Wildcat Spayed: Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown Out for Season
The Linchpin of the Wildcat Offense
Ronnie Brown made the Dolphins' wildcat offense work. The wildcat formation is an unpredictable offensive formation in which the ball is snapped to the running back, and he has the option of running the ball or passing the ball. Ever since the Dolphins made the wildcat formation their signature offensive strategy, practically every team in the NFL has adapted a version of the wildcat offense, but none have pulled it off nearly as flawlessly as the Miami Dolphins.
Ronnie Brown is a perfect fit for the wildcat offense, having thrown one touchdown pass in each of the last two seasons. It hasn't been all on Ronnie Brown's shoulders, as the unpredictable nature of the wildcat has fellow running back Ricky Williams getting some of the direct snaps. The beauty of Miami's wildcat formation is its unpredictability, as defenses do not know which running back will receive the snap. Taking away one element of the Miami Dolphins' wildcat formation strips away the play's unpredictability. The Dolphins' backup running back is now Lex Hilliard, who has not taken a single snap in his NFL career.
Miami Dolphins On The Ropes
The 4-5 Dolphins are in danger of letting their season slip away with Ronnie Brown's absence. With 2 games out of first place, the Dolphins play tonight's Thursday night game against the Carolina Panthers, with head coach Tony Sparano scrambling to adjust his playbook to losing the key cog in his signature offense. The road to the playoffs for the Dolphins does not get much easier, as they have scheduled bouts with the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers to end the season.
Ronnie Brown's Season
Running back Ronnie Brown was Pro Bowl bound before his foot injury, with numbers near the top for all the rushing stats. His injury is just as much of a blow to the Miami Dolphins as his fantasy football owners. Ricky Williams becomes the number one running back in Miami, although it appears Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams have an interdependent relationship when it comes to stats, so Williams will likely suffer as a result of the absence. Lex Hilliard may prove to be a worthy replacement, but percentages say he will suffer a case of freshman fumbilitis.
Sources:
Yahoo! Sports, Dolphins' Ronnie Brown out for year
Yahoo! Sports, Ronnie Brown Statistics
Yahoo! Sports, Lex Hilliard Statistics
Published by Bob Dobalina
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1 Comments
Post a CommentLosing a key player can cripple a team... hope the replacement can step up.