Dolphins at Seahawks
Kingdome, Seattle, Wash.,
Sunday, Jan. 9
AT A GLANCE: Two teams that backed into the playoffs meet as the
Dolphins travel to Seattle. The Seahawks, who make their first playoff appearance since
1988, have lost five of their last six; the Dolphins have lost six of their last eight.
|
| OVERVIEW: Earlier this season, a meeting between the
Seahawks and Dolphins would have looked like a potential AFC championship game matchup.
Miami started the season 7-1, while Seattle at one point was 8-2 with a three-game lead in
the AFC West. Things have changed. Both Seattle and Miami stumbled down the stretch. The
Seahawks (9-7) lost five of their last six games and got into the playoffs only after
Kansas City missed a potential game-winning field goal and then lost at home against the
Raiders. The Seahawks last had a winning season in 1990 and last made the postseason in
1988.
The Dolphins (9-7) lost six of their last eight and snuck into the playoffs in Week 17
thanks to losses by both the Chiefs and Seahawks.
Turnovers should play a key role in this game. They killed both teams during the second
half of the season. Miami gave up nine touchdowns on defensive returns this season, while
Seattle did not do a good job of protecting the ball or forcing turnovers during its
slide.
These teams have met in the postseason twice. The Seahawks won at Miami 27-20 in a
divisional playoff game in 1983. Miami avenged that loss with a 31-10 win in a divisional
playoff game the next season. Dolphins QB Dan Marino played in both of those games.
WHEN THE DOLPHINS HAVE THE BALL:
Marino has not been sharp since returning from a pinched nerve in his neck. His arm
strength and release are no longer what they were. As a result, Marino is making fewer big
plays and throwing more interceptions. It’s not completely inconceivable that the
Dolphins would put Damon Huard in for Marino if the veteran struggles against Seattle.
Marino will have to be careful against a ball-hawking Seahawks defense that must create
turnovers to be effective. Seattle will blitz and use man coverage in an effort to force
mistakes. But that approach means the Seahawks will give up a lot of yardage when the
turnovers don’t come.
The Dolphins haven’t gotten their running game to click all season, although it
has been OK the past two weeks. J.J. Johnson, who sat out last week with a sore hamstring,
should be back. While he doesn’t provide much of a breakaway threat, he can move the
chains. |
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|
Profile |
| Kingdome |
| Seattle, Wash. |
| Date: Sunday, January 9, 2000 |
| 1:05 P.M. Pacific Time |
| Type Of Turf: Artificial |
| Meeting Of The Year: Only |
| Season Record: |
| |
Miami |
9-7-0 |
| |
Seattle |
9-7-0 |
| Season Record vs. Spread: |
| |
Miami |
6-10-0 |
| |
Seattle |
6-10-0 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| |
Miami (R) |
4-4-0 |
| |
Seattle (H) |
5-3-0 |
| Home/Road Record vs. Spread: |
| |
Miami (R) |
4-4-0 |
| |
Seattle (H) |
3-5-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf: |
| |
Miami |
1-3-0 |
| |
Seattle |
6-4-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf vs. Spread: |
| |
Miami |
1-3-0 |
| |
Seattle |
4-6-0 |
|
|
| Seattle will depend on big DTs Sam Adams and Cortez Kennedy to clog the middle. Both
are talented and can be dominant, but teams have still been able to run against the
Seahawks. Sometimes Seattle’s defense is too aggressive and therefore susceptible to
cutbacks and misdirection. WR O.J. McDuffie (toe) and TE Troy Drayton (knee) both sat
out last week but should be ready for this game. McDuffie is Miami’s top possession
receiver, although big Oronde Gadsden seems to have earned Marino’s confidence. Tony
Martin is the big-play threat. Seattle has a shut-down cover man in Shawn Springs but can
be beaten at the other CB spots.
WHEN THE SEAHAWKS HAVE THE BALL:
With RB Ricky Watters slowed by a knee injury, the onus falls on QB Jon Kitna to move
the Seahawks’ offense. After a fast start to the season, Kitna has struggled lately.
The Seahawks cannot afford any interceptions from Kitna, but they need him to take enough
chances to move the ball down the field.
Miami’s defense is still one of the league’s better units. The Dolphins will
likely blitz Kitna and depend on CBs Sam Madison, Patrick Surtain and Terrell Buckley to
shut down WRs Joey Galloway, Sean Dawkins and Derrick Mayes. Galloway has the speed to get
free from any corner but hasn’t been enough of a factor.
Like the Seahawks, the Dolphins are very aggressive defensively and therefore are
susceptible to misdirection and play-action. Watters is a good receiver who could take
advantage of the Dolphins on screen passes, but his knee injury seemed to take away his
burst last week.
Seattle’s offensive line is very strong on the left side, where OLT Walter Jones
had a Pro Bowl-caliber season and OLG Pete Kendall also played well. But the Seahawks are
vulnerable on the other side, where ORG Brian Habib is past his prime and ORT Grant
Williams is merely a journeyman.
Williams will have his hands full with DLE Rich Owens, who has been Miami’s best
lineman this season. Owens has played well against both the run and the pass. Dolphins DTs
Daryl Gardener and Tim Bowens tailed off after a strong start to the season.
Game preview and depth charts were compiled as of Jan. 2, 2000 |
|
Dolphins depth
chart |
OFFENSE |
| WR |
80 MARTIN, 86 Gadsden |
| OLT |
78 WEBB, 74 Smith |
| OLG |
63 DIXON, 68 Sheldon |
| C |
61 RUDDY, 62 Ruegamer* |
| ORG |
65 DONNALLEY, 66 Gogan |
| ORT |
76 BROWN, 74 Smith |
| TE |
84 DRAYTON, 83 Goodwin, 89 Perry |
| WR |
81 McDUFFIE, 86 Gadsden, 87 Green, 88 Jacquet |
| QB |
13 MARINO, 11 Huard, 14 Zolak, 16 Druckenmiller |
| HB |
32 JOHNSON*, 21 Denson*, 36 Pritchett, 37 Edwards* |
|
| FB |
36 PRITCHETT, 44 Konrad* |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
96 OWENS, 93 Armstrong |
| DLT |
95 BOWENS, 91 Bromell |
| DRT |
92 GARDENER, 98 Simpson |
| DRE |
99 TAYLOR, 79 Mixon |
| WLB |
59 RODGERS, 57 Brigance |
| MLB |
54 THOMAS, 50 Hollier |
| SLB |
52 JONES, 53 Izzo, 51 Harris |
| LCB |
23 SURTAIN, 27 Buckley |
| RCB |
29 MADISON, 24 Wilson, 28 Hill |
| SS |
38 JACKSON, 22 Wooden |
| FS |
31 MARION, 25 Jeffries |
SPECIALISTS |
| P |
4 HUTTON |
| PK |
10 MARE |
| H |
11 HUARD, 4 Hutton |
| PR |
88 JACQUET, 27 Buckley, 81 McDuffie |
| KR |
31 MARION, 88 Jacquet, 32 Johnson* |
| KC |
89 PERRY, 83 Goodwin |
* Rookie |
|
|
Seahawks depth
chart |
OFFENSE |
| WR |
84 GALLOWAY, 81 Dawkins, 83 Bailey* |
| OLT |
71 JONES, 79 G. Williams |
| OLG |
66 KENDALL, 60 Bloedorn |
| C |
62 GRAY, 63 Beede, 60 Bloedorn |
| ORG |
68 HABIB, 62 Gray |
| ORT |
79 G. WILLIAMS, 74 Weiner, 69 Wedderburn* |
| TE |
86 FAURIA, 49 Mili, 88 May |
| WR |
87 MAYES, 85 Pritchard, 19 Bownes, 31 Rogers* |
| QB |
7 KITNA, 13 Foley, 5 Huard* |
| RB |
32 WATTERS, 30 Green, 34 R. Brown |
| FB |
38 STRONG, 34 R. Brown, 44 Milne |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
70 SINCLAIR, 99 LaBounty |
| DLT |
98 ADAMS, 97 Parker |
| DRT |
96 KENNEDY, 90 Cochran* |
| DRE |
93 DANIELS, 92 King* |
| LLB |
94 C. BROWN, 56 Logan |
| MLB |
51 SIMMONS, 95 Willis |
| RLB |
59 SMITH, 56 Logan, 51 Simmons |
| LCB |
24 SPRINGS, 26 Canty, 21 Fuller |
| RCB |
27 W. WILLIAMS, 43 Eloms, 36 Hanks |
| SS |
33 D. WILLIAMS, 28 Joseph, 25 Walker |
| FS |
20 BELLAMY, 36 Hanks |
SPECIALISTS |
| P |
10 FEAGLES |
| PK |
2 PETERSON |
| H |
10 FEAGLES, 13 Foley |
| PR |
31 ROGERS*, 28 Joseph |
| KR |
30 GREEN, 31 Rogers * |
| KC |
61 RODENHAUSER, 60 Bloedorn, 62 Gray |
* Rookie |
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