Raiders at Dolphins
Pro Player Stadium
Miami, Fla.
Sunday, Sept. 23, 2001
AT A GLANCE: The Raiders’ well-balanced offense
faces the Dolphins’ suffocating defense in a battle of playoff hopefuls. Miami
knocked off Tennessee 31-23 in the opener, while the Raiders escaped Kansas City with a
27-24 win.
|
| OVERVIEW: The Dolphins likely haven’t forgotten the
27-0 thumping at the hands of the Raiders in the playoffs last year. This time around,
Miami seeks revenge in South Florida, a moderate change from the "Black Hole" in
Oakland. The Raiders have proved to be a very difficult team to put away. Much like they
did last season, the Raiders hung tough in Week One, overcoming an 11-point, third-quarter
deficit on the road to beat the Chiefs.
The Dolphins’ offense looked remarkably more balanced vs. a tough Titans defense
in Week One than it did for much of last year.
While Oakland is set on the "win now" mentality with a load of aging
veterans, the majority of Miami’s key players are in their prime. However, both teams
follow a similar style of football based on a reliable running game, hard-hitting,
physical defense and solid special teams.
When the Raiders have the ball:
Oakland is loaded offensively, but its fate lies mostly in the hands of veteran QB Rich
Gannon, whose athleticism, precision and resolve helped shape the Raiders into contenders
last season.
If the Raiders’ top-ranked ground game didn’t garner enough attention from
defenses a season ago, it will now with the addition of the versatile Charlie Garner.
He’ll continue to split time with Tyrone Wheatley, but the problems for opposing
defenses don’t stop there. The fact that every back on Oakland’s roster is a
capable receiver brings an element that is often impossible to fully adjust to and
adequately defend.
Adequately defending WRs Tim Brown and Jerry Rice, each of whom caught eight passes in
the opener, is no easy task either. |
|
|
| Pro Player Stadium |
| Miami, Fla. |
| Date: Sunday, September 23, 2001 |
| 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time |
| Type Of Turf: Natural |
| Meeting Of The Year: Only |
| Season Record: |
| |
Oakland |
1-0-0 |
| |
Miami |
1-0-0 |
| Season Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Oakland |
0-0-1 |
| |
Miami |
1-0-0 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| |
Oakland (R) |
1-0-0 |
| |
Miami (H) |
0-0-0 |
| Home/Road Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Oakland (R) |
0-0-1 |
| |
Miami (H) |
0-0-0 |
| Record On Natural Turf: |
| |
Oakland |
1-0-0 |
| |
Miami |
1-0-0 |
| Record On Natural Turf Vs. Spread: |
| |
Oakland |
0-0-1 |
| |
Miami |
1-0-0 |
|
| Oakland’s offensive line is solid, and OLT Barry Sims, who earned a starting role
with his play during the preseason, could be the key vs. Miami. The Dolphins have made a
conscious effort to blitz more this season in an attempt to make up for the loss of
pass-rushing specialist Trace Armstrong. Miami blitzed 10 more times in Week One than it
did on average last season. DE Jason Taylor has moved over to the right side in order to
use his speed on the quarterback’s blind side.
MLB Zach Thomas is the anchor of the Dolphins’ defense. He returned an
interception 34 yards for a score to all but clinch the Dolphins’ win over Tennessee.
New starter Twan Russell could become a regular playmaker for Miami.
All four members of the Dolphins’ secondary — CBs Sam Madison and Patrick
Surtain, FS Brock Marion and SS Brian Walker — could get Pro Bowl consideration this
season.
Run-stuffing DT Tim Bowens will miss this game with a knee injury, while Raiders C
Barret Robbins will play with a broken bone in his right hand.
When the Dolphins have the ball:
The subtle wrinkles the Dolphins have added to the offense worked wonderfully vs. the
Titans. Miami would like to move QB Jay Fiedler around in the pocket more and want him to
continue looking downfield in the passing game.
It appears when Fiedler does look downfield now, he’ll have a talented corps of
receivers to haul in his passes. In newcomers James McKnight and Chris Chambers, the
Dolphins have added the speed necessary to stretch defenses. And when defenses get spread
out, RB Lamar Smith can take advantage.
Smith’s numbers were by no means earth-shattering in Week One, but the
Dolphins’ persistence on the ground makes Smith a player who must be accounted for.
With the recent signing of 15-year veteran OT Harry Swayne, the Dolphins now have both
of the Ravens’ right tackles from last season playing left tackle in 2001. Spencer
Folau, the other former Raven, has the starting job, but Swayne figures to be a part of
the mix. They’re needed because of the season-ending injury suffered by Marcus
Spriggs, who replaced Brent Smith after he was lost for the season.
The success of the Raiders’ defense rests largely on the shoulders of the
defensive line, a group that is very physical and can come at offenses in waves.
Don’t expect Fiedler and the Dolphins to throw at CB Charles Woodson much, but the
Raiders’ safeties continue to be under the coaches’ microscope.
DT Roderick Coleman (pectoral strain) maintains he’s healthy enough to play after
sitting out Week One.
All game previews and depth charts were compiled as of Sept. 16. |
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
81 BROWN, 83 Knight |
| OLT |
65 SIMS, 74 Stinchcomb |
| OLG |
76 WISNIEWSKI, 73 Middleton, 65 Sims |
| C |
63 ROBBINS, 62 Treu |
| ORG |
79 COLLINS, 73 Middleton, 65 Sims |
| ORT |
72 KENNEDY, 77 Ashmore |
| TE |
86 WILLIAMS, 89 Fulcher, 87 Brigham |
| WR |
80 RICE, 84 Porter, 88 Dunn |
| QB |
12 GANNON, 14 Hoying, 8 Tuiasosopo* |
| RB |
47 WHEATLEY, 25 Garner, 28 Jordan, 42 Kirby |
| FB |
40 RITCHIE, 32 Crockett |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
91 UPSHAW, 99 Taves, 95 Grant* |
| DLT |
90 JACKSON, 92 Ioane |
| DRT |
57 COLEMAN, 99 Taves, 75 Cooper* |
| DRE |
94 BRYANT, 93 Armstrong |
| OLB |
59 THOMAS, 50 Barton |
| MLB |
54 BIEKERT, 55 Brooks |
| OLB |
58 ALEXANDER, 53 Smith |
| LCB |
24 WOODSON, 39 Jennings |
| RCB |
21 ALLEN, 20 James |
| SS |
49 POPE, 26 Gibson* |
| FS |
33 DORSETT, 37 Harris |
SPECIALISTS |
| PK |
11 JANIKOWSKI |
| P |
9 LECHLER |
| H |
12 GANNON |
| PR |
88 DUNN, 84 Porter |
| KR |
88 DUNN, 42 Kirby |
| LS |
62 TREU |
* Rookie |
|
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
86 GADSDEN, 88 Ogden, 87 Ward |
| OLT |
60 FOLAU, 70 Swayne |
| OLG |
63 DIXON, 66 Irwin |
| C |
61 RUDDY, 65 Andrew* |
| ORG |
75 T. PERRY |
| ORT |
71 WADE |
| TE |
83 GOODWIN, 82 Weaver, 89 E. Perry |
| WR |
80 McKNIGHT, 84 Chambers* |
| QB |
9 FIEDLER, 6 Lucas, 8 McNown |
| RB |
26 L. SMITH, 32 J. Johnson, 34 Minor* |
| FB |
44 KONRAD, 33 Dyer |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
79 MIXON, 91 Bromell |
| DLT |
95 BOWENS, 94 Haley, 98 Gregory |
| DRT |
92 GARDENER, 97 Grant |
| DRE |
99 TAYLOR, 90 Ogunleye |
| SLB |
56 RUSSELL, 52 Greenwood* |
| MLB |
54 THOMAS, 51 Hendricks |
| WLB |
59 RODGERS, 58 Galyon |
| LCB |
23 SURTAIN, 20 Kelly, 24 Fletcher* |
| RCB |
29 MADISON, 21 Cousin |
| SS |
45 WALKER, 42 Gamble |
| FS |
31 MARION, 27 Freeman, 35 Wooden |
SPECIALISTS |
| P |
1 TURK |
| PK |
10 MARE |
| H |
1 TURK, 88 Ogden |
| KR |
31 MARION, 84 Chambers*, 20 Kelly |
| PR |
88 OGDEN, 20 Kelly, 31 Marion |
| KC |
89 E. PERRY, 83 Goodwin |
* Rookie |
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