FanHouse NFL Season Preview: Miami Dolphins - Nowhere to Go But Up

Training camps are underway, the NFL season is a month off, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Quarterbacks: The Brett Favre Fallout ended up with Chad Pennington coming to Miami. Good thing, because the Dolphins didn't have a quarterback on their roster. Well, technically they did ... but when you are having a three-man race to figure out who might be able to handle the job ... you have no QB. Pennington gives Miami what they need: an experienced, accurate passer. He's a winner, but not the kind of guy who makes those dynamic plays. Right now, they don't have great receivers, either, so a guy that can hit his target is key. Chad Henne may be the future ... but that's what we thought about John Beck last year. Heat Index: 4

Running backs: This is the biggest strength of this offense. During their 1-15 season last year, the fact that Ronnie Brown was having an outstanding season was lost on many people. Brown was worthy of a Pro Bowl spot before he tore his ACL in mid-season. All indications are that he's healed. Brown will share duties with Ricky Williams. Yep, he's back and he's bad! I can't believe I'm saying this, but Ricky has been a model teammate. He's basically lived at the Dolphins complex, is in supreme physical shape and could get back to his pre-retirement form. Of course, that is all the good. The bad is that your steadiest part of the team involves a guy with a major knee injury and another who is now 31, barely has played over the last several seasons, already has two strikes and is unreliable. At least he's not on the hippie lettuce anymore. Heat Index: 7

Receivers: Do they even have receivers in Miami? Well, there is Ted Ginn, who the Phins famously used a #9 pick on last year. Derek Hagan and Ernest Wilford are there. There also is Greg Camarillo ... the man who caught that TD pass that gave Miami their lone win of '07. Um ... yeah. Heat Index: 1

Offensive line: This is a group that isn't good now, but there is loads of potential. All eyes will be on Jake Long, the #1 overall pick in April's draft. Long will be anchored into the left tackle spot for many years. He's big, he has a mean streak and he's a great teammate. Last year's LT (Vernon Carey) moves over the RT. Samson Setele took over the center position last year due to his intelligence and his work ethic. There is an issue at guard, where former-49er Justin Smiley takes over at LG ... while Trey Darilek, Donald Thomas and Shawn Murphy will battle for the RG spot. Heat Index: 5

Defensive line: Miami is toying with both a 3-4 and a 4-3 defense. They key for it all is Jason Ferguson, who Miami traded for in the offseason. Ferguson is an outstanding nose tackle who went down in Week 1 for the Cowboys last year and hasn't played since. He's great at eating up blockers and letting the linebackers do their jobs. DE Matt Roth is the same sort of cat who is tough to deal with. At the other end is Vonnie Holliday, who could move to a tackle position if the team goes into a 4-3. Former Titan Randy Starks and rookie Phillip Merling bring a great rotation of ends who can come in a wreck havoc. Heat Index: 7

Linebackers: There is no more Jason Taylor here ... or Zach Thomas. Now this is the Channing Crowder Era in Miami. Crowder is a solid talent, but unfocused and doesn't make the kind of huge plays that Taylor or Thomas did. He will be asked to do so now. Miami also got another Cowboy in Akin Ayodele who brings experience and a winning attitude. Maybe lining him up with Crowder will get the most out of him. Joey Porter will be needed to get to a few more QBs now that Taylor is gone. Charlie Anderson could enter the pass rushing picture if Porter can't get it done. Heat Index: 4

Secondary: This was one position that looked completely fried last year ... but then turned into a minor positive. A lot of guys saw a lot of action which should make the unit deeper, albeit not stellar. SS Yeremiah Bell is coming off a torn Achilles; FS Jason Allen hasn't reached his potential; CBs Will Allen, Mike Lehan, Joey Thomas and Andre Goodman don't strike fear in anyone's hearts . Heat Index: 3

Special teams: Last year's special teams units underperformed. They have the returner in place in Ginn, who had a couple of TD returns called back due to penalties. Their blocking has gotten better as Miami's overhaul has brought in guys who are tough and disciplined and willing to go all out. Dan Carpenter takes over the kicking duites for a miffed Jay Feely. Heat Index: 5

Coaching: Tony Sparano is the new head coach after the illustrious Cam Cameron era. Sparano wants to bring that Dallas Cowboys winning attitude back to South Beach. He, like Bill Parcells, is tough and demanding ... which is good for such a young team. It will be interesting to see how Parcells handles any Sparano "mistakes". Heat Index: 6

Intangibles: The Dolphins are one of the glamour franchises in the NFL and it was a shame that the team had such a bad year as they were honoring the perfect 1972 Dolphins. It isn't a completed mission by any means, but the process to get back to being a decent team are underway. There will be hunger from this team -- enough to keep them in most games and squeak a few out. Heat Index: 3

Total Heat Index: 45 Like last year, this isn't a good team. There just isn't enough talent nor experience to lean on. However, the addition of Pennington and the new regime will make this team better and will get them on the path to becoming a playoff contender. It won't happen this year, but Phins fans know they won't be embarrassed like they were in 2007.