No team had a more confusing offseason than the Dolphins, who lost a No. 1 running back, a No. 1 wide receiver and one of the top defensive ends in the game.
By TIM SULLIVAN
Published September 12, 2004
TAMPA -- Not long after a 17-10 preseason loss to the Bucs Aug. 28, several Miami Dolphins huddled around the television in the locker room.
Were they looking over game highlights? Watching coach Dave Wannstedt's postgame press conference?
Hardly. They were joking around, as if they were in a barber shop, while they watched No. 1 Southern Cal struggle in a season-opening 24-13 win over Virginia Tech.
If this bunch was supposed to be heartbroken, downtrodden even, due to the loss of Ricky Williams and David Boston, someone sure forgot to tell them.
"This team has turned the corner, without a doubt," wide receiver Marty Booker said. "Things like that happen in this league. And it's all about how you adjust, and I think this team has adjusted well.
"Right now, we're only concerned about who is in this locker room."
That doesn't include Williams, a Pro Bowl running back who retired a week before training camp, and Boston, a Pro Bowl wide receiver who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear during camp's second week.
Instead, Travis Minor, a former Florida State Seminole, and Sammy Morris will try to approach the rushing totals the Dolphins grew accustomed to with Williams. And the 6-foot, 212-pound Booker, acquired in a trade with the Bears, will try to provide the quarterbacks that big, reliable target Boston (6-2, 228) was supposed to be.
It's a reach on both fronts.
The two running backs are unproven at best. Neither has ever run for more than 350 yards in one season. And Booker, who has two 1,000-yard seasons in his five years, caught just 52 passes last year for 715 yards.
"As a group, we just have to look at it as, hey, we've got to get better every day," Minor said. "Regardless of all the stuff we've been through, we still feel like we can get out there and be real, real competitive, more than competitive even. Our expectations won't change."
But the offense may.
The ball-control approach that saw Williams accumulate 775 carries in two seasons almost has to be scrapped. It's hard to believe Minor and Morris will get near 200 attempts apiece.
More likely, the starting quarterback -- be it incumbent Jay Fiedler or newcomer A.J. Feeley -- will need to air it out. And why not? Even without Boston, the Dolphins have a reliable tight end in Randy McMichael, who has 88 catches and six touchdowns in two seasons, and a legitimate deep threat in Chris Chambers, who had 963 yards and 11 scores last season. Add Booker and free-agent signee Antonio Freeman to the mix, and the scenario might not be as bad as it once appeared.
"In a perfect world, you want to have the No. 1 offense working together everyday, doing what they need to do in practice and in game situations," Fiedler said. "The more time they get together, the easier it is to jell a little more and feel comfortable with each other. But we just have to deal with the situation."
Freeman won't be a part of that No. 1 offense, but the former Packer and Eagle, a nine-year veteran with two Super Bowl appearances and three 1,000-yard seasons, could be a steady No. 3 receiver. And maybe more than anything else, he can be a calming influence in a tense situation.
"It's just a matter of slowly progressing. We feel we can be good, we feel we can win, we just have to take it one week at a time," Freeman said. "Really, it all starts with the offensive line. Nothing is done without the line. If they can open up some holes and protect, that will make everyone's job so much easier."
But the line itself is in a rebuilding mode. Center Seth McKinney has five career starts in two seasons and he's among the veterans. Guard Taylor Whitley, a rookie last year, has yet to play a regular-season game. And then there's Vernon Carey, a first-round pick from the University of Miami, who has tremendous potential, but can't seem to find an office. He started camp at tackle, then shifted to guard, now he's back to tackle.
"It's not any different for us. We've got to go out there and block, no matter who is out there,5/8 McKinney said. "We're doing alright out there, but we have plenty of room to improve."
The same can be said for Wannstedt, who is 41-23 in Miami but has yet to lead the Dolphins past the AFC Divisional round. Last season, the Dolphins went 10-6 but missed the playoffs. If that happens again, Wannstedt could easily be looking for a job in January despite the fact he's under contract through 2006.
"A lot of people have things to prove," Wannstedt said. "I think that whenever individuals are out to prove something, that's good as long as it's funneled in the right direction. I think that's how our team feels right now. Obviously you don't get a chance to do that until you start playing the game for real."
That begins today.
FOR THE FANS
STADIUM: Pro Player Stadium.
CAPACITY: 75,192.
TICKETS: The games against the Steelers, Jets and Patriots are sold out but can be bought as part of a season ticket package. Tickets to other individual games are available by calling (888) FINS-TIX.
PARKING: Available in the lots surrounding the stadium. Prices vary.
DIRECTIONS: From Tampa-St. Petersburg, take I-275 South across Alligator Alley to Palmetto Expressway (826). Go east to 27th Avenue and turn left (north). Pro Player Stadium is 1.5 miles on the right.
RADIO: No regular programming in the Tampa Bay area.
