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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphins/content/sports/epaper/2008/05/22/a1c_dolphins_0523.html

Dolphins quarterbacks feeling pressure

By EDGAR THOMPSON
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Thursday, May 22, 2008

DAVIE — Leave it to a quarterback competition to bring a game-day feel to a Friday in May.

Josh McCown can sense it.

Today is McCown's next chance to show the Dolphins coaches he's the best man for the job.

When the team's voluntary mini-camp opens today, McCown will handle snaps with the first-team offense as coach Tony Sparano flip-flops McCown and second-year pro John Beck during each off-season practice session.

"It puts pressure on you to respond and to play well," said McCown, a six-year veteran in his first season with the Dolphins. "It's the closest you can get to a game-type of environment where there's something on the line when you go out there."

During organized team activities this week, Beck worked with the first team Monday and Wednesday. McCown took first-team snaps on Tuesday.

In time, Michigan rookie Chad Henne is expected to have a chance to handle first-team snaps, too.

McCown likes the approach because he's able to develop a rhythm.

"It's better than going back and forth every other play," McCown, 28, said. "It's nice to come out and say, 'All right this is my day.'

"It's better for continuity."

If Beck has an opinion on how first-team repetitions are doled out, he's not sharing it.

"When coach says, 'go in,' we're in and just trying to take care of our plays," he said. "We can just worry about what we do and let the coaches do their thing."

Beck, 26, is keeping things simple as he looks to bounce back from a difficult rookie season.

Beck failed to lead the Dolphins to an offensive touchdown in three starts before coaches benched him. He finished the season with one touchdown pass and seven turnovers in four starts.

"It was a rough year," Beck said.

The off-season wasn't a cakewalk, either.

The new Dolphins regime made it clear Beck, the No. 40 pick in the 2007 draft, isn't necessarily the team's future at quarterback.

The team signed McCown, who has made 31 NFL starts, during the free-agency period and used the No. 57 pick to select Henne, who is second in Big Ten history with 87 touchdown passes.

But Beck, who is scheduled to line up with the first-team offense on Saturday, isn't letting himself be distracted.

"All I think about on a day-to-day basis is the things I can work on right now," Beck said.

"When practice ends, I go home and I work on things at my house. That way I can be better the next time I step on the field."

Sparano and quarterbacks coach David Lee, who both had key roles in developing Dallas Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo, are looking for nothing more from Beck and the other quarterbacks.

The Dolphins coaches also are making no presumptions based on their past performance - good or bad.

"For now, as I've told them, I'm looking at this thing as a blank piece of paper," Sparano said.

"In my mind, what we see right now and what we do on the practice field as we get ready to go here is really how we'll make our evaluations."

Y'all gotcha men now I be sitttin up here watchin Brian n' Brock and having a Bud Light one day after Green 'n Garcia retire. Sweeet

HUH ????

I say, after Tent Greentea or Jeffery Garcia retire, I will sit up here and watch Brian Griese or Brock Berlin -- QB's Fins swallered up then spit out in due course of past restructurings. And I believe to be grinning when I do. Jonah's got a lot coming to them, so watch it -- I gotta root.

Wow you got a root, are you threatening members on the board ?

No silly, follow along. 



He has soda -- root beer. 

How about coherent sentences RamsBucc.

I don't believe this guy is for real. No one can be that incoherent without being a Raiders' fan.

Oh Rams fans can be, trust me.  WTF is up with Rams fans trolling us anyway?

Their pissed.  Normally if you have a season as shitty as the Rams you the first round draft pick.   

 :D  OK ............that WAS funny.  ;D :D