2010 NFL PREVIEW- Miami Dolphins

MIAMI DOLPHINS

2009 RECORD: 7-9-0
(3rd in AFC East)

HEAD COACH: Tony Sparano

Key Additions: WR Brandon Marshall (trade/Denver), LB Karlos Dansby (FA/Arizona), G Richie Incognito (FA/Buffalo), LB Tim Dobbins (trade/San Diego)

Key Losses: LB Joey Porter (FA/Arizona), LB Jason Taylor (FA/ NY Jets), WR Ted Ginn (trade/San Francisco)

Offense: Chad Henne is the Dolphins' quarterback until further notice.
After a shoulder injury knocked Chad Pennington out last season, Henne took over and finished the '09 season with 2,878 passing yards along with 12 TD passes and 14 interceptions.
Pennington, Tyler Thigpen and Pat White are other quarterbacks available in 2010.
The running game is the bread and butter for the Miami offense.
Ricky Williams seems to have been reborn the last two seasons after his bizarre departure a few years ago.
Williams ran for 1,121 yards (4.7 ypc average) and scored 11 touchdowns last year. Ronnie Brown had a short season because of injuries, but still rushed for 648 yards and scored eight touchdowns while averaging 4.4 per carry.

All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Marshall (101 catches, 1,120 yards, 10 TD) comes over in a trade from Denver and will line up along with Davone Bess, who led Miami receivers in '09 with 76 catches for 758 yards.
Greg Camarillo (50, 552 yards) and Brian Hartline (31, 506 yards, three TD) are the other receivers in the mix. Anthony Fasano is the tight end, and made 31 catches last season, including two for touchdowns.
Jake Grove is the center and the guards are Nate Garner and newcomer Richie Incognito. The tackles are Jake Long and Vernon Carey.

Defense: What was a strength in 2008 slipped downward last season as the 'Fins finished the '09 season ranked 22nd in total defense.
The pass defense was weak, allowing 235 yards per game while the run defense allowed 114 yards a game.
Up front in the Dolphins' 3-4 scheme is nose tackle Randy Starks. The ends are Kendall Langford and Jared Odrick, a rookie out of Penn State.
Gone are linebackers Joey Porter and Jason Taylor.
But the Dolphins added Karlos Dansby via free agency at linebacker and he will team with Channing Crowder on the inside while the outside linebackers are Quentin Moses and Cameron Wake.
Vontae Davis and Will Allen are the cornerbacks and the safeties are Yeremiah Bell and Chris Clemons.
The Dolphins were third a year ago with 44 sacks. Porter had nine of those sacks and Taylor had seven, but they are gone. Starks, the nose tackle, totaled seven QB sacks in '09.

OUTLOOK: While the Dolphins fell short of a .500 record a year ago after shocking the entire NFL in '08 with a division title, they are decided underdogs in the AFC East this year and Head Coach Tony Sporano will do his best to motivate the team in 2010.
If Henne can put it together for the entire season at quarterback, this team could get back to the playoffs.
The running game is solid and the defense is revamping with new players via free agency and the draft.
The Patriots and Jets are formidable foes in the division, but the Dolphins did sweep the Jets a year ago, twice scoring 30 or more points in those games.
The schedule is tough, so the Dolphins know that things will not come easy in 2010. A lot depends on the play of the quarterback.
Look for Miami to finish 8-8 this year and continue to load up for the future as they pursue their divisional foes while looking to get back to the post-season.

TEAM SCHEDULE:
Week 1- at Buffalo
Week 2- at Minnesota
Week 3- vs. NY Jets
Week 4- vs. New England
Week 5- Bye Week
Week 6- at Green Bay
Week 7- vs. Pittsburgh
Week 8- at Cincinnati
Week 9- at Baltimore
Week 10- vs. Tennessee
Week 11- vs. Chicago
Week 12- at Oakland
Week 13- vs. Cleveland
Week 14- at NY Jets
Week 15- vs. Buffalo
Week 16- vs. Detroit
Week 17- at New England