0-3 Dolphins are a Bloody Mess

The Dolphins are 0-3 for the third time in six seasons.

By JANIE CAMPBELL

Updated 1:22 PM EDT, Mon, Sep 28, 2009

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After leaving the field in San Diego yesterday with a shoulder injury in the second half, Chad Pennington told reporters, "I'm going to hope for the best and expect the worst."

Might as well apply that to the Dolphins as a whole, because this team looks terrible.

It's not just that they're 0-3 after the 13-23 loss to the Chargers. It's that they're giving up huge plays on defense and are unable to finish anything on offense, and don't have many better options on the roster.

Ted Ginn had six passes thrown his way and not a single reception, coming off a game against the Colts in which he failed to come up with touchdown catches twice. He is consistently unreliable and needs to be replaced. But with whom? Davone Bess is reliable, but he's not that go-to guy.

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The offensive line saw their quarterback get his face bloodied and then allowed a sack which may have dislocated his shoulder (which, to be fair, isn't hard to do, because Chad Pennington's arm socket is made of fine china and chicken wire. You can actually register for it as a wedding gift).

Chad Henne replaced him for just a quarter and a half of work, but looked ill at ease and threw a terrible pick six that was no one's fault but his own.

The secondary's woes continued. Will Allen could not manage to stay on his feet in coverage. Gibril Wilson and Yeremiah Bell, the veteran safeties, saw a 30-yard reception by Vincent Jackson followed by a 47-yarder by Malcom Floyed and another 55-yard reception by Jackson.

And the Dolphins couldn't get to Philip Rivers despite San Diego playing without their starting center and guard.

The defense did stop the run enough to keep the score technically close. But the offense couldn't get anything going: their first drive went 94 yards in 17 plays and consumed 9:29, but died when Ronnie Brown couldn't hang on at the handoff and fumbled into the end zone. After that, it was a Ricky Williams run for a score in the second half and....field goals.

Which brings up the playcalling. Dan Henning used Ronnie and Ricky nine times on that long first possession. They got only 12 carries between them in the second half. Again, Miami abandoned the run, and did so when a back-up quarterback was playing in a close game. That doesn't even make sense, not when Ronnie Brown is the best offensive weapon no matter who's under center.

As for Pennington, he's visiting doctors today, but with two surgeries already on his right shoulder...well, let's just hope for the best and expect the worst.