Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas • 36

6D Tuesday, December 11, 2007 www.star-telegram.com NFL INSIDER IT TOOK A MYRIAD OF MISTAKES TO MAKE DOLPHINS THIS INEPT THIS INEPT have found a way to botch the draft in recent seasons, which is why they are in this mess. Only one of 65 players selected by the Dolphins since 1999 has made the Pro Bowl. That was receiver Chris Chambers, a second-round choice in 2001 who the Dolphins traded to the Chargers this season. Tim Bowens, the 20th overall pick in 1994, is the team's last first-round choice to make a Pro Bowl. In April, the Dolphins passed on Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn to take Ted Ginn Jr.

Quinn, who is still sitting on the Browns' bench, hasn't proved anything yet. But Ginn, who has 22 catches for 326 yards and a touchdown, a 10.1 punt return average and a 23.6 kickoff return average, looks like he will be more productive as a returner than as a receiver. And a returner aside from Devin Hester isn't worth a top-10 overall choice. Besides, the Dolphins had the best in the NFL on their roster. They traded Wes Welker to the Patriots.

Welker has 93 catches for 974 yards and eight touchdowns, with a 26.2 kickoff return average and a 10.4 punt return average. He is headed to the Pro Bowl. Miami has done little right in free agency, in the draft and in trades in recent years. That's why it's doing little right on the field this season. CHAREAN WILLIAMS, 817-390-7760 CHAREAN WILLIAMS tired after the 1999 season.

The Dolphins wasted second-round draft choices in trades for A.J. Feeley and Daunte Culpepper, two sixths and a seventh in a trade for Cade McNown, a seventhrounder in a trade for Sage Rosenfels and a -rounder in a trade for Trent Green. They traded Feeley for Cleo Lemon. They used a second-round pick on Beck this year. Yet, they are no closer to finding Marino's replacement.

Green is out for the year, and his career could be finished. Lemon has been inconsistent. Beck has been lost. With the No. 1 overall pick in April, the Dolphins should select Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan.

As a scout from another team told me last week when asked what he would do if he was with the Dolphins, it is "all about the quarterback." The Cowboys wouldn't be 12-1 without Romo. The Patriots wouldn't be 13-0 without Tom Brady. The Colts and the Packers also have Super Bowl dreams because of their quarterbacks. Then again, the Dolphins Green Bay's Will Blackmon earned a pat on the back by becoming the first to return one of Shane Lechler's punts for a touchdown. ROEMER Player of the week Injury of the week The Packers' Will Blackmon, who missed seven games this season with a broken foot, finally got a chance to return punts after earning his coaches' confidence in practice.

He returned one 57 yards for a touchdown, the first return for a score in 575 punts by Oakland punter Shane Lechler. Blackmon later recovered a fumble by Oakland punt returner Tim Dwight in the end zone, giving him two special-teams touchdowns. Goat of the week Jason Hanson is money. He had missed only eight field goals from 30-39 yards in his 16 seasons before Sunday. But he was wide right on a 35-yard attempt with 10:45 left against the Cowboys.

Instead of a 30-21 lead that likely would have led to an upset, the Lions lost 28-27 on a Dallas touchdown with 18 seconds left. Sub of the week Backup Todd Collins replaced the a scoreless game and led the the Bears. Collins completed 15 downs. This week, Collins will he played for the Buffalo Bills. TOP 5 1.

New England, 13-0 The allow another 100-yard rusher, Parker gains 124. 2. Dallas, 12-1 The Cowboys trailed by 10 or more points in games this season, rallying to win 3. Indianapolis, 11-2 The clinched their fifth consecutive title. 4.

Green Bay, 11-2 The who were 2-10 against AFC teams three previous seasons, finished the AFC West. 5. Pittsburgh, 9-4 The Steelers remain the league's No. 1 defense, though they didn't look the part without Troy Polamalu. COWBOYS NOTES Not worried about The Dolphins have been building up to this historic season for a long, long time.

The Miami Dolphins are bad. They are not the worst. What the Dolphins are "accomplishing" now, in losing their past 16 games, including all 13 this season, cannot match the 1976 Bucs. The expansion Bucs were the worst ever. The Bucs were shut out five times in their first season, and they were outscored by an average of 20.4 points per game.

The Dolphins have at least played it close for most of the season. They have lost six games by three points each. Their only shutout was a 3-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Only three of their losses have been embarrassing, though two of those came the past two weeks: Miami lost to Oakland 35-17 on Sept. 30, 40-13 to the Jets on Dec.

2 and 38-17 to the Bills on Sunday. There is no doubt the Dolphins stink. Blame Nick Saban. and all the coaches and general managers of the past 12 seasons. Miami did not get here overnight.

The Dolphins been building down to this for a long time. Cam Cameron is the fifth coach since Don Shula retired after the 1995 season. John Beck is the 12th starting quarterback since Dan Marino re- My Five Cents Ryan Grant has 1 become big-time a running back for the Packers. The trade for Grant might go down as one of the best in Packers' history, alongside those for Ahman Green and Brett Favre. Green Bay got Grant from the Giants for a sixthround choice in 2008.

Warren Sapp is 2 one smartest of the players I've met, which is why it's no surprise he was calling out the Packers' plays Sunday. The Packers' offensive linemen said Sapp called out the name of the play and which side of the field it was going. It wasn't enough to help the poor, pitiful Raiders, but the Packers need to figure out how Sapp was stealing their plays before the postseason. Anthony Smith 3 up needs and to play. shut The Steelers safety guaranteed a victory over the Patriots, only to be burned for touchdown passes of 63 and 56 yards.

LaDainian 4 Philip Tomlinson Rivers and deny there is a rift between them, but cameras don't lie. Tomlinson got up and walked away as soon as Rivers sat down next to him on the Chargers' bench. Earlier this season, against Green Bay, the two jawed at each other after a play. The Jaguars' 5 Fred might be Taylor the most underrated running back ever. He has 10,457 rushing yards, 18th in history.

Yet, he has never made the Pro Bowl, By CLARENCE I E. HILL JR. IRVING Who are you going to believe, me or your eyes? Cowboys coach Wade Phillips didn't exactly use those words, but he might as well have in explaining the play of his team's defense in Sunday's 28-27 victory against Detroit. The Cowboys gave up 390 yards, including 152 rushing, and 25 first downs. The rushing yards are the most they have given this season and Detroit en- tered the game with the league's worst rushing attack.

Yet, Phillips said, "It only looked like the running game was running all over us." His point was that the Lions rushed for 63 yards on four carries on the first series of the game, which was capped by a 32-yard touchdown run by T.J. Duckett. The rest of the way, the Lions rushed for only 89 yards on 28 carries. Phillips said the Lions went against their tendencies and ran early, catching the Cowboys by surprise. Once the Cowboys adjusted, they got things under control.

Never mind that the Lions' early success on the ground would have decided the game if not for a few bounces that went the Cowboys' way late. And never mind that the Lions' performance might offer a blueprint on how to attack the Cowboys. Phillips said he has no lingering concerns about the defense's performance Sunday. He said the Cowboys had players in position to make plays, but didn't, an issue that is correctable. "If you look at the tape we had guys free, completely free, and we went to the blocker and the guy went right by us," he said.

"It wasn't like it was missed tackles and they were running over us. We hit the wrong areas. On the first drive, we had somebody free who could've made the tackle, but didn't see it. We adjusted as the game went on. They didn't make With 15 catches, the Cowboys' Jason receptions by a tight end in a game.

paratively speaking." Witten's record day Tight end Jason Witten's 15 catches not only set a team record for a game, but he tied the NFL record for catches by a tight end in a game. Hall of Famers Kellen Winslow and Mike Ditka also had 15-catch games. "It's crazy because you're caught up in the game, so much adrenaline, you're not even thinking about it," Witten said. "That's special for me. I think the biggest thing is to be able to help your team, catch that ball and win the game." Witten's final catch was a 16-yarder for the winning touchdown.

"There's a lot of playmakers in this room on offense, Witten tied the NFL record hands just like rell wants it in Witten said. "You want to able to make those plays, be in position to make those Glenn to practice Receiver Terry Glenn expects to begin practicing this week, Wade Phillips confirmed. Owner Jerry Jones said Sunday that Glenn ran routes Friday and would practice this week but not play Sunday against Philadelphia. Glenn caught 20 passes during the workout, but Phillips doesn't want to rush him once he starts practicing. Glenn has been sidelined all season after two arthroscopic knee surgeries, the second one Sept.

13. much rushing yardage, com- but I want that ball in my CLARENCE E. HILL 817-390-7760 Cowboys: Even players see difference in how things have bounced their way CONTINUED FROM 1D Stars all aligned horrific finishes. The Cowboys have been good and lucky this season, which Who can forget the gag might mean they're destined to make it to Super Bowl XLII jobs in the final minutes and perhaps win it. Why is it destiny? Try the following: against the Washington Red- They are 12-1 for the first time in franchise history and are skins or Seattle Seahawks in the best team in the NFC.

2005? Or the especially pain- They have won six road games this season, tying for the ful conclusions in Philadel- second-most in team history and matching the most for phia, Washington and the Dallas since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule. In four of playoff loss in Seattle last sea- the seven previous seasons in which the Cowboys won six son? road games, they also won Super Bowl titles. "Last year, you could feel it In his first season as a full-time starter, Tony Romo is shatsometimes. It's guys all the club's passing marks. He's thrown a tering nearly ing, 'We lost the line- touchdown in a club-record 17 consecutive games, and set backer DeMarcus Ware said.

the single-season mark for touchdown passes with 35. "Now, if the defense doesn't Several players are having career including veterseasons, play well or the offense ans Terrell Owens (12th year) and linebacker Greg Ellis doesn't play well, we don't (10th). care. It's all about having They have scored on two interception returns, a fumble each other's back." return and a blocked field goal return. Even though, the Cowboys have won nine games by Cowboys' playoff situation double digits, they have won Have clinched at least one home playoff game.

two by one point. a Can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC After their 28-27 victory playoffs with a win Sunday against the Eagles and a Packers against Detroit on Sunday, loss to the Rams. the Cowboys celebrated their Can clinch a first-round bye with a win or a Seahawks loss second one-point win of the to the Panthers. season. The last time they With a first-round bye, the Cowboys would play in the NFC won a game by one point be- divisional playoffs Jan.

12 or 13. fore this season was in 2005; the previous time was 2003. As unlikely as their victory was against the Lions, it doesn't top their one-point win at Buffalo on Oct. 8. "I think anytime you experience a Buffalo game, then there's not any game where there's no hope that this team can overcome," coach Wade Phillips said.

"We believe we can make plays or somebody's going to do something to help win the game." Yet to look at the entire season, why should this be a surprise? Look at some of the events that have happened to put them in this position: a Tony Romo proved that, after his out-of-body start in 2006 and disappointing finish, he is a franchise quarterback. Greg Ellis has come back from his torn Achilles' to start playing on Oct. 8 and lead the for LAUER Terhis," be or Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell, in his first full season as a starter, likely is out for the season with a dislocated left kneecap. The good news is he will not require surgery. Number of the week Donovan 14-16 record McNabb's as a starter the past three seasons, since the Eagles' NFC championship in 2004.

He is 5-6 this season after going 5-5 last season and 4-5 in 2005. Looking ahead Pittsburgh (9-4) leads the AFC North by only one game, although the Steelers do hold the tiebreaker over the Cleveland Browns. Jacksonville (9-4) is in good shape to be the AFC's top wild-card team. injured Redskins of 20 make his Patriots as Willie have three two. Colts division Packers, the 4-0 vs.

Sunday Jason Campbell in the first half of to a much-needed 24-16 victory over passes for 224 yards and two touchfirst start since Dec. 14, 1997, when BOTTOM 5 1. Miami, 0-13 The Dolphins have lost 16 games in a row. 2. Atlanta, 3-10 Chris Redman made his first start since 2002.

3. San Francisco, 3-10 Shaun Hill had never thrown a regular-season pass in six seasons until Sunday. 4. NY Jets, 3-10 The Jets were 2-for-12 on third down against the Browns. 5.

Kansas City, 4-9 The Chiefs have lost six in a row. team with sacks. After nose tackle Jason Ferguson suffered a season-ending injury in the season opener, former seventhround pick Jay Ratliff became the starter and arguably the team's best defensive lineman. Despite not having receiver Terry Glenn at all this season, the Cowboys' passing offense ranks third in the NFL. Now look at the finer points: 1 Third-string tight end Tony Curtis recovered an onside kick with 18 seconds remaining in Buffalo to set up what would be the eventual gamewinning, 53-yard field goal with no time remaining.

Romo turned the ball over six times that night. Guard Kyle Kosier recovered a Romo fumble to keep the Cowboys' game-winning drive alive against the Lions. "I mean, it's kind of hard to put your finger on what's going on," cornerback Terence Newman said. "In Buffalo, we could have been blown out in that game. Same way But they weren't blown out, and instead won the type of game they had no business winning.

It was the type of game that in previous years would not have been won. "It's good to have some of those games go our way for a change," Ellis said. "I've been a part of enough of them that didn't go our way in situations like that." And the Cowboys don't really care if it's logical or not. ONLINE: dallascowboys.com MAC ENGEL, 817-390-7760.