AFC divisional
playoff game |
Dolphins at Jaguars
ALLTEL Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.,
Saturday, Jan. 15
AT A GLANCE: The AFC’s top playoff seed, Jacksonville, hosts
Miami, the last AFC team to qualify for the postseason. The Jaguars will be well-rested
after a first-round bye, while the Dolphins had a short week to prepare.
|
| OVERVIEW: Both of these teams have been pointing to this
part of the season — the postseason — since training camps opened last summer. The
Dolphins began the season with Super Bowl hopes but struggled down the stretch and just
barely made the playoffs. (They were the last AFC team to make the cut.) Last week, Miami
defeated the Seahawks in the Kingdome, marking the Dolphins’ first road win in the
playoffs since 1972. Now they find themselves on the road again, this time in
Jacksonville, where the Jaguars went 7-1 this season.
The main thing the Dolphins take out of their win last week is restored confidence.
The Jaguars fared better than the Dolphins in the regular season, posting an NFL-best
14-2 record, which was good enough for a first-round bye and home-field advantage
throughout the AFC playoffs. But the Jaguars have also been accused of being pretenders,
as they didn’t beat a team with a winning record. Their only two losses came against
13-3 Tennessee.
The Jaguars have some injury concerns, despite having last weekend to rest. QB Mark
Brunell may not be 100 percent because of a knee injury suffered in Week 16. He claims
that his mobility won’t be as impaired as it was in last year’s playoffs, when
he was playing with a high-ankle sprain.
Also, OLT Tony Boselli, one of the best in the business, is out for the rest of the
season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Ben Coleman will start in his place.
Never before have two teams from the state of Florida played against each other in the
NFL postseason.
WHEN THE DOLPHINS HAVE THE BALL:
After the Week 17 finale, head coach Jimmy Johnson and QB Dan Marino huddled and picked
the plays that Marino is most comfortable with. It was an effort to simplify the offense.
During the season, the Dolphins experimented a lot on offense, and that did more bad than
good.
The No. 1 goal for the Dolphins is to avoid turning the ball over, which they
accomplished last week. They figure that if they can avoid turnovers, their defense and
special teams are good enough to win the game. |
|
|
Profile |
| ALLTEL Stadium |
| Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Date: Saturday, January 15, 2000 |
| 12:25 p.m. Eastern Time |
| Type Of Turf: Natural |
| Meeting Of The Year: Only |
| Season Record: |
| |
Miami |
10-7-0 |
| |
Jacksonville |
14-2-0 |
| Season Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Miami |
7-10-0 |
| |
Jacksonville |
8-7-1 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| |
Miami (R) |
5-4-0 |
| |
Jacksonville (H) |
7-1-0 |
| Home/Road Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Miami (R) |
5-4-0 |
| |
Jacksonville (H) |
4-4-0 |
| Record On Natural Turf: |
| |
Miami |
8-4-0 |
| |
Jacksonville |
10-2-0 |
| Record On Natural Turf Vs. Spread: |
| |
Miami |
5-7-0 |
| |
Jacksonville |
4-7-1 |
|
|
| The other goal accomplished last week was establishing the run. The Dolphins would
like to play field-position ball, and that won’t change this week against
Jacksonville, which boasts a very stout defense. Look for J.J. Johnson to provide the
tough inside running that the Dolphins want to feature. Autry Denson provides a nice
change of pace. However, they will be going up against the sixth-ranked run defense in the
NFL. OLB Kevin Hardy is always a threat to end a play behind the line of scrimmage.
Marino could have a full complement of pass catchers this week if WR Yatil Green
(ankle) and TE Troy Drayton (knee) return. O.J. McDufffie, who serves as Marino’s
security blanket, returned last week vs. the Seahawks. The Jaguars have a vastly improved
secondary this season. CBs Aaron Beasley and rookie Fernando Bryant have been outstanding.
WHEN THE JAGUARS HAVE THE BALL:
The Jaguars have some very dangerous weapons on offense in RB Fred Taylor and WRs Jimmy
Smith and Keenan McCardell. Taylor, who missed much of the season with injuries, is
capable of breaking a long run every time he touches the ball.
Smith, who led the league in receptions with 116, and McCardell combined for 2,527
receiving yards. They will be challenged by CBs Sam Madison, a Pro Bowl invitee, and
Patrick Surtain. Surtain is young and prone to make some mistakes, but he also is capable
of making the big play. Miami likes to play bump-and-run coverage and won’t be
intimidated by the Jaguars’ star receivers.
TE Kyle Brady is back from a knee injury and knows the Dolphins well from his days as
New York Jet. Not only is he a capable receiver, but he is an outstanding blocker.
Considering the strong pass rush the Dolphins showed last week vs. the Seahawks, the
Jaguars may be inclined to keep him in to block more often than not. The loss of Boselli
may make Brady even more important. Coleman is said to be a better tackle than guard, but
he isn’t as good as Boselli.
A marquee matchup to watch in the trenches pits ORT Leon Searcy, who protects
Brunell’s blind side, vs. DLE Rich Owens (nine regular-season sacks), who has been
Miami’s best defensive lineman this season. Searcy may have somewhat limited mobility
because of a knee injury.
Game preview and depth charts were compiled as of Jan. 9, 2000 |
|
Dolphins depth
chart |
OFFENSE |
| WR |
80 MARTIN, 86 Gadsden, 82 McKenzie |
| 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 |
83 GOODWIN, 84 Drayton, 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 |
22 WOODEN, 38 Jackson |
| FS |
31 MARION, 25 Jeffries |
SPECIALISTS |
| P |
4 HUTTON |
| PK |
10 MARE |
| H |
11 HUARD, 4 Hutton |
| PR |
88 JACQUET, 81 McDuffie, 27 Buckley |
| KR |
31 MARION, 88 Jacquet, 32 Johnson* |
| KC |
89 PERRY, 83 Goodwin |
* Rookie |
|
|
Jaguars depth
chart |
OFFENSE |
| WR |
82 J. SMITH, 84 Barlow, 86 Whitted |
| OLT |
62 COLEMAN, 67 Ingram |
| OLG |
76 TYLSKI, 79 Cesario*, Patton |
| C |
66 WADE, 65 Neujahr |
| ORG |
77 WIEGERT, 76 Tylski, 65 Neujahr |
| ORT |
72 SEARCY, 67 Ingram, 77 Wiegert |
| TE |
80 BRADY, 88 Jones, 85 Griffith |
| WR |
87 McCARDELL, 83 Jackson* |
| QB |
8 BRUNELL, 11 Fiedler, 12 Quinn |
| RB |
28 TAYLOR, 33 Stewart, 24 Howard |
| FB |
31 SHELTON, 34 Mack* |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
97 WYNN, 99 Smeenge, 74 White |
| DLT |
96 WALKER, 94 L. Smith* |
| DRT |
91 PAYNE, 61 Leroy*, 93 Landolt* |
| DRE |
90 BRACKENS, 99 Smeenge, 98 Upshaw |
| SLB |
95 PAUP, 56 Marts, 57 Terry* |
| MLB |
56 MARTS, Burnett |
| WLB |
51 HARDY, 52 Boyer |
| LCB |
25 BRYANT*, 21 Beasley, 29 Craft* |
| RCB |
21 BEASLEY, 41 Thomas, 23 Chamblin* |
| SS |
20 DARIUS, 26 Stewart |
| FS |
37 LAKE, 38 McElmurry |
SPECIALISTS |
| P |
4 BARKER, 2 Lindsey |
| PK |
1 HOLLIS, 2 Lindsey |
| H |
4 BARKER |
| PR |
84 BARLOW, 87 McCardell, 83 Jackson* |
| KR |
84 BARLOW, 86 Whitted, 83 Jackson* |
| KC |
65 NEUJAHR, 66 Wade |
* Rookie |
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