Dolphins running game: 115.6 rush ypg (14th)
Steelers running game: 131.0 rush ypg (9th)
Dolphins run defense: 109.4 rush ypg (16th)
Steelers run defense: 63.8 rush ypg (1st)

Dolphins leading rushers
Ronnie Brown: 67 att. 299 yds, 4.5 ypc, 1 TD
Ricky Williams: 56 att. 240 yds, 4.3 ypc

Steelers leading rushers
Rashard Mendenhall: 116 att. 495 yds, 4.3 ypc, 5 TD's
Isaac Redman: 21 att. 89 yds, 4.2 ypc

Doesn't the week go by so much more smoothly after a Dolphins win? I will admit, previewing the next week's game is always more fun and exciting after a W. After a loss, you just want to get away from football until the second the ball is kicked off the next game. But we have an awful lot to look forward to this Sunday.

Check power rankings all over the web, the Steelers are widely considered to be the best team in football right now. That's because they are. Their defense is simply dominating, and their offense just got a two time Super Bowl winning quarterback back. We have all week to talk about Big Ben, though, now it's time to preview the running game.

And what a tough matchup this will be for the Dolphins. Rashard Mendenhall is quickly establishing himself as one of the best backs in football, currently standing at sixth in the entire league in rushing yards. And the Steelers' defense has been busy eating alive any offense that tries to get a running game going.

Dolphins running game vs. Steelers run defense
What would you do if you were Dan Henning? That's a difficult seat to be in right now. We know the Dolphins have been opening things up a bit the last few games, having thrown the ball more than they have ran in each of the last three contest, but against the Packers Henning kept things pretty balanced. Henne had a nice rhythm and Ronnie and Ricky finally returned to form. That's when this offense will be at it's best, when they stay balanced.

Yes, they only put up 23 points against an injury riddled Packers' defense, but it wasn't because they were having trouble moving the ball. They turned the ball over a couple times in Packer territory, and settled for two field goals (not counting the game-winning kick in OT). Is it even possible to employ a similarly balanced attack against the brick wall that is the Steelers' defense, though?

It sure won't be easy, but they at least need to keep the Steelers honest by giving them a moderate dose of Ronnie and Ricky. If not, guys like James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley are going to pin their ears back and get after Henne.

But the bottom line is, the Dolphins won't be able to run the ball on the Steelers if the interior offensive line blocks like they have all season. They were much better Sunday, but they need to come together in a hurry and each individual on that line needs to have a career best performance if the Dolphins are going to go toe to toe with the Steelers front seven.

A realistic benchmark would be about 80 yards. If Ronnie and Ricky can pick up about 40 yards a piece, and manage to stay in the mid to upper 3.0's for yards per carry, that could be enough production from the running game to open things up a bit for Henne and the passing game to make plays down field.
Edge: Steelers

Steelers running game vs. Dolphins run defense
Unlike on the other side of the ball, I think there is a little more hope here. Don't get me wrong, the Steelers are one of the better running teams in football, they usually always are, but they're not impossible to stop.

Of course, in the Dolphins' case, it once again will come down to their ability to set the edge. I think they're solid up the middle, and with Channing Crowder now back in the lineup, teams shouldn't be able to pound the ball down the Dolphins' throats.

Getting Jared Odrick back would also go along way in stiffening the Dolphins front seven, because Randy Starks could then move back to nose tackle where he impressed early on. But when the Steelers turn on the game film of the Dolphins' game in Minnesota and their home games against the Jets and Pats, they are going to see an open gate on the edge of the defense.

The Dolphins stopped the bleading against the run a bit last week. But lets be honest, the Packers don't have a very good run game, and didn't test Cameron Wake and Koa Misi like they probably should have.

Just like the Patriots did a couple weeks ago, I expect the Steelers to run Reshard Mendenhall right at Wake all game long. Not only will that test what has been his biggest weakness thus far, but that could also ware him down and make him a less lethal pass rusher as the game goes on.

Wake has the tools to excel as an edge setter, and has done so quite effectively on a few plays this season, but he's going to have to establish some consistency in a hurry. Also, the backside pursuit needs to be ready to fill cutback lanes.

Against New England, there were times the Dolphins were able to take away the edge and forced the ball-carrier back into the teeth of the defense. The only problem was, Green-Ellis and Woodhead found all kinds of room to operate once they cut it back to the middle.

That means Miami can't get caught overpursing, which puts even more pressure on Wake and Misi to shed blocks and get after Mendenhall.

Stopping the Steelers' ground attack will be a difficult task to say the least, but it may be the key to a huge Miami victory. Take away Pittsburgh's running game, you take away their play-action passing game, which could lead to shutting down their offense completely.
Edge: Steelers

With news of Bill Parcells packing up and leaving the team facility yesterday, this football team is now officially, if it wasn't already, in the hands of Jeff Ireland. A man who hasn't exactly earned the trust of this franchise's fan base yet. The fact that he was molded by the hands of Parcells for three full offseasons, though, suggest the Dolphins are in very capable hands.

Besides, the foundation of this team is already in place. Sure, there are still holes. You would hard pressed to find another team in this league that doesn't have places where improvement needs to be made, but the pieces are in place for this football team to be successful, both now and in the future.

That's why this news doesn't bother me one bit. But before we look ahead to the next era of leadership, let's look back at what truly was a remarkable remodeling job.

I'm not going to go as far as to say it was all Parcells, as I think the Dolphins got some very lucky breaks, like Pennington becoming available a few weeks before the 2008 season for example. But there's no doubt that this team wouldn't have turned around so quickly and be in the position to do great things like they are today, without the guiding hand of the Big Tuna.

After hitting rock bottom in 2007 by becoming the laughing stock of the entire league in an embarrassing 1-15 season, Parcells instantly changed the culture the minute he walked in the door. The first step in turning around a once proud franchise.

The next step is obviously building the team from the ground up with sound personnel decisions. Parcells wasn't always a genius, mistakenly signing players like Ernest Wilford and Gibril Wilson and drafting guys like Phillip Merling, Pat White, and Patrick Turner who look the part of bust early on in their careers.

But the positives far outweigh the negatives, and any fan that criticizes the work Parcells has done needs to step back and look at what this team has accomplished and how far they have come in three short years. I know I'm not alone in extending a big thank you to Bill Parcells, who played a large role in restoring hope to a franchise in the lowest of lows.

Here's a list of my top five personnel moves made by Parcells in the last three years. I'm keeping this closed to players here, but the decision to hire Tony Sparano as head coach deserves some serious recognition as well. Also drafting Chad Henne in the second round of the 2008 draft obviously will go a long way in defining Parcells' tenure here in Miami, and although he's flashed plenty of potential, the jury is still very much out on if he will emerge as a franchise quarterback or not.

Top 5 personnel moves in Parcells era

5. March 5th 2010: Dolphins sign ILB Karlos Dansby
Even if the Dolphins overpaid Dansby by making him the highest paid non-rush linebacker in history, it was a necessary move and the Dolphins probably aren't 3-2 without his presence in the middle of the defense. He's proved to be a tackling machine and has the speed to stretch the field with the play-making ability that impacts the outcome of games.  

4. 2008 offseason: Dolphins upgrade defensive line by signing DE Randy Starks and drafting DE Kendall Langford
Okay, so I cheated a little bit on this one, but both played a huge role in helping the Dolphins transition to the 3-4 defense, and both are now Pro Bowl caliber players in the Dolphins' front seven. Both were pretty big steals too. Starks wasn't thought to be a marquee free agent and Langford lasted all the way until the third round. Starks moved over to nose tackle this offseason, but has been forced back to defensive end with Jared Odrick's injury. Langford, meanwhile, may be establishing himself as one of the better 3-4 ends in the game.  



3. 2009 NFL Draft: Dolphins select CB Vontae Davis 25th overall
The rookie corner hit his fair share of bumps in the road last year, but, despite getting roasted by Greg Jennings this Sunday, is quickly establishing himself as an elite cover corner in only his second season. We need to see a little more consistency before we know if he's that good for sure, but all indications are pointing towards the Dolphins having something special here.



2. April 14th 2010: Dolphins trade two second-round picks for WR Brandon Marshall
There is no doubt this offense is now capable of great things with a playmaking receiver like Brandon Marshall causing defense all kinds of havoc. Chad Henne desperately needed a go-to threat like Marshall to emerge as a franchise quarterback. Now, it all comes back to how far Henne can take them, but with Marshall, the sky is the limit for this offense.



1. 2008 NFL Draft: Dolphins select Jake Long 1st overall
Just like Bill Parcells, Jake Long symbolizes the Dolphins turnaround. He was the first building block that started the transformation. Some still argue that they should have went with Matt Ryan with that 1st pick, and judging by how well he's played in Atlanta that may have been the right move. I tend to think the circumstances in Miami would have buried any rookie quarterback. There was no offensive line and the receivers were sub par to be generous. That's why Jake Long was the safe pick; the right pick. Now, the Dolphins should have their O-line anchor for well into the foreseeable future, as Long has unanimously established himself as one of the top two or three tackles in the game.

After another special-teams mistake Sunday in Green Bay, the Dolphins have released former first-round pick Bobby Carpenter. Carpenter missed a block that resluted in the deflected punt yesterday, and was responsible for the blocked punt two weeks ago against the Patriots. no comments

What a way to get the nasty taste of two bitter defeats out of our mouths. I won't go as far as to say the Dolphins saved their season, but 3-2 is drastically better than 2-3 in this division and conference.

Unfortunately, things haven't got much easier for the Dolphins, as the Jets and Patriots continue to win and the schedule isn't about to get softer any time soon. But they still have a pulse and now have two very impressive road wins under their belt.

Before yesterday the Dolphins really hadn't played a full game with a solid offensive and defensive performance. In the first two road wins, Mike Nolan's defense was fantastic, but the offense was lackluster. In the Jets game, Chad Henne and the passing attack was brilliant but the running game and defense cost the Dolphins at home. I don't think I even need to mention the New England game two weeks ago.

Yesterday against the Packers, though, the offense put together their most balanced attack of the season as Henne threw for 231 yards and Ronnie and Ricky combined for 137 yards. Take away the interception, turnover on downs, and the settling for field goals, and that was the offensive formula this team needs to employ week in and week out to be successful.

Dan Henning has been getting his fair share of criticism this year, and rightfully so, but outside of that mind boggling Hartline reverse, he called a pretty flawless game. And how about the way Henne bounced back after the three picks he threw against the Pats?

Yes, we've already talked about the interception, which was the wrong read, but credit the defender for making a great jump on the ball and completing the difficult catch. Take away that pass, and there wasn't much to complain about.

Henne fit some passes into some very tight windows; throws that only quarterbacks with elite arm strength can make. The touchdown pass to Bess between two defenders was a great example, as was that perfectly placed ball to Marshall along the sideline between the corner and safety in zone coverage.

Henne may not be ready to emerge as one of the league's elite quarterbacks yet, but he's surely earned the right to keep his job and has proven to be good enough to at least be a solid starter for years to come.

Defensively, the Dolphins finally stopped the bleeding a bit against the run by holding Green Bay to under four yards per carry. Albeit the Packers don't exactly have a dominate running attack, and they were still able to gash Miami's front seven on a few plays, but it was a solid, encouraging effort.

Yes, Aaron Rodgers got his yards- when doesn't he? But outside of that deep connection with Jennings, the secondary bent but didn't break when the Dolphins needed a stop the most. It was a little disappointing to see Vontae give up that big touchdown, but that's going to happen every now and then when he's all alone on an island like that.

Make no mistake, this kid is a player. Maybe he hasn't arrived at the elite shutdown status quite yet, but he's well on his way. Despite the big play, he continued to show how physical he is on some key tackles there in the fourth quarter that nearly preserved the lead.

When Vontae and the secondary needed to make a play to get off the field, it was the pass rush, and in particular Cameron Wake who answered the call. Wake was simply a beast all game long. Each of his three sacks played a huge role in keeping the Packers off the board more than they were, and without them the Dolphins probably don't win that game. 

I have praised Wake before, but I think it's officially time to cement him as one of the league's elite pass rushers. If he isn't a household name now, he will be by years end. Not to say that he's arrived yet as a complete outside linebacker, he's still got some work to do setting the edge, but from a pass rushing standpoint the Dolphins have been blessed with one of the best in the business.

That finally brings me to special-teams. It wasn't pretty at times again, but progress was made. The tipped punt and the holding call near the end of the first-half on Carpenter's field goal were the negatives. But Carpenter showed great composure by calmly nailing that 53-yarder at the end of the half and the game winning kick in overtime. The kickoff coverage was also much better, as the first and second lines of defense were staying in their lanes and flying to the football.

Nolan Carroll also caught my eye. I think the Dolphins have found their kickoff returner. He very nearly broke off a couple big returns yesterday, and he hits the hole so much harder than the other guys who have gotten opportunities. Still a lot to correct, though, on the special-teams side of things, but they appear to be headed in the right direction.

Overall, just a great team win for a group of guys who have had to battle a little adversity here in the last three weeks and who desperately needed to right the ship. It's no time to relax, though, perhaps the best team in football awaits next week when the Steelers come to town.

Fab Five Fins

Cameron Wake: The obvious choice, Wake made a few of the biggest plays of the game by getting to Rodgers for three sacks.

Brandon Marshall: Pretty disappointed to see Marshall not get that second foot down towards the end of the half, but 10 grabs for 127 yards was more than enough production to open up the offense.

Chad Henne: The interception in the redzone was pretty frustrating considering the Dolphins were on the verge of adding to a 7-3 lead, but overall Henne had a great bounce back performance from the debacle two weeks ago with 231 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Dan Carpenter: Like I said yesterday, I don't usually go out of my way to compliment kickers, but Carpenter surely deserves some recognition for one of the most outstanding performances I have seen in recent memory from a Dolphins kicker. 

Jason Allen: Jason Allen also had a nice little bounce back performance of his own. After a rough two game home stand, Allen wasn't picked on two heavily by Rodgers and made one of the key plays of the game by picking him off along the sideline.

A big congratulations to Davone Bess for the two-year contract extension yesterday. The deal reportedly makes him the highest paid slot receiver in the league. Great job by Jeff Ireland for getting this thing out of the way, and good for Davone Bess who deserves every penny. 

Dolphins 23 Packers 20

After the Dolphins lost their second straight game to a division foe two weeks ago, I said this stretch after the bye week would reveal what type of character this football team had. They answered the call in a big way today, going into Lambeau Field and knocking off the injury depleted, but still Aaron Rodgers led Packers.

Adversity showed it's ugly face in the game as well. Early on, the Dolphins were in great shape up 7-3 and driving on the Packers. That's when Chad Henne made his only costly decision of the day by trying to force a ball into Marshall that was picked off. Greg Jennings got the best of Vontae Davis on an 86-yard strike from Rodgers on the very next play. The Dolphins could have folded in a hostile environment, but they didn't.

The battled back and took a three point lead in the third quarter, and eventually jumped out to a 20-13 lead late into the fourth quarter. The Packers answered right back, as Rodgers converted on two fourth downs, with the second being the game tying touchdown.

The defense could have hanged their heads for letting Rodgers walk right in to tie the game, but when the Dolphins desperately needed a stop, Cameron Wake got to Rodgers for the third time which gave Henne and the offense great field position.

I usually don't go out of my way to compliment a kicker, but the Dolphins are truly blessed to have one of such high caliber in Dan Carpenter. The 53-yarder he nailed in the first-half after the holding penalty was impressive enough, but it was obvious how confident the coaching staff was that he would calmly split the uprights there in overtime.

I don't have much time, so I'm keeping this short, but be sure to check back tomorrow for in-depth evaluation. What a great win for our Dolphins!

Game Ball: OLB Cameron Wake, 3.0 sacks

Full box score here