Dolphins defense stays humble early

[DolFan619]

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/miami-dolphins/story/627487.html

Dolphins defense stays humble early

BY DAVID J. NEAL
Miami Herald

You would think a defense that spent much of last season being humiliated by land and air would grab all the positive waves it could in training camp, even if said waves come from a training camp scrimmage against a struggling young offense.

Nah.

Instead, it deflected most of the praise over Saturday's scrimmage superiority the way it deflected several passes. The defense always is ahead this early; the offense is using three quarterbacks, etc.

''I think it's a big learning thing and nobody's going to be at their best right now,'' cornerback Will Allen said.

There was even a little sympathy and worry from cornerback Andre' Goodman when it was pointed out the offense's paucity of downfield completions.

STAYING HUMBLE

''The defense is playing well right now,'' Goodman said. ``You'd like to see the offense match the level of play by the defense. You'd like to see more balls completed, but it didn't happen, so, one day for the defense today.''

But when Dolphins defenders start talking about feeling ''more comfortable'' this year, it rings as modern cliché and appropriate to the way they look so far in training camp. A year ago, the Dolphins started kvetching about defensive personnel deployment almost right out of the box and didn't seem to catch on to the changes in their defensive scheme until November.

Now, with a simplified defense and a veteran lineup that includes a couple of former Dallas players that can help with any schematic transitions, there is a more upbeat feel than what preceded 1-15.

''Vonnie [Holliday] has been here, [defensive end Matt] Roth's been here and they work together,'' middle linebacker Channing Crowder said. ``Throwing big Ferg [Jason Ferguson] in there, he's a known great nose guard. [linebacker] Akin [Adele] has been in the defense. I can adjust, I've been studying the defense. On the back end, [Yeremiah Bell] and those safeties are so intelligent. We have some of the same concepts, but different terminology than we had last year, so we can convert that in our minds. So, we're just rolling and playing fast. Our defense does look good right now and I'm happy with our progression.''

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said of the offense, ``Right now you still have a lot of moving parts and maybe you have some guys in the huddle at times that may or may not even make this team. On the defensive side of the ball I feel like there are more guys in the huddle there that are probably going to be there when we get down the road.''

Also, little relaxes NFL coaching minds like seeing depth developing so the season doesn't get derailed by an injury or three, as what happened with the Dolphins last season. When the second- and third-team defense shut down the first-team offense Saturday -- rookie Kendall Langford had a sack, second-year nose guard Paul Soliai knocked down a pass over the middle, linebacker Kelvin Smith knocked down a goal-line throw and cornerback Travis Daniels did that and had an interception and knocked down.

POSITION BATTLE

And Daniels, who started 11 of 28 games in 2006 and 2007, is in a fight to stay among the top four cornerbacks.

Dallas import Nathan Jones has taken most of the nickel cornerback snaps and cornerback Michael Lehan isn't in the mix yet because of his ankle injury.

''Looking on the back end, all those young guys back there are really stepping it up,'' Holliday said. ``I am impressed with an older guy, [safety] Chris Crocker. He isn't a young guy, but he is an older guy and I didn't know anything about him. But I've watched him work in practice and I really like what he is doing.''

''Our first game is not far from here,'' Allen said. ``We've got a long way to go and we're not even close yet. We're just scratching the surface. There's not much to be happy about right now.''

Asked why not, he replied, ``It's work. Work, baby. We're trying to get right.''

[Jim Gray]

Is this really a story? 

What would the defense be other than humble?  They were horrible last year, and the last time I checked, they haven't played a game since they were part of a 1 - 15 team.  The defense should be improved, and I'm encouraged by what I'm hearing from camp; but these defensive players would have to be completely delusional to think they have proven anything.