KNOCKED OUT!

             Injuries and Turnovers Take Fins Out of Playoff Picture 

                                   STEELERS 30  DOLPHINS 24 

                                      QB Pat White gets knocked out in the 3rd quarter.

The 2009 season came to an unspectacular close as the Dolphins lost to the Steelers to end their 2009 campaign. The Steeler defense was dominant as they harassaed the Dolphin QBs all afternoon and the Dolphin defense was once again a disappointment as the Steelers where able to rack up 403 yards of total offense. The Dolphins lost Chad Henne for the second half with a mysterious "eye injury" and had to play Pat White who was very ineffective. Then Pat White was knocked out of the game with a crushing hit that left him unconcious and on the field for 8 minutes. That was the way the afternoon went. Back-up to the back-up QB Tyler Thigpen was able to rally the team within three points and it seemed that a tie was within reach but he then lost the game with a costly interception deep in Steeler territory. And that was the end of the line for the 2009 Miami Dolphins.

Miami started the season with a very different team than the one that lost today. We can only wonder what would have happened this year if we had not lost Ronnie Brown, Will Allen, Channing Crowder and Chad Pennington to injury. Of particular concern is the defense which proved completely inept at stopping anyone over the final three games. They gave up 27, 27, and 30 points during that stretch and tons of yardage and is far from the dominant defense the fans have come to know over the past few years. In the end the Dolphins are too young and not deep enough in talent to overcome the injuries they have had this year. Now the focus shifts to the front office and the Dolphin Nation is holding its breath to see if Parcells and company can fill the wholes and get the corner turned on this young and promising team. But for now we can only sit back and watch the Patriots and the Jets move into the postseason and leave us wondering what could have been.

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