Sep 14, 2007, 18:09 GMT
- Cam Cameron and Trent Green will have a prime chance to win over their home fans on Sunday afternoon, when the new head coach and starting quarterback of the Miami Dolphins contend with the Dallas Cowboys in the Fins' home opener.
Cameron and Green have both endured a rocky start in South Beach, with both figures hearing catcalls before they ever took the field for a meaningful game.
The Dolphins' selection of wideout/return man Ted Ginn, Jr. over quarterback Brady Quinn in the April Draft led Cameron to hearing vociferous displeasure when he addressed the fan base following the pick, and the preseason play of Green didn't lend much credibility to Cameron's choice.
Green, who arrived from Kansas City in a trade during the offseason, was booed lustily after struggling in his first preseason home game as a Dolphin. The veteran posted a miserable 47.9 passer rating in the preseason, but was a sturdier 24-of-38 for 219 yards and a touchdown in last week's 16-13 overtime loss to the Redskins.
On Sunday, the coach and quarterback will try to steer Miami away from its third 0-2 start in the past four seasons.
Dallas comes into Week 2 a bit more relaxed than its opponent, as the Cowboys opened with a thrilling 45-35 win over the New York Giants last Sunday night.
Quarterback Tony Romo threw for a career-high 345 yards in the Dallas debut of head coach Wade Phillips, and the strong play of the offense helped wash away a defensive effort that was severely lacking for most of the night.
The Cowboys will on Sunday have an opportunity to start 2-0 for the first time since 1999, when they went on to finish 8-8 under head coach Chan Gailey.
SERIES HISTORY
Dallas has a 7-3 lead in its all-time series against Miami, but was a 40-21 home loser when the teams last met, in 2003. The Cowboys won the previous meeting, a 20-0 blanking of the Dolphins at Texas Stadium in 1999, and were 29-10 winners when they last met Miami on the road in 1996. The Fins are 2-1 in home games played in the series, with the wins coming in 1978 and 1984.
In addition to the regular season series, the clubs also met in Super Bowl VI from New Orleans, a 24-3 Dallas victory.
The most infamous game in the series came on a snowy Thanksgiving Day at Texas Stadium in 1993, when a blocked Miami field goal was needlessly touched and ultimately fumbled by Dallas defensive tackle Leon Lett, leading the Dolphins to an unlikely 16-14 victory.
Phillips is 3-4 in his head coaching career against the Dolphins, with all of those games dating back to his tenure with the Bills (1998-2000) That record includes a 24-17 loss for Buffalo at Miami in a 1998 AFC Wild Card game. Cameron will be meeting both Phillips and the Cowboys for the first time as a head coach.
WHEN THE COWBOYS HAVE THE BALL
Dallas rolled up 478 yards of total offense in its opener against the Giants, faring well whether it chose to run or pass. Running backs Julius Jones and Marion Barber III combined for 131 yards on a total of 27 carries (4.9 yards per rush), and Barber punched in his first touchdown of 2007 in the second quarter. But the story of the night for Dallas was Romo, who completed 15- of-24 passes for 345 yards with four touchdowns and an interception while taking just one sack. Tight end Jason Witten had a big night, hauling in six balls for 116 yards and a score, and No. 1 wideout Terrell Owens caught three passes for 87 yards and a pair of TDs, all after halftime. With the status of Terry Glenn (knee) in doubt for the foreseeable future, Patrick Crayton (3 receptions, 51 yards) will continue to fill the role of No. 2 receiver for the Cowboys.
Miami's defense took a major hit in Week 1, as starting strong safety Yeremiah Bell was lost for the year with a ruptured Achilles sustained against the Redskins. In reaction, the Dolphins signed former Jaguars star Donovin Darius and ex-Titans starter Lamont Thompson, both of whom could play this week, to fill the void. Miami's secondary got interceptions from cornerbacks Renaldo Hill (2 tackles) and Travis Daniels (6 tackles) a week ago, but also allowed a career-high 162 receiving yards to Washington's Antwaan Randle El. The front seven was gutted by the Redskin running game, which piled up 191 ground yards, and a unit led by end Jason Taylor (5 tackles) and middle linebacker Zach Thomas (13 tackles) will have to do a better job in that area while facing Jones and Barber. Taylor and Thomas had Miami's only two sacks against Washington in Week 1. Outside linebacker Joey Porter (3 tackles), who missed all of the preseason with a knee injury, will make his home debut as a Dolphin on Sunday.
WHEN THE DOLPHINS HAVE THE BALL
Green's numbers were decent in Week 1, though 12 of his 24 completions in the loss went to running backs Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman. The veteran's favorite non-back target was wideout Chris Chambers, who caught six passes for 92 yards, while reserve tight end Justin Peelle caught Green's first TD pass as a Dolphin at the end of the first half. Ginn played only a minor role offensively, gaining seven yards on a reverse for his lone offensive touch. The running game struggled to find movement behind a young o-line, with both Brown (11 carries, 32 yards) and Chatman (7 carries, 15 yards) failing to do much of note in that area. The running back duo did make its 12 combined catches count for 88 yards, however. The Dolphin line was under fire for much of the day, but officially allowed just two sacks.
Though their offense carried the day, the Cowboys showed in Week 1 that they are a work in progress on the defensive side of the ball. Dallas allowed the Giants to rack up 438 yards on the night, and had no answer for New York wideout Plaxico Burress (8 receptions, 144 yards, 3 TD) or former third-string running back Derrick Ward (13 carries, 89 yards). The beleaguered secondary could get a break if cornerback Terence Newman (foot) is able to return this week. If not, Jacques Reeves (3 tackles, 1 INT) will continue to get a lot of work opposite Anthony Henry (7 tackles). Safety Roy Williams led the Cowboys with eight tackles in Week 1, but remains a major coverage liability. In the front seven, where Dallas gave up 124 yards on the ground last week, Dallas will have to begin life without nose tackle Jason Ferguson (torn biceps), who is out for the year. Ferguson's backup, Jay Ratliff, had the Cowboys' only sack versus New York. Linebackers Bradie James and Akin Ayodele turned in seven tackles each in the win.
FANTASY FOCUS
After their performance against the Giants, most members of the Dallas offense will merit a start in Week 2. Romo, Witten, Owens, and the two running backs should all be fantasy starters at present, though the same certainly can't be said for the Cowboys defense. That said, there's really nobody on the Miami offense that can be counted on from a fantasy standpoint, though Chambers looks like he's going to be something of a reliable play. Kicker Jay Feely, who had a couple of field goals last week, might also warrant a look.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
The Dolphins tend to be a different team at home than they are on the road, but the fact that Miami played poorly in all aspects means you can't necessarily expect them to bounce back quickly with a win. Romo won't light up the Miami defense like he did the Giants, but should be able to make enough plays to keep Dallas' collective head above the waves. The Dolphins, meanwhile, will continue to struggle offensively behind a line that is still paper-thin, and will contribute enough mistakes to the proceedings to end the day at 0-2.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Cowboys 24, Dolphins 16
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