Dolphins's Falter, Lose 46-34

What a game the Dolphins-Saints played Sunday afternoon...for Saints fans that is. This by all means was a great game, however as a Dolphins fan I can't stand how this feels. Sitting in Bokamper's with my cousin watching the Dolphin defense pretty much annihilate the Saints in the first quarter was great. Jason Taylor creating great pressure, our rookie corners looking like veterans, our safetys actually looking like they know how to play.

Not to mention two early Ricky Williams touchdowns, a 4 yarder (set up by an int from Tyrone Culver) and a career high 68 yarder where Ricky looked like the Ricky of old. At that point it was 14-3 in the first quarter and all looked jubilant. This happiness continued on, when early in the 2nd quarter Ronnie Brown scored from the wildcat for 8 yards to make it 24-3. It looked like this team could do no wrong, Ricky and JT looked as if it was 2004, Henne was playing well, and the rookie corners were fired up.

Fast forward now to the beginning of the end for the Dolphins, the Saints are contemplating a field goal to end the half. Tony Sparano calls a bone-head timeout and Saints go out and score a touchdown to score before the end of the half. This slightly changed the momentum and was a huge factor in the game.

Now remember everything I said about the first half and how we played and how great we executed on both sides of the ball? Well in a nut shell the 2nd half was the exact opposite. This game truly was a tale of two halves. The 3rd quarter started and the play that is the epitome of Tedd Ginn's career happened. Henne throws up a ball to Ginn on 3rd and 11, Ginn (as always) drops the ball, which was right in his hands, tips it and Darren Sharper picks it off for a touchdown as Ginn falls on his ass behind the sideline where he belongs. This made it 24-17 and momentum immediately shifted to the Saints. Throughout the rest of the night, the offense was out of sync except for the one nice 67 yard completion to Hartline and another 4 yard Ricky touchdown. Let me put it this way, the Dolphins were outscored 36-10 in the 2nd half, including 22-0 in the fourth. You can't win with those high school like numbers.

The defense was just as atrocious during the 2nd half, except for the one fumble recovery thanks to Jason Taylor which lead to a field goal. They basically looked like the defense that we are accustomed to now, not much pressure and horrible secondary play. I know our corners our rookies and I'll live with them looking great one play and horrible the next. However, the play at the safety and linebacker positions are abysmal and must be addressed. Basically, in the first half the defense looked like it was a completely different team, sacking Brees 5 times, picking off passes, etc. The 2nd half was the same old Dolphins, horrible tight end coverage among other glaring weaknesses. It was evident the Saints made the necessary adjustments needed to win and the Dolphins just fell back to earth.

When you look back at this game, I don't want to think about it now but this is promising in a way. We are in the 2nd year of a 4 year rebuilding project, and we almost knocked off one of the best, if not the best team in the NFL right now. I can't help but think with a little more luck on our side and a #1 receiver (nope not you teddy bear Ginn) that we really should be 4-2 right now instead of 2-4. But that is all in the past, the best thing for this team to do is to look forward at the task at hand and it is no easy one. The Dolphins face the New York Jets in the Meadowlands this coming week. This past game is the type that stings all week. I know how you feel Hootie, the Dolphins make me cry too.