Miami Dolphins down to 0-5 as Revis, Jets dominate

Brandon Marshall's 109 yards wasn't enough to save the Dolphins -- nor possibly Tony Sparano's job (Image AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis had two interceptions — including one he returned 100 yards for a touchdown — as the Dolphins fell to 0-5.

The Jets played in the first Monday Night Football game, back in 1970. The game the Dolphins and Jets presented to America on Monday could have ended Monday Night Football if not for contractual obligations.
Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall dropped a potential touchdown pass. OK, that’s not unusual anymore, but Marshall also ran out of bounds with nothing but air and fake grass between him and the end zone. The teams’ combined first-half fumbles (four) exceeded their third-down conversions (two). Both quarterbacks, the Dolphins’ Matt Moore and sports fanatic Mark Sanchez, demonstrated incredible myopia concerning obscenely open receivers.

In the end, the Jets broke the comedy long enough for a long catch-and-run by Santonio Holmes in the fourth quarter and a really long interception return by Darrelle Revis in the first quarter. Those two plays accounted for the difference in a 24-6 loss that plunged the Dolphins to 0-5.

Moore ended the game 16 of 34 for 204 yards and two interceptions, both to Darrelle Revis. Marshall caught six passes for 109 yards, but no touchdowns and at least one key drop. Reggie Bush ran for 71 yards on 10 carries, just more than half of which, 36 yards, came on the first play from scrimmage.

Sanchez threw for 201 yards and one touchdown on 14-of-25 passing. Shonn Greene ran for 74 yards on 21 carries. The Dolphins outgained the Jets 308-296 in yardage.
“It was there for us,” Dolphins guard Ritchie Incognito said. “We came in at the half and that game was right there for the taking.”

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said the third-down failures — the Dolphins finished 2 for 13 on third down — frustrated him because the team used the bye week to work specifically on third down and there weren’t many “third-and-forevers,” as he put it.
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2011 NFL UPDATE: Power Rankings Week 4

NFL Power Rankings, Week 4: Oakland Raiders Get Much Needed Boost

32. (31) Colts (0-3) — Just place Peyton Manning on IR and be done with it. If Manning is able to return, it will be too late to help salvage the season anyway. By the time Manning may be ready, the Colts will want to lose so they can guarantee the team has a top 3 draft pick. It’s time to eliminate the distraction and give this current Colts team the best chance to win now. The players in the locker room don’t need to be continually answering questions on the possible return of No. 18.

31. (30) Chiefs (0-3) — For the first time this season, the Chiefs played a game and didn’t lose a key player to season-ending injury. It’s important to look at the positives in Kansas City because there aren’t many.

30. (26) Cardinals (1-2) — A loss to the Seahawks says a lot about how far away the Cardinals are from becoming a contender in the NFL. Last year, Arizona went 1-5 in the NFL’s worst division. The Cards struggles against the NFC West continued on Sunday. The team played sloppy football and made mistakes at key points in the game.

29. (32) Seahawks (1-2) — The Seahawks have to take advantage of playing in a poor division and they did on Sunday. Although it wasn’t pretty, Pete Carroll and his team will take the W. They won’t have many more.

28. (22) Dolphins (0-3) — Last year it was Brad Childress and Wade Phillips, this year Tony Sparano is the first coach in which his job is clearly in jeopardy. With the Chargers and Jets on tap for the next two weeks, the Dolphins could easily be 0-5 by the time they come home to play the Broncos. And we all know how the Dolphins play at home.

27. (27) Bengals (1-2) — Andy Dalton and the Bengals offensive struggles can be credited mainly to the lack of execution on third down. The 49ers defense stopped the Bengals nine out of ten attempts. Last week the Bengals were 1-11 on third down. If this trend continues, count on the Bengals to have double digit losses by the season’s end.

26. (21) Jaguars (1-2) — Blaine Gabbert made his first NFL start in some of the most awful weather conditions you’ll see. Surely a game he’ll never forget. The Jaguars will rely on the No. 10 overall pick to improve the league’s worst offense. Jack Del Rio has already indicated that he wants his offense to be more aggressive. Perhaps the change in the offensive philosophy will advance Gabbert’s development.

25. (28) Panthers (1-2) — The first victory of Cam Newton’s career came in the midst of a monsoon! The rookie quarterback also led his first game winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter (hopefully a sign of things to come for the fans in Carolina). After three weeks, the Panthers have to be happy with the progression of their first-overall pick.

24. (29) Browns (2-1) — Although their wins have come against two of the worst teams in the league, the Browns have gave Cleveland fans hope. Colt McCoy’s 13 play, 80 yard touchdown drive in the final seconds of the game is a reason to believe the young quarterback is capable of leading the Browns to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. It won’t happen this year, but the future is bright in Cleveland.

23. (24) Vikings (0-3) — In three games, the Vikings have scored just SIX, yes SIX, second half points. In all three of those games the Vikings have jumped out to a commanding first half lead but have managed to choke it away. It didn’t take long; the Christian Ponder watch has already begun in Minnesota. The poor start already has sparked speculation Donovan McNabb might lose his starting job.

22. (25) Broncos (1-2) — The Broncos suffered a brutal loss Sunday that will be difficult to bounce back from. This team is decimated with injuries. Key players Eddie Royal, Knowshon Moreno, Elvis Dumervil, Champ Bailey and D.J. Williams were all sidelined. Despite those injuries, the Broncos had many chances to beat the Titans but couldn’t execute when it mattered most. Next up is the defending champion Packers. The morale in that locker room might reach an all-time low.

21. (19) Rams (0-3) — The Rams aren’t doing any favors for their former first overall pick. Sam Bradford is on pace to get sacked over 55 times. The young quarterback has been hit hard over the last three weeks and now is nursing a toe injury. An unhealthy Bradford will prevent the Rams from accomplishing their goal in 2011 which is winning the NFC West.

20. (23) 49ers (2-1) — The 49ers have to be encouraged by the play of Alex Smith so far. He’s protecting the football and not turning the ball over. Granted the Niners have had one of the easiest schedules to date, they look improved under Jim Harbaugh. With that said, there is still much room for improvement, especially offensively. Frank Gore has struggled to get the run game going.

19. (18) Redskins (2-1) — The Cowboys tried to give the Redskins the game but they were unable to take advantage of their mistakes. The Redskins are lacking play makers on offense. Rex Grossman and Tim Hightower aren’t going to excite you with huge plays and that was something the Redskins needed Monday night.

18. (17) Titans (2-1) — One of the shocks so far in this young NFL season has been the Titans inability to run the ball. Chris Johnson has rushed for just 98 yards in three games. He’s averaging just 2.1 yards per carry. With the loss of Kenny Britt, the Titans are going to need their running game to wake up in a big way.

17. (15) Cowboys (2-1) — Are you 300 pounds and capable of snapping a football? If so, the Cowboys are accepting applications for their starting center job. The lack of communication between Tony Romo and center Phil Costa was embarrassing. The ailing Romo was clearly frustrated all game. The Cowboys got the win, but they have plenty of work ahead to eliminate the mistakes and miscommunication on the field. The mishaps somewhat overshadowed an inspiring performance from Romo.

16. (11) Bears (1-2) — The defending NFC North champs are already two games behind first place. It comes as no surprise that no quarterback has been sacked more than Jay Cutler this year (14 times). Regardless of what GM Jerry Angelo says, this offensive line has not improved. As a result, the Bears will struggle week after week.

15. (20) Raiders (2-1) — Very impressive victory for the Raiders. The win will surely build confidence heading into Week 4′s game against the Patriots. Darren McFadden’s performance against Rex Ryan’s defense has to have Bill Belichick scrambling to find a way to stop the league’s top rusher. McFadden’s production has been huge for this offense, allowing the Raiders to limit the amount of times Jason Campbell has to throw. It seems like every week I write this, but the Raiders have to play more disciplined. They’re averaging 10 penalties a game. That’s something they can’t afford to do if they want to beat the Patriots.

14. (12) Chargers (2-1) — No one expected the Chargers, Chiefs game to be as close as it was, probably not even the Chiefs. Philip Rivers hasn’t lived up to the MVP hype many were predicting at the beginning of the season. Rivers has six interceptions compared to four touchdown passes. The Chargers have time to work on their issues as they’ll play the winless Dolphins on Sunday followed by a struggling Broncos team in Week 5.

13. (8) Eagles (1-2) — It’s not too early to say that it might be time to panic in Philadelphia. We’re just three weeks into the NFL season and already Michael Vick is battling substantial injuries. If this continues, Vick will barely be able to walk come November and I don’t like the Eagles’ chances with Vince Young or Mike Kafka behind center. Besides the problems with Vick’s health, the Eagles have played dreadful on defense. Eli Manning, with limited weapons on offense, shredded the Eagles “star-powered defense” with four touchdown passes.

12. (7) Falcons (1-2) — The Falcons are a talented team who have played very inconsistent during the first month of the season. Matt Ryan’s team has trailed in all three games they’ve played this year by double digits. In Week 2, they pulled off a comeback win when Vick left the game. A lot of this team’s struggles can be credited to the poor play of its offensive line. Ryan is starting to look like Jay Cutler out there.

11. (10) Texans (2-1) — Valiant effort from the Texans. They had chances to beat the Saints but couldn’t execute. Matt Schaub and the offense must get better in the red zone. They got away with going 1-for-5 in the red zone last week against a poor Dolphins team, but 1-for-5 against the Saints didn’t cut it.

10. (13) Buccaneers (2-1) — Raheem Morris’s young team knocked off the defending division champs in a huge game. Tampa’s defense held Michael Turner to an astonishing 20 yards rushing. Turner was coming off a 114 yard performance but was stifled to just 1.8 yards per carry against the Bucs.

9. (14) Giants (2-1) — It’s amazing how quickly the tables can turn in the NFL. The Eagles are now looking up at the Giants in the NFC East. Eli Manning had his best game of the year and that was with limited offensive weapons. Manning threw zero interceptions for the first time in seven games. The last time Manning didn’t throw a pick was back on Nov 28th against the Jaguars. The most important thing the Giants can do now is build momentum after this huge victory and get key players healthy like Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham.

8. (16) Bills (3-0) — It’s been eleven years since the last time the Bills made the playoffs. It’s too early to say the Bills will be a contender, but this team has shown signs they are certainly capable. The undefeated Bills have proven they are a resilient bunch. Back-to-back come from behind wins is tough to accomplish. When it’s against the Patriots, it’s even more impressive. The Packers, Patriots, and Saints all have scored fewer points this season than the Bills. This is a confident team that believes they can win no matter who they play or what the score is. That’s a sign of a strong team.

7. (9) Lions (3-0) — There’s not much room left on the Lions bandwagon. For the first time since 1980, this franchise is 3-0. Lions fans are proud to have one of the best defenses in the game right now and a high-powered offense that can put points on the board in the blink of an eye. First-round selection defensive tackle Nick Fairley may be ready to play in Week 4 which will bolster an already strong defense. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are turning out to be one of the best QB/WR duos in the league.

6. (4) Jets (2-1) — Joe Namath might have a point. Rex Ryan’s constant praise of his team might have his players thinking they’re better than they really are. The Jets looked unprepared for Darren McFadden, perhaps it was due to overconfidence. The Jets also have issues on the offensive line. Starting center Nick Mangold is out and they’re having trouble protecting Mark Sanch
5. (6) Steelers (2-1) — Sunday night’s win over the Colts placed a giant spotlight on the Steelers’ offensive line. Three starters were taken out of the game due to injury. Ben Roethlisberger took a beating in the team’s 23-20 win and is one of the most sacked quarterbacks in the NFL. Look for the Steelers to address that line because of the poor play and mounting injuries.

4. (2) Patriots (2-1) — This is a team that obviously has issues stopping the pass. They had similar problems all of last year when they ranked 30th against the aerial attack. In order to be a Super Bowl team, Tom Brady will need the defense to pick him up every once in a while. Everyone talked about what type of numbers Tom Brady was on pace for after two extraordinary games. Well, just three weeks into the season, the Patriots are on pace to give up over 6000 yards in the air. Bill Belichick has a major problem he’ll need to resolve, the good news is that Belichick is probably the best fit for the task.

3. (5) Ravens (2-1) — No surprise the Ravens bounced back nicely after a humiliating loss to the Titans. The Ravens played great in all three areas. Joe Flacco had a career day and the Ravens defense was on attack mode all game. They sacked Sam Bradford five times, hit him 11 times and held the Rams to just 132 yards passing; much improved from the zero sacks and 358 passing yards allowed last week.

2. (3) Saints (2-1) — Drew Brees and the Saints continued their offensive assault against the Texans. They put up 40 points for the second time in three games. The production from the run game has made a difference. Last year, the Saints running game was one of the worst in the league. This year, the collection of Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles and Mark Ingram has added an extra spark to the offense. As good as the offense has been, the pass defense has been subpar. Looks like the Saints will have to win most of their games this year in a shootout.

1. (1) Packers (3-0) — In a rematch of the NFC championship game, the Packers went into Chicago and got a huge win. Aaron Rodgers has done a great job utilizing all of his weapons on offense. The talented running backs, wide receivers and tight ends create major mismatches across the field. There are few defenses in the NFL that will have an answer for this elite offensive group.

2011 NFL UPDATE: Power Rankings Week 2

Here is an updated version of my NFL Power Rankings as we get ready for Week 2.

32. (25) Cleveland Browns: I never thought I'd have a brand new team occupying the bottom spot in my Power Rankings, but hey, if you lose to the Bengals, this is where you belong. P.S.: Try not to stay here forever, Cleveland. We want to like you this year.

31. (32) Cincinnati Bengals: Look who moved out of the basement! Bruce Gradkowski took over for an injured Andy Dalton to lead the Bengals to a Week 1 win over Cleveland. Now they travel to Denver in a game none of us will want to watch.

30. (26) Denver Broncos: Let's quit piling on Kyle Orton, especially all you Tim Tebow fans. Orton gives Denver the best chance to win, even if he's not your typical franchise-type quarterback. An improved defense will be the key to the Broncos righting the ship.

29. (21) Minnesota Vikings: Donovan McNabb looked lost against the Chargers. He was 7 of 15 for just 39 yards. McNabb said he was embarrassed, and that he could put up those kinds of numbers in just one series. He better do it, because the Vikings could easily drop to 0-2 this week against Tampa Bay.

28. (27) Seattle Seahawks: This isn't the same Seattle team that stunned the Saints in the playoffs a year ago. This is the Seattle team that will fall to 0-2 when it travels to Pittsburgh and gets steamrolled by the Steelers.

27. (31) Washington Redskins: I never thought Rex Grossman and the Redskins would manage to beat the Giants, but since they did, perhaps they deserve to be listed as the early favorite against the Cardinals this week.

26. (30) Carolina Panthers: You had to be impressed with Cam Newton's performance against the Cardinals. He showed tremendous poise and ability in a close loss. But the Panthers also lost the heart of their defense in linebacker Jon Beason, who suffered a torn left Achilles' tendon and is done for the year.

25. (28) Oakland Raiders: The Raiders beat the Broncos on the strength of Sebastian Janikowski's leg. He kicked three field goals, including an NFL record-tying 63-yarder. But remember, Raiders fans, this is the same guy who missed an easy chip shot last year against the Cardinals.

24. (29) Buffalo Bills: Sorry, but I'm not ready to jump on the Bills' bandwagon just yet. Sure, their rout of the Chiefs was impressive and a tad shocking, to be truthful. Let them beat the Raiders this week and gain some momentum and maybe we'll talk. But I am moving them up five spots, regardless.

23. (24) San Francisco 49ers: If they didn't get a kickoff return and punt return for a touchdown by Ted Ginn Jr. in a minute's span in the fourth quarter, the 49ers might not have beaten the Seahawks. I don't see them beating the Cowboys this week, no matter what Ginn Jr. does.

22. (23) Miami Dolphins: Chad Henne responded to all the fans' criticism with a 400-yard passing game in a Week 1 loss to the Patriots. There is some hope in Miami after all and I wouldn't fully discount the Dolphins any time soon.

21. (20) Tennessee Titans: Chris Johnson was a non-factor in Tennessee's Week 1 loss to the Jaguars, but he will get a much heavier workload this week against the Ravens. If the Titans don't fall behind early, they could stay in this game and perhaps pull off a surprise. But I wouldn't bet the house on it.

20. (10) Indianapolis Colts: Everyone knew it was going to be difficult without Peyton Manning, but it was worse. Their 34-7 loss to the Texans was pure ugly. I'm not so sure they are a lock to beat the Browns this week, which is why I've dropped them 10 big spots down to No. 20.

19. (22) Jacksonville Jaguars: They played a fairly solid game in their opener to beat Tennessee, but don't think it's going to continue this week when they have to play at the Jets. Luke McCown may have to run for his life.

18. (19) St. Louis Rams: The Rams likely will be without running back Steven Jackson (quad) for Monday night's game at the Giants. Sam Bradford (finger) is expected to start but may not be 100 percent.

17. (17) Kansas City Chiefs: As much as their 41-7 loss to the Bills has to hurt, the Chiefs also lost their prized, young safety, Eric Berry, to a serious knee injury. It won't surprise me in the least if they lose this week at Detroit.

16. (14) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Their supposedly improved pass rush didn't register a single sack on Matthew Stafford, and running back LeGarrette Blount got only five carries because his head isn't in the playbook, according to the head coach. Not a good sign for the Bucs.

15. (13) New York Giants: After a disappointing loss to the Redskins, the Giants will be angry and ready for some retaliation on Monday night when they host the Rams. They can't afford to lose receiver Hakeem Nicks (knee) this early.

14. (12) Dallas Cowboys: Say what you want about Tony Romo, but the Cowboys put up a lot of points and yards against the Jets on the road, and not many teams do that to the Jets. The Cowboys stay on the road this week when they visit San Francisco and can't afford a loss to a weaker team.

13. (18) Chicago Bears: I've got them moving up five spots after their Week 1 surprise against Atlanta. Something tells me, though, that the Bears will come crashing back to reality after they visit New Orleans in Week 2.

12. (16) Detroit Lions: A nice win on the road at Tampa Bay won't mean as much if the Lions don't take care of business at home this week against the Chiefs. Matthew Stafford looked terrific and Detroit showed us why they should be a team to watch moving forward.

11. (15) Arizona Cardinals: Thanks to some unexpected losses elsewhere, the Cardinals move up four spots following their win over Carolina. If the defensive secondary makes the proper adjustments, Arizona can open 3-0 with the Redskins and Seahawks next up on the schedule.

10. (9) Atlanta Falcons: Did anybody other than Bears fans think Atlanta was going to get pounded like it did in Week 1? Well, if it happened against the Bears, just imagine how bad it can go this week against the Eagles. The Falcons might be under the most pressure in the NFL.

9. (5) Pittsburgh Steelers: I'm dropping the Steelers four spots this week and don't tell me they don't deserve it. The good thing is, they get to take out some of their aggression on a pretty week Seahawks team in Week 2.

8. (6) New Orleans Saints: A tough loss to the Packers is no reason to bury the Saints. Their offense was outstanding and we'll see how they respond against a pretty good Bears defense this week at home. New Orleans won't lose.

7. (11) Houston Texans: They crushed the Peyton Manning-less Colts in Week 1 to immediately set the tone in the AFC South. Up next, it's a trip to Miami, where the Dolphins held their own for as long as they could against the Patriots.

6. (8) San Diego Chargers: Again, this is the team I think can really go far in the AFC. I won't be surprised if the Chargers go to New England and come back with a win. I'll hang my hat on the Chargers until they prove me otherwise. You know, like after Sunday.

5. (7) Baltimore Ravens: I'm tempted to move the Ravens up even higher after seeing the way they dismantled the Steelers. They got under Pittsburgh's skin and just kept attacking. The relentless Ravens could be in for a special season.

4. (4) New York Jets: If it wasn't for a Tony Romo meltdown in the fourth quarter Sunday night, the Jets probably would have lost. They'll have to tighten up their defense, but shouldn't have a problem rolling over the Jaguars in Week 2.

3. (3) Philadelphia Eagles: All the playmakers came out to play in Week 1, but let's see how the Dream Team does this time when it travels to Atlanta to face a team that rarely loses at home.

2. (2) New England Patriots: There's a reason why the Patriots are ranked this high. All you had to do was watch them play Monday night against the Dolphins. Tom Brady was outstanding with 517 passing yards and he could be involved in a shootout next week against the Chargers.

1. (1) Green Bay Packers: They looked to be in midseason form in Week 1, so one can only wonder how the Packers will respond this week when they travel to Carolina. Don't expect Cam Newton to pass for 422 yards like he did against the Cardinals, though.