There is the perfect segway to my next praising point: the o-line has played out of this world. Well, they have played average in comparison to the rest of the NFL, allowing around 1.8 sacks per game through 8 games. But compared with last year, when our makeshift o-line allowed more than 2.5 sacks per game, things are definitely improving. The highest paid rookie offensive tackle in NFL history has not disappointed. He is holding his own and rarely makes mistakes. You know that you're something when people starting mentioning Canton in your rookie season. Good choice Tuna.
Then you've got the Wildcat offense. The gimmicky trick play set that has our star running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams line up in the back field with quarterback Chad Pennington lining up at wide receiver. It certainly made the unsuspecting fans nervous to see Ronnie Brown taking the snap, but what ensued made up for all of the distress it put on me and my family's heart. It worked. There were more options from that set than most teams whole playbook. Half back passes and options and flea-flicker-type reverses. It was something Dave Wandsted or Nick Saban would never have tried. Poor Cameroon never had the chance to because he didn't have half the weapons Sparano has (Ronnie was hurt, Ricky was banned-then hurt, and Chad played for the Jets). Ronnie Brown has been nothing shy of amazing this offseason, and now that I think about it, he's beent hat way his whole professional career. All he needed was what any running back needs to succeed, a good blocking from a solid offensive line.
I admit that I had my doubts about this season. I wasn't sold on Chad and I was really nervous about losing our defensive identity when Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas left over the off season. And our no-name secondary was not fooling anyone. What I forgot was that Joey Porter is freak of nature and thrives in the 3-4 defensive scheme. Porter is making the biggest impact on the team though, by far. He has shouldered the defensive responsibilities of being captain, makes the big plays, voices his opinions, and leads by example. He is the mental edge leading our defense and has brought that swagger back that seemed gone after Zack and Jason left. His NFL-leading 11.5 sacks this season is already a career best for the 31 year-old. He is not necessarily on pace to challenge Strahan's record just yet, but if he has a couple more 4-sack games like he did against the Brady-less Patriots (who, I might add, still have one of the best offensive lines in football) anything is possible. It is that feeling that has us DolPhans so excited, the feeling that, hey, anything could happen. Some of us dare to even dream of the 2008-2009 playoffs. Lets not get ahead of ourselves, because after a season like last season anything seems better than the way they were. I just don't want to sell ourselves short, because we can beat anyone, just so long as we don't beat ourselves first.
