Dolphins Beat Chargers, 17-10

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The Miami Dolphins won one game in 2007. In 2008, they've now won two in a row as they notched an impressive 17-10 victory over the San Diego Chargers, evening up their record to 2-2.

What is amazing is that they have beaten the two teams who played for the AFC Championship last year in consecutive games. In both games, they used the "Wildcat formation" where quarterback Chad Pennington lines up at receiver and running back Ronnie Brown takes the direct snap.

The Dolphins ran the play 11 times, gaining 49 yards and scoring a touchdown.

That will get the press, but it was the Phins defense that deserves a ton of credit. They shut down a potent San Diego offense to just ten points and 202 total yards. LaDainian Tomlinson was held to just 35 yards rushing and 22 yards receiving. They hounded Philip Rivers into 13-for-28 passing day for just 159 yards.

This was an offense that led the NFL in scoring average (34.5) heading into the game.

Back to Miami's offense. They held onto the ball for 13 1/2 more minutes than San Diego and converted on 7-of-14 third downs (and their only fourth down attempt). Brown was effective no matter where he lined up on offense. He rushed for 125 yards and a TD.

Despite the quirky formations, Miami isn't winning with smoke and mirrors. They are using smart offense and bruising defense to win consecutive games for the first time since November 2006. Miami gets the winless Texans next week.

The Chargers can talk to the Patriots about the great Dolphins when they meet up next Sunday night.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-05-2008 @ 6:00PM

Desides said...

I think it's time to stop calling it the Wildcat and start calling it the Wild Fin, at least on the NFL level. And to San Diego's credit, they mostly contained it except for one or two instances.

The bigger headline here is that Ronnie Brown had a better game than LaDainian Tomlinson. Ronnie Brown has quietly exhibited the same skill set as LT, right down to the ability to throw touchdown passes, but since he plays for the Dolphins no one has noticed--too busy fellating the Patriots and Cowboys, I guess. It's time a little more attention was paid to this guy.

While we're at it, the Dolphins have never beaten the Texans.

10-05-2008 @ 6:09PM

dan said...

THE CHARGERS ARE NOW SETTELING IN TO A REAL TURNER TEAM.....LIFELESS, AND PREDICTABLE. AS A LIFELONG BOLT FAN IT WAS SAD TO SEE STORMIN NORMAN WASTE LAST YEAR'S TALENT ADVANTAGE, AND NOW THIS TEAM ACCEPTS BEING A "B OR C" LEVEL TEAM. TALENT IS SO SIMILAR, AND MOST GAMES ARE WON BY BETTER SCHEMES AND INSPIRATION..NOT NORMAN'S STRONG SUIT..TURNER IS NOW, AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN OVER HIS HEAD AS THE TOP GUY. IT'S DOWNHILL FROM HERE. HE HAS PUT OUT THE "FIRE" THAT ONCE BURNED SO BRIGHTLY IN THIS TALENTED TEAM THAT WAS STRONG IN EVERY DEPARTMENT. CHARGER FANS CAN ONLY HOPE AL DAVIS STEALS HIM AWAY.

10-07-2008 @ 3:48PM

Robert said...

I feel bad for you Charger fans . We had to put up with the turner coaching staff here in Miami and we sucked *ss. THen he went to Oakland and sucked or was it washington. I cant keep up with him. The only time he was good is when he was the offensive cordinator with the 90's Cowboys that won those superbowls with JJ as head coach. He should go back to the college rankings and leave the NFL to the real coaches. Look what happened to our ex coach who now is coaching Alabama who is #1 in the country and was a 1 game winner here last year.

10-09-2008 @ 5:49PM

You saw what he did to the Fins when he coached there. He was a great offensive cordinato under JJ. So thats what he needs to be doing unless he was only good under JJ and not another head coach. Sorry for the SD fans...

10-05-2008 @ 6:11PM

David said...

Last season, before he got injured, Ronnie Brown was MVP of the league.

Go look at the numbers. He was a one man wrecking crew, getting ridiculous numbers of rushing and receiving yards every game.

He's picked up right where he left off this year.

The thing that I like most about Ronnie as a phins fan is that when he gets into the secondary, he looks for contact. He LOVES blasting hapless safeties and corners that get in his way.

He's big, strong, fast, and he knows it.

10-05-2008 @ 6:48PM

BJ Ward and Ellis Hobbs can both vouch for that.

10-05-2008 @ 8:19PM

ray garcia said...

san diego makes me sick- they should change their name to the san diego losers, san diego cant produce winners, be it football,baseball, and or basketball ,they couldnt even hold onto a hockey team- it has to start from the top- something is wrong here,i just dont get it!

10-05-2008 @ 8:54PM

bummed out bolt fan! said...

The Chargers got beat on all fronts today, Again! They went from one of the best teams in the N.F.L to awful in the corse of one year! It all starts with the coach! The top chargers have lost their fire to win! you can see it on the faces. It was as if the didnt even care. L.T is washed up! it goes to show how much he relied on Neal! The defense is crap and the o-line stinks the only bright spot is the littlest guy on the team Sproles! The play-offs arn't even in the cards much less the super bowl. I say clean house!