Chokehold Challenge - yet another FOF 2004 "challenge" career

[QuikSand]

Yet another in a strong of challenge careers – this one we’ll dub the “Chokehold Challenge.” This is, yet again, an attempt to make the game devilishly tough to play, but retain the essential decision-making that make the game interesting to play.

Here are the rules for this challenge career, as posted by cthomer5000 in another thread:

House Rules:

1. Must have 50% or more of the salary cap free during pre and regular season.

2. Cannot initiate trades. Can accept unaltered AI-initiated trades.

3. Must use all 7 draft picks each year, and cannot trade up or down.

4. Cannot sign ANY players after the draft. This will result in having to take a full 53 into the draft and will eliminate the possibility of building the team with a lot of undrafted rookies.

5. Players cannot be signed during the year unless absolutely necessary (meaning I will do as much juggling as possible, anything to make it legal without having to sign someone).

6. No voidable years in any contract offers.

7. No renegotiations. Players must hit the FA market. Restricted FAs must be offered the exact contract they are asking for to be retained.

I am starting in 2005, after one QuikSim season with the Miami Dolphins (selected for no particularly good reason). We will use no inflation, and have injuries set to 150.

[QuikSand]

2005 Offseason

We clear out the roster, and bring aboard a new front office staff. With the restrictions in place on the roster, I decide that I’ll do my level best to include as many decent front office staffers as I can. I get all fresh faces, and skew young – which I prefer to do anyway.

Also – for this first year, I have about $40 million (almost exactly one half, just slightly more) of the salary cap dead because of the cuts I made in year one – which essentially means that I can play all-out with respect to the salary cap this season, and be within the spirit of the rules just fine. Starting next year, the “half cap” limit will kick in to the letter.

Since my QuikSim team was actually very god last year, we will have picks at slot 28 in the draft – so, fairly cheap players, opening the door for some investment in free agents.

I decide that since economy is priority one, I will just advance to the later stages of free agency, and then try to lock up some of the better-looking free agent players I can find.

Our forays into free agency are pretty familiar – this feels a lot like my MinSal challenge career, where I was basically just sifting through the players nobody else wanted. Here, we’ll have some more flexibility, but not a whole lot more.

My first round of signings are 2- and 3-year players, guys who somehow were cut and became available pretty cheaply. I’m thrilled about CB Alonzo Lindell, and I think we might have a couple offensive linemen to work with as well. Two young defensive ends, Michael Diaz and Danny Barajas, will be helpful at one of those tough-to-fill positions.

My overall suspicion is that after playing the MinSal challenge, the positions where it will be most important to use draft picks might end up being WR and DE – those were two spots where I just never felt like I was getting a high quality player cheaply in free agency. QB is tempting, of course, but getting a QB young and paying him to develop isn’t very cost-effective.


After starting out with a group of promising youngsters, I decide that I want to build a leadership structure from the top down. I have been increasingly enamored with playing the team chemistry game in FOF of late, and I will probably end up doing so here to some degree. So, I’m going to try to start out with strong leaders with string personalities in the various groups – and build around them as best I can.


Rather than detail the FA process start to finish, I think I will do a sort of roster review for the beginning, once we have our group in place. For this year (and onward, as most of our players are signed to multi-year deals) this ought to give us a snapshot of the team we have built.


We head into the draft with 48 players signed – meaning we will have to cut or disable 2 players after the draft but before the season starts. Probably not a difficulty. My main hope in the draft would be for a run-stopping defensive tackle in round one – and I think we need to shore up the run defense generally, including at LB. A long-term project for the OL would be useful, also. At 28, we are more likely going to have to take the best player available, pretty much regardless of need.


Amateur Draft Report:

Rnd 1 - Korey Boyd, DT, Central Florida
Rnd 2 - Norm Lynch, G, Missouri
Rnd 3 - Scottie Sanders, ILB, Florida State
Rnd 4 - Ray Malloy, CB, Virginia
Rnd 5 - Ian Haynesworth, OLB, Alabama
Rnd 6 - Harvey Wishon, WR, Tennessee
Rnd 7 - Hugh Ashcraft, ILB, Florida


At 1(28), there is a 17/79 rated QB available – how would he fit into this challenge? In an all-out mode, I’d probably scoop him up, but here, I don’t think I have that luxury – we’d be paying him to develop, and then once he got there he’d be too pricey to re-sign. I decide to go with the best run-stopping DT available, Korey Boyd, whose combine gives me some hope that he can turn out well.

G Norm Lynch is slotted at C, but we immediately slide him to play at RG, where our need is greater. LB Sanders is a skills-driven match, and may be good enough to get playing time right away at MLB. LB Haynesworth looks like a pass-rushing specialist – maybe a strong side contributor. WR Wishon was a mistake – drafted as a safety, has a strong conflict there, I slide him to WR to avoid the conflict, but he’s basically a wasted pick. LB Ashcraft is just a decent guy for depth and affinity.

[QuikSand]

Roster Review

After training camp, here is a look at our roster, piece by piece:


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Banks, Floyd 12 QB 7 36 39 3 yrs
Stockdale, Malcolm 1 QB 5 27 54 3 yrs
Sellers, George 6 QB 4 17 47 3 yrs


My best guess is that we go with Stocksdale here – he has some room to develop, and has a decent array of skills. Banks is a little more polished right now, but I don’t expect too much from him other than to be a decent backup option.


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Dreyer, Darrell 46 RB 8 42 45 3 yrs
Bugallo, J.R. 40 RB 5 27 35 3 yrs
Dejesus, Donovan 22 RB 2 27 37 2 yrs
Potts, Rodney 38 FB 6 30 47 3 yrs


Dreyer is a pretty complete back, and looks like a solid starter. Dejesus is a straight-ahead runner, and Bugallo is more of a utility man, receiver type. All will see some time, but expect Dreyer to get the bulk of the carries when healthy.


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Diz Pardo, Dennis 86 TE 7 52 53 3 yrs
Lenz, Ben 88 TE 7 48 48 3 yrs


As I found in my minsal challenge career, there are to many good tight ends sitting around waiting for a contract. These guys are solid starters, playing for peanuts, and I got to hand select guys with affinities – that’s how deep the position is.


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
##Shue, Malcolm 87 FL 4 36 48 3 yrs
Stewart, Ed 84 FL 6 28 34 3 yrs
Brien, Casey 81 FL 3 24 36 3 yrs
##Fletcher, Austin 85 FL 6 20 31 3 yrs
Prescott, Reggie 89 SE 7 37 43 3 yrs
Wishon, Harvey 48 SE 1 8 22 3 yrs


I am pleased here with this group – Shue and Precott ought to be solid starters, and Brien is going to be the slot receiver – with RB Bugallo probably my next option there.


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Dorsey, Donny 59 C 12 66 67 1 yr.
Carr, Clifton 51 C 2 26 55 2 yrs
##Armstrong, Albert 76 LG 6 47 52 1 yr.
Beavers, Ellis 67 RG 8 27 28 1 yr.
Grijalva, Van 70 RG 4 21 29 2 yrs
Lynch, Norm 58 RG 1 15 48 3 yrs
Meadows, Harvey 75 LT 6 51 60 3 yrs
**Largent, Rodney 65 LT 9 44 44 1 yr.
Krzyzanowski, Roger 68 LT 2 22 47 2 yrs
Ramon, Marty 79 RT 2 18 37 2 yrs


C Donny Dorsey was my “sponge” guy here – we had a few million left over after I was done with my main roster-building, and he’s a very good player who signed a one year deal. G Albert Armstrong is a run-blocking bulldozer, and ought to give us a poserful slot to run behind inside. LT Meadows is a solid guy I signed for three years, and the right side will see the rookie G Lynch develop, along with whomever else we slide into the RT spot – maybe C Clifton Carr.


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Bradley, Brenden 8 P 5 53 67 3 yrs
Kirk, Luke 7 K 16 43 43 3 yrs


Okay, fine.


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Nixon, Chester 95 LDE 3 30 49 3 yrs
Barajas, Danny 93 LDE 2 30 49 2 yrs
Diaz, Michael 90 LDE 3 26 42 3 yrs
Hastings, Stanley 77 RDE 8 42 46 3 yrs
##Bollman, Jack 96 LDT 5 32 36 3 yrs
Boyd, Korey 72 LDT 1 25 49 ---
Cavoretto, Troy 91 LDT 12 23 23 3 yrs
Farr, Ethan 78 RDT 5 25 34 3 yrs


I tend toward the 4-3 defensive front, but we might not have the talent here to pull it off. Rookie DT Boyd has to start, and our best pass rushers are probably the veteran DE Hastings and young Chester Nixon. We will try to rotate in DT Bollman as a situational pass-rusher, as he has good skills there (but little else).


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Wilson, Lenny 57 MLB 3 26 40 1 yr.
Sasa, Richard 53 MLB 6 24 37 3 yrs
Godfrey, Nate 98 MLB 4 22 37 3 yrs
Ashcraft, Hugh 97 MLB 1 22 37 3 yrs
Sanders, Scottie 50 MLB 1 14 46 3 yrs
##Blanchard, Kennedy 94 SLB 6 54 65 3 yrs
##Hall, Neil 99 SLB 7 49 53 3 yrs
Ouellette, Cory 55 SLB 5 36 54 3 yrs
Cassidy, Steve 92 SLB 5 32 43 3 yrs
Wheeler, Craig 56 SLB 5 29 47 3 yrs
Haynesworth, Ian 52 SLB 1 26 43 3 yrs
Hansen, Rusty 54 WLB 4 29 39 3 yrs


Quantity, yes. Quality – a little.

We got a huge veteran breakout with LB Kennedy Blanchard, who now looks like the best guy we have on hand – he must have jumped 10-15 points following the draft. Blanchard is slotted as a SLB, and I might just use him there – though he’d be the best MLB of anyone on the team as well. Neil Hall is probably a starter at MLB (or WILB) and I think I like Cory Oulette as our third starter, wherever we need him. Rusty Hansen is well suited to the weak slot – I’m thinking a 3-4 makes the most sense for us overall.


Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Lindell, Alonzo 43 LCB 3 29 45 3 yrs
##Glover, Lorenzo 24 RCB 10 36 43 3 yrs
Messina, Amos 34 RCB 3 35 50 3 yrs
Moon, Donny 25 RCB 5 20 37 3 yrs
Malloy, Ray 49 RCB 1 10 37 3 yrs
Fisk, Irving 20 SS 10 42 50 3 yrs
Terrell, Rick 32 SS 4 32 52 3 yrs
##Phillips, Spencer 28 FS 6 47 48 3 yrs
Strader, James 30 FS 6 34 43 3 yrs


Lindell and Messina start out as the top cover men, with Glover serving as a solid reserve and standout return man. S Irving Fisk is a solid position leader and ought to be good for us as a starting safety, too. The other starring job is up for grabs among these decent guys – Spencer Phillips is the biggest playmaker, and probably gets it.


Overall – not much to get too excited about here. A decent roster overall. I don’t think we got much from the rookie draft this year, of course, but we didn’t really need a lot – if DT Korey Boyd can start right away and develop into a decent run-stopper, we ought to be okay even if the rest of the draft ends up as teh suck.

[QuikSand]

2005 Season

Into the season we go, with a pretty vanilla gameplan, and our best roster possible with this group of players (rated a 3 on the roster ratings, with the second worst team a massive 53 – ouch!):

Our 0-4 start isn’t a shock, but we were actually in a couple tight games getting there. We stumble through the initial season – finishing with a 4-12 but, if I may say so, not a hopeless 4-12.


Front Office Football 2004
2005 Summary for Miami Dolphins

Record: 4-12
Winning Pct.: .250

Miami Dolphins Team Rank
Rushes 389 32
Rushing Yards 1532 31
Yards Per Carry 3.93 20 (T)
Pass Attempts 548 9
Completions 308 16
Passing Yards 3157 25
Yards Per Attempt 5.76 30
3rd Down Conversions 37.5 28
Points Per Game 15.5 30
Turnovers 25 20 (T)
Turnover Margin -8 27 (T)

Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 515 31
Rushing Yards 2061 30
Yards Per Carry 4.00 14
Pass Attempts 515 10
Completions 325 29
Passing Yards 3792 29
Yards Per Attempt 7.36 29 (T)
3rd Down Conversions 43.8 24
Points Per Game 23.0 30
Turnovers 17 29

Week Team Versus Oppnt
1 21 at NYJ 24
2 3 at TBY 20
3 13 IND 16
4 10 BUF 21
5 3 at SDO 30
6 24 DEN 27
8 9 KCY 7
9 6 at OAK 20
10 7 at NED 24
11 26 NYJ 30
12 20 CAR 42
13 24 at CIN 21
14 26 ATL 38
15 6 at BUF 7
16 27 at NOS 24
17 24 NED 17

Passing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
1 Stockdale QB 527 297 2977 5.64 14 17
**Team --- 548 308 3157 5.76 16 18

Rushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
46 Dreyer RB 297 1124 3.78 4
22 Dejesus RB 52 217 4.17 2
**Team --- 389 1532 3.93 8

Receiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
86 Diz Pardo TE 104 66 637 9.6 129 3
87 Shue WR 87 51 715 14.0 104 6
81 Brien WR 67 36 453 12.5 47 1
46 Dreyer RB 47 34 159 4.6 81 1
89 Prescott WR 77 30 383 12.7 56 0
84 Stewart WR 61 28 386 13.7 52 2
38 Potts FB 34 26 115 4.4 55 1
88 Lenz TE 32 19 197 10.3 54 0
**Team --- 548 308 3157 10.2 585 16

Defense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
55 Ouellette OLB 91 26 0.0 1 1 8
78 Farr DT 77 28 3.5 11 0 0
28 Phillips S 74 25 1.5 0 3 9
32 Terrell S 64 11 0.0 0 0 4
20 Fisk S 62 20 1.0 0 1 4
54 Hansen OLB 59 35 0.5 1 0 4
99 Hall OLB 57 27 1.0 0 1 7
72 Boyd DT 46 21 1.0 4 0 0
24 Glover CB 40 14 1.0 1 1 4
92 Cassidy OLB 40 10 1.5 2 0 2
34 Messina CB 35 16 0.5 0 1 9
43 Lindell CB 34 18 0.0 0 1 12
95 Nixon DE 32 12 4.5 9 0 0
97 Ashcraft ILB 29 9 0.0 0 0 0
77 Hastings DE 26 10 7.0 14 0 0
96 Bollman DT 26 15 6.5 19 0 0
52 Haynesworth OLB 19 0 0.0 0 0 0
**Team --- 905 313 32.0 68 9 64


No need to beat this to death – but we have not much of a passing game, nor a pass defense, but we still made it through this first season without completely embarrassing ourselves. Several close games that could have gone our way.

Next season, a little more tweaking of the gameplans, and perhaps some development of our younger players – and we might be able to win 6 or 7 games, I suspect.

[QuikSand]

2006 Offseason

Okay, now we have a team to work with, in earnest.

DT Troy Cavoretto retired – unfortunate, as he was my position leader. I didn’t build a ton of affinities with him, but his departure leaves us with a new issue there. Fortunately, the new leader, LB Craig Wheeler, seems solid enough and gets along with several guys at the group, so we look okay after all.

We have 49 players signed to contracts already as we start the season – so this still be a process more of subtraction than addition, overall. We start out the season just barely under our half cap – so we will likely need to dump a couple of salaries to stay within that range. No surprise there, just frustrating to have to do. (Get used to it)

C Donny Dorsey is definitely gone, and I expect that G Albert Armstrong will also depart. That leaves us with issues on the interior line, though Clifton Carr and second year man Norm Lynch are already groomed to be our starters. Lynch looks pretty mediocre, but Carr played well last year and is ready. We hold pick 1(2) in the draft, so we can expect an impact player there – I am penciling in OT Kurt de Rooy for that pick, targeting a need and hopefully locking up a high quality left tackle for us for the years ahead.

We need to thin our herd at LB – we are moving to a 3-4 this season for sure, but we have 12 guys there, and probably can only carry eight or nine. Past that – I just think we will make prudent additions where we can, probably peel off a few veterans to be replaced with younger players, and go from there.


Our free agent pursuits are not staggering. LB Tyrone Hoffman is my kind of guy, and slots in as our new starting SILB in the 3-4 set. FS Carlos Looker and WR Xavier Markum will battle for playing time, and RG Earnest Cailleteau probably gets the start right away, but is not really an impact player. We make several cuts, and head to the draft with 49 players signed – no room for a last “impact player” this year, especially with a fat contract going to our top rookie this season.

In the draft, my top target player gets taken ahead of us at 1(1), so we have to find a Plan B. I didn’t have one, really. The top players available are at RB and QB, neither is where I’d prefer to spend this pick. I pass on a pretty decent DE, to land the next best offensive lineman, a guy I think we will slide out to play tackle, if he’s up to it.


Pick Pos Player Board Dash Sole Strg Agil Vol Draft After PostCamp
1.02 RG Kevin Mills 7.1 4.93++ 35 33+ 7.72+ 4 34/81 34/80 37/78
2.02 CB Alvin Schwartz 5.8 4.52 41+ 19+ 7.22 33 33/65 29/58 28/55
3.02 SLB Kent Whitehorn 4.9 4.71 32 17 7.25 5 26/56 25/54 24/50
4.02 SS Ricardo Miller 3.5 4.53 38+ 28++ 7.41 60 16/42 17/44 21/49
5.02 RB James Monroe 4.3 4.53 27 24++ 7.32 5 34/47 34/47 16/39 SE
6.02 C Jessie Rose 3.8 5.25 50++ 28 8.08 79 9/46 8/43 10/39
7.02 K Robert Walters 35/50


I am pleased with DB Schwartz, a safety we immediately switch over to play at CB, who ought to be pretty solid if he develops. S Miller and RB Monroe are hopeful breakouts – Monroe might be moved to wideout, as I think he has better potential there (and an affinity).

G Kevin Mills does not look like a candidate to move to tackle, unfortunately, so we have invested heavily into a true guard, it would seem. Oh, well – he does look pretty good, we will slot him at LG and use him as the cornerstone of our running game, I guess.

RB Darrell Dreyer has decided to hold out – and this causes a real problem for us. We definitely cannot afford a new deal for him, and we don’t even have a legal backfield without him. Great. DB Ricardo Miller looks like he will breakout, but he will never fit my secondary setup – so I switch him to play RB, to keep us legal there while Dreyer weighs his options. The switch is painful – Miller looks terrible, I switch him back to safety – experiment over.


After camp, it looks like all our top picks are going to be disappointing – indeed, S Ricardo Miller (a total mismatch for us) is the only guy who ticks upward for us at all. G Mills will be good, but probably not quite as good as we had hoped.

RB Dreyer finally reports, so we managed to head into the regular season with that crisis resolved. Here is the roster, as we start things off:


Front Office Football 2004
Miami Dolphins Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Banks, Floyd 12 QB 8 38 38 2 yrs
Stockdale, Malcolm 1 QB QB 6 38 54 2 yrs
Sellers, George 6 QB 5 20 46 2 yrs
Dreyer, Darrell 46 RB RB 9 40 43 2 yrs
Bugallo, J.R. 40 RB 6 26 33 2 yrs
Dejesus, Donovan 22 RB 3 26 34 1 yr.
Potts, Rodney 38 FB FB 7 37 47 2 yrs
Diz Pardo, Dennis 86 TE TE 8 52 53 2 yrs
Lenz, Ben 88 TE 8 49 49 2 yrs
Shue, Malcolm 87 FL FL 5 44 49 2 yrs
Stewart, Ed 84 FL 7 32 34 2 yrs
**Brien, Casey 81 FL 4 28 36 2 yrs
##Fletcher, Austin 85 FL 7 17 25 2 yrs
Prescott, Reggie 89 SE SE 8 40 43 2 yrs
Marcum, Xavier 83 SE 3 37 46 3 yrs
##Monroe, James 36 SE 1 17 39 3 yrs
Carr, Clifton 51 C C 3 38 55 1 yr.
Rose, Jessie 53 C 1 10 39 3 yrs
Mills, Kelvin 73 LG LG 1 37 78 5 yrs
Barker, Cole 66 RG RG 3 37 53 3 yrs
Cailleteau, Earnest 61 RG RT 3 31 49 3 yrs
##Beavers, Ellis 67 RG 9 26 27 3 yrs
Lynch, Norm 58 RG 2 21 46 2 yrs
Meadows, Harvey 75 LT LT 7 57 58 2 yrs
Krzyzanowski, Roger 68 LT 3 31 44 1 yr.
##Ramon, Marty 79 RT 3 16 27 1 yr.
Bradley, Brenden 8 P 6 64 67 2 yrs
Walters, Robert 17 K 1 36 50 3 yrs
Nixon, Chester 95 LDE LDE 4 35 48 2 yrs
Barajas, Danny 93 LDE 3 35 49 1 yr.
##Diaz, Michael 90 LDE 4 28 42 2 yrs
Hastings, Stanley 77 RDE RDE 9 39 44 2 yrs
Bollman, Jack 96 LDT 6 34 36 2 yrs
Boyd, Korey 72 LDT NT 2 31 47 3 yrs
Farr, Ethan 78 RDT 6 33 34 2 yrs
Hoffman, Tyrone 59 SILB SILB 11 45 46 3 yrs
Blanchard, Kennedy 94 WILB WILB 7 44 63 2 yrs
Whitehorn, Kent 91 WILB 1 26 50 3 yrs
##Ashcraft, Hugh 97 MLB 2 25 36 2 yrs
Hall, Neil 99 SLB SLB 8 53 53 2 yrs
Ouellette, Cory 55 SLB WLB 6 45 54 2 yrs
Cassidy, Steve 92 SLB 6 36 43 2 yrs
Wheeler, Craig 56 SLB 6 27 41 2 yrs
Haynesworth, Ian 52 SLB 2 27 42 2 yrs
**Hansen, Rusty 54 WLB 5 33 38 2 yrs
Lindell, Alonzo 43 LCB LCB 4 47 48 2 yrs
Schwartz, Alvin 48 LCB 1 28 55 3 yrs
Messina, Amos 34 RCB RCB 4 45 49 2 yrs
Glover, Lorenzo 24 RCB 11 36 43 2 yrs
Fisk, Irving 20 SS SS 11 46 50 2 yrs
Terrell, Rick 32 SS 5 39 52 2 yrs
Phillips, Spencer 28 FS FS 7 54 54 2 yrs
Looker, Carlos 31 FS 3 44 48 3 yrs
Strader, James 30 FS 7 41 44 2 yrs
##Miller, Ricardo 26 FS 1 24 49 3 yrs

[QuikSand]

2006 Season

For this season, our roster rating is at 2, but we have made ground – the next-lowest is rated 7. With these comparative ratings, it’s not always obvious how they work – that is a pretty big leap forward.

On offense, we will be sticking with a pretty vanilla, balanced game plan. On defense, we switch to a 3-4, and I think we will be more effective. I expect our run defense to actually be pretty good, if our middle threesome of DT Boyd, and LBs Hoffman and Blanchard can stay healthy enough.

I think this is a team that can scrape its way toward .500, but probably not get there. I’m thinking 6-10, maybe 7-9.


After a 3-0 start, the Dolphin faithful are putting down deposits for home playoff games – how nice. We drop three straight to fall back to earth – but at the halfway point, we are 4-4 behind outstanding work from our defense. Injuries really rack up in the second half, but we put together a pretty nice 8-8 season, and there’s a good deal to be happy about here.


Front Office Football 2004
2006 Summary for Miami Dolphins

Record: 8-8
Winning Pct.: .500

Miami Dolphins Team Rank
Rushes 430 24
Rushing Yards 1607 26
Yards Per Carry 3.73 25
Pass Attempts 519 22
Completions 289 25 (T)
Passing Yards 3195 26
Yards Per Attempt 6.15 27 (T)
3rd Down Conversions 38.6 26 (T)
Points Per Game 18.6 18
Turnovers 30 26 (T)
Turnover Margin -2 20

Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 471 20 (T)
Rushing Yards 1709 6
Yards Per Carry 3.62 4
Pass Attempts 582 32
Completions 333 31
Passing Yards 3637 22
Yards Per Attempt 6.24 6
3rd Down Conversions 42.1 14
Points Per Game 18.0 11
Turnovers 28 4 (T)

Week Team Versus Oppnt
1 17 at BUF 10
2 26 CHI 14
3 21 PIT 14
4 10 at NED 23
5 27 at JAX 30
6 7 TEN 17
7 28 BUF 21
8 15 IND 19
10 20 at HOU 17
11 10 at NYJ 24
12 24 at MIN 16
13 8 at KCY 16
14 35 DET 7
15 23 NED 10
16 7 at GBY 26
17 20 NYJ 24

Passing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
1 Stockdale QB 511 285 3148 6.16 23 21
**Team --- 519 289 3195 6.15 23 22

Rushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
46 Dreyer RB 300 1053 3.51 8
22 Dejesus RB 66 291 4.40 1
**Team --- 430 1607 3.73 10

Receiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
87 Shue WR 106 60 862 14.3 118 7
86 Diz Pardo TE 95 58 612 10.5 150 4
89 Prescott WR 101 52 546 10.5 125 2
88 Lenz TE 40 27 244 9.0 77 1
84 Stewart WR 50 27 366 13.5 35 2
83 Marcum WR 49 22 292 13.2 30 5
46 Dreyer RB 33 18 123 6.8 71 0
38 Potts FB 26 17 95 5.5 59 1
**Team --- 518 289 3195 11.0 678 23

Defense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
94 Blanchard ILB 87 44 1.0 1 0 6
99 Hall OLB 80 25 7.0 7 4 9
55 Ouellette OLB 71 22 0.0 2 1 4
59 Hoffman ILB 68 42 1.0 1 0 5
28 Phillips S 62 18 0.0 0 4 3
20 Fisk S 55 18 0.0 1 1 5
34 Messina CB 42 16 0.0 0 2 15
43 Lindell CB 40 11 0.0 0 0 11
48 Schwartz CB 39 11 1.0 0 0 8
77 Hastings DE 33 14 8.0 17 0 0
72 Boyd DT 33 17 3.0 7 1 1
24 Glover CB 32 11 0.0 0 2 2
32 Terrell S 31 12 0.0 1 0 4
95 Nixon DE 26 8 3.5 9 0 0
91 Whitehorn ILB 24 12 0.0 0 1 2
31 Looker S 21 2 0.0 0 1 3
78 Farr DT 18 8 2.5 3 0 1
30 Strader S 17 1 0.0 0 1 1
96 Bollman DT 16 3 4.5 14 0 0
**Team --- 889 302 36.0 69 18 81


So, our team continues to be fairly ineffective on offense – no surprise there. The defense, though, rated to ten in both YPA and YPC allowed – very nice to see. We got decent pass pressure and caused a few turnovers – all told, a really good effort from the defensive unit.

We have a salary crunch ahead, I realize – so we probably won’t even be able to maintain this level of overall talent. We’ll have to depend on some familiarity to keep improving.

[cthomer5000]

Holdouts are definitely going to be a regular occurence in this sort of challenge, since you're always targeting undervalued players. I had an LB win all-pro, sit out the entire next year, then return and earn all pro honors again. You really can't afford to budge when a guy is asking for a new deal (and it would be against the house rules anyway).

[Buzzbee]

Sadness.

I was looking forward to Chesapeake Chaingang dynasty. Ricky Vaughn seems just the type of player to fit on this type of team. Players from the California Penal League tend to be undervalued.

*shurg*

[QuikSand]

2007 Offseason

We avoid any retirements this year – but we do have a number of free agents. We come into the year with 50 players signed, and we are, practically speaking, already over our salary cap. Great.


We get a trade offer for QB Malcolm Stocksdale – including a 2nd round pick. Can’t do it – this is presumably his last year with us, and we expect him to continue to improve. We’ll be stuck next season, presumably, but for now I’m comfy with him. Plus, draft picks aren’t worth shit to me in this career, I am rapidly finding.

We release RB J.B. Bugallo – he’s overpaid for his reserve role, and he has overtaken Dreyer for the position leadership role, causing a conflict. No great loss – we can always pick up a utility RB in the draft.

I can’t afford to re-sign C Carr – so a starting center becomes a high priority. Actually, we will lose LT Krzyzanowski also, so the OL is in need of some patching – I’ll be looking for productive rookies there, as we can’t spend money on a free agent, I don’t think.


Pick Pos Player Board Dash Sole Strg Agil Vol Draft After PostCamp
1.16 FS Adam Hoover 6.0 4.34++ 37+ 26++ 6.85++ 40 31/66 31/68 36/70 CB
2.16 RT Lester Vega 4.5 5.15+ 29 30 7.88 25 17/55 17/53 20/49
3.16 DE Kennedy Franz 3.9 4.78+ 39+ 32+ 7.61 15 32/42 32/43 34/46
4.16 WR Kennedy Brinsfield 4.2 4.43+ 30+ 8 7.00+ 54 17/50 17/45 18/38
5.16 RB Pat Owens 3.6 4.69 29+ 13 7.28 59 29/38 28/37 28/35
6.16 C Rex Dunn 3.8 5.05+ 33 24 8.17 50 8/46 5/43 8/42
7.16 P Gary Perry 31/40


Adam Hoover has all the hallmarks of a rookie breakout – and he gets switched to play CB, across from second year man Alvin Schwartz. I like that combo, and hope they will be together a while (though Schwartz is only signed for one more season, he will be restricted).

RT Lester Vega is the best OL left, at a true need position (RT) and an affinity guy – I feel I have to take him, despite the warning signs of a disappointment. DE Franz is well developed and a strong combine performer – good signs for a short term addition at a constant need position. WR Brinsfield is a decent value pick at WR, a natural split end (sissy). RB Owens looks decent, can return kicks, and is an affinity guy as well.


As we sign the rookies, I find myself needing to cut one more veteran player to get under our half-cap. DE Stanley Hastings makes that a fairly easy decision, as he has opted to hold out. He’s released, and we are in cap compliance now.


Front Office Football 2004
Miami Dolphins Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Stockdale, Malcolm 1 QB QB 7 47 54 1 yr.
Banks, Floyd 12 QB 9 39 39 1 yr.
Sellers, George 6 QB 6 18 39 1 yr.
Dreyer, Darrell 46 RB RB 10 34 37 1 yr.
Owens, Pat 23 RB 1 28 35 3 yrs
Dejesus, Donovan 22 RB 4 27 33 3 yrs
Potts, Rodney 38 FB FB 8 43 47 1 yr.
Diz Pardo, Dennis 86 TE TE 9 53 53 1 yr.
**Lenz, Ben 88 TE 9 44 44 1 yr.
Shue, Malcolm 87 FL FL 6 47 49 1 yr.
Stewart, Ed 84 FL 8 34 34 1 yr.
##Brien, Casey 81 FL 5 23 27 1 yr.
##Fletcher, Austin 85 FL 8 13 17 1 yr.
Marcum, Xavier 83 SE SE 4 43 46 2 yrs
Prescott, Reggie 89 SE 9 40 43 1 yr.
Monroe, James 36 SE 2 20 39 2 yrs
##Brinsfield, Kennedy 82 SE 1 18 38 3 yrs
Rose, Jessie 53 C 2 11 35 2 yrs
Dunn, Rex 50 C 1 8 42 3 yrs
Mills, Kelvin 73 LG LG 2 51 77 4 yrs
Barker, Cole 66 RG RG 4 46 52 2 yrs
##Cailleteau, Earnest 61 RG 4 42 49 2 yrs
Lynch, Norm 58 RG C 3 25 44 1 yr.
Beavers, Ellis 67 RG RT 10 22 24 2 yrs
Meadows, Harvey 75 LT LT 8 56 58 1 yr.
Vega, Lester 60 RT 1 21 49 3 yrs
##Ramon, Marty 79 RT 4 12 18 3 yrs
Perry, Gary 9 P 1 32 40 3 yrs
Walters, Robert 17 K 2 41 46 2 yrs
Barajas, Danny 93 LDE 4 39 49 3 yrs
Nixon, Chester 95 LDE LDE 5 37 47 1 yr.
Franz, Kennedy 71 LDE RDE 1 35 46 3 yrs
**Diaz, Michael 90 LDE 5 29 41 1 yr.
Boyd, Korey 72 LDT NT 3 38 45 2 yrs
Bollman, Jack 96 LDT 7 32 32 1 yr.
Farr, Ethan 78 RDT 7 33 34 1 yr.
Hoffman, Tyrone 59 SILB SILB 12 45 46 2 yrs
Blanchard, Kennedy 94 WILB WILB 8 55 62 1 yr.
Whitehorn, Kent 91 WILB 2 28 46 2 yrs
##Ashcraft, Hugh 97 MLB 3 27 36 1 yr.
Hall, Neil 99 SLB SLB 9 54 54 1 yr.
Ouellette, Cory 55 SLB WLB 7 51 54 1 yr.
Cassidy, Steve 92 SLB 7 38 43 1 yr.
Wheeler, Craig 56 SLB 7 29 41 1 yr.
Haynesworth, Ian 52 SLB 3 28 41 1 yr.
**Hansen, Rusty 54 WLB 6 27 30 1 yr.
Lindell, Alonzo 43 LCB LCB 5 56 56 1 yr.
Schwartz, Alvin 48 LCB 2 44 59 2 yrs
Messina, Amos 34 RCB 5 47 48 1 yr.
Hoover, Adam 41 RCB RCB 1 39 70 5 yrs
Glover, Lorenzo 24 RCB 12 35 42 1 yr.
Fisk, Irving 20 SS SS 12 47 51 1 yr.
Phillips, Spencer 28 FS FS 8 54 54 1 yr.
Looker, Carlos 31 FS 4 48 48 2 yrs
##Miller, Ricardo 26 FS 2 30 52 2 yrs

$$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

Players Under Contract: 55
Inactive: 7
On Active Roster: 46

Salary Cap: $80,600,000
Cap Room: $40,440,000
Maximum for New Player: $40,760,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $540,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $22,250,000


So, we are under the half cap, and ready for the season ahead. We probably are at a max in terms of familiarity – with so much of this team in its third season together, so we probably need to strike while we can this year. Last year, 8-8 – this season, perhaps a playoff berth?

[QuikSand]

2007 Season

We open the season with a stifling defensive effort and a great game from Stockdale to beat defending division champion New England, 17-3. We again get to 3-0, but then lose one – and lose QB Stockdale for 8 weeks with a broken leg. Tough loss.

We get a win in the next week, but lose four more starters to injuries – awful blow. The injuries become pretty absurd as the season wears on, as we are fielding a team with basically two legitimate offensive linemen, and have about six other starters out. For seven straight weeks, we have to rest the OL depth chart because a guy listed as a starter is now out. However, we manage to scrape our way to 9-3, and are in good position for a playoff berth.

We drop our final game, but still finish up at 12-4 – and are already a force to be reckoned with in the postseason.


Front Office Football 2004
2007 Summary for Miami Dolphins

Record: 12-4
Winning Pct.: .750

Miami Dolphins Team Rank
Rushes 508 5
Rushing Yards 1806 16
Yards Per Carry 3.55 27
Pass Attempts 515 18
Completions 332 2
Passing Yards 3774 4
Yards Per Attempt 7.32 5
3rd Down Conversions 45.9 6 (T)
Points Per Game 22.0 4
Turnovers 26 19 (T)
Turnover Margin 0 17 (T)

Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 408 2
Rushing Yards 1748 12
Yards Per Carry 4.28 28 (T)
Pass Attempts 514 17
Completions 264 2
Passing Yards 2849 3
Yards Per Attempt 5.54 2
3rd Down Conversions 36.5 2 (T)
Points Per Game 14.3 1
Turnovers 26 9 (T)

Week Team Versus Oppnt
1 17 NED 3
2 38 DAL 35
3 35 at SDO 7
4 14 at CIN 24
5 38 at BUF 16
6 10 at CLE 13
7 29 PIT 16
9 10 at NED 13
10 24 BAL 21
11 17 NYJ 7
12 13 at PHI 7
13 30 TEN 7
14 30 NYG 20
15 27 at NYJ 14
16 14 at WAS 13
17 7 BUF 13

Passing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
1 Stockdale QB 291 200 2228 7.65 14 7
12 Banks QB 224 132 1546 6.90 7 9
**Team --- 515 332 3774 7.32 21 16

Rushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
46 Dreyer RB 304 1163 3.82 10
23 Owens RB 122 379 3.10 3
22 Dejesus RB 39 154 3.94 3
**Team --- 508 1806 3.55 18

Receiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
87 Shue WR 111 67 784 11.7 154 2
86 Diz Pardo TE 81 59 624 10.5 229 4
83 Marcum WR 95 50 655 13.1 118 4
84 Stewart WR 65 43 595 13.8 88 2
89 Prescott WR 69 41 598 14.5 110 5
46 Dreyer RB 26 20 117 5.8 65 2
88 Lenz TE 28 18 197 10.9 32 0
**Team --- 513 332 3774 11.3 859 21

Defense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
59 Hoffman ILB 67 39 1.0 1 1 7
91 Whitehorn ILB 63 13 0.0 0 0 9
92 Cassidy OLB 56 17 4.0 1 0 4
20 Fisk S 52 22 1.0 0 1 8
72 Boyd DT 43 11 0.5 6 0 0
43 Lindell CB 42 3 0.0 0 3 13
94 Blanchard ILB 40 23 0.0 2 0 10
56 Wheeler OLB 37 10 6.0 0 1 2
48 Schwartz CB 37 12 0.0 0 3 8
28 Phillips S 33 16 0.0 0 2 6
55 Ouellette OLB 31 14 2.0 0 1 4
78 Farr DT 26 9 4.5 5 0 0
31 Looker S 25 9 0.5 1 1 5
24 Glover CB 24 7 0.0 1 0 3
34 Messina CB 23 3 0.0 0 0 6
96 Bollman DT 22 3 6.5 22 0 0
95 Nixon DE 21 19 3.5 11 0 0
26 Miller S 21 5 0.0 0 2 3
41 Hoover CB 16 6 0.0 0 0 3
**Team --- 769 264 36.0 63 15 95


Well, this season we saw a real change with the team. Injuries ravaged us on the offensive line and the whole defense, but we had enough depth to patch over, for the most part. Our running game remained pretty weak, but our passing game was actually much improved – Stockdale had a great half-season, when healthy, and we were very efficient in the air game.

On defense, we yielded a lot more yardage on the ground than last season, but only 14 points a game is not bad at all. 95 passes defensed is solid for a young team, and we got solid pass pressure, too. If we had stuffed the run a bit better, this defense could have carried the team. Forutnately, this year, it didn’t have to.

Well, this is probably our window of opportunity to make a postseaon splash – we will be replacing more than half our starters next year, so we had better make it count.

[QuikSand]

2007 Postseason


Box Score: Cincinnati at Miami
Miami, FL.

Conference Semifinals, 2007

Attendance: 71,200 (74,900).


Weather: 65 degrees, rain.

1Q: 10:32 MIA - Dennis Diz Pardo 3 pass from Malcolm Stockdale.
1Q: 10:32 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
1Q: 04:08 CIN - Kenneth Runyon 63 run.
1Q: 04:08 CIN - Adam Farrell extra point failed.
2Q: 09:57 CIN - Sammie Railey 43 pass from Marty Russell.
2Q: 09:57 CIN - Adam Farrell extra point.
2Q: 01:15 MIA - Darrell Dreyer 2 run.
2Q: 01:15 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.

3Q: 11:14 CIN - Damon Torres 37 pass from Marty Russell.
3Q: 11:14 CIN - Adam Farrell extra point.
3Q: 07:13 MIA - Malcolm Shue 19 pass from Malcolm Stockdale.
3Q: 07:13 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
4Q: 12:58 MIA - Darrell Dreyer 5 pass from Malcolm Stockdale.
4Q: 12:58 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.

Game MVP: MIA 1 Malcolm Stockdale

Cincinnati 6 7 7 0 - 20
Miami 7 7 7 7 - 28

Team Statistics CIN MIA

First Downs 15 22

Total Rushes 30 34
Rushing Yards 173 165
Yards Per Carry 5.7 4.8
Pass Attempts 22 34
Completions 12 24
Passing Yards 202 287
Yards Per Attempt 9.1 8.4
Sacked 2 2
Yards Lost 11 9
Interceptions 0 0
Fumbles/Lost 1/1 0/0

Total Plays 54 70
Total Yards 364 443
Yards Per Play 6.7 6.3

3rd Down Plays 2/10 4/14
Avg. YTG on 3rd 9.4 7.9
4th Down Plays 0/1 1/1

Penalties 4 4
Penalty Yards 20 30

Avg. Drive Start OWN 24 OWN 28
Time Of Possession 24:50 35:10


A very good game for us here – and now we move on to the conference title game, on the road at Denver.


Box Score: Miami at Denver
Denver, CO.

Conference Finals, 2007

Attendance: 75,600 (76,100).


Weather: 19 degrees, fair.

1Q: 11:07 DEN - Melvin Spadaford 3 run.
1Q: 11:07 DEN - Dustin Morrison extra point.
1Q: 00:42 MIA - Dennis Diz Pardo 15 pass from Malcolm Stockdale.
1Q: 00:42 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
2Q: 07:12 DEN - Dustin Morrison 31 field goal.
2Q: 02:09 MIA - Robert Walters 33 field goal.
3Q: 02:13 DEN - Ronnie Oliver 7 pass from Melvin Spadaford.
3Q: 02:13 DEN - Dustin Morrison extra point.
4Q: 07:14 MIA - Robert Walters 38 field goal.
4Q: 01:02 DEN - Dustin Morrison 36 field goal.
4Q: 00:42 MIA - Malcolm Shue 75 pass from Malcolm Stockdale.
4Q: 00:42 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
OT: 07:49 MIA - Robert Walters 51 field goal.

Game MVP: MIA 1 Malcolm Stockdale

Miami 7 3 0 10 3 - 23
Denver 7 3 7 3 0 - 20

Team Statistics MIA DEN

First Downs 16 26

Total Rushes 20 38
Rushing Yards 78 203
Yards Per Carry 3.9 5.3
Pass Attempts 33 37
Completions 22 22
Passing Yards 260 298
Yards Per Attempt 7.8 8.0
Sacked 4 1
Yards Lost 25 9
Interceptions 0 0
Fumbles/Lost 1/0 2/1

Total Plays 57 76
Total Yards 313 492
Yards Per Play 5.4 6.4

3rd Down Plays 3/13 7/14
Avg. YTG on 3rd 6.0 9.4
4th Down Plays 0/0 0/0

Penalties 4 12
Penalty Yards 19 90

Avg. Drive Start OWN 32 OWN 25
Time Of Possession 30:29 36:42


Okay – we are in the big game. One love...


Front Office Championship, 2007

Attendance: 65,100 (65,100).


Weather: 34 degrees, fair.

1Q: 10:50 CHI - Marvin Bolender 25 field goal.
1Q: 03:14 MIA - Robert Walters 32 field goal.
2Q: 12:51 CHI - Lincoln Wilmoth 6 pass from Morris Lukes.
2Q: 12:51 CHI - Marvin Bolender extra point.
2Q: 08:59 MIA - Robert Walters 34 field goal.
3Q: 13:36 MIA - Robert Walters 45 field goal.
3Q: 04:14 MIA - Robert Walters 48 field goal.
4Q: 09:20 MIA - Darrell Dreyer 1 run.
4Q: 09:20 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
4Q: 02:16 CHI - Marvin Bolender 52 field goal.

Game MVP: MIA 1 Malcolm Stockdale

Chicago 3 7 0 3 - 13
Miami 3 3 6 7 - 19

Team Statistics CHI MIA

First Downs 20 18

Total Rushes 26 29
Rushing Yards 99 84
Yards Per Carry 3.8 2.8
Pass Attempts 33 28
Completions 19 20
Passing Yards 198 260
Yards Per Attempt 6.0 9.2
Sacked 1 4
Yards Lost 7 25
Interceptions 1 0
Fumbles/Lost 2/2 0/0

Total Plays 60 61
Total Yards 290 319
Yards Per Play 4.8 5.2

3rd Down Plays 6/12 4/12
Avg. YTG on 3rd 8.1 9.3
4th Down Plays 0/0 0/0

Penalties 7 8
Penalty Yards 55 62

Avg. Drive Start OWN 28 OWN 29
Time Of Possession 27:16 32:44


Well, there we go. Year three was going to be the big one, of course… I had no idea we’d actually be able to finish it off, though. We actually made it through the last three games without losing anyone to serious injury – and that surely helped.

In the title game, we didn’t turn the ball over, and they did. We win. Pretty simple, actually, and almost all it takes to understand the margin of difference.

Oh, one more thing…



w00t!

[Izulde]

Congratulations!

[QuikSand]

Many thanks.

[QuikSand]

2008 Preseason

Okay, on with the show – I remain interested to see just how hard it will be to keep this team, in some reasonable shape, together. So, we will play out another season, let lots of key players walk in search of new fat deals, and see what happens.

No retirements – so some good news. We escape the “one and done” disease this time.

24 players on contract. It’s a skeleton. Our first look through the contract demands reaffirms my guess – we’re going to lose nearly everyone. We just don’t have much cap space to work with, and even the cost of a minsal deal for an older player – at $800K or so, is probably too pricey.

Interestingly enough, QB Malcolm Stockdale isn’t looking for big money, really. Only about $2.5m per year. It would be very tough to swing it, but there is at least some chance we could make that work, especially if he does not get pursued by another team.


I also have a sense that we just won’t be able to afford the veteran position leaders like I had hoped. Paying a bum like WR Austin Fletcher $770K this year just won’t work, I don’t think. So, we will probably be rebuilding all of that as well in most areas.


LB Kennedy Blanchard, no surprise, is the first to go – for good money. But he’s our only player who goes in the early FA stages. We replace him with young free agent LB Lester Bullock, a solid run-stopper who should do well in our coverage scheme.

We simply are not going to be able to afford expensive backups in this career – that’s becoming clear. I look at CB, where we have Schwartz and Hoover as our starters (Schwartz in his final season) and figure that maybe one more guy is all we can really spend money on there. I’ll try to land a cheap veteran, and we’ll go with a draft pick or two as roster fillers – that’s the best we can manage.

We build, step by step, toward 46 veteran players. I bring back a number of familiar faces thankfully, but many will be completely new. I am still harboring the fantasy of re-signing QB Malcolm Stockdale – his demands are now around $2 million a year, and a three year deal to that effect would give us an awful lot of stability. I think we have to try to fit him in, even if it means three or four veterans we go without elsewhere (which it will).

In week 19 of the FA process, I get in a qualifying offer to QB Malcolm Stockdale, for four years at $1.9m per season. He gets $1.6m up front, and there is no escalation – so we ought to remain affordable through the term. Biggest issue will be injuries, of course, but I’m hoping his problems last season were isolated. I think this is a big decision for us, and hopefully it will give us some real stability going forward.

We have 45 players signed, and about $2.2m in cap space – we are in better shape than I had imagined, actually. I kept finding young players to sign, and the economies of signing 3rd and 4t year guys are significant. My last deal is with WR Malcolm Shue, who has been a reliable target for Stockdale, and figures to keep progressing in the years ahead – he gets a solid three year deal.

I also put in a bonus-free offer to S Spencer Phillips – he’ll be a cut if we have to, but it would be nice to bring him back to our secondary if we can. This contract makes that feasible.


In the draft, we have several slots we must fill – a center (again), a fullback, and probably at least one defensive lineman. We also lack a true left tackle on the team, though we have options even without one on hand. But we are not painted into a corner, at least, by massive roster gaps. With our pick at 1(32), we expect to just grab the best player available, and use the next several selections to try to fill in our immediate gaps.

I’m not wild about anyone left at 1(32), but go for need with T Warren Farr. Not a combine standout, but he looks like he ought to be pretty solid as a pass blocker for us.


Pick Pos Player Board Dash Sole Strg Agil Vol Draft After PostCamp
1.32 RT Warren Farr 5.2 5.20 26 28 7.62+ 92 28/62 26/57 29/53 LT
2.32 C Benjamin Givens 5.8 5.25 42+ 25 7.66+ 99 21/70 21/70 25/65
3.32 NT Bo Ivy 4.1 5.01 22 26 7.45+ 55 21/50 21/47 22/45
4.32 FB Danny Stanton 3.8 4.75 29 15 7.53 26 21/45 20/43 22/40
5.32 C Byron Conway 4.5 5.22 20 26 7.91 18 23/54 23/52 25/50
6.32 SLB Horace Barber 3.6 4.79 20 16 7.49 71 17/43 16/37 16/31
Mr.I RB Darren Diaz 3.4 4.85 43+ 10 7.23 44 26/37 25/34 25/31


I made a big mistake in round three – there was a great fullback there, and I gambled that he’d fall to round four. He did not.

We fill in spots we needed to, however, and get a number of guys who ought to provide some solid depth for us.


When we have all buy pick 6(32) signed, I see that we are just slightly over our self-imposed salary cap. I decide to release RB Donovan Dejesus – we have signed K.C. Hausermann, and Hausermann seems like a slightly better version of Dejesus already, and probably takes the top spot at RB for us this year.

However, we are still $130K over the salary cap – we will need to cut someone else by the start of preseason. We release WR Brinsfield, and pare down to 52 players for the season ahead. Here is the roster, as we prepare for week one of our title defense.


Front Office Football 2004
Miami Dolphins Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Stockdale, Malcolm 1 QB QB 8 50 54 4 yrs
Kazadi, Mario 7 QB 5 34 52 3 yrs
Sellers, George 6 QB 7 21 40 3 yrs
Hausermann, K.C. 44 RB RB 5 35 36 3 yrs
Owens, Pat 23 RB 2 28 33 2 yrs
Diaz, Darren 45 RB 1 26 31 3 yrs
Stanton, Danny 21 FB FB 1 23 40 3 yrs
Diz Pardo, Dennis 86 TE TE 10 53 53 3 yrs
Henley, Lonnie 4 TE 7 50 50 3 yrs
Shue, Malcolm 87 FL FL 7 47 49 3 yrs
Womble, Carlton 80 FL 3 45 50 3 yrs
Brien, Casey 81 FL 6 24 29 3 yrs
Hodges, Dustin 18 SE 3 50 50 3 yrs
Marcum, Xavier 83 SE SE 5 46 46 1 yr.
Monroe, James 36 SE 3 22 38 1 yr.
Givens, Benjamin 53 C C 1 26 65 3 yrs
Conway, Byron 57 C 1 25 50 3 yrs
Dunn, Rex 50 C 2 12 41 2 yrs
Mills, Kelvin 73 LG LG 3 65 75 3 yrs
Barker, Cole 66 RG RG 5 51 51 1 yr.
Cailleteau, Earnest 61 RG 5 36 38 1 yr.
Beavers, Ellis 67 RG 11 17 18 1 yr.
Farr, Warren 76 LT LT 1 30 53 4 yrs
Bensen, Tito 65 RT 3 35 45 2 yrs
Vega, Lester 60 RT RT 2 27 46 2 yrs
Ramon, Marty 79 RT 5 14 19 2 yrs
Perry, Gary 9 P 2 35 36 2 yrs
Walters, Robert 17 K 3 43 45 1 yr.
Barajas, Danny 93 LDE LDE 5 43 49 2 yrs
Franz, Kennedy 71 LDE 2 41 48 2 yrs
Tanner, Ricardo 77 RDE RDE 3 27 44 3 yrs
Boyd, Korey 72 LDT NT 4 43 44 1 yr.
Bollman, Jack 96 LDT 8 31 31 3 yrs
Farr, Ethan 78 RDT 8 34 36 3 yrs
Ivy, Bo 94 NT 1 23 45 3 yrs
Hoffman, Tyrone 59 SILB SILB 13 42 42 1 yr.
Whitehorn, Kent 91 WILB WLB 3 32 42 1 yr.
Ashcraft, Hugh 97 MLB 4 29 36 3 yrs
Ouellette, Cory 55 SLB SLB 8 51 53 3 yrs
Mason, Drew 98 SLB 3 40 48 3 yrs
Wheeler, Craig 56 SLB 8 34 40 3 yrs
Haynesworth, Ian 52 SLB 4 31 41 3 yrs
Barber, Horace 68 SLB 1 17 31 3 yrs
Bullock, Lester 51 WLB WILB 3 50 50 3 yrs
Schwartz, Alvin 48 LCB LCB 3 58 58 1 yr.
Hoover, Adam 41 RCB RCB 2 54 70 4 yrs
Mazur, Edward 47 RCB 8 37 41 3 yrs
Carr, John 29 RCB 3 36 50 3 yrs
McCleary, Rex 35 SS 3 38 44 3 yrs
Phillips, Spencer 28 FS FS 9 53 53 3 yrs
Looker, Carlos 31 FS SS 5 52 52 1 yr.
Miller, Ricardo 26 FS 3 48 59 1 yr.

$$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

Players Under Contract: 52
Inactive: 0
On Active Roster: 52

Salary Cap: $80,600,000
Cap Room: $40,570,000
Maximum for New Player: $40,570,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $110,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $90,000
Cap Room Required Next Year: $33,860,000

[QuikSand]

2008 Season

We have, actually, a remarkable number of returning players aboard – a lot more than I had expected. DT Korey Boyd just barely held on to his job, but he’s back in the middle for us on defense, and we have a pretty decent group everywhere. We are not deep – a couple serious injuries could really hurt us nearly anywhere – but right now, we look okay. Our roster rating has leapt up to 27 – with five teams lower than us, even.

I think we are probably a solid team all told – but I don’t know if we can manage another year like last season. If Stockdale can stay healthy, we will be passing more than last season – as now I think our personnel there is actually pretty strong. On defense, we hope that the turnover doesn’t mess us up, and that we will be back as an above average unit once again.


In our opening game, we get pounded by the Jets. Bad sign. And QB Malcolm Stockdale is hurt – another bad sign. We sit him for a couple weeks hoping to get him back to 100% to avoid a long term problem. After one more game, we have lost both our starting tackles (one for the year) – so the OL woes go on once again.

We struggle to a 3-3 start, not exactly defending champion stuff. But we get two good wins to start looking sharp again, and get our rookie left tackle back, also. We work our way to 7-3, and are managing to get through our continuing injury woes – now we will be without QB Stockdale again for a while. Bad sign – he certainly does seem to be injury-prone.

At 9-3, we are chasing 10-2 Tennessee for thee top spot in the AFC, but are in good shape for a postseason berth at least, with our division all but wrapped up. We are, quite literally, reshuffling the lineup every single week, as a new player slides to “out” – usually two or three every game week. But so far, we keep winning – and run out the string to finish the season with a 10-game streak, securing the all-important bye week at 13-3.


Front Office Football 2004
2008 Summary for Miami Dolphins

Record: 13-3
Winning Pct.: .812

Miami Dolphins Team Rank
Rushes 476 10
Rushing Yards 1999 8
Yards Per Carry 4.19 9
Pass Attempts 520 13 (T)
Completions 315 6 (T)
Passing Yards 3313 14
Yards Per Attempt 6.37 14
3rd Down Conversions 36.9 24 (T)
Points Per Game 21.6 7
Turnovers 22 10 (T)
Turnover Margin +9 4 (T)

Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 421 4
Rushing Yards 1697 8
Yards Per Carry 4.03 21
Pass Attempts 539 26
Completions 259 3
Passing Yards 2710 2
Yards Per Attempt 5.02 1
3rd Down Conversions 35.5 2
Points Per Game 13.6 1
Turnovers 31 5 (T)

Week Team Versus Oppnt
1 7 at NYJ 31
2 19 at SFO 14
3 19 at TEN 21
4 13 BUF 3
5 31 at SDO 24
6 6 DEN 19
8 41 at KCY 3
9 24 OAK 13
10 27 at NED 9
11 35 NYJ 9
12 24 ARI 17
13 20 CIN 10
14 23 at STL 20
15 24 at BUF 13
16 10 SEA 6
17 24 NED 6

Passing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
1 Stockdale QB 293 185 1906 6.50 14 7
7 Kazadi QB 199 115 1216 6.11 7 4
**Team --- 520 315 3313 6.37 23 12

Rushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
44 Hausermann RB 299 1406 4.70 12
23 Owens RB 130 445 3.42 1
**Team --- 476 1999 4.19 14

Receiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
86 Diz Pardo TE 87 59 510 8.6 181 4
83 Marcum WR 92 58 719 12.3 113 4
80 Womble WR 75 45 571 12.6 63 3
87 Shue WR 82 40 468 11.7 89 2
18 Hodges WR 62 36 475 13.1 110 4
4 Henley TE 41 25 225 9.0 64 3
45 Diaz RB 26 20 157 7.8 20 1
**Team --- 519 315 3313 10.5 730 23

Defense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
51 Bullock OLB 79 32 1.5 1 1 6
31 Looker S 74 16 0.0 0 5 8
59 Hoffman ILB 62 30 0.0 1 1 2
55 Ouellette OLB 59 21 8.0 9 1 4
28 Phillips S 56 24 0.0 0 2 8
41 Hoover CB 50 22 0.0 0 4 24
91 Whitehorn ILB 46 18 0.5 0 0 5
48 Schwartz CB 38 11 0.0 0 3 11
78 Farr DT 32 11 3.5 7 0 1
47 Mazur CB 31 7 0.0 0 0 7
26 Miller S 26 15 0.0 0 1 11
77 Tanner DE 23 9 4.0 6 0 0
29 Carr CB 23 8 0.0 0 1 5
72 Boyd DT 22 13 1.5 6 0 1
52 Haynesworth OLB 22 1 2.0 0 0 2
96 Bollman DT 18 5 8.0 15 0 0
93 Barajas DE 18 4 5.0 12 0 0
**Team --- 786 271 38.0 73 20 97


So, a great run to finish the season. Defensively, our secondary was great, especially CB Hoover. We love what we’re getting from the guys back there – and we were the #1 passing defense in the league (in yards per attempt). Our rotation at DL seemed okay, and we will be fine without Boyd in the middle next year, assuming he leaves for a new deal elsewhere. The LB group got depleted, but did okay with any combination of bodies.

On offense, we ran with Hausermann better than ever – with G Kelvin Mills (our top paid player) racking up 41 key run blocks and a strong bet for all-pro consideration. The line played very well this season, and that was the key to having everything work out so well no matter who was running or passing.

Looking ahead, we get a week off to rest up, and have the #2 seed – so we may have to travel to Tennessee in the conference title game if we make it that far. We’ll try to stay healthy, and show up to play in the big games ahead.

[QuikSand]

2008 Postseason

10-6 Oakland wins their wild card game to get onto our dance card – we are 8 point favorites at home in our opener.


Box Score: Oakland at Miami
Miami, FL.

Conference Semifinals, 2008

Attendance: 74,200 (74,900).


Weather: 63 degrees, fair.

1Q: 05:07 OAK - Jackie Horton 29 pass from Arnie Hatcher.
1Q: 05:07 OAK - Darryl Dittoe extra point.
2Q: 10:50 MIA - Malcolm Shue 9 pass from Malcolm Stockdale.
2Q: 10:50 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
2Q: 00:31 MIA - K.C. Hausermann 1 run.
2Q: 00:31 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
2Q: 00:01 MIA - Robert Walters 36 field goal.

Game MVP: MIA 44 K.C. Hausermann

Oakland 7 0 0 0 - 7
Miami 0 17 0 0 - 17

Team Statistics OAK MIA

First Downs 10 22

Total Rushes 21 44
Rushing Yards 84 157
Yards Per Carry 4.0 3.5
Pass Attempts 23 36
Completions 9 15
Passing Yards 156 171
Yards Per Attempt 6.7 4.7
Sacked 4 3
Yards Lost 36 19
Interceptions 2 2
Fumbles/Lost 2/1 0/0

Total Plays 48 83
Total Yards 204 309
Yards Per Play 4.2 3.7

3rd Down Plays 2/11 7/17
Avg. YTG on 3rd 12.5 7.1
4th Down Plays 0/0 2/2

Penalties 9 8
Penalty Yards 75 55

Avg. Drive Start OWN 26 OWN 36
Time Of Possession 23:33 36:27


Not a great showing on offense, but we kept them in check all day, and earn our ticket to…Miami, where we will play host to Cinti, who upset the Titans. Good news for us, and for our ticket revenue!

We will, however, be without Malcolm Stockdale, who hurt his knee and is listed as our for four weeks – so effectively we have seen the last of him. We’ll go to Mario Kazadi, a decent enough backup and capable guy to get the chance for us.


Box Score: Cincinnati at Miami
Miami, FL.

Conference Finals, 2008

Attendance: 74,200 (74,900).


Weather: 86 degrees, fair.

1Q: 07:21 CIN - Raymond Heyer 15 pass from Marty Russell.
1Q: 07:21 CIN - Hugh Hitchcock extra point.
2Q: 10:19 CIN - Raymond Heyer 33 pass from Marty Russell.
2Q: 10:19 CIN - Hugh Hitchcock extra point.
2Q: 00:22 MIA - K.C. Hausermann 1 run.
2Q: 00:22 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
3Q: 11:53 MIA - Dennis Diz Pardo 14 pass from Mario Kazadi.
3Q: 11:53 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
3Q: 07:35 CIN - Kenneth Runyon 5 pass from Marty Russell.
3Q: 07:35 CIN - Hugh Hitchcock extra point.
4Q: 14:16 MIA - Robert Walters 42 field goal.
4Q: 04:23 CIN - Tony Logsdon 12 pass from Marty Russell.
4Q: 04:23 CIN - Hugh Hitchcock extra point.

Game MVP: CIN 10 Marty Russell

Cincinnati 7 7 7 7 - 28
Miami 0 7 7 3 - 17

Team Statistics CIN MIA

First Downs 22 16

Total Rushes 43 21
Rushing Yards 167 77
Yards Per Carry 3.8 3.6
Pass Attempts 28 38
Completions 20 14
Passing Yards 207 225
Yards Per Attempt 7.3 5.9
Sacked 4 0
Yards Lost 26 0
Interceptions 1 4
Fumbles/Lost 0/0 3/1

Total Plays 75 59
Total Yards 348 302
Yards Per Play 4.6 5.1

3rd Down Plays 8/17 3/11
Avg. YTG on 3rd 8.2 7.3
4th Down Plays 0/0 0/0

Penalties 4 5
Penalty Yards 25 41

Avg. Drive Start OWN 34 OWN 33
Time Of Possession 38:11 21:49



So, it’s over – nice win for the Bengals, who really handle us here. They go on and beat Dallas in the title game, to get their first.

G Kelvin Mills indeed receives first team honors, as does P Gary Perry (who had to do part time kicking duties as well, explaining the award).

Good season – it has to be disappointing to fall from the top spot, but it’s hard to complain with this season all told.

We end the season with a litany of injuries – we’ll see who comes back intact for next year:


Injury Report:
Korey Boyd, LDT - Strained Elbow Tendon, Probable, full strength in 2009.
Lester Vega, RT - Torn Biceps Muscle, Probable, full strength in 2009.
Alvin Schwartz, LCB - Sprained Neck, Probable, full strength in 2009.
Malcolm Stockdale, QB - Hyperextended Knee, Doubtful, full strength in 2009.
Malcolm Shue, FL - Torn Thumb Ligament, Questionable, full strength in 2009.
Carlos Looker, FS - Sprained Lateral Knee Ligament, Questionable, full strength in 2009.
Drew Mason, SLB - High Ankle Sprain, Out, full strength in 2009.
Craig Wheeler, SLB - MCL Damage to the Knee, Out, full strength in 2009.
John Carr, RCB - MCL Damage to the Knee, Out, full strength in late 2009.
Cole Barker, RG - Compound Leg Fracture, Out, full strength in 2010.
Carlton Womble, FL - MCL Knee Surgery, Out, full strength in 2010.
Jack Bollman, LDT - Strained Hamstring, Probable, return to full strength unknown.

[cthomer5000]

Any early thoughts on the challenge as a whole?

[QuikSand]

I was surprised at how many of my key players I was able to keep, even beyond year three (the real reckoning, since so many guys were out of contract). So, compared to my recent minsal challenge, this is easier in that particular respect.

I also will soon be "cycling" my top draft picks -- ridding myself of one big contract at about the same time I take one on... so that ought to level off shortly. So, I think it's a bit to soon to say.

I am enjoying the cap management challenges, of course, but I'm a little disappointed with the initial success. Having a QB start to play well made a big difference for me. Maybe having the same QB start to become unrealiable due to injury will swing the pendulum back the other way.

I expect to log at least one more season with it...

[cthomer5000]

I'm really just not sure that there can be a "holy grail." I mean, this is a ridiculously oppressive set of rules as-is and you won the title in year 3 and lost the conference title game in year 4. I can't imagine it would take more than 1 more year of sustained success to show that the game is still totally beatable under these rules.

[nfg22]

Heh...How many titles can you win in a row without any restrictions, you are pretty good at this game and I love reading your challenges.

[QuikSand]

Heh...How many titles can you win in a row without any restrictions, you are pretty good at this game and I love reading your challenges.

Don't know, I usually get bored with any career where my team rises to the top and stays there. I remember playing a career in FOF 2004 where we won an obscene number of titles with QB Mel Copeland... but I don't know how many in a row we won there. (edit -- looked it up (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?t=26966&page=4), maxed out at 4 in a row, but 13 titles in 18 seasons)

I haven't really played a long term, all-out career since... maybe FOF2?

But thanks for the compliment.

[QuikSand]

2009 Offseason

We lose LB Tyrone Hoffman to retirement – a meaningful loss, as he was among our only linebackers who stayed healthy last year (starting 15 games). And we still have three injured players – guys who will be eating salary but not solid food, it looks like – well, only two are signed, and the total is only about $1.1 million.

However, we do have 40 players signed to contracts right now, and a little over $3 million in cap space – so I think we are actually in pretty decent shape for the coming season.

CB Alvin Schwartz, WR Xavier Marcum, DT Korey Boyd, and S Carlos Looker are the biggest names without deals – and I expect to get maybe one of those guys back this season. CB Schwartz is almost impossible to get back, as he’s expecting a deal for $5m a year or so. WR Marcum is our position leader, so his loss might have dire consequences. We have offensive line issues as well, starting with position leader Ellis Beavers.

We don’t make any early FA moves, and none of our players get pursued right away. My biggest re-signing target is S Looker, who looks affordable. The rest will have to wait, it seems.


We have to outbid Indy for S Carlos Looker, but we get it done, returning a valuable starter. Young S Ricardo Miller is definitely a goner, and Spencer Philips might be a cap casualty, so we need to return Looker for certain. New three year deal, solid.

DT Korey Boyd gets signed away, no surprise. I’d have made him an offer in the late stages, but he got over $1m a year – more than we could afford anyway.


I give up on WR Marcum, and will be rebuilding the WR corps around a new position leader, FL Malcolm Shue. We now have all three offensive position groups in sync (leaders all Sagittariuses) so there are opportunities for strong QB tie-ins as well (both Stockdale and Sellers will have triple affinities). This costs a few veterans their jobs, of course, but we needed to clear cap space anyway. WR Jack McWilliams and TE Wayne Knickerbocker are key additions to the new look receiving corps.


My biggest worry as we wrap up free agency is linebackers – I don’t know if we are deep enough there to maintain the 3-4 front. DE Ricardo Tanner dropped back and played some last year (he’s a solid run stopper) so we have options, but this is a concern. I put in an offer to DE Russell Meseck, a guy poorly suited to play DE, but a great run stopper and an ideal candidate to play for us at DT/NT. His addition gives us a lot more flexibility up front – but his price tag of $1.05m per year will cause a strain.

We get to the draft with 49 player signed, and about $3m over the cap. There will be cuts, no doubt – we’ll have to decide where after seeing the rookie additions.


In the draft, I am looking for defensive help primarily – either at LB or CB would be ideal. I have my eye on a pair of cornerbacks from Mississippi State, both would make nice 2nd or 3rd round picks. I’d like to see one of the top linebackers at 1(27) to kick off a solid draft.

However, LBs go with picks 23, 24, and 25… leaving the cupboard nearly bare there by our pick at 27. While I still like my sleeper guys at CB, the best player available, for us, at this point is the fleet-footed CB Skip Williams from Purdue, and we grab him.

One of my Miss State corners goes at 2(25), so I just miss out there. I go after the other guy, Allen Slocumb, with my pick, getting a potential breakout corner here for value.



Pick Pos Player Board Dash Sole Strg Agil Vol Draft After PostCamp
1.27 CB Skip Williams 5.0 4.46 48++ 13 6.74++ 7 27/58 29/56
2.27 CB Allen Slocumb 4.1 4.39++ 35+ 21++ 6.87+ 97 32/45 38/54
3.27 MLB Bongo Brinsfield 4.7 4.83 22 22 7.45 89 30/52 31/46
4.27 FB Teddy Oliver 4.4 4.73 17 14 7.41 58 25/52 25/47
5.27 SS Bart Humphrey 3.5 4.55 26 13 6.88++ 44 21/41 23/36
6.27 WR Jeff Sweeney 2.8 4.39++ 15 10 7.00+ 4 19/33 21/35
7.27 P Terrence Rivers 47/73 47/65


LB “Bongo” Brinsfield is the most ready-to-play linebacker available, and an affinity guy – plus, with that name, you can’t help but like him. FB Oliver is a powerful run blocker, and might be a better fit for our system than our current starter. S Humphrey is a hopeful breakout with decent skills and a good eye for the ball anyway. WR Jeff Sweeney has great speed, and not much else.

After camp – two things. We are $3m over our self-imposed cap, which is a problem. And, we have RB KC Hausermann is holding out after his 1,400 yards season. So, he will be a candidate for a cut, since we cannot renegotiate.


During preseason, RB K.C. Hausermann decides to return to the team, so he resolves our “who to cut” issue there. We end up paring down four players to get under our limit… and are ready for the season.


Front Office Football 2004
Miami Dolphins Roster, Contract View

Player # Pos Start OnTm EndCnt Exp Cap Cost Save if Rls
Stockdale, Malcolm 1 QB QB 2005 2011 9 $1,900,000 $1,500,000
Sellers, George 6 QB 2005 2010 8 $660,000 $660,000
Kazadi, Mario 7 QB 2008 2010 6 $540,000 $540,000
Hausermann, K.C. 44 RB RB 2008 2010 6 $600,000 $600,000
Owens, Pat 23 RB 2007 2009 3 $560,000 $500,000
Diaz, Darren 45 RB 2008 2010 2 $370,000 $370,000
Oliver, Teddy 25 FB FB 2009 2011 1 $340,000 $260,000
Diz Pardo, Dennis 86 TE 2005 2010 11 $840,000 $760,000
Knickerbocker, Wayne 88 TE TE 2009 2011 11 $760,000 $760,000
McWilliams, Jack 85 FL 2009 2011 9 $720,000 $700,000
Shue, Malcolm 87 FL FL 2005 2010 8 $1,350,000 $1,000,000
**Womble, Carlton 80 FL 2008 2010 4 $620,000 $600,000
Gardner, Ellis 84 FL 2009 2011 3 $500,000 $500,000
Hodges, Dustin 18 SE SE 2008 2010 4 $640,000 $550,000
Sweeney, Jeff 81 SE 2009 2011 1 $280,000 $260,000
Cole, Britt 59 C 2009 2011 4 $460,000 $460,000
Givens, Benjamin 53 C C 2008 2010 2 $870,000 $510,000
Conway, Byron 57 C 2008 2010 2 $410,000 $370,000
Ramirez, Lewis 62 LG RG 2009 2011 6 $540,000 $540,000
Mills, Kelvin 73 LG LG 2006 2010 4 $5,130,000 $2,140,000
##Beavers, Ellis 67 RG 2005 2011 12 $760,000 $760,000
Farr, Warren 76 LT LT 2008 2011 2 $1,480,000 $860,000
Bensen, Tito 65 RT RT 2008 2009 4 $460,000 $460,000
Vega, Lester 60 RT 2007 2009 3 $1,020,000 $660,000
Rivers, Terrance 4 P 2009 2011 1 $260,000 $260,000
Walters, Robert 17 K 2006 2011 4 $460,000 $460,000
Meseck, Russell 74 LDE NT 2009 2011 8 $1,050,000 $1,050,000
Barajas, Danny 93 LDE 2005 2009 6 $570,000 $550,000
Franz, Kennedy 71 LDE LDE 2007 2009 3 $690,000 $520,000
Tanner, Ricardo 77 RDE RDE 2008 2010 4 $470,000 $460,000
Bollman, Jack 96 LDT 2005 2010 9 $660,000 $660,000
Farr, Ethan 78 RDT 2005 2010 9 $720,000 $700,000
Ivy, Bo 94 NT 2008 2010 2 $570,000 $400,000
Whitehorn, Kent 91 WILB WILB 2006 2011 4 $600,000 $550,000
##Ashcraft, Hugh 97 MLB 2005 2010 5 $540,000 $540,000
Brinsfield, Bongo 95 MLB 2009 2011 1 $430,000 $260,000
Ouellette, Cory 55 SLB SLB 2005 2010 9 $850,000 $800,000
Wheeler, Craig 56 SLB 2005 2010 9 $690,000 $660,000
Haynesworth, Ian 52 SLB 2005 2010 5 $540,000 $540,000
Mason, Drew 98 SLB WLB 2008 2010 4 $480,000 $460,000
Bullock, Lester 51 WLB SILB 2008 2010 4 $600,000 $550,000
Slocumb, Allen 30 LCB SS 2009 2012 1 $770,000 $350,000
Williams, Skip 42 LCB LCB 2009 2012 1 $1,210,000 $540,000
Brewer, Damon 24 RCB 2009 2011 10 $660,000 $660,000
##Mazur, Edward 47 RCB 2008 2010 9 $750,000 $750,000
Carr, John 29 RCB 2008 2010 4 $520,000 $500,000
Hoover, Adam 41 RCB RCB 2007 2011 3 $2,450,000 $1,290,000
McCleary, Rex 35 SS 2008 2010 4 $480,000 $460,000
Humphrey, Bart 43 SS 2009 2011 1 $300,000 $260,000
Looker, Carlos 31 FS FS 2006 2011 6 $700,000 $600,000

$$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

Players Under Contract: 50
Inactive: 3
On Active Roster: 46

Salary Cap: $80,600,000
Cap Room: $40,550,000
Maximum for New Player: $40,550,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $220,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $110,000
Cap Room Required Next Year: $40,420,000


So, we’re ready to go. Our roster rating is 22, again with a handful of teams below us. We should again overcome that, and hopefully put together a solid season once again. We got a little breakout from reserve QB Mario Kazadi, giving us a little more security with the offense. And we love rookie DB Allen Slocumb, who will start right away at strong safety. We’ll see how well we can do.

[QuikSand]

2009 Season

We start off 3-0 – a nice improvement, considering we have been prone to slow beginnings in recent years (last season we started 3-3, only to finish 13-3). We get to 5-0-1 with one tie against new England, but now we are feeling the injury bug – two starters from both the offensive and defensive lines gone for the year, that hurts.

Still unbeaten (one tie) at our halfway point, we are shaping up pretty well, despite the injury problems. Our passing game is pretty strong, with WR Dustin Hodges really taking the role as Stockdale’s top target, posting 554 yards and 5 TD in 8 games. RB Hausermann has good numbers, but just went down with an injury for a couple of weeks.

We lose our next two games, though, both at home – and lose LG Kelvin Mills in the process. That’s a tough loss for us. We drop two more in a row, and suddenly we are completely floundering.

Getting Housermann back seems to help, as we win two of three, but at 9-5-1, we are battling for a wild card now behind New England. The Hausermann goes down again, and I am very worried. We get the win we needed in our finale to finish with 10 ½ wins, and that’s enough for a postseason berth, at least.


Front Office Football 2004
2009 Summary for Miami Dolphins

Record: 11-6-1
Winning Pct.: .638

Miami Dolphins Team Rank
Rushes 419 26 (T)
Rushing Yards 1571 29
Yards Per Carry 3.74 27
Pass Attempts 545 11
Completions 333 4
Passing Yards 3849 2
Yards Per Attempt 7.06 10
3rd Down Conversions 36.1 26
Points Per Game 16.9 23
Turnovers 25 17
Turnover Margin -1 15

Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 437 13
Rushing Yards 1597 3 (T)
Yards Per Carry 3.65 2 (T)
Pass Attempts 560 30
Completions 335 29 (T)
Passing Yards 3362 15
Yards Per Attempt 6.00 5
3rd Down Conversions 35.4 2
Points Per Game 14.3 2
Turnovers 24 16 (T)

Week Team Versus Oppnt
1 7 BUF 3
2 28 TBY 10
3 27 OAK 13
4 16 NED 16
5 20 at JAX 16
6 16 TEN 14
7 21 at BUF 20
8 21 at IND 13
10 13 HOU 19
11 3 NYJ 10
12 9 at CAR 17
13 10 at CIN 17
14 23 at ATL 10
15 21 at NED 34
16 16 NOS 0
17 20 at NYJ 17

Passing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
1 Stockdale QB 543 332 3846 7.08 20 17
**Team --- 545 333 3849 7.06 20 17

Rushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
23 Owens RB 197 553 2.80 1
44 Hausermann RB 155 704 4.54 3
**Team --- 419 1571 3.74 7

Receiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
18 Hodges WR 137 80 1116 13.9 308 7
87 Shue WR 104 59 777 13.1 173 4
85 McWilliams WR 81 51 701 13.7 111 2
88 Knickerbocker TE 57 43 422 9.8 77 2
86 Diz Pardo TE 59 34 292 8.5 84 0
84 Gardner WR 32 20 208 10.4 35 1
44 Hausermann RB 22 16 86 5.3 57 1
**Team --- 545 333 3849 11.5 927 20

Defense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
51 Bullock OLB 106 34 3.5 1 2 1
91 Whitehorn ILB 101 30 0.0 1 0 8
31 Looker S 78 32 1.0 0 3 11
30 Slocumb CB 73 35 0.5 0 2 11
42 Williams CB 55 13 2.0 0 4 8
55 Ouellette OLB 54 18 5.5 5 0 8
41 Hoover CB 52 26 0.0 0 2 11
74 Meseck DE 41 17 1.0 5 0 0
29 Carr CB 38 9 0.0 0 0 8
71 Franz DE 36 13 10.0 29 0 0
77 Tanner DE 30 8 7.0 9 0 0
56 Wheeler OLB 28 17 1.5 0 0 2
98 Mason OLB 27 9 0.0 0 0 2
52 Haynesworth OLB 23 8 3.0 5 1 1
78 Farr DT 19 9 3.5 3 0 0
95 Brinsfield ILB 19 8 0.0 0 0 1
24 Brewer CB 17 5 0.0 1 0 2
**Team --- 877 298 41.0 67 16 77


Well, as dismissive of the importance of running backs as I can be, this team just was not the same getting 2.8 yards/carry from Owens as we were getting 4.5 yards/carry from Hausermann. Plain and simple. And Hausermann is listed as out for 3 weeks – so we are in hot water for the playoffs.

WR Dustin Hodges had the best WR season we have seen on this team, and topped the 1,000-yard mark for the first time. Stockdale was solid, but he did tick up in his mistakes this year, regrettably.

Our defense, though – can’t complain. Top five in yards per play against the run and the pass. We even caused a fair number of turnovers, though that isn‘t our strong suit. Great effort. LBs Bullock and Whitehorn stayed healthy in the middle – that means a lot to this defense. DE Kennedy Franz stepped up as our best pass rusher, and had maybe the best season we have gotten from the DE slot on this team. Good contract year effort for him – he’ll get big bucks, I expect.


From: Personnel Department

Injury Report:
Dennis Diz Pardo, TE, is now 100%.
Tito Bensen, RT, is now 100%.
Lewis Ramirez, LG - Bruised Ribcage, Probable, full strength in about 1 week.
Lester Vega, RT - Elbow Bursitis, Probable, full strength in about 1 week.
Ellis Beavers, RG - Sprained Knee, Questionable, full strength in about 2 weeks.
Carlos Looker, FS - Broken Finger, Probable, full strength in about 2 weeks.
Ian Haynesworth, SLB - Broken Nose, Probable, full strength in about 2 weeks.
Drew Mason, SLB - Hyperextended Knee, Questionable, full strength in about 2 weeks.
Lester Bullock, WLB - Sprained Knee, Questionable, full strength in about 2 weeks.
K.C. Hausermann, RB - Strained Calf Muscle, Out, full strength in about 3 weeks.
Dustin Hodges, SE - Sprained Thumb, Probable, full strength in about 3 weeks.
Craig Wheeler, SLB - Separated Shoulder, Out, full strength in 2010.
Jack Bollman, LDT - Shoulder Surgery, Out, full strength in 2010.
Danny Barajas, LDE - Plantar Fasciitis, Out, full strength in 2010.
Malcolm Shue, FL - Severe Hamstring Pull, Out, full strength in 2010.
Hugh Ashcraft, MLB - MCL Damage to the Knee, Out, full strength in 2010.
Carlton Womble, FL - MCL Knee Surgery, Out, full strength in 2010.


There’s our injury snapshot for the wild card week. We’ll be playing a lot of injured guys, but can’t get RB Hausermann of WR Shue ready in time, regrettably. Our offense will have one arm tied behind its back, I fear.

[QuikSand]

2009 Postseason

We are on the road at Pittsburgh for our opener – a longer road than we have had to travel in recent seasons:


Box Score: Miami at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA.

Wild Card Playoff Games, 2009

Attendance: 58,700 (64,500).


Weather: 36 degrees, fair.

2Q: 11:15 MIA - Edward Mazur 51 interception return.
2Q: 11:15 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
2Q: 05:03 MIA - Jack McWilliams 2 pass from Malcolm Stockdale.
2Q: 05:03 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
2Q: 02:23 MIA - Ellis Gardner 26 pass from Malcolm Stockdale.
2Q: 02:23 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
3Q: 11:43 PIT - Neil Wallace 33 field goal.
3Q: 04:39 MIA - Dustin Hodges 6 pass from Malcolm Stockdale.
3Q: 04:39 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.

Game MVP: MIA 1 Malcolm Stockdale

Miami 0 21 7 0 - 28
Pittsburgh 0 0 3 0 - 3

Team Statistics MIA PIT

First Downs 23 13

Total Rushes 31 18
Rushing Yards 109 66
Yards Per Carry 3.5 3.6
Pass Attempts 30 40
Completions 21 19
Passing Yards 229 176
Yards Per Attempt 7.6 4.4
Sacked 2 2
Yards Lost 11 11
Interceptions 1 1
Fumbles/Lost 1/0 4/2

Total Plays 63 60
Total Yards 327 231
Yards Per Play 5.1 3.8

3rd Down Plays 7/13 4/13
Avg. YTG on 3rd 4.9 8.3
4th Down Plays 0/0 0/0

Penalties 5 9
Penalty Yards 35 55

Avg. Drive Start OWN 32 OWN 31
Time Of Possession 33:46 26:14


So, we are off to a rip-roaring start. Our offense was okay, but the defense shut them down and kept us totally in command.

Now we travel to 13-3 Houston, who handed us our first loss this season, at our place. They are made 4 point favorites in the game – so we’re getting at least some respect.


Box Score: Miami at Houston
Houston, TX.

Conference Semifinals, 2009

Attendance: 57,500 (69,500).


Weather: 68 degrees, fair.

1Q: 06:34 HOU - Roman Nicas 73 pass from Floyd Ruffin.
1Q: 06:34 HOU - Kenyon McDaniel extra point.
1Q: 01:06 MIA - Ellis Gardner 26 pass from Malcolm Stockdale.
1Q: 01:06 MIA - Robert Walters extra point.
2Q: 10:07 HOU - Josh Powell 3 pass from Floyd Ruffin.
2Q: 10:07 HOU - Kenyon McDaniel extra point.
3Q: 11:12 HOU - Roman Nicas 5 pass from Floyd Ruffin.
3Q: 11:12 HOU - Kenyon McDaniel extra point.
3Q: 07:14 HOU - Kenyon McDaniel 46 field goal.

Game MVP: HOU 12 Floyd Ruffin

Miami 7 0 0 0 - 7
Houston 7 7 10 0 - 24

Team Statistics MIA HOU

First Downs 18 17

Total Rushes 25 20
Rushing Yards 98 82
Yards Per Carry 3.9 4.1
Pass Attempts 40 41
Completions 21 22
Passing Yards 249 277
Yards Per Attempt 6.2 6.7
Sacked 7 0
Yards Lost 41 0
Interceptions 3 0
Fumbles/Lost 2/1 2/0

Total Plays 72 61
Total Yards 306 359
Yards Per Play 4.2 5.8

3rd Down Plays 6/16 3/14
Avg. YTG on 3rd 10.0 8.9
4th Down Plays 0/0 0/0

Penalties 9 5
Penalty Yards 55 45

Avg. Drive Start OWN 23 OWN 35
Time Of Possession 31:31 28:29


But the dream dies here, as our impotent offense can’t get anything done, and they manage to terrorize us with their defense – 7 sacks, 4 turnovers, and an easy win for the Houston D.


We are shut out of the Season Awards, as if so often the case. Oakland rises from 9-7 to make the title game, but loses to Carolina there.


As for us – another season being a significant contender. If that’s the true goal of a challenge career, I wonder if this is just where things are going to land. We have been able to afford a decent quarterback, and have done okay putting spare parts together around him, maintaining pretty good team chemistry and starting to build up some cohesion in the process.

Any reason to think this team will fall apart any time soon? Maybe after Stockdale’s contract expires? Beats me.

[QuikSand]

2010 Offseason

Okay, we’re firing up another season with the Phins here. We’re still a good team, I think our cap crises have leveled off a bit, and now we’re trying to get back to the Superbowl.

No retirements, and 45 players under contract. But we start out about $3,500,000 over our self-imposed half cap, so we’re already facing some tough decisions. That’s as it ought to be, I guess.


Oddly, my head coach rejects every single offer that I am able to make to him (even though it’s half again what he was asking for initially), so I have to go get a new guy at the end of the staff hiring process. However, after a withdraw my initial offer, he suddenly accepts a lower deal than what I had been offering. Odd – but we are back intact for another five year stint.


Interestingly, WR Carlton Womble, who missed a year and a half with a ghastly injury, looks fine now that he is healthy. Cutting him only saves us $600K, so we expect to keep him on the roster – but I suspect he will be fragile now. Interesting – I expected him to be a total dud.

We have an issue at OL – where G Lewis Ramirez has assumed the group leadership role, messing up many affinities we had built around Ellis Beavers. I’d just cut Ramirez, but we are looking thin already at OL, and this might be a chance to just cut Beavers (no talent) and move ahead with Ramirez as our leader. We will (by necessity) be bringing in at least two or three new OL this year anyway, we can get the new guys to connect to Ramirez, I reckon. (Though Ramirez has a very low personality score of 15, making ay affinities likely to be weak – this is another problem)

And at DB, Carlos Looker has assumed the leadership role now, upending a couple affinities there, too. We have loads of talent at DB already, but I don’t want to dump Looker, a four-year vet with us and our best natural safety. So, we lose some chemistry there, too.


We have to part ways with some old friends to make some cap space: TE Diz Pardo, G Ellis Beavers, CB Edward Mazur, K Robert Walters, LB Hugh Ashcraft, and DT Jack Bollman – all are released before we even get back to cap level. We’re down to 40 players, and I suspect that after signing 7 rookies, we would still be over our cap. Brutal.


FA signee DT Ronald Oswalt is a cheap, solid run-stopper, and between he and returning veteran Ethan Farr, we expect to cover the middle – so we will release run-stopper DE Russell Meseck for cap space.


We pick up a few cheap young players, and head toward the rookie draft with four holes that we absolutely must fill in the draft – DE, OL, TE and K. We probably want to add two OL and perhaps two DL there, but we need these four to field a legal roster for this season.

I take a DT (whom we will move to DE) with our first pick, as there is a legion of pretty-good tackles available – and then we watch as they all get snapped up before our second pick.


Pick Pos Player Board Dash Sole Strg Agil Vol Draft After PostCamp
1.23 DT Fernando Engleberger 4.5 5.11 31+ 28 7.38++ 10 22/55 17/51 18/47
2.23 DT Quentin Adams 4.4 4.90+ 26 32 7.84 67 17/54 15/52 17/47
3.23 FB Nolan Harvey 5.2 4.68+ 35+ 16 7.24++ 16 26/60 24/66 27/61
4.23 RT Tony Kirk 3.7 5.22 21 27 7.95 50 17/45 18/45 20/44
5.23 K Devin Roberson 36/70 36/68 39/66
6.23 LT Alvin Madison 3.7 5.46 11 21 7.68 24 11/43 12/37
7.23 RB Alex Clark 3.6 4.71 15 15 7.24 34 26/41 26/34


An un-inspiring draft for us… our top three players all need to shift positions to fit our need slots, and among the rest none look like they will amount to all that much. The kicker’s probably going to be the best player of the lot.

LB Kent Whitehorn is my latest veteran holdout, shrewdly timing this right after the draft where we did not select a linebacker. We will wait him out, but I don’t know if I even have a legal roster without him. Great. That could force us into the 4-3 front.

Veteran CB Damon Brewer is our final cut, getting us under our salary cap – but down to only 49 total players. With the injuries was have sustained under this coach, there is every reason to be very fearful of a big problem cutting things that thin.

After training camp, it looks like we just drafted a big group of bums – so we will definitely need everyone from the veteran corps to play well this year if we want to remain a serious contender. This looks like we’re really seeing serious strain here.

With Whitehorn holding out, I don’t have two inside linebackers to field a legal roster – so we have to make a position switch, which will hurt a veteran player a lot. Craig Wheeler takes the bullet, and shifts to WILB.

After preseason, Whitehorn knuckes under, and we are back to full strength at LB, for what that’s worth. We are still only 49 players deep, and will be on eggshells this season – but we are ready to go.



Front Office Football 2004
Miami Dolphins Roster, Scout Overview

Player # Pos Start Exp Current Estimate Future Estimate Cntrct
Stockdale, Malcolm 1 QB QB 10 51 55 2 yrs
Kazadi, Mario 7 QB 7 47 65 1 yr.
Freitag, Kerry 6 QB 3 18 33 3 yrs
Hausermann, K.C. 44 RB RB 7 32 32 1 yr.
Andrews, Shawn 37 RB 3 34 39 3 yrs
Diaz, Darren 45 RB 3 25 26 1 yr.
Clark, Alex 46 RB 1 26 34 3 yrs
Oliver, Teddy 25 FB FB 2 30 43 2 yrs
Knickerbocker, Wayne 88 TE 12 41 44 2 yrs
Harvey, Nolan 40 TE TE 1 28 61 3 yrs
McWilliams, Jack 85 FL 10 42 43 2 yrs
Shue, Malcolm 87 FL FL 9 45 48 1 yr.
Womble, Carlton 80 FL 5 44 45 1 yr.
Gardner, Ellis 84 FL 4 38 40 2 yrs
Hodges, Dustin 18 SE SE 5 53 53 1 yr.
##Sweeney, Jeff 81 SE 2 25 36 2 yrs
Cole, Britt 59 C 5 34 44 2 yrs
Givens, Benjamin 53 C C 3 53 62 1 yr.
Conway, Byron 57 C 3 29 47 1 yr.
Ramirez, Lewis 62 LG RG 7 41 46 2 yrs
Mills, Kelvin 73 LG LG 5 75 75 1 yr.
Whalen, Julio 66 LT LT 3 17 50 3 yrs
##Farr, Warren 76 LT 3 43 47 2 yrs
Madison, Alvin 72 LT 1 12 37 3 yrs
Kirk, Tony 64 RT RT 1 21 44 3 yrs
Rivers, Terrance 4 P 2 55 61 2 yrs
Roberson, Devin 19 K 1 42 66 3 yrs
Inouye, Mickey 70 LDE LDE 4 34 48 3 yrs
Engleberger, Fernando 97 LDE 1 19 47 4 yrs
Tanner, Ricardo 77 RDE RDE 5 36 43 1 yr.
Adams, Quentin 79 RDE 1 17 47 3 yrs
Farr, Ethan 78 RDT 10 31 33 1 yr.
Oswalt, Ronald 99 RDT NT 3 35 41 3 yrs
Ivy, Bo 94 NT 3 36 44 1 yr.
Wheeler, Craig 56 WILB 10 17 36 1 yr.
Whitehorn, Kent 91 WILB WILB 5 34 40 2 yrs
Brinsfield, Bongo 95 MLB 2 38 44 2 yrs
Ouellette, Cory 55 SLB SLB 10 44 46 1 yr.
Haynesworth, Ian 52 SLB 6 38 42 1 yr.
Mason, Drew 98 SLB WLB 5 50 50 1 yr.
Bullock, Lester 51 WLB SILB 5 51 51 1 yr.
Slocumb, Allen 30 LCB SS 2 62 62 3 yrs
Williams, Skip 42 LCB LCB 2 48 55 3 yrs
Carr, John 29 RCB 5 48 51 1 yr.
Hoover, Adam 41 RCB RCB 4 82 82 2 yrs
##McCleary, Rex 35 SS 5 38 43 1 yr.
Hudson, Ben 48 SS 3 42 46 3 yrs
Humphrey, Bart 43 SS 2 24 36 2 yrs
Looker, Carlos 31 FS FS 7 50 50 2 yrs

$$ - player is in starting lineup, ## - player is inactive.

Players Under Contract: 49
Inactive: 3
On Active Roster: 46

Salary Cap: $80,600,000
Cap Room: $40,410,000
Maximum for New Player: $40,410,000
Cap Room Lost (to old contracts): $190,000

Cap Room Lost Next Year (to old contracts): $0
Cap Room Required Next Year: $26,080,000


It’s a tight squeeze, and we are going to be in tough shape with inevitable injures – but we’re ready to embark on our next season. Our roster rating has dropped to 11 (third lowest) but we are hopeful for another winning season.

[QuikSand]

2010 Season

We roll up win after win, and get out to a 9-0 start before finally tripping up. Regardless, we are getting great play from basically every part of this team – Malcolm Stockdale is a leading MVP candidate, and the defense is among the very best in the league.

In the end, we are staggered a bit by injuries, and our final stretch isn’t too impressive – but we’ll gladly accept a 13-3 record and a top berth in the playoff seedings.


Front Office Football 2004
2010 Summary for Miami Dolphins

Record: 13-3
Winning Pct.: .812

Miami Dolphins Team Rank
Rushes 447 16 (T)
Rushing Yards 1915 11
Yards Per Carry 4.28 6 (T)
Pass Attempts 565 3
Completions 354 1
Passing Yards 4106 1
Yards Per Attempt 7.26 7
3rd Down Conversions 48.3 2
Points Per Game 23.8 3
Turnovers 12 2
Turnover Margin +13 2 (T)

Opponents Team Rank
Rushes 404 5
Rushing Yards 1616 6
Yards Per Carry 4.00 15 (T)
Pass Attempts 580 31
Completions 308 8 (T)
Passing Yards 3284 6
Yards Per Attempt 5.66 1
3rd Down Conversions 43.6 22 (T)
Points Per Game 13.7 1
Turnovers 25 11 (T)

Week Team Versus Oppnt
1 20 at NED 16
2 14 at CHI 10
3 19 SDO 13
4 38 at CIN 13
5 20 BUF 17
6 29 at CLE 18
7 27 PIT 10
9 38 NED 6
10 20 BAL 0
11 20 at NYJ 28
12 22 MIN 6
13 10 at IND 7
14 31 at DET 24
15 19 NYJ 21
16 34 GBY 3
17 20 at BUF 28

Passing Pos Att Comp Yards Y/Att TD Int
1 Stockdale QB 544 345 3913 7.19 26 6
**Team --- 565 354 4106 7.26 27 6

Rushing Pos Att Yards Y/Att TD
44 Hausermann RB 301 1272 4.22 6
37 Andrews RB 112 504 4.50 6
**Team --- 447 1915 4.28 13

Receiving Pos Targ Catch Yards Y/Ctc YAC TD
18 Hodges WR 158 89 1274 14.3 334 7
87 Shue WR 118 84 1064 12.6 231 9
80 Womble WR 75 42 495 11.7 93 0
40 Harvey TE 59 38 356 9.3 119 4
25 Oliver FB 36 28 161 5.7 74 2
44 Hausermann RB 37 27 179 6.6 143 0
88 Knickerbocker TE 33 21 206 9.8 46 1
**Team --- 563 354 4106 11.5 1207 27

Defense Pos Tack Asst Sack Hurr Ints Defn
51 Bullock OLB 97 33 0.0 1 0 6
30 Slocumb CB 78 30 1.0 0 3 9
41 Hoover CB 74 22 0.0 1 8 21
55 Ouellette OLB 65 23 4.5 4 2 9
48 Hudson S 57 26 1.0 0 2 6
91 Whitehorn ILB 56 17 0.0 1 0 7
42 Williams CB 50 19 0.0 1 3 9
99 Oswalt DT 39 12 3.0 13 0 0
29 Carr CB 37 8 1.0 1 1 10
77 Tanner DE 35 13 5.0 21 0 0
31 Looker S 33 9 0.0 0 1 2
98 Mason OLB 32 18 0.0 0 0 6
70 Inouye DE 24 14 10.0 21 0 0
56 Wheeler ILB 22 5 1.0 0 0 0
95 Brinsfield ILB 22 12 0.0 0 1 2
52 Haynesworth OLB 19 1 0.0 0 0 0
**Team --- 803 270 32.0 74 21 87


So, we end up with a really effective season from our offense, top ten in yards per rush and pass. Our run defense was okay, but the pass defense was, once again, excellent.

Malcolm Stockdale will have a shot at All-Pro honors this year, he led the league in passing yards and posted a career-best 96 rating. KC Hausermann was on pace for 1,500 yards, but tailed off (as did the whole team) but still posts a very solid 1,272 yards – and is again well over 4 yards per carry. The line was solid, but injuries are the issue – G Kelvin Mills (37/0.7) will miss the playoffs, and thee goes our anchor to the running game.

On defense, the secondary was outstanding again, with Adam Hoover again showing top-tier skills – he could end up an All Pro also. LB Lester Bullock remains the centerpiece to our defensive front, and our young defensive ends Inouye and Tanner were effective in the pass rush. 32 sacks isn’t bad for this group, we’ll be looking to get after ‘em in the coming weeks, for sure.

Solid effort – a little disappointing after such a great start, but we are clearly a top level club, and with a break or two, might have a shot to do it here.