Henne Will Be Ready

CHAD HENNE IS A JOKE
A MOTHERF*CKING JOKE
HIS WOLVERINES ARE GONNA F*CKING CROAK
THEY CALL HIM DOCTOR CHOKE
BET ON HIM, YOU'LL GO BROKE
CAUSE CHAD HENNE IS A MOTHERF*CKING JOKE

-- "Chad Henne is a motherf*cking joke" by the Dead Schembechler's

Former Michigan and current Miami Dolphins QB Chad Henne has taken a beating on and off the field. He was the QB for one of the most recognizable college program in the nation (for four years, too), where he faced pass rushers gunning for his head. More than once he became bruised and battered, but he got up to play again. Off the field, he's taken his fair share of heat, as any QB does. Not only have Michigan supporters and fans questioned Henne's ability in the past, but so have his hated rivals. An Ohio State Buckeyes punk rock band - the Dead Schembechler's - have an ode to the former Michigan QB, released during Henne's junior season as the Wolverines QB. A snippet of the song is listed above. He took all of the name-calling and ribbing in stride.

And he believes it actually makes him better at what he does.

Unlike many athletes who can't take the pressure, spotlight and never-ending evaluations, Henne chooses to ignore it all and is immune to all the hate. He lets the song(s?), images and articles that rip on him just roll off his back. Some may think this means he doesn't care. In fact, playing QB may be one of the only things he does care about.

The Michigan product has always taken that seriously, and never more than now. That's why he was at the Dolphins' Davie facility this offseason "probably six weeks before everybody else was here," according to his coach Tony Sparano, who has marveled at the improvement in the second-year player, in everything from physical strength to coverage identification.
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If you're trying to project how he'll handle a role that requires far more than just making throws, it's worth reviewing how he handled four seasons as the Wolverines starting quarterback, where he was the subject of parody (from rivals) and scrutiny (from classmates). It's worth asking the person who knows him best.

Yes, that person would be fiancee Brittany Hartman, who says Henne has a very even temper and tends to not get stressed out. Those are great traits for a QB; the best thing for them to do after they screw up is to move on.

His current mentor has high praise for him as well. Chad Pennington, who will lose his job to Henne by 2010 (at the latest), believes Henne can and will succeed in the NFL. Pennington has been teaching Henne the nuances of NFL coverages and watching tape.

"I think I should be well-prepared for taking the stage and knowing how to handle myself on and off the field, and being in the community and learning to give back," Henne says. "We always talk about not being a celebrity quarterback. That's a big thing for us. I'm not that kind of person. I'm kind of a low-key, small-town guy."

Indeed. And I can't wait until this "joke", someone I've known since junior high, to be the starting QB for my team.

It's (Almost) Henne Time in Miami

The Miami Herald's Armando Salguero is telling it like it is, even if some fans don't want to think about. Chad Henne is the Dolphins QB of the future. He will start in 2010. But what about 2009?

Head coach Tony Sparano has already gone on record saying 2008 Comeback Player of the Year Chad Pennington is the teams QB to start the 2009 season. No questions asked. However Sparano leaves himself enough room to mix things up. Pennington signed a 2-year deal prior to the 2008 season. He'll be a free agent in less than a year. Do the Dolphins really want to extend someone who may not be the starter come 2010? Because, according to sources, he won't be sitting atop the Miami depth chart a year from now.

Expect to see this a lot this summer... and every Sunday in the coming years.

In his article, Salguero credits a source for many conclusions such as Henne seeing extensive time during training camp and the preseason. Henne - despite playing in only three games and throwing just 12 passes - has impressed the entire front office, including those that are most important (Bill Parcells, Jeff Ireland, and Sparano).

But what happens to Pennignton? After finishing second in the MVP race, is it necessary to toss him aside with out witnessing his 2009 season? It all depends on what the team and he wants. According to Salguero, Miami will make it known that Henne is their starter in 2010 and Pennington is more than welcome to return to the Dolphins with a reasonable salary - and to be his backup. Why?

Henne has better arm strength, and that could improve Miami's passing attack. The Dolphins also do not dismiss the effect Henne might have on the development of a receiver such as Ted Ginn Jr.

Though I stated multiple times that Henne would be Miami's starter in 2008, it was before the acquisition of Pennington. I still stand by my guarantee; there were just extenuating circumstances that kept it from coming to fruition. Henne has the talent. I have seen it first hand. The Dolphins know it. You'll see it - just not for another season.

UPDATE, 1:30 PM - I bumped this article back to the top because Pro Football Talk is now reporting on this story as well as another one Salguero published today, which includes more quote from Sparano on Henne's preparation for the future. I'm trying to link to Salguero's new piece but his blog is not cooperating at the moment.

Exceeding Expectations: The 2008 Miami Dolphins

It's become commonplace to state this recently, but it bears mentioning here too: the Miami Dolphins control their own destiny. Win their next three games (vs San Francisco, @ Kansas City, @ NY Jets) and the Dolphins - yes, the Dolphins - will win the AFC East. It would be their first playoff appearance since the 2001 season, when they lost a Wild Card matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

How did this happen? How could a team that was a meager 1-15 just a year ago become competitive and push for not only a playoff berth, but a division title? There are plenty of reasons.

• BILL PARCELLS - It all started with the hiring of Bill Parcells, nearly a year ago to be the Executive Vice President of Football Operations. On that date the Dolphins began their rebuilding. The moves he made over the next month were huge building blocks for the rejuvenation of this once proud franchise.
• JEFF IRELAND - Another huge step to righting the ship was hiring Jeff Irleand on January 2nd, 2008. Ireland replaced Randy Mueller, who never quite grasped talent evaluation at the college level. Though Mueller technically only had the final say over roster moves for one year (former head coach Nick Saban had the final say over the personnel during his two year regime), the 2007 Dolphins draft has been a bit of a disappointment. The final judgment on his lone class can't really be passed until after next season (you have one more year to prove yourselves, Ginn, Satele, and Soliai).
• TONY SPARANO - After searching for a new head coch for close to two weeks, Tony Sparano was officially hired on January16th, 2008. Sparano has been a pleasant surprise. He has shown the ability to motivate players, learn on the fly, and make needed adjustments. His evaluation of the proper play calling during key situations has been huge to the Dolphins success thus far.
• ASSISTANT COACHES - The other coaching staff positions that were filled have been a huge success to date as well. QBs Coach David Lee, hired before Sparano, has done wonderful things with the two Chads (Pennington and Henne, more on both later). Hiring D coordinator Paul Pasqualoni has done wonders for the defense. Under Pasqualoni the Dolphins have vastly improved. After ranking 23rd in total defense in 2007 (342.2 yards/game), the team has improved to 13th through 13 games this season (317.2 yards/game). They are allowing only 20 points/game this season, down 7.3 points/game from '07. Through 13 games they have already eclipsed their sack total from last season. A big reason for this huge improvement is the run defense. In 2008 the Dolphins are allowing under 100 yards rushing/game (96.0, 11th in NFL). Last year they gave up an average of 153.5 rushing yards/game, dead last in the league. The last major staff position filled was offensive coordinator, which went to Dan Henning. As we'll see later, he's done plenty for this team.
• ROSTER PURGE - Once the coaching staff was assembled it was time to overturn the roster. Gone were underachievers and overpayed veterans; young and "cheap" was in. QB Trent Green was one of the first to go, indicating that the Dolphins would be turning to their 13th starting QB since Dan Marino retired. The biggest offseason move - the one hardest to swallow for many Dolfans - was the release of Zach Thomas. Thomas had been the heart and soul of Miami for over a decade. The perennial pro bowler left everything on the field. It was a sad day to see him go. After the initial purge the front office began restocking.
• FREE AGENCY/TRADES - During free agency resigned starters Yeremiah Bell and Michael Lehan. They added some beef to the o-line (Justin Smiley) and much needed depth at LB (Charlie Anderson, Reggie Torbor). The biggest additions came via trades, both with the Dallas Cowboys. After missing most of the 2007, NT Jason Ferguson was no loner needed in Dallas. Miami took advantage and added the behemoth to fix the porous run defense (as you saw earlier, he has helped a ton). Later on they went back to Dallas and absolutely fleeced them for TE Anthony Fasano and LB Akin Ayodele, both starter for Miami. The cost? A mere 4th round pick. This initial free agency period was up and down as they churned through the roster to find the right players. Many signed have since been let go as upgrades were sought. The only major miss by the front office has been WR Ernest Wilford, who was signed to be a starter opposite Ted Ginn. He has been inactive for a few games and has rarely seen the field. They fared better in the draft.
• THE DRAFT - The 2008 draft was a huge success for Miami. Not only did they secure their starting LT for the next 10+ years, they added a QB of the future (Chad Henne) and two future starters at DE (Phillip Merling and Kendall Langford). There's a possibility they even found a late round gem in OG Donald Thomas. Unfortunately Thomas' rookie season was cut short due to injury. You couldn't have asked much more from this first draft class as there are potentially five starters in the group, plus two additional depth players (RB Lex Hilliard, DE Lionel Dotson).
• THE FUTURE - Though this next point hasn't had a direct effect on the 2008 season, it will help for the future. A few days prior to training camp the Dolphins traded 2006 Defensive Player of the Year Jason Taylor to the Washington Redskins for a 2009 2nd round pick and a 2010 sixth rounder. For the second year in a row Miami will have two 2nd round picks to work with. They struck gold in '08 (Merling, Henne). Can it happen again?
• FINDING UNHERALDED TALENT - In addition to their nice bounty in the draft, they also hit on two undrafted free agents. WR Davone Bess is now a starter following the season ending injury to Greg Camarillo. Bess has done a decent job returning kicks but has a birght future as a slot receiver. The other big UDFA acquisition was K Dan Carpenter. Carpenter has been stellar this far, hitting 19 of 22 FGs and all his extra points. When Miami cut Jay Feely some people felt it was a big mistake. Not so. Carpenter has been money and may be on his way to the Pro Bowl.
• CHAD PENNINGTON - Two weeks into training camp arguably the biggest offseason move was made. QB Chad Pennington, cut by the New York Jets after acquiring Brett Favre, was signed. All Pennington has done in 2008 is outperform Brett Favre. And that's being noted elsewhere, too. Through 13 games, Pennington is 261 of 393 (66.4%) for 3,062 yards with 12 TDs and 6 INTs resulting in a rating of 93.7, good for 6th in the NFL and 2nd in the AFC behind only Philip Rivers. Pennington is one of the biggest reasons Miami is in the hunt for a division title.
• GAME PLANS - The coaches, both offensively and defensively, have shown the ability to not only adjust properly during the game but also to come into the game with a way to win. Take the now notorious "wildcat" for example. Considered a gimmick by many at the beginning, implementing and deciding to use this old formation has come in handy. During it's debut it helped to destroy the Patriots in New England. Since then it has been held in check but it still provides a wrinkle that can be unleashed at any time.
• TURNOVERS - More specifically, a lack thereof. The Dolphins have turned the ball over a mere 11 times (6 INTs, 5 fumbles). They are +11 in the all important turnover differential.
• LUCK - Sure every turn around needs it. The Dolphins were one of the unluckiest teams in the league last year. They lost six games by three points last year. This year they are 2-1 in games decided by 3 points or less.
• SCHEDULE - The best cure for losing is winning. And the easiest way to win is to play inferior opponents. This year that would mean getting to play the West Divisions in each conference. Well guess what division got to do that this year? Yep, the AFC East. Miami has played Denver (Win), San Diego (Win), Oakland (Win), Arizona (Loss), Seattle (Win), and St. Louis (Win). They have San Francisco this week and travel to Kansas City during the penultimate week of the season. Win the next two games, secure a 10-5 record, and the Dolphins will have gone 7-1 against teams from the West. You don't get to choose your schedule or who is good/bad in a given year so we can't penalize the AFC East teams for this. It is what is. However, the team still had to play and win those games, games they should win. And they have.

So there it is. That somewhat chronological list helps explain why the Miami Dolphins, 1-15 in 2007, are currently 8-5 and control their own destiny for the playoffs. If the Dolphins could change just one play in two of their losses, they could be 10-3 (Jets week 1, Texans week 6). That just goes to show that this team is almost always in the game and has a chance to win every week, no matter the opponent. They may not be the best team out their but they play hard.

Will the Dolphins make the playoffs this year and complete the greatest turnaround in NFL history? Maybe. No matter what happens these last three weeks, even if they implode and finish 8-8, this season was a huge success. I had predicted Miami to finish between 5-11 and 7-9. They have already proved me wrong. This season has laid the foundation for a team to be competitive every year for the next 5-7 years. Maybe more. They weren't expected to be competitive until 2010. They are already. With another offseason they could prove that they are back and ready to compete for another Super Bowl title.

With the triumvirate of Parcells-Ireland-Sparano, as well as the rest of the coaching and front office staff, the sky's the limit.

Despite media hype, Favre and the Jets were merely average in week 1

The way the media is swooning over Brett Favre and his new team you'd think the final score yesterday was 66-10. It wasn't. Not even close. The Jets did win, beating the Dolphins 20-14. But with some ridiculous comments from people at ESPN you'd think they just made it to the Super Bowl. ESPNs Gene Wojciechowski says

At the exact moment Brady's knee buckled, Favre and the Jets became the team to beat in a division previously leased by the Patriots.

Well if that is true, based on yesterday's performances, where does that put Buffalo who destroyed Seattle 34-10. Or Miami? They were a play away from pulling the upset. With New York now the favorite, they more than likely would be favored to get to at least 11 wins. Based on the performance yesterday? Against a team that, entering the season, "experts" thought would struggle to win 3 games? Surely a meager 6-point win over a perceived "awful" team wouldn't make the Jets a favorite for anything.

And the praise for Brett Favre? Please. If the stat. line of 15 of 22 for 198 yards and 2 TDs was attached to anyone else it would be a nice, solid game. But not when it comes from Favre. Then it is a performance that just reeks of how amazing he is. That 2nd TD was a freak play and complete luck. Favre is another machination of the media hype machine that does more harm than good.

The Jets played good enough to win yesterday but to say that this team is a clear favorite in the AFC East is crap. I think E would agree with me. The Jets performance yesterday was average. Teams that should be reveling in praise after dominating wins yesterday - Dallas, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and perhaps Chicago - have to feel good. As good as you can feel after 1 week. If I were the Jets I would feel disappointed. You beat an inferior opponent by only 6 points and were on the cusp of a loss.

This isn't to say the Jets can't be good, or great for that matter. The potential is there. I can guarantee you that if the game played out the exact same way except Pennington was the Jets starter, no one would be considering the Jets the team to beat in the AFC East. GUARANTEE. And with Brady down the Patriots will stumble. But despite my hatred for them and their coach, they still have elite players at other positions. They will fall but not as far as many would like them to. They will still be in the hunt for the playoffs, like the rest of the teams in the AFC East.

Speaking of the Patriots, I don't want to see players get injured. I would never wish that on anyone. Not even Brady and the Patriots. But this just shows that karma works. Their cheating ways and sleazy play last year was sacked in the Super Bowl and an exclamation point was added in week 1. You angered the football gods last season. Payback is a bitch. This also shows the complete arrogance that Bill Belichick employs. Why in the world is Matt Cassel the backup to Brady? Despite his solid play in relief yesterday, the Patriots can't possibly believe he is the answer for the rest of the season. And they don't. They are bringing in free agents Tim Rattay and Chris Simms for workouts today. If you do this when your star goes down, why not have one of them as the back up already? Simms was cut in late August and Rattay wasn't even in a camp. Both of these players are more than likely an upgrade over Cassel. Why weren't they brought in and groomed as a backup in case this happened? Arrogance. That's all it is. Now Cassel will have to start for the next week or two until a free agent gets up to speed. Just more New England arrogance.

Favre: By a Jets Fan

Now that I've had a little bit of time to digest the situation, I feel I'm capable of offering an official person opinion on the matter. That opinion is that I like this situation.

Heading into this season, it was either Chad Pennington or Kellen Clemens. Kellen is alright but won't (at this point) lead us to a division title over the Pats, let alone a Super Bowl. Chad is frail. Very frail. He's also 32 and when you're that age and have a history of injuries like he does, that typically doesn't bode well. Could he have had a good season and take the Jets to the playoffs this year? Absolutely. But that's about it. With Pennington in, NO defense respected the deep ball, and rightfully so. Chad (or Kellen really) couldn't throw it. Because of that, defenses could creep up and snuff out our running game, forcing us to throw short-moderate distance passes for much of the game (I will put part of the blame on our O-Line for this happening last year though). With Brett under center, secondaries are going to have to back off. That, combined with adding Faneca and Woody to the line will help Thomas Jones immensely. He couldn't run at all last year. Our offense will be much more dynamic with Favre.

Also, a free agent signing that mostly went under the radar was our pickup of Bubba Franks. Oddly enough, that signing will probably help out much more than we bargained for. It'll be good for Brett to have a familiar face around that can help translate the NY playbook for him.

Another aspect is attention. Yes, Brett Favre is a drama queen...but the Jets rarely get any attention on the NY sports scene. It always Yankees and Mets and oh yeah, the Giants did win the Super Bowl last year. It's nice to see my team really get put on the map for once. And even with all that attention, Favre can definitely live a pretty low-key life away from Giants Stadium. He will have to deal with a lot more media scrutiny, which I think he's capable of, but the Jets new practice facility is not far away at all from rural areas of NJ.

When it comes down to what we gave up for Favre, I'm actually satisfied. Right now its a 4th rounder, if he plays more than half the season its a 3rd rounder, if we make the playoffs (with him at the helm) its a 2nd rounder, and we give up the 31st or 32nd overall pick if we make the Super Bowl. I like that. We get Favre and keep a first rounder (which GB undoubtedly wanted for him) unless we make a Super Bowl. I personally would do much worse to see my team in the Super Bowl, but that's besides the point.

The NFL is a win now league. If the Jets want to win now, Brett Favre is the right choice. I love Chad Pennington but he just couldn't cut it. With Brett, the Jets should be favored to win at least about 10 games. I wouldn't put them as a Super Bowl contender yet though. We really have to see how all the free agent pickups work out. I would pin them as a Wild Card favorite right now, with room to advance as the year moves on. As for right now, I'm excited to get this season underway and see what Brett can do for the Jets...assuming the Madden Curse doesn't get in the way of that...

I'm now officially ready to embrace Brett Favre as a member of the Jets family.