Damn! This Team Bucs! - or - The Dolphins Pick Up Win Number 4

I'm not really going to go into depth on how to beat the Buccaneers, because I think the key to beating them is just to show up for the game.

So let's forget about game-plans for a moment and talk personnel.  I said earlier in the week that, other than WR, I was fairly content with the current roster going forward this season and into 2010.  Well there have been some developments roster-wise this week so I'd discuss them here.

First, during surgery on his torn ACL, Will Allen was found to have all sorts of ligament damage other than the diagnosed injury.  This was not Allen's first knee injury either (someone will have to remind me what and when, but I remember him having another serious knee injury 2 or 3 years ago).  It's been reported that he could be out for another 12 months, meaning he could miss half of the 2010 season.

Chad Pennington jerseys have been put on clearance ($39.99), indicating that the Dolphins have reached an injury settlement with him, and that he won't be invited back next year.

Coach Sparano said this week that he wants to get Patrick Turner on the field.  So look for someone to sit out this week (possibly an outside linebacker?) in order to make space to bring 5 WRs to the game.  There's no way they'd go without Ginn and Camarillo, and Hartline has been developing, while Bess is unlikely to be benched despite his poor performance.  So unless the Coach goes against conventional wisdom, getting Turner to the game means sitting someone else at another position.  I'm actually deeply tempted to put Turner on my fantasy football team this week, for all we know he could come out and score two touchdowns in his debut, but that would only serve to piss of those of us who wanted him activated weeks ago!

Here's what I'd like to see on Sunday:  

1. Cameron Wake getting to start.  Even if Joey Porter is 100% healthy (which he isn't), the time for Wake to get his shot is now.  Porter hasn't performed, and Wake has in limited reps.  Even when JT got most of his sacks, it was partly due to Wake being on the other side.  
2. Josh Freeman will start again and if the Dolphins don't come out and absolutely punish him, he will become a media darling/town savior come Monday morning in Tampa Bay.  I'd rather have the Dolphins get that media attention and love from the fans.  Tampa's O-line is not good.  8 sacks, 2 INTs, and a forced fumble is what I'm looking for, no, EXPECTING, from our defense.
3. The Bucs look decent running the ball with Cadillac Williams.  But their o-line is a bit beat-up, and their starting FB is on IR.  This is a chance for the Dolphins to get back to their early season run-stuffing dominance.  Keep in mind that Freeman is a running QB, so it's hard to say how many total yards they could rack up but I'd like the Dolphins to keep their running backs under 80 yards for the game.
4. Rotation Rotation Rotation.  Jason Ferguson is back, but now Soliai is out.  Porter is out. Justin Smiley is out.  Lydon Murtha has been practicing at Guard, but is limited due to illness.  Fasano is limited as well.  Not much we can do about the O-line, but the other positions could be handled better by the coaching staff.  If Porter was injured, why was he made to play 80 snaps in the game?  With Roth and Wake healthy and able, and with Charlie Anderson and Erik Walden (out for Bucs game) in the wings, there's no reason to force a 34 year old to play that many snaps, especially when they're not exactly putting up pro-bowl numbers.  I'd like to see more of Merling and Tony McDaniel on the D-line.  They have both looked good on limited reps - McDaniel especially.  As for Fasano, we don't need to be running 30 routes a game with him.  Haynos is much better at route running, IMO, anyway, and with Turner being activated, he could run some of those middle of the field routes.  Even a 6 yard toss to Turner down the middle could turn into a 10 yard gain once he turns up field and drives forward.
5. Number 5 is for you guys.  Tell me what you're hoping to see this week vs the Buccaneers.
   

Oops, forgot to mention, the only places getting the game locally are the State of Florida, and the State of West Virginia.  Why West Virginia?  Because they love Pat White THAT much!

Speaking of the Big East, the University of South Florida Bulls are on national TV yet again tonight taking on Rutgers on ESPN.  All I want for Christmas is for George Selvie to sack Mike Teel twice.