Dolphins-Cardinals Preview

SCOUTING REPORT

Only way Arizona loses is if it beats itselfThe Dolphins are coming off a tough loss in their opener, while the Cardinals return home after a divisional win versus the 49ers. But it appears the Dolphins are still a work in progress because they made too many mistakes. The Cardinals did enough in all three phases of the game to get the win, but have lots to correct. This game should be about how well each veteran quarterback performs and it will be interesting to see how much improvement each club can make.

· Full Scouting Report

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
MIA	11-5	345	317	5-3	6-2	4-2	8-4
ARI	9-7	427	426	6-2	3-5	6-0	7-5
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

Miami Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Henne 60.8 2878 12 14 Pennin... 68.9 413 1 2

Arizona Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Warner 66.1 3753 26 14 Leinar... 66.2 435 0 3

Miami Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Willia... 241 1121 4.7 11 Brown 147 648 4.4 8

Arizona Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Wells 176 793 4.5 7 Highto... 143 598 4.2 8

Miami Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Bess 76 758 10.0 2 Camari... 50 552 11.0 0

Arizona Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Fitzge... 97 1092 11.3 13 Boldin 84 1024 12.2 4

Full Player Stats: Miami | Arizona

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	MIA	346.0
	ARI	366.0
Yards Passing	MIA	227.0
	ARI	292.1
Yards Rushing	MIA	118.6
	ARI	73.6
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	MIA	329.0
	ARI	331.5
Pass Yds Allowed	MIA	227.8
	ARI	221.3
Rush Yds Allowed	MIA	101.3
	ARI	110.3

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
Arizona leads 2-0
Nov 7, 2004	MIA 23, @ARI 24

It's been 17 years since the Arizona Cardinals opened a season with two victories. All that's standing in their way of doing that in 2008 is a team that's won once in its last 20 games.

The Cardinals will try to get off their first 2-0 start since 1991 on Sunday when they host the Miami Dolphins, losers of 10 straight on the road.

Arizona has a long history of losing, having failed to finish with a winning record in 19 of the 20 seasons since the franchise relocated from St. Louis. The Cardinals have begun 10 seasons 0-2. Since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978, 234 teams have started a season with two losses, and only 27 have gone on to the playoffs.

Those will be the long odds the Dolphins face if they can't win in their first trip to the desert since 1996, but Arizona can do something even rarer to the franchise since its move to Phoenix. The Cardinals have started 2-0 only twice since relocating, most recently when quarterback Tom Tupa -- a punter later in his career -- led the team to a pair of wins to open the 1991 season. Arizona went on to finish 4-12.

The Cardinals put themselves in position to match that start since then with a 23-13 win at San Francisco in Week 1, the first time they'd won their road opener since 2001.

"This is what happens when you play together over and over," running back Edgerrin James told the team's official Web site.

James is now in his third season with Arizona, and while the team has had success throwing the football -- with Kurt Warner finding star wideouts Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin -- running hasn't been as easy. James averaged 4.2 yards per carry in seven years with Indianapolis, but had seen that average slip to 3.6 in two seasons with the Cardinals. He's rushed for 100 yards just six times in 32 games after surpassing that mark nine times with the Colts in 2005 alone.

James hit 100 exactly on Sunday, though, helping the Cardinals grind out the clock instead of continually relying on Warner to make plays.

They held the ball for 23 minutes in the second half.

"We were in this situation numerous times (last year), and this time we came out on top," James said. "It's a point of emphasis that if you've got a chance to end the game, let's end the game. Us being on the field as long as we were on the field, I know it affects the opposing offense."

Miami, meanwhile, couldn't get its ground game going at home last week against the New York Jets. Neither Ricky Williams nor Ronnie Brown could find a rhythm as the Dolphins managed 49 rushing yards in a 20-14 defeat.

Miami's offensive line also allowed new quarterback Chad Pennington to get sacked four times, and rookie left tackle Jake Long, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, drew two penalties in his debut.

"We need to be better there," said new head coach Tony Sparano. "We didn't run it as well as we'd like to run it. Everybody shared in the problem from a protection standpoint."

The Dolphins, who went 1-15 last season, can relate to the Cardinals' early-season struggles. They opened 0-6 in 2004, 3-7 in 2005, 1-6 in 2006 and 0-13 last year.

"It'll be interesting to see how we respond," Williams said. "A young team and young in the season like this, it's where character is built. We'll have a good opportunity to show what we're made of."

Aside from improving the running game, Miami needs to get better play from its receivers. Pennington completed 26 of 43 passes for 251 yards in his Dolphins debut, but 20 of his completions went to running backs or tight ends.

Free agent pickup Ernest Wilford, who signed a four-year, $13 million deal in the offseason, was healthy but inactive for the opener, and the playing time at receiver went to Greg Camarillo, Ted Ginn Jr. and Davone Bess -- a trio that had 42 career receptions entering this season.

Wilford led Jacksonville with 45 receptions a year ago.

Miami and Arizona last met in 2004, a 24-23 Cardinals win at Dolphins Stadium.

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