http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sport...ins/9429302.htm

 

Service rates offense last

 

By ARMANDO SALGUERO

 

asalguero@herald.com

 

The obsessive, game-watching, tape-dissecting folks at Scouts Inc. have rated every aspect of every NFL team, and their conclusions are cheerful about the Dolphins defense and glum about the offense.

 

The defense was rated the third-most talented unit in the NFL by the ESPN online scouting service. Based on a scale of one to 32, with one being the NFL's best grade and 32 being the worst, the Dolphins totaled 27 points on defense when rating the defensive line, linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties.

 

Only the New England Patriots (10 points) and Baltimore Ravens (21) rated better defensively.

 

OFFENSE HURTING

 

But the offensive ratings spin quite a different web.

 

The Dolphins offense is the least talented in the NFL, according to the ratings. And there is hardly a challenger in sight.

 

In rating the receivers, quarterbacks, running backs and offensive line, the service gives the Dolphins 116 points. Miami's running back corps, stung by Ricky Williams' retirement, is rated the NFL's least talented.

 

The next-lowest offensive talent ratings go to the Cowboys and San Francisco (107 points each).

 

DOLPHINS OPTIMISTIC

 

Given the opinion and Miami's practice Monday, after which coach Dave Wannstedt was uncharacteristically frustrated with his offense, is there hope for success in 2004?

 

''The only direction we can go is up,'' center Seth McKinney said Tuesday. ``We have a group of young guys, and we're going to keep getting better with each practice and each game. That's why I'm excited.''

 

Dolphins general manager Rick Spielman is enthusiastic about the offense's youth. Not one of the offensive players who will start Saturday night's preseason game against the Redskins has reached his 28th birthday. Five of the 11 projected starters have never started a regular-season game for the Dolphins.

 

''We've brought together guys who are 25-, 26-, 27-years-old and are about to reach the prime of their careers,'' Spielman said last week. ``They're going to grow and do it together as a unit. That's what happened with the defense, and that's what we're trying to do with the offense.''

 

PROBLEMS EXPECTED

 

In the meantime, the Miami offense is likely to experience growing pains. And how long the hurt lasts will determine how much success the team has in 2004.

 

Coaches slowed the pace of installing new wrinkles into the offense on Tuesday so young players wouldn't fall behind, but Spielman believes Miami's youth will not be a detriment.

 

''We've got guys like Jeno James and Chris Chambers and Randy McMichael who are young, but they have experience playing in the NFL,'' he said. ``They've played and played at a high level, so their age isn't a bad thing because they do have the experience.''

 

But not every player on the Miami offense can boast a body of work like Chambers or James. Most, in fact, are like Travis Minor, A.J. Feeley, Taylor Whitley and even McKinney.

 

Mostly unproven.

 

''That's how it is on this offense right now,'' Minor said. ``We all have something to prove. I have to prove that I can be a starter and carry the load throughout the season. I'm eager to prove I can do that. We're all eager.''

Well, they are.

This Dolphins team will do better than in past years.

Well if the season was played on paper, we'd already have a Super Bowl champ

Personally I'm kind of looking forward to this seaosn. First time that I can ever really remember not having that good of expectations for it so anything good will actually be a bonus.