Bucs an Easy Win? Look Out for Lt. Winslow

Sidenote: he's acclimated to our climate. Phooey!

By JANIE CAMPBELL

Updated 4:15 PM EDT, Thu, Nov 12, 2009

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Wisdom both conventional and possessed by Ted Ginn apologists says that Sunday's game against the 1-7 Buccaneers should be a relatively easy one for the Dolphins. Though 3-5, Miami's leaps and bounds ahead of also-rebuilding Tampa Bay, who took nine weeks -- and three quarterbacks -- to record their first win.

Ted Ginn: a Tribute

Still, though, there are a few areas of concern. The Dolphins are pretty banged up, with Joey Porter, Paul Soliai, Justin Smiley, and Erik Walden all sidelined for practice and the loss of Will Allen still felt. Then there's the whole wide reciever debacle, which is sorry to the point citizens of the Internet are creating tribute videos to dropped passes. And though Tampa Bay doesn't exactly possess a whole lot of firepower, they have scary where it counts against Miami: a top-tier tight end.

Yeah, we called Kellen Winslow, Jr. top-tier. He was an inconsistent -- yet hilarious -- sideshow in Cleveland, but since his trade south the veteran strong like bull has been quietly putting together quite a season: 35 receptions for 352 yards and five touchdowns, leading or tying the team in receptions in six of the Bucs' first eight games. It's a soldiering life, one that the Dolphins could be all too lax in stopping: there was Tony Gonzalez in Week 1, torching the Fins' secondary for 5 catches, 73 yards, and one touchdown; Dallas Clark with 7 receptions, 183 yards, and 1 score; Antonio Gates with 5 for 64; K2 forebearer Jeremy Shockey allowed to be unstoppable for 105 yards on just 4 receptions.

That adds up to opposing tight ends having caught 33 passes for 550 yards and 3 touchdowns in Miami's eight games. Whatever you can say about the Dolphins offense (and you do, and we join you), they've several times put the team in a position to win only to have a tight end burn the secondary with big play after big play. Winslow has the speed, the brawn, and the hands to become a problem if Yeremiah Bell can't stop him from becoming an army of one. And, really, where's the evidence he can?

Ideally, on the field this Sunday, because Maurice Stovall and Sammie Stroughter aren't the guys for whom rookie QB Josh Freeman is going to be looking -- and in both the dump-off slot and the "has hands" category is a guy who's got the goods to make a game of it.