From: chf0@harvey.gte.com (Curtis Fennell)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro
Subject: Dolphins vs Broncos - thoughts
Date: 17 Aug 92 12:58:48 GMT
Organization: GTE Laboratories


	There is one good word to describe the preseason game in
Berlin on Saturday between the Dolphins and the Broncos; and that
word is "sloppy".

	Between the silly penalties and the turnovers (10 or 11
total, depending on how you count), both teams looked like they
weren't really concentrating.  Especially Dan Marino - he looked like
Tony Eason on valium.  He went 4-9 with 3 INT's and the one TD he had
would have been an INT, if the receiver hadn't been Clayton and the
Bronco's cornerback had been paying attention. (for those who didn't
see the game, Marino underthrew the ball badly and Clayton came back
and made a leaping catch over the top of the Bronco's DB).

	The first half was basically a defensive contest with lots of
turnovers.  Miami turned the ball over four times, twice within their
own 30 yard line.  To the defense's credit, they were able to stop
Denver's offense most of the time and limited the scoring from
turnovers very well.  Realistically, the halftime score might have
been 24-7 instead.

	The second half started out as the reverse of the first, with
Miami's defense rattling young Denver QB Tommy Maddox with 2 quick
sacks and a couple of INT's.  The difference in the game would turn
out to be that when Miami got a turnover, they were able to score
quickly (2 TD's in 88 seconds), whereas Denver had a harder time
getting points after turnovers.  Maddox eventually got on track,
passing for 2 TD's in the second half, but the three INT's he threw
basically did the Broncos in.

	Overall, it was a pretty wild game - the Dolphins got 4 INTs
and 2 fumbles from the Broncos and the Broncos got 3 INT's and 1
fumble from the Dolphins.
	
GOOD STUFF FOR MIAMI:
	Playing in his second game, Marco Coleman made quite an
impression on me.  He was everywhere on the field, he never quit and
he hit very hard.  By my count (unofficial, of course), he had 1.5
sacks, 1 fumble recovery, a bunch of solo tackles and a lot of
hurries.  He forced Elway out of the pocket a couple of times
(although with Elway, that probably doesn't matter) and he was
constantly in the backfield near the QB.  He always seemed to be near
the play.  He only made one mistake that I saw, when he missed a
tackle because he went over the top of a Denver HB.  He looked quick,
determined and very tough.  I'll be looking forward to seeing more of
him.
	
	Troy Vincent played in his first game in a 'Phins uniform and
was pretty much invisible until late in the fourth quarter, when he
broke up 2 passes and nearly intercepted one.  He looked fast and
seemed to be good at reading the play.  Hopefully, we'll see more of
him.
	
	TJ Turner looked better than I've ever seen him.  The Dolphin
Digest says that he's been having his best camp ever and yesterday it
showed.  He had at least half a sack and was in a lot of plays.
	
	Aaron Craver looked very good also.  The Dolphins didn't run
the ball a lot, but when they did, he frequently got the call. He was
hitting the hole very fast and averaged 5 yards a carry, including
the 10 yard TD run in the third quarter.  It looks like the Dolphins
have a lot of depth at running back this year.
	
	James Saxon didn't play much but did impress me when he did.
He turned nothing into an 8 yard gain on his only run of the night by
showing some good instincts and speed when he bounced outside early
in the game.  And his fingertip TD catch in the third quarter was a
thing of beauty.
	
	All in all, I was very pleased with the Dolphins.  This was
another game that could have gone either way, but the Dolphins played
to win and didn't make any game losing mistakes at the end ( a
serious problem a year ago).  And most importantly, when the defense
had to perform well, it did.

BAD STUFF FOR THE DOLPHINS:

Well, let's start with injuries.  Yesterday, the following Dolphins
left the game with injuries:

	Bobby Humphrey - Bruised Ribs
	John Offerdahl - Pulled Hamstring
	Jeff Uhlenhake - dislocated finger
	Louis Oliver - shoulder (unknown type)
	Shawn Lee - strained knee

None of these injuries are supposed to be very serious, and as far as
I know, all of these players will be back for the regular season, but
it does beg the question of why are we playing 5 preseason games? 

Also out of last night's game were Mark Higgs (thigh),  Chuck
Klingbeil (knee), and Ferrel Edmunds (knee).  I understand that Higgs
is supposed to be back in a week or two and that Klingbeil and
Edmunds will be back for the opener.

I don't really have any bad things to say about the Dolphins
performance yesterday, except for Marino's disaster, and I don't
think that that is something we have to worry about for the regular
season.  They look like a much improved team this year and I think
that the race for the AFC East title will be wide open.

Curt "I always pick the Dolphins - even against Buffalo!"  Fennell
			DOLFAN in New England.             
'72 Dolphins - The perfect team in the perfect season - 17-0







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