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| This 26-foot animated figure of Miami's Jason Taylor is being displayed in London's Trafalgar Square to promote Sunday's game between the Giants and Dolphins. (AP Photo) |
As we usually do, we reached out to SB Nation's blogger from the opposing team this week for our '5 Questions' segment. That means we got to chat with the illustrious 'Phinsider.' We thank him for taking time to answer our questions.
Big Blue View: This has obviously been a very difficult season for the Dolphins. How much of this is Cam Cameron's fault? Is he up to the task of rebuilding this team, or is he in over his head leading a team?
Phinsider: I would say that only very little is Cam's fault. The simple fact of the matter is that he and GM Randy Mueller were handed a disaster that is the end product of some terrible decisions made by previous regimes. Consider this: from 1998 through 2003, the Dolphins drafted 46 players. None of them are currently on the roster. That's simply pathetic. It took years for the Dolphins to get themselves in this mess and it's going to take almost as long for Cam and Randy to turn this thing around.
Big Blue View: A lot of eyebrows were raised when the Dolphins passed on Brady Quinn and selected Ted Ginn Jr. in the first round of the draft. Ginn has only six catches and his kick return stats look pedestrian. Has he shown anything that makes you believe he warranted that first-round selection, or can that move be termed a mistake?
Phinsider: Well it's way too early to decide if the selection was a mistake. Ginn, himself, has shown some great flashes. People questioned his hands, but he hasn't dropped a pass yet and has actually made a couple of tough catches. This past week, Ginn was open deep, having a step on the Patriots' defender, for what would have likely been a 50+ yard touchdown but Cleo Lemon overthrew him. Lemon also missed on a pass to Ginn that would have resulted in a touchdown, as Ginn was wide open. So he has shown the ability to get open. He's also starting to get better in the return game. He said himself that everything is starting to "slow down" for him, which is a great sign. If only he could get some blocking in front of him. Also keep in mind that the Dolphins passed on Quinn because they liked John Beck so much. So we also have to wait and see how Beck performs once he hits the field and compare that to how Quinn plays when he gets his shot. Right now, I'll say that it's too early to tell.
Big Blue View: With the game in London, that means Miami loses a home game. What is the reaction to that in Miami, and do you think the location will have any impact on the game?
Phinsider: The reaction amongst Dolphin season ticket holders was a bit different than general Dolphin fans. The season ticket holders were obviously pissed off big time, especially considering ticket prices for the season went up despite only getting tickets to 7 games. General Dolphin fans were divided. Some thought it was an honor to be selected to play in the first regular season game that isn't on North American soil. Others hated the idea that this team has to travel 8 hours on a plane to play a "home" game. As for the impact, I just can't say. I'm sure there will be some effect on them from the long trip, but determining how much is impossible until they hit the field.
Big Blue View: Even at 0-7 there have to be a few players who have been bright spots for Miami so far. Who are they?
Phinsider: Well the biggest bright spot has been Ronnie Brown. He leads the league in yards from scrimmage and was well on his way to his 5th straight 100 yard game until he suffered that terrible knee injury which has ended his season. The offensive line has also been a big bright spot. They've been exceptional in opening holes for Brown and the other backs while also allowing less than 2 sacks per game. Compare that to last year when the Dolphins allowed nearly 3 sacks per game. The other bright spot, as always, has been Zach Thomas. Despite missing two games with a concussion, Thomas has 52 tackles, 42 of them solo. A 34-year-old is averaging over 10 total tackles per game. Not too shabby.
Big Blue View: If you could have one player off the Giants roster who would it be? Why?
Phinsider: Great question. I know you asked for just one, but I'll give you two. The Dolphins could desperately use an upgrade to their pass rush, as surprising as that is. With that said, I'd just love to have Osi Umenyiora. He's going to be just 26 in November and is a great pass rushing end. He reminds me of a young Jason Taylor. The other I'd love to have is Aaron Ross. He's just a rookie and I know he's made some mistakes, but I, like many others, believe he's going to be one hell of a player and the Dolphins are also in desperate need of an upgrade at corner. So those would be the two Giants I'd love to have in aqua and orange.
Thanks, again to the Phinsider. Be sure to check out his site for my answers to his questions, and for his take on this week's matchup.