Recipe for an upset may be closer than Fins think; other notes

The Arizona Cardinals know how the Dolphins feel going into this weekends game, as just two weeks ago, they were in a precariously similar situation.  Virtually nobody picked them to go into New England and upset Tom Brady and the Patriots, yet, low and behold, they did.  They traveled across country, defied Vegas, defied the double digit spread, and got one of those "statement" wins I hit on earlier this week.

Isn't it strange how quickly the tides turn in the NFL?

Enter the Miami Dolphins.

The line may not be quite as big (6.5 as of yesterday), and the venue may not be Gillette Stadium (although the Cardinals have won SEVEN in a row at home), but for the Miami Dolphins, they must use the similarities to their advantage.  If the Fins want to pull of an upset like this, on the road, against an undefeated team, they should look no further than across the field at the Arizona Cardinals.

And here are the notes I would take:

1) Win the sack battle.  In that week two upset, the Cardinal defense took down Tom Brady four times, while QB Kevin Kolb was only sacked twice.  If the Fins can take the passing game out of the Cardinal offense and force them to play into their strength, the run defense, then the mood of this game will change in a hurry.

2) Get off the field on third down.  The Pats converted 33.3% of their third downs in that week two game, and this did two things; kept Tom Brady and that offense off the field, and didn't allow that Pats defense to get their breath on the sidelines.  For the Fins, anytime you can keep Larry Fitzgerald off the field, you're ahead of the game.

3) Use special teams or defense to change momentum.  In Arizona's case, it was a blocked punt deep in New England territory early in the third quarter with the Cardinals trailing 9-6.  After that, they would punch it in to take the lead and wouldn't look back. On Sunday, whether it be an interception for a touchdown, a blocked punt, or a kick return to the house, the Fins must find a way to turn momentum in their favor, especially on the road.

Now, I'm not saying that if the Dolphins do all these things they'll get the upset, in-fact, they could perfectly execute each one and still come up short.  But in a game like this, when everything is stacked against you, finding a recipe for success is hard to do, and luckily for the Fins, they may have found one just fifty yards across the field.

Who knows?


Other Notes:

• The big talk out of Miami this week has been the status of Reggie Bush. The star running back practiced in full this morning, and according to Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel, Bush was moving well and appears to be ready for Sunday's game.

• The other injury concern for the Fins has been cornerback Richard Marshall, who has been nursing a back injury.  Marshall missed all of Thursday's practice, however, he practiced in full this morning and should also be a go for Sunday.  If not, Nolan Carroll and Jimmy Wilson will be next in line to replace him.

• The Dolphins will be heading out to Arizona today, a day earlier then they usually leave for away games, in order to adjust to the three hour time difference.  The team will conduct a walk through tomorrow afternoon.

• LB Karlos Dansby is returning to Arizona for the first team since joining the Miami Dolphins three seasons ago.  He spent six years with the Cardinals, including a trip to the Super Bowl in 2008.  “It’s definitely something I’ve been looking forward to,” Dansby said. “Guys that are there won’t let me forget about it. They remind me every chance I get.”

Thats all for now, check back later!