an eye out for those blog posts here on the AFC East blog, and be sure to check out their sites.
Skies are blue with only a trace of a cloud here or there, but you have to look hard. The Weather Channel forecasts a 51 degree kickoff, with a high of 55 degrees.
But you can't tell how windy a place is by looking at a postcard, and it might be tough for kicker Dan Carpenter to bail out Miami's offense like he has for the past month. Flags atop the upper deck are flapping furiously. Gusts of up to 18 mph are expected.
The Dolphins must get their offense clicking against a Ravens defense that's had their pride hurt and is coming off a bye. The Ravens let the Buffalo Bills score 34 points before winning in overtime two weeks ago. The game before that, the Ravens lost to the New England Patriots in overtime.
It will be a busy afternoon on the AFC East blog. All four teams are in action and playing outside the division with 1 p.m. kickoffs.
All of them are away from home, too. The Bills technically are playing a home game against the Chicago Bears, but the game is in Toronto. The New York Jets are in Detroit, and the Patriots are in Cleveland.
I'll handle the Rapid Reactions from Baltimore, obviously, and Toronto. ESPNNewYork.com reporter Rich Cimini will file from the Jets game. ESPNBoston.com reporter Mike Reiss will file from the Patriots game. So keep an eye out for those blog posts here on the AFC East blog, and be sure to check out their sites.
» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
FALLING
1. Jets' receiving corps: A headline Monday in the New York Post read "Receivers drop dead." Drops aren't an official stat, but reports had the Jets dropping anywhere from six to nine of Mark Sanchez's passes in a 9-0 home loss to the Packers. Both of Sanchez's interceptions were accurate throws defenders simply wrestled away from Jets receivers. The usually sure-handed Jerricho Cotchery and Santonio Holmes had particularly rough afternoons with multiple drops.
2. Dolphins' offense: The Dolphins' offense continues to struggle when it comes to the all-important touchdown. They have scored 10. Only the lowly Panthers have fewer. The Dolphins have scored just one touchdown in four of their seven games. Running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams have combined for two touchdowns all year.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills quarterback: Fitzpatrick last week was approaching cult hero status in Western New York with a gaudy passer rating surpassed only by Peyton Manning. Fitzpatrick's star waned along with his stats in Sunday's 13-10 loss to the Chiefs. He was decent, but didn't nearly play to the level of a desperate fan base's throbbing optimism. Fitzpatrick threw a bad interception at the end of regulation and was flagged for intentional grounding on third down from the Chiefs' 43-yard line in overtime.
RISING
1. Patriots' offensive line: In the previous three games, Tom Brady was sacked 10 times, and New England's running backs averaged an uninspiring 3.4 yards a carry. In Sunday's victory over the Vikings, Brady didn't get sacked once. BenJarvus Green-Ellis averaged 6.6 yards a carry and became the first player in eight years to rush for more than 100 yards in a half against the Vikings. Perhaps even more significant, Pro Bowl left guard Logan Mankins ended a contract squabble and reported for work Tuesday. A 6-1 team got even better.
2. Dan Carpenter, Dolphins kicker: Offensive struggles have been a boon for Carpenter's productivity. He became the fourth kicker in NFL history to kick at least five field goals in consecutive weeks. Carpenter has made 13 straight field goals. He ranks third in scoring even though he has only 11 extra points. The other three kickers in the top four have converted at least 21 extra points.
3. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver: With at least one touchdown in five straight games, the 2008 seventh-round draft choice tied a club record held by Elbert Dubenion, Eric Moulds and Lee Evans. Johnson's six touchdown receptions are tied for sixth in the NFL. He also has caught at least five passes in three straight games.
FALLING
1. Jets' receiving corps: A headline Monday in the New York Post read "Receivers drop dead." Drops aren't an official stat, but reports had the Jets dropping anywhere from six to nine of Mark Sanchez's passes in a 9-0 home loss to the Packers. Both of Sanchez's interceptions were accurate throws defenders simply wrestled away from Jets receivers. The usually sure-handed Jerricho Cotchery and Santonio Holmes had particularly rough afternoons with multiple drops.
2. Dolphins' offense: The Dolphins' offense continues to struggle when it comes to the all-important touchdown. They have scored 10. Only the lowly Panthers have fewer. The Dolphins have scored just one touchdown in four of their seven games. Running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams have combined for two touchdowns all year.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills quarterback: Fitzpatrick last week was approaching cult hero status in Western New York with a gaudy passer rating surpassed only by Peyton Manning. Fitzpatrick's star waned along with his stats in Sunday's 13-10 loss to the Chiefs. He was decent, but didn't nearly play to the level of a desperate fan base's throbbing optimism. Fitzpatrick threw a bad interception at the end of regulation and was flagged for intentional grounding on third down from the Chiefs' 43-yard line in overtime.
RISING
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Scott Boehm/Getty ImagesDan Carpenter has connected on 13 consecutive field goals.
Scott Boehm/Getty ImagesDan Carpenter has connected on 13 consecutive field goals.2. Dan Carpenter, Dolphins kicker: Offensive struggles have been a boon for Carpenter's productivity. He became the fourth kicker in NFL history to kick at least five field goals in consecutive weeks. Carpenter has made 13 straight field goals. He ranks third in scoring even though he has only 11 extra points. The other three kickers in the top four have converted at least 21 extra points.
3. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver: With at least one touchdown in five straight games, the 2008 seventh-round draft choice tied a club record held by Elbert Dubenion, Eric Moulds and Lee Evans. Johnson's six touchdown receptions are tied for sixth in the NFL. He also has caught at least five passes in three straight games.
A few thoughts on the Dolphins' 22-14 win against the Bengals:
What it means: The Dolphins remained undefeated through four road games and pulled within a game of -- at least -- second place despite more offensive problems. The New York Jets were shut out at home and slipped to 5-2. The New England Patriots played at 4:15 p.m.
Red-zone trend: The Dolphins got inside the Bengals' 25-yard line five times, but managed only one touchdown, a 1-yard Ricky Williams run in the fourth quarter.
Carpenter on fire: Miami's inability to score touchdowns meant another big day for kicker Dan Carpenter. For the second straight week, he converted five attempts to keep Miami in the game. He made a 54-yarder at the end of the first half to pull Miami within two points.
Clutch play: Sean Smith, who lost his starting right cornerback job to Jason Allen just before the season started, recorded his first NFL interception to kill a 15-play Bengals drive at the Dolphins' 7-yard line late in the fourth quarter.
Defensive containment: The Dolphins didn't record a sack or force a fumble. They had only one tackle for a loss. Their leading tackler was slot corner Benny Sapp. But they kept the Bengals in check. Bengals running back Cedric Benson averaged 3.5 yards a carry. Carson Palmer passed for only 156 yards and completed less than 50 percent of his passes.
What's next: The Dolphins will visit M&T Stadium to play the Baltimore Ravens, who will be coming off their bye.
What it means: The Dolphins remained undefeated through four road games and pulled within a game of -- at least -- second place despite more offensive problems. The New York Jets were shut out at home and slipped to 5-2. The New England Patriots played at 4:15 p.m.
Red-zone trend: The Dolphins got inside the Bengals' 25-yard line five times, but managed only one touchdown, a 1-yard Ricky Williams run in the fourth quarter.
Carpenter on fire: Miami's inability to score touchdowns meant another big day for kicker Dan Carpenter. For the second straight week, he converted five attempts to keep Miami in the game. He made a 54-yarder at the end of the first half to pull Miami within two points.
Clutch play: Sean Smith, who lost his starting right cornerback job to Jason Allen just before the season started, recorded his first NFL interception to kill a 15-play Bengals drive at the Dolphins' 7-yard line late in the fourth quarter.
Defensive containment: The Dolphins didn't record a sack or force a fumble. They had only one tackle for a loss. Their leading tackler was slot corner Benny Sapp. But they kept the Bengals in check. Bengals running back Cedric Benson averaged 3.5 yards a carry. Carson Palmer passed for only 156 yards and completed less than 50 percent of his passes.
What's next: The Dolphins will visit M&T Stadium to play the Baltimore Ravens, who will be coming off their bye.
» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
FALLING
1. Dolphins red zone offense: They perforated the Steelers' 25-yard line five times and got as far as the 5- and 4-yard lines Sunday. But the Dolphins didn't score a single touchdown in those situations. Dan Carpenter converted a field goal each time instead, and the Dolphins lost by one point. The Dolphins are tied for 18th in red-zone efficiency, scoring touchdowns 50 percent of the time. Only the Cardinals have fewer than the Dolphins' 12 trips inside an opponent's 20-yard line.
2. Patriots' pass protection: Tom Brady was sacked 16 times all last year. In the past three games, opponents have sacked him 10 times. On Sunday, the Chargers recorded four sacks, something that hadn't happened to Brady since December 2006. Not completely sure how much the absences of Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins and fullback Kevin Faulk are playing a role in this trend, but I'm going to guess it's more than a little bit.
3. C.J. Spiller, Bills running back: This year's ninth overall draft choice hasn't been an impact player for weeks, but on Sunday he hurt his team. Spiller fumbled a kickoff on his own 27-yard line with 48 seconds left in the first half. The turnover was crucial. Rather than take an 11-point lead into the locker room (the Bills had the opening possession of the second half), the Ravens scored a touchdown four plays later. On offense, Spiller ran seven times for 33 yards and didn't have a reception for the first time.
RISING
1. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills quarterback: He had the greatest statistical game of his pro career, completing 29 of 43 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns with a couple interceptions. He posted a 106.2 passer rating. That raised his season rating to 102.0, second in the NFL to only Peyton Manning. Fitzpatrick has 11 touchdown passes (as many as Brady and Tony Romo) in just four starts since taking over for Trent Edwards.
2. Chris Clemons, Dolphins free safety: That position was considered one of the bigger concerns for Miami's defense heading into the season, but Clemons has done well. In that heartbreaking loss to Pittsburgh, he made six tackles, recorded half a sack and forced two fumbles, including the controversial Ben Roethlisberger calamity at the goal line. Clemons went into the game with zero sacks or forced fumbles in his 16-game pro career.
3. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback: The 27th pick in April's draft quietly has put together a solid rookie campaign on the treacherous left side and leads the Patriots with four passes defensed. McCourty snagged his first NFL interception last Sunday against the Chargers. Patriots coach Bill Belichick praised McCourty for his consistency not only game-to-game, but also practice-to-practice. McCourty likely will see a lot of Randy Moss this Sunday, when the Vikings visit Gillette Stadium.
FALLING
1. Dolphins red zone offense: They perforated the Steelers' 25-yard line five times and got as far as the 5- and 4-yard lines Sunday. But the Dolphins didn't score a single touchdown in those situations. Dan Carpenter converted a field goal each time instead, and the Dolphins lost by one point. The Dolphins are tied for 18th in red-zone efficiency, scoring touchdowns 50 percent of the time. Only the Cardinals have fewer than the Dolphins' 12 trips inside an opponent's 20-yard line.
2. Patriots' pass protection: Tom Brady was sacked 16 times all last year. In the past three games, opponents have sacked him 10 times. On Sunday, the Chargers recorded four sacks, something that hadn't happened to Brady since December 2006. Not completely sure how much the absences of Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins and fullback Kevin Faulk are playing a role in this trend, but I'm going to guess it's more than a little bit.
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AP Photo/Gail BurtonRyan Fitzpatrick had a career day against Baltimore, passing for 374 yards and four touchdowns.
AP Photo/Gail BurtonRyan Fitzpatrick had a career day against Baltimore, passing for 374 yards and four touchdowns.RISING
1. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills quarterback: He had the greatest statistical game of his pro career, completing 29 of 43 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns with a couple interceptions. He posted a 106.2 passer rating. That raised his season rating to 102.0, second in the NFL to only Peyton Manning. Fitzpatrick has 11 touchdown passes (as many as Brady and Tony Romo) in just four starts since taking over for Trent Edwards.
2. Chris Clemons, Dolphins free safety: That position was considered one of the bigger concerns for Miami's defense heading into the season, but Clemons has done well. In that heartbreaking loss to Pittsburgh, he made six tackles, recorded half a sack and forced two fumbles, including the controversial Ben Roethlisberger calamity at the goal line. Clemons went into the game with zero sacks or forced fumbles in his 16-game pro career.
3. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback: The 27th pick in April's draft quietly has put together a solid rookie campaign on the treacherous left side and leads the Patriots with four passes defensed. McCourty snagged his first NFL interception last Sunday against the Chargers. Patriots coach Bill Belichick praised McCourty for his consistency not only game-to-game, but also practice-to-practice. McCourty likely will see a lot of Randy Moss this Sunday, when the Vikings visit Gillette Stadium.
Tough call was not reason Dolphins lost
October, 24, 2010
10/24/10
8:55
PM ET
By Tim Graham | ESPN.com
AP Photo/Alan DiazBen Roethlisberger's goal-line fumble may not have gone Miami's way, but it's not the reason the Dolphins lost the game, Tim Graham writes.To say that was the reason they couldn't close out the Pittsburgh Steelers, however, would be erroneous.
With the help of a fortuitous ruling on a Ben Roethlisberger fumble Miami appeared to recover, Pittsburgh escaped Sun Life Stadium with a 23-22 victory.
"We will take it and exit stage left," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.
The Dolphins seemed to snatch the game with 2:28 to play. They were clinging to a two-point lead against the driving Steelers when safety Chris Clemons knocked the ball from Roethlisberger's grasp at the goal line. Dolphins linebacker Ikaika Alama-Francis appeared to recover in the end zone, but video replays were inconclusive to referee Gene Steratore, and the Steelers retained possession.
Jeff Reed kicked an 18-yard field goal to give the Steelers a one-point triumph.
A Dolphins win would have been gargantuan. Given the Steelers' profile as one of the NFL's handful of elite teams, the Dolphins would've been mentioned as legitimate contenders.
Instead, the Dolphins returned to .500 and remained winless through three home games.
But Steratore's ruling wasn't the reason.
"It was a big play in the game, but it shouldn't have come down to that play," Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano said. "We had plenty of opportunities to win, but we didn't."
Not awarding Miami the fumble recovery is a convenient way to overlook a few issues that allowed the game to be decided by one bad break:
- Poor red zone offense.
- Poor two-minute offense.
- Poor third-down defense.
The Dolphins failed to score touchdowns despite starting their first possessions at the Steelers' 22- and 13-yard lines within the first 1:58 of the game.
Sparano bemoaned his offense's inability to get at least 10 points out of those glorious opportunities.
"We could be up 14-0 right off the bat," Dolphins left tackle Jake Long said. "But we didn't start fast enough. We've got to be better than that."
Each time, the Dolphins failed to convert a first down and didn't take any shots into the end zone. Ronnie Brown ran once for 1 yard. Ricky Williams ran three times for 0, 8 and 0 yards. Chad Henne threw two short incomplete passes.
"Field goals are great to have, but in this situation we needed touchdowns," Sparano said. "When you get down there with that many opportunities, you have to convert them into touchdowns. That's the bottom line."
Settling for a field goal would have been wonderful after Pittsburgh converted that controversial call into a late lead.
The Dolphins had 2:26 left to get Pro Bowl kicker Dan Carpenter within field-goal range, but gained 4 yards on four plays against an injury-ravaged defense.
Carpenter made five field goals in the game and has a robust leg. He has made field goals from 53 yards and 50 yards this year. The Dolphins' offense should have been able to move the ball, especially with outside linebacker Lamarr Woodley and defensive end Aaron Smith sidelined with injuries.
The Dolphins work on their two-minute offense every practice. Sparano usually puts them into situations with a minute less than they had Sunday.
The Dolphins were out of timeouts, but they had the two-minute warning, a strong-armed quarterback, star receiver Brandon Marshall and pair of quality running backs.
"We felt strongly in that situation we'd be able to get the ball down the field and have plenty of time on the clock," Sparano said.
In the rain, Brown ran up the middle for 2 yards on first down. Henne got off a snap right before the two-minute warning and threw a quick pass. But tight end Anthony Fasano dropped it to set up a tough third down while wasting a precious clock-stoppage.
On third-and-8, Henne tossed to fullback Lousaka Polite, who gained only 2 yards and was tackled inbounds. Amid a heavy Pittsburgh pass rush on fourth down, Henne frantically got the ball out of his hands, but the ugly pass hit the grass.
Miami's offense wasn't alone in its struggles.
Pittsburgh moved the chains on third-down plays of 16, 11 and 9 yards. On third-and-5 from Miami's 43-yard line on the decisive drive, Mewelde Moore gained 29 yards on a dump pass. One play later, Miami defensive lineman Tony McDaniel committed an unnecessary roughness penalty to give Pittsburgh first-and-goal from the 4.
Pittsburgh converted six of its 15 third downs.
Steratore had nothing to do with a lot of problems Miami had Sunday.
"If you lose, you lose," Dolphins inside linebacker Channing Crowder said. "You can make all the excuses, but our record's 3-3. There's not going to be an asterisk next to the third loss. Who cares? Good call, bad call, I don't know the rules. But we should've won. We never should have been in that situation. To put it in the ref's hands was our fault."
» NFC Decisive Moments: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
The Green Bay Packers were in a hole Sunday, but they'd been shoveling themselves out all afternoon at Lambeau Field.
They battled back to force sudden death, scoring on a fourth-and-goal run in the waning seconds to erase a Miami Dolphins lead for the third time.
A 50-yard Dolphins punt and an illegal block on the return pinned the Packers on their 16. But Aaron Rodgers has MVP mettle. Packers fans had to like their team's chances to move the ball. They'd gone for almost 360 yards already.
On third-and-6, tension was high at Lambeau. Rodgers took the shotgun snap. The pocket crumbled. He stepped up and tried to scrape past a Dolphins defender, but Rodgers was ensnared.
Cameron Wake had latched onto Rodgers' left ankle and wouldn't let go until the quarterback collapsed to the grass. Wake had his third sack of the game at a critical time. He charged out of his four-point stance and beat right tackle Bryan Bulaga, the third offensive lineman off the draft board and the 23rd prospect taken overall in April's draft.
Wake's sack ensured glorious field position after the punt. Miami took over on its 48-yard line, picked up a couple of first downs and had Dan Carpenter kick a 44-yard field goal for the overtime victory.
The Green Bay Packers were in a hole Sunday, but they'd been shoveling themselves out all afternoon at Lambeau Field.
They battled back to force sudden death, scoring on a fourth-and-goal run in the waning seconds to erase a Miami Dolphins lead for the third time.
A 50-yard Dolphins punt and an illegal block on the return pinned the Packers on their 16. But Aaron Rodgers has MVP mettle. Packers fans had to like their team's chances to move the ball. They'd gone for almost 360 yards already.
On third-and-6, tension was high at Lambeau. Rodgers took the shotgun snap. The pocket crumbled. He stepped up and tried to scrape past a Dolphins defender, but Rodgers was ensnared.
Cameron Wake had latched onto Rodgers' left ankle and wouldn't let go until the quarterback collapsed to the grass. Wake had his third sack of the game at a critical time. He charged out of his four-point stance and beat right tackle Bryan Bulaga, the third offensive lineman off the draft board and the 23rd prospect taken overall in April's draft.
Wake's sack ensured glorious field position after the punt. Miami took over on its 48-yard line, picked up a couple of first downs and had Dan Carpenter kick a 44-yard field goal for the overtime victory.
