Just Beat The Bills

Ricky The Ruler has returned.

Last year the mantra for the season (at least for me) was "relevant football." The Dolphins, for the first time in over three years the Miami Dolphins were playing relevant football. In late November we were watching a team make a claim at being ready for the playoffs.

In late Novemeber I not only donned the jersey of my relevant Phins but also the reinstated Ricky Williams, my favorite current Phin.

So this season finds me in the same situation. The Dolphins have clawed out of the basement finally and at 5-5 are now firmly in second place in the AFC East. The lowly Bills loom as the only thing between .500 and a winning record.

But a win on paper is not one on the scoreboard. One thing this Miami Dolphins team is not is one that will underestimate opponents. They play hard against everyone because they can't afford to do otherwise. This is grind'em down and beat'em up football.

This is also a banged up team. The Phins are more or less limping into this Sunday. They've lost their starting nosetackle and the starting center will not be in this game.

Even our hero Ricky Williams has a slight pectoral injury. Don't think that'll stop him from posting another hundred yards though. Cause it won't.

Here's my three keys for Dolphins success against a dangerously desperate Bills team.

First Key - Chad Henne

Chad Henne is 5-2 as a starter. He has proven both a capable game manager and a clutch passer in tight situations. He has led two come-back victories in the final two minutes of a game. He has started to develop some chemistry with this lackluster corps of receivers and more importantly, some of them are starting to catch him.

So why is he a key, other than the normal reason that a QB is important to victory. The Bills defense is a tale of two sides. They are second in the league in takeaways against the pass and 31st in the league against the run. So while Ricky and Lex should run hog wild today it will be up to Chad Henne to protect the ball and keep the Phins defense off the field.

Second Key - Paul Soliai

Jason Ferguson is out. The loss is major. A 3-4 defense is completely dependent on the play of the nose. When the QB has all day and throws the ball a mile down field for a TD you will point at JT and Peezy as the culprits but it could have much to do with the nose getting handled. No, he doesn't get sacks, but yes he must eat at least two blockers.

I like Soliai. He was up and down his first two years but in limited action this year he has shown not only that he has become a stout nose tackle but also a guy capable of making big plays. Without Soliai's brilliant strip in the jets game (which set up JT's rambling TD return) the Phins probably lose that game.

Soliai has been nursing an ankle injury however, and I am very hopeful he can stay healthy and in the game. Rotating with him will be Randy Starks and Tony McDaniel, two guys who can play the position but barely. In any case, Starks is simply balling at the DE position and it would be bad to lose that play outside.

Like I said though, the nose comes first. Let's hope big Paul's ankle holds up. He is strong enough and now with the technical skills to be a good player in this league.

Third Key - Joe Berger

Jake Grove has happily proven me wrong. Or rather I am happily wrong. His play has been key to this team's success running the ball and in the pass game he's been lights out. He is out this week, I think to give him a more complete heal, but out nonetheless.

The backup, Joe Berger, is being touted highly by teammates and coaches. Berger has decent size and above all is being celebrated for his intelligence. Coaches even ask his opinion on how to protect certain fronts. Well, he does have an engineering degree.

The deal here is that we need him to physically be able to move guys from the middle so the Phins can maintain a inside rush. Additionally we don't need a bonehead snap mistake that puts the Phins defense in a bad spot or keeps points off the board.

So, Go Joe!

Other than that let's enjoy watching Ricky Williams. At 32 he is without a doubt in the last couple years of his career. We are watching a legend play.