TURF WARS BATTLE #4

After an even battle heading into the weekend, Ross pulled ahead of Jason with his argument that Chicago would not make the playoffs after da Bears lost yet another game on Sunday at the hands of Detroit.

The final tally was Ross-63% to Jason-37% (113 votes), as Ross now pulls ahead in the overall season match-up 2-1.

This week's debate: Which will happen first; a Dolphins win or a Patriots loss?

Jason claims that the Dolphins will win a game before the Patriots lose, while Ross believes that Patriots will be beaten before the Dolphins ever win a game this season.

Ding. Ding. Ding.

OPENING STATEMENTS

JASON: Round 1: So the start of the 2007 season has been an ugly one for the Dolphins. But this isn’t a team that’s exactly lain down and been crushed week in and week out. Three of their five losses have only been by three points, two of which were last second field goals against winning (above .500) teams. It was unfortunate to see Trent Green suffer another possible season-ending injury, but with the mistakes he was making and his inability to help his team win, it could actually be a good thing for the Dolphins. Insert Cleo Lemon, who made a few starts last season and knows the offense, accompanied by Ronnie Brown who is having a very good year, and Miami is poised to steal a win from any muddling team on their schedule (i.e. Cleveland, Buffalo). The Patriots on the other hand are putting together what looks like an unstoppable season, no matter who’s in their path. With a win this week against Dallas, the Patriots won’t have another obstacle until they head to Indianapolis in week nine. Their offense is clicking above and beyond expectations -- without their feature running back -- and their defense is as stingy as ever. The Dolphins get a great match up in week six heading into Cleveland against an erratic Browns club that’s sure to let up points. Not only will Miami get their first win before the Patriots lose, but it will come this week.

ROSS: We all know that the New England Patriots are a terrific football team...but that's where the agreement ends: Some of us love them, and some of us hate them. Some of us think Brady is the best QB in the NFL while some of us believe that Peyton Manning is. Some of us hate the way Belichick manipulates everybody and everything he comes in contact with, some of us are from New England. Some of us think the Pats can go undefeated this season...and some of us think beyond hyperbole. There's a reason no one has gone unbeaten in a 16-game season--it's almost impossible. Injuries, bad bounces, bad calls, bad performances, or emotional letdowns on the wrong day...there are so many ways to lose a game. Furthermore, this Patriots team, while exciting and explosive, isn't good enough to run the regular season table. Yeah--they're ranked at the top of the NFL in both offense and defense after week five, and they've absolutely steamrolled over everyone they've played so far this season...but really, who have they played? Their first five opponents have compiled a record of 7-17 and none of them is even AT .500! Their opponents for the next four games have a record of 13-6, and that's INCLUDING the Dolphins at 0-5! Dallas, Washington, and Indianapolis in the next four weeks--the Pats are going down, and going down soon, if not this weekend! On the other side, we have the Dolphins. Can they win a game before New England loses? Heck--can they win a game AT ALL? They're 0-5 and just lost their starting QB. The run defense is terrible, the passing game is going to suffer and subsequently the running game will suffer. If you can't stop the run, you can't win games...especially when four of your next six games have you playing New England, the Giants, in Philly, and in Pittsburgh. Those are all losses. They'd best get it done this weekend at Cleveland against a Browns team that has beaten Baltimore and Cincy at home...if not, we're looking at an old school Tampa Bay Bucs kind of season in South FLA.

REBUTTALS

JASON: Baltimore and Cincy? Oh, you mean two teams with a combined record of 4-5? Wow. That’s impressive. Here are a few reasons why the Dolphins will get their first win this weekend, and handily, against Cleveland: The Browns are ranked dead last in the league in total defense, allowing more than 30 points a game, while the offense leads the AFC in turnovers. Stopping the run in Cleveland has pretty much been a joke, and Ronnie Brown is coming in with three straight 100-yard games. Let’s not forget he leads the league in yards from scrimmage and is averaging 5.9 yards a carry against the AFC. This is a perfect match up for the offensive-minded Cam Cameron to show why he was hired as head coach of this team. Linebacker Joey Porter has been talking all week about going after Kellen Winslow and ripping apart the Browns offense. Sounds like the Miami D is ready to pounce. The Patriots have an obvious battle on their hands heading into Dallas, but did anyone see the Cowboys performance against the dreadful Bills? Buffalo didn’t score an offensive touchdown and still only lost by a point. This is a team the Patriots are supposed to be afraid of? C’mon! The Dallas secondary has been terrible all season and Tom Brady, along with his new best friend Randy Moss, are going to exploit the Cowboys and improve to 6-0. As for the schedules, yeah, the Dolphins have some road blocks following this week’s game, but the Patriots don’t and it’s pretty easy to say they can stay undefeated through October. The Dolphins have shown much potential on both sides of the ball so far, and this is the week their hard work will come to fruition.

ROSS: Yeah, Baltimore and Cincy at 4-5--that's four more wins than your Dolphins. I'm not sure what's leading you to believe the Fish are going to "win handily" in Cleveland this weekend. Stopping the run in CLEVELAND has been a joke? What about stopping the run in Miami? You conveniently omit the fact that the Dolphins are next to last in run defense. Nicely done. Ronnie Brown is indeed having a fine year, and he is indeed coming off of three 100-yard efforts...and the Dolphins STILL haven't won a game! Win-less is what they are, even with their fancy running attack. Pffft. And Joey Porter? HAHAH--Joey Porter has been yapping his whole career. He yapped his ass off when he "guaranteed" a Dolphins’ win against the oh-so-mighty Raiders. How'd that yapping end up? In a 35-17 embarrassment of a loss for the Dolphins, that’s how. But wait...Porter GUARANTEED they'd win!!?!?!? I don't get it...how...how could they lose when he promised? HA! Are you kidding me? The Miami defense is ready to pounce? On what , a rocking chair? They're old, tired, and done. They gave up over 30 points to the Jets and Raiders. Offensive juggernauts those two are not. Cam Cameron was hired because Nick Saban deserted the team and left it in shambles. 0-5 pretty much proves that. Now you've got someone named Cleo Lemon starting on the road, and you're saying they're going to win handily? Pass me some of what you're smoking. As for the Pats beating Dallas, they might. But it's funny how you use past performance when condemning Dallas' chances, but ignore it when it comes to the Dolphins and their winless season. What about the past "performances" of the 0-5 Dolphins?!?! Sure, Dallas played terribly against the Bills, but they WON, and winning is what we're talking about here, nothing else. In fact, the 'Boys will actually gain from that type of win. They proved their resilience AND realized that they can't just show up and win. Now they get to go home and face the Pats--you don't think they're going to come out ready to play? The Pats may win. And they may go unbeaten through October--partly because they play Miami--but the Dolphins have the Pats and Giants in London to finish out THEIR October. So what are you saying?

BIG QUESTION

FOR JASON: Should the Dolphins fail to beat the Browns, it may be a very long journey to a victory with games against the Patriots and Giants (in London). That would put them at 0-9 entering their bye week, with the next real opportunity being week eleven verses the Bills. With their quarterback situation in disarray and an opposing Browns team that has surprised some people, why should Dolphins fans feel confident they can overcome these odds?

JASON: If, and that’s a very big IF, the Dolphins can’t capitalize on the Cleveland Browns this week, their schedule obviously doesn’t favor them. But, as the old saying goes, a team can win on Any Given Sunday. As for the quarterback position, Trent Green was a major factor in those losses, so having him on the bench seems more helpful than harmful. Since the Patriots have a terrific chance to run the table, I’ll say they trounce the Fish in week seven. But when the Dolphins and Giants both go overseas to play their international game in London, that’s when anything can happen. Despite New York’s recent three-game run, and a possible fourth against the lowly Atlanta Falcons this week, Big Blue is a team that somehow finds a way to constantly play down to their opponents. Heading into that week eight contest, it looks like a huge trap game for the Giants. It’s going to come down to which team can handle the week of practicing in conjunction with the traveling. It’s a pure toss-up and either team could come out flat. That’s where the Dolphins will have their next chance at a victory. After a much needed bye week, they’ll host the dreadful Buffalo Bills and have another stab at it. It’s as simple as this: the Dolphins aren’t as bad as the Patriots are good. The chances of the Patriots running the table (as hard as it is) are far greater than Miami losing all 16 games.

FOR ROSS: The Patriots seem as determined as ever. The combination of Brady to Moss has been unstoppable. They have been pummeling opponents and haven't skipped a beat despite losing starting running back Laurence Maroney. Their two opponents after Dallas are the Redskins and Dolphins. How do you defeat this team?

ROSS: Yes, New England has been determined. And yes, Moss has been effective, although to call him "unstoppable" when the Browns held him to three catches and 46 yards is a bit excessive...However, no one--not even the Holy Patriots can sustain the emotional and physical sharpness required to win 16 games in a row. There have been teams better than this Patriots team—why did they fail to go unbeaten? Because to be that good, week in and week out is hard enough...then factor in all of the other things that could cost the patriots a win...What if Moss pulls a hamstring? What if Brady gets hit hard and knocked out for a key series? What if Sammy Morris fumbles at a key juncture? The "what ifs" are infinite, and eventually, one will happen and cost them a game. You're pretty quick to dismiss the Redskins, but certainly they could beat the Patriots. They have some offensive weapons and can play defense with anyone. And why are we all assuming that Dallas has no shot? The Cowboys are 5-0. Why no respect? The point is, the Pats WILL lose a game. I'm nowhere near as confident that Miami will WIN one: it's much easier to continue to be terrible than it is to perform at a level of excellence. You'll see when they lose.

CLOSING ARGUMENTS

JASON: Let’s face it, the Dolphins aren’t a good team this year. But even bad teams can get a win in this parity-filled league. Miami’s remaining schedule includes two games against the Bills, another against the Jets in South Florida and this upcoming week’s match up in Cleveland. The only major hiccups the steamrolling Patriots face are the Cowboys, Colts and the Steelers in week 14. Miami will surely have a win by then with those four cupcakes coming before or during that Sunday. Ronnie Brown will continue to have a great season, and despite the age on the defensive side of the ball, that squad is filled with experience and talent. The Patriots are averaging more than 36 points a game, while only yielding an average of 13 points per contest. That sounds unbeatable. No one’s come close to even competing with Belichick and his squad, while the Dolphins have been oh-so-close in three of their five losses. Although it’s early in the season, Miami can play spoiler to a lot of teams. Remember last year when they went into Chicago and stopped the Bears from reaching 8-0? They have the ability to upset a few teams this year, and no one should consider them a pushover. The quarterback position may be a little suspect right now, but there are other teams out there not faring too well with their franchise hurlers (Saints, Bengals). The Dolphins will scratch a few wins before all is said and done while the Patriots test history and shoot for an undefeated season, practically unscathed.

ROSS: The only thing Jason said there that made any sense was that the Dolphins aren't a good team. He mentions how easy it will be for the Dolphins to get a win because the NFL is so filled with parity...but logic would then dictate that it would be just as easy to LOSE a game due to this parity, wouldn't it? The fact that the Patriots play the Steelers in week 14, as if they'll be unbeaten at that point, isn't all that factors into that game. You have to consider that as we go deeper and deeper into the schedule, the pressure to go unbeaten becomes yet one more distraction, one more "thing" which can upset the unbeaten applecart. The Pats have Dallas, Washington and Indy in three of their next four games. Let's see if they come out of that unscathed. My guess is that they'll lose one of those games. Conversely, Miami has Cleveland (surely their best and perhaps only chance to win) New England and the Giants in those same four weeks. For my money, the hapless Dolphins winning one of those games is less likely than the Patriots losing one of theirs. Miami will be an underdog in each game. Will New England be a favorite in Indianapolis? I doubt it. And please--a team that’s 0-5 cannot call ANY other team a "cupcake" so put your baking pan away, Sara Lee. The fact is--the Dolphins are 0-5 WITH their starting QB. You expect Cleo Lemon to be fine, but if the Dolphins loved Cleo Lemon so much, if they thought he COULD start, answer me this: why did they A) sign Trent Green and B) DRAFT ANOTHER QB!?!? Because they know they can't win with Lemon, that's why. So now, he's going to walk into the starting job and win on the road? No way. The Dolphins better hope he gets one against the Bills because other than them, they're looking at New England, the Giants, at Philly and at Pittsburgh. 0-11 is in the cards. As for the Patriots, all I can say is they're a great team. But even great teams lose a game...and the 2007 Patriots, hardly the best team in NFL history, will lose one before the Dolphins win one. Bank on it.

You’ve heard their cases, now make your voice heard!