Despite Being Winless, There Are Positives For The Miami Dolphins

By: Toby Christie

After another tough loss, the Miami Dolphins now sit in a very uncomfortable position… 0-2 after week two of the 2011 NFL regular season. What makes their sluggish start even more damning, is the fact that every other team in their division (The Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and New York Jets) currently can say that they are undefeated.

However even as the Dolphins stand winless there are five obvious positives that I have taken from their first two games.

1. Daniel Thomas is a game-changing running back.

In his NFL debut this weekend, Daniel Thomas looked like a seasoned veteran. Thomas carried the ball 18 times, and cracked the 100-yard mark on the ground, and he did all of this without a fullback on the roster to pave the way for him. All day long he showed great speed as he hit the hole, and he also showed a bruiser-back mentality eerily similar to that of Ricky Williams before his marijuana retirement.

All-in-all I believe the Dolphins have found their every-down running back in Thomas.

2. Chad Henne’s decision making has improved greatly.

In 2010 you would have been hard pressed to find a person who would rank Chad Henne in the top half of quarterbacks in the NFL, however I think by the end of the 2011 season many will start to cling to his bandwagon.

In week one he tossed for over 400 yards, but was overshadowed because of Tom Brady reaching the 500-yard mark. More importantly than the amount of yards he has racked up, Henne is making less and less mistakes behind center and he is even showing an ability to escape the pocket and run from time-to-time.

With every week it seems that the relationship between he and wide receiver Brandon Marshall grows a little bit more. This is the nucleus of a young offense that could eventually be the best in the AFC East (it’ll be a few years though) as long as Henne keeps throwing more TDs than INTs.

3. Clyde Gates and Reggie Bush will be key to stretching the field.

Rookie speedster wide receiver Clyde Gates and Reggie Bush (now that the Dolphins have realized he isn’t an every down back) are two very fast targets. Over the past couple of seasons the only thing the Dolphins lacked on offense were playmakers who could stretch the field. They now have two very viable options.

Gates is so fast, that he caused two Texans defenders to interfere with his route to stop him from an easy touchdown Sunday. As the season progresses and Gates gains experience he will become even more of an every down threat.

Bush meanwhile will be a great check-down receiver out of the backfield, and a fast guy who will occasionally line up in the slot for Chad Henne. If Bush can accept this role, he will have a real chance of thriving in Miami.

4. Cameron Wake has one of the highest motors in the entire NFL

In 2010 Cameron Wake finished second in the AFC in sacks with 14. After two games he already has two sacks in 2011, and he is showing that he just doesn’t ever quit.

Against New England Wake appeared over matched by a rookie phenom offensive lineman named Nate Solder. All night long Solder had Wake’s number, but Wake kept on working even in a situation where many would have folded. Eventually Wake would figure out how to get around Solder, and he would put Tom Brady on his back.

Wake’s sack may have been too little too late that night, but eventually his efforts will match his results and he will be one of the best sack-artists in this league for years to come.

5. Brandon Fields has a cannon for a leg.

How the hell Brandon Fields has never been voted to a pro bowl before is beyond me.

The Dolphins punter was punting balls 70 yards through the air against the Texans consistently. He is turning into a great punter, a product of what happens when you have an offense that had struggled like the Dolphins have over the past few seasons. However I believe that time is just about over, as long as the Dolphins staff moves some of their offensive pieces around to best fit in their system.