MIAMI (AP) -This would be a good time for the Miami Dolphins to unveil the defensive equivalent of the wildcat, whatever that might be.
Nothing tried so far has slowed the New Orleans Saints. The Dolphins face the NFL’s highest-scoring team Sunday and could use a wildcat-style surprise.
“Put 11 linebackers in the game,” Miami linebacker Channing Crowder suggested. “Blitz Crowder every play.”
Something that radical might be worth a shot against the Saints, 5-0 for the first time since 1993 and averaging 38.4 points per game.
“I don’t think you want to try to get into a scoring contest with these people,” Miami coach Tony Sparano said. “We’ve got to do something to not let the candy store be open.”
Sparano hopes his defense learned lots from early-season matchups against Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan and Philip Rivers. One lesson: The Dolphins weren’t good enough, losing all three games.
Ryan threw for 229 yards and two scores in the opener, while Manning and Rivers threw for 303 yards each.
The defense fared better facing less potent offenses against the Bills and Jets. Miami won both games to improve to 2-3 and climb back into the AFC East race.
But the Dolphins will be tough to take seriously as a playoff contender until they make a stand against a top quarterback. Still to come for Miami are two games against Tom Brady and one against Ben Roethlisberger.
Brees may be the best of the bunch. He has thrown 101 touchdown passes since choosing the Saints over the Dolphins as a free agent in 2006, and this season he’s better than ever, leading the NFL in passing.
New Orleans has yet to trail while winning each game by at least 14 points. Coach Sean Payton views his team’s start as a good omen.
“When you end up on a team that gets into the postseason, generally there’s a stretch where you play good football and you stack together wins,” Payton said.
New Orleans is doing that, and the latest victory was the most impressive yet. Against the New York Giants’ stout defense, the Saints totaled 493 yards with no turnovers or sacks and won 48-27.
Seven Saints scored one TD each against the Giants, reflecting the multitude of weapons at Brees’ disposal.
“We’ve all been in this system now for four years and taken a lot of snaps together,” Brees said. “There’s a huge confidence level that we play with now, and our comfort level with each other makes a big difference.”
ability to use the entire field is one thing that makes him special, Sparano said. If the Saints send out four receivers on a play, Brees quickly determines which target is the best option.
“He can get through the progression really quick to get to where he is going with the football,” Sparano said. “He gets one to four really fast.”
As a result, Brees has been sacked only four times in 163 plays.
That means a big challenge for the Dolphins’ pass rush, which has been inconsistent, in part because linebacker Joey Porter has been slowed by a hamstring injury that he said is now healed. Porter has only two sacks after leading the AFC last year with 17 1/2.
When the Dolphins give opposing quarterbacks time to throw, the result is often costly. They’re allowing 15 yards per completion, worst in the NFL.
Rookie cornerback Sean Smith has played well, but veterans Will Allen and Gibril Wilson get burned often. And the Saints thrive on big plays, leading the league with seven touchdown drives of less than four plays.
“You’ve got to make them matriculate down the field,” Crowder said.
Matriculate?
“Google it,” he said. “If they’re going to go 80 yards on you, you’ve got to make them have those 10-, 11-, 12-play drives. They want to get those big chunks, and they are an explosive offense. We’ve got to limit Brees and make them work.”
An occasional turnover would help, but the Dolphins are tied for last in the NFL with four takeaways. Three-quarters of the starting secondary has yet to make an interception, and Brees has been picked off only twice.
Miami will counter at quarterback with second-year pro Chad Henne, 2-0 as a starter and coming off his best game in a 31-27 win over the Jets. Nearly 10 years after Dan Marino retired, the Dolphins believe they’ve finally found a franchise quarterback.
Henne likes the idea of filling that role.
“Really being the leader in the offense is showing,” he said. “The guys are looking up to me in the huddle. It feels comfortable, and I’m getting used to it.”
Henne will hope for help from the wildcat, which the Dolphins are using more than ever. The package generated 110 yards and the winning touchdown against the Jets.
Miami nose tackle Jason Ferguson smiled when asked what type of wildcat-style surprise might slow the Saints’ offense.
“The wildcat of a defense?” the 310-pound Ferguson said. “I would think maybe me rushing, seven DBs, one linebacker. I need somebody to get the outside because I don’t want to be running Brees down, so give us two ends. Hey, we’re coming – the wild Ferg.”
Why not try it? Nothing else has worked against the Saints.
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