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.
Code:
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.
Code:
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.