Dolphins Friday Rewind: Should the starters have played so much?

Tony Sparano wasn’t kidding around when he said last week the starters will play in the final preseason game “until I’m satisfied.” Even with the Cowboys resting their starters, Brandon Marshall and the Dolphins’ offense had a hard time clicking Thursday night / AP There was Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall , playing three full series while counterparts Tony Romo and Miles Austin laughed it up in street clothes on the sideline. There was Cameron Wake and Jared Odrick playing the entire first half, while DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff didn’t break a sweat. “We talked about how we, as a first team unit, needed to come in and be efficient, real effective real fast,” receiver Davone Bess said. “However long it took, that’s how long we were going to be in the game.” Sparano may be the only coach in the NFL who likes to get his starters significant repetitions in the final preseason game, and he doesn’t really care what you think about it. “They worry about their team, I worry about mine,” he said. “When you come into this fourth game and don’t play it, and people who don’t play go out and lay an egg in Week 1, people are going to say, ‘You should’ve done this.’” But will they? The Dolphins have started the past two seasons 0-2 and 0-3, so it’s hard to argue that the final tune-up has much effect on the early part of the regular season. Then when the starters struggled against the Cowboys’ backups – scoring just three points on the first four series, with a turnover, plus a 42-yard touchdown pass from the third-string quarterback to the fifth receiver – it set the impression that the starters have a long way to go to get ready for the regular season. And finally, disaster nearly struck when Jake Long hobbled off the field with a left leg injury, which required about 10 minutes of attention from the Dolphins’ trainers before they left Long alone on the bench. Long, a Pro Bowler last season, was a good soldier about playing deep into the final preseason game. “I just do what I’m told,” Long said. “It’s always good to get out there and get work.” Sparano accentuated his team’s positives during his post-game news conference, but wasn’t as sunny with his players. “He said these four practice games are over and now the real deal starts, and there’s no more excuses,” receiver Roberto Wallace said. Other News and notes from Thursday’s game Game coverage from the Post Brian: Miami Dolphins’ Jeff Ireland talks with Dallas Cowboys’ Dez Bryant, whom he had antagonized this spring Me: Miami Dolphins play their starters, but don’t look sharp in 27-25 loss to Dallas Cowboys Photos: From AP Game Balls RB Ricky Williams Williams should actually split this Game Ball up about seven ways, because his beautiful 42-yard run on a counter play wouldn’t have been made possible without several key blocks. But it was good to see Williams, who had just two rushes for 45 yards, scamper down the field on the Dolphins’ longest run of the preseason. Now if only Williams would stop lecturing the media on how we do our jobs….. QB Tyler Thigpen Real nice performance from the Dolphins’ third-stringer, who played the entire second half and finished 10-of-18 for 160 yards, two fourth-quarter touchdown passes, an interception and 20 rushing yards to top it off. Thigpen finished the game with a 99.3 passer rating. WRs Roberto Wallace and Marlon Moore Both undrafted rookie free agents made a great final case for a roster spot. Moore caught four of five passes thrown his way for 31 yards and a touchdown, and will almost certainly start the season as the Dolphins’ fourth receiver. Wallace, competing with Patrick Turner and a bunch of soon-to-be free agents for the fifth receiver spot, caught three passes for 59 yards and a touchdown, with a long of 31. If Wallace and Moore make the team, three of the Dolphins’ five receivers will have entered the league as undrafted free agents (Davone Bess). That’s some good scouting by the Dolphins. OLB Cameron Wake Wake finally had a big game after a quiet preseason. He finished with two tackles, the team’s only sack, a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits in two quarters of work. But again, this was against the Cowboys’ backups. S Reshad Jones A team-high seven tackles on defense, plus one on special teams, for the Dolphins’ rookie safety, who likely will be fourth on the depth chart. Injury Update Jake Long offered a bunch of “have to talk to Coach on that one” answers when asked about his injury – the Dolphins fine players for talking about their injuries, turning the media into the bad guys – but did offer up one “I’ll be alright” when asked if he will play in the regular season opener. … Center Jake Grove did not make the trip to Dallas because of an injury. Grove left last week’s game with a shoulder injury. … Sparano said CB Vontae Davis suffered a minor injury this week and was held out for precautionary reasons. … LB Channing Crowder ,

who has missed the last three weeks with an injury, also was left home. Lineup Moves Undrafted rookie Micah Johnson started for Crowder at inside linebacker and finished with 1 tackle and 1 on special teams. … Jason Allen started for Davis at cornerback and had 1 tackle. … Joe Berger replaced Grove at center, while Cory Procter was the backup center. … Ikaika Alama-Francis replaced rookie Koa Misi in the starting lineup at outside linebacker, and had two tackles plus a quarterback hit. … QB Pat White did not play for the second time this preseason. Another rough game for Chad Henne, his third mediocre performance in four preseason games / AP Quick Slants – Another tough game for Sean Smith , who got beaten by Cowboys receiver Sam Hurd – in danger of being cut – for a 42-yard touchdown. “Looked back too early,” Smith said. “Receiver got separation. Bad decision by me.” This came six days after Smith admitted he wrongly looked into the backfield after he was burned badly by the Falcons’ Roddy White . – Sparano said he’s not concerned about Smith. “I know that receiver on the other side who caught that ball over Sean’s head,” said Sparano, formerly a Cowboys coach. “You could tell me he’s a backup, OK, but I know what the guy’s about.” – Bess said it’s “not necessarily” time to panic about the offense’s performance. “We’re definitely not where we want to be,” he said. “We can’t dwell on the past, all we can do is just look forward.” – Don’t look now, but Chad Pennington had another solid performance last night. He led the Dolphins 80 yards in 11 plays at the end of the half for the only touchdown for the starters. And once again he had a better performance than Henne. Saturday Henne: 6 of 11 for 53 yards, 1 sack, 2 fumbles, 1 lost, 67.6 rating Pennington: 7 of 10 for 40 yards, 1 TD, 1 sack, 110.4 rating. Entire preseason Henne: 32 of 58 (55 pct), 2 TDs, 2 TOs, 4 sacks, three of four passer ratings under 70.0. Pennington: 17 of 28 (60.7 pct), 2 TDs, 0 TOs, 1 sack, two of three passer ratings over 110.0. Several fans complained to me last night on Twitter that Pennington should start over Henne. But receiver Brian Hartline , though, who caught Pennington’s 2-yard touchdown pass last night, said there is no doubt who the starting quarterback should be. “Chad Henne is our quarterback,” he said. “I think in the fans’ eyes, they want a lot of things sometimes, which they deserve. “But I think in the end Coach is going to do what’s best for the team, and if you’re a true fan, you’ll trust the coaches.” – The Dolphins allowed five more sacks Friday night, including two of Henne and one for Pennington. For the preseason, the Dolphins were out-sacked 13 to 4. – One person not worried about the Dolphins – Marshall, who had one catch for six yards. “These last four games, I don’t give a damn about,” he said, via the Miami Herald . – Pat White once again took his benching well. With roster cuts coming Saturday at 4 p.m., his time as a Dolphin could be at its end, but he says he’s not worried. “It’s not life or death,” White said. “Whatever happens is meant to be. I’ve been blessed so far.” – The kickoff and punt coverage units were much improved. The Dolphins did allow one 33-yard kickoff return, but overall allowed just 18 yards on three punt returns and 105 yards on five kickoff returns. – Sad news: Kendall Langford never did find that earring. He even went back out with a metal detector and several groundskeepers after team meetings on Tuesday, but came up empty. It definitely wasn’t worth anywhere near $50,000, though, as some reports suggested. – Final roster cuts are due at 4 p.m. Saturday, but even then, the fringe players know that their roster spots are never secure. “Friday and Saturday, I’m going to be on pins and needles,” Marlon Moore said. – Dez Bryant , on his meeting with Jeff Ireland before the game: “It went well,” Bryant said, per the Associated Press . “We shook each other’s hand, hoped the best for each other and that was it.” Quotes of the Day “I hold myself to very high standards. Giving up a play like that is unacceptable. It’s nothing that can’t be fixed. I’m not worried, not concerned. Just gotta get back in the film room, find out what I did wrong, correct it, and get ready for next week.” – CB Sean Smith, on improving his recent play. “We’re going to take this next week real serious.” – WR Davone Bess, acknowledging what every Dolfan knows – this team needs some work. “If ‘if’ was a fifth then we’d all be drunk.” – QB Pat White when asked if he thinks if he will be cut this weekend. Up Next Dolphins at Buffalo, Sunday, Sept. 12, 1 p.m.

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Dolphins Friday Rewind: Should the starters have played so much?

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