Dolphins running backs finding their groove

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http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/miami-dolphins/story/636699.html

Dolphins running backs finding their groove

BY DAVID J. NEAL
Miami Herald

Saturday night's initial preview of The Ricky and Ronnie Show, now entering its long-delayed second season, went according to what had been seen in the previous two weeks of Dolphins training camp practices.

Ricky Williams found the bullet propulsion of the 2005 Ricky Williams that ran with then-rookie Ronnie Brown, and maybe even the 2003 Ricky Williams. Brown moved like he was playing his first game since tearing a knee ligament Oct. 21.

The raw numbers against Tampa Bay said as much: 31 yards on five carries for Williams and 4 yards on three carries for Brown, who was eased back into action.

Brown started the game behind what has been the first-string line in practice, but after carrying the ball on the first two plays and running into Tampa Bay middle linebacker Barrett Ruud twice, had a net gain of 0.

On the first play, Ruud and Cato June were on Brown right after the handoff. Pathways were clogged on the second play, too, but Brown didn't initiate contact as readily as he did last season.

''It wasn't so important to get [carries] right away, but just to touch the ball and get back into the groove of things,'' Brown said. 'It's been awhile since I've actually been in game-time situations and that was a big step. That first carry was like, `OK, that's the next step to getting back to game intensity.' ''

Said Williams: ``Ronnie's going to be OK. I don't think we're worried about him. He's tough.''

Brown didn't get the ball again until the sixth play of the Dolphins' second drive. He gained 4 yards on that inside handoff and was done for the night as far as running.

''I felt pretty good,'' Brown said. 'It's kind of weird. I felt good throughout camp and just coming in [Saturday], every now and then, I got a little soreness. I expected a little bit of that during the game, but coming out, I felt really good. I was surprised. It's kind of like, `Hold on, where's the soreness at?' ''

The next series, Brown handed the baton to Williams, for whom the crowd all but sang the Welcome Back, Kotter theme when his name was announced after his first carry, a 2-yard gain.

After Williams' seasonlong suspension in 2006 and injury in Pittsburgh a few plays into his brief 2007 season, it was his first carry in Dolphin Stadium since Dec. 24, 2005.

Williams had a 9-yard carry where he started left, broke a tackle, turned back right, broke another tackle and turned it upfield. His longest run came on a run on the right side for 12 yards.

''You break a couple of runs and the fans and the media are happy,'' Williams said. ``But when you go into the film, the coaches can usually find a bunch of stuff that you didn't do right.''

• Linebacker Charlie Anderson said ''this won't keep me sidelined for long'' when asked about the hamstring injury that took him out of the game after the first play of the second quarter.

''I saw the tight end going up field, the quarterback was looking to throw the ball to him,'' Anderson said. ``When I broke on the ball, I felt a little pop. I knew it was the hamstring. I've never pulled a hamstring before.''