FANS SHOW UP...

            JOEY AND THE DEFENSE DO NOT

                           Cassel and Pats Shred the Fins 48-28

                           Andre Goodman absorbs the pain of a loss against the Patriots

All week Joey Porter chastised the Miami Dolphin fan base to get out to the game and support the team. Yep, challenged our manhood (or womanhood) to support the team and be the 12th man. Well I was there and the fans showed up. The stadium was rocking and collectivly trying to will the team to victory. We did out part, we showed up. Joey and the Dolphin defense did not show up. The defense was torched by backup quarterback Matt Cassel who threw for 415 yards as Wes Welker and Randy Moss ran free in the Miami secondary all afternoon. In fact the Patriots never punted once. But the fans were there. Third and ten for the Pats and we screamed and New England converted. Goalline situation we stomped and blew the roof off. The Patriots scored again. We take the lead and the crowd goes nuts. The defense gives up the lead...again.  If this sounds a little "biting" it is. When you are a player and you and your fellow players want to call out your fans to do their part and criticize them for "too many orange plastic seats" then you damn well better deliver. The fact is the fans of this team have stuck by it through six or seven years of rotten football and it never stunk more than it did last year. Give us a product Joey to come out for. You see we don't make six million dollars and the cost of seeing you and the defense tank thsi game sets us back several hundred dollars. But we do it because we love the team. Don't call us out and then drop this stinker of a game on South Florida.

This year we are better and we are on the right track and we have much to feel good about. But today was a hot stick of reality being poked in the eye of the fans and the team. We were 1-15 last year and the Patriots were in the Super Bowl. There is a reason for that and we are just not better than they are. Closer but not better. The offense did their part. Chad was spectacular except his one interception. The referees were horrible, just horrible and they share this victory with the Patriots. But in the end Joey and the defense could not get ANY pressure on Matt Cassel who sat and sat and SAT in the pocket. Sometimes it seemed like he was more in pregame warm-ups then facing the leagues leading sacker. It was the worst defensive performance since Arizona and is easily on that par. Just putrid.

Then let's talk about the lack of class by both teams. There was Vince Wilfork (dont know it it was on TV) after the late sack of Pennington standing on the Dolphin logo calling out Porter and the Dolphin bench and mimicking Joey's crank start and kick. Pointing him out on the sideline and telling him he is not the man today. There was Channing Crowder losing his cool and charging Matt Light, who promptly responded by yanking him down by the dreads and pounding his head. Both players ejected. A play or two later Porter gets two personal fouls teeing up New England for the "rub the salt in the wound" final score which they didn't have to have, but to them I am sure felt nice. Things like this build rivalries and I am sure it will make for juicy anticipation for next season. Because that is when Miami will most liekly see them again. With this loss and the Jet victory it is unlikely that Miami will find its way into the playoffs. Especially with this defense, which misses a pass rush lineman (Jason we miss you!) so bad that it hurts. This is a copy cat league and you can look for the remaining teams to air it out all day against our Dolphins. I know I would.