By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist

In Print: Friday, November 4, 2011

Win, and it is easy to be nice. Win, and there is plenty you can say in order to appear magnanimous.

Good game, you can say, although it wasn’t. Nice try, you can say, although the opponent didn’t. Things will get better, you can suggest, although they won’t.

Lately, there are a few more things you can say to console a losing team.

Congratulations, for one.

Hope you get Lucky, for another.

In the NFL, it has never been quite so good to be quite so bad. Disaster seems to be the game plan, and chaos seems to be the goal. The lower rungs of the league are suddenly playing The Biggest Loser, and the prize is Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, a player whose reviews are so wondrous you might suspect he can complete three passes for every two attempts.

So just lose, baby. After all, losing isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. Lose one for the Lucker. And so on.

Miami? Indianapolis? Arizona?

Come on down for the NFL’s latest episode of “Suck for Luck,” a catchy little cry for help that now totals more than 8.4 million hits on Google. And who is small enough for the challenge?

Seattle? Washington? Cleveland?

Who wants Luck in the worst way? Which team is willing to tank its way to the bank?

This is all highly amusing, of course, and considering the combined wretchedness of the teams we are discussing, marvelously entertaining. Why else would you watch these teams stumble about? This isn’t failure. This is strategic withdrawal from success.

Yet it seems there are those who suspect NFL teams will play badly on purpose, even though they have spent half of a season proving they have no other options. Already, the outcry for a draft lottery has begun, although you may feel free to assume that it is not coming from the general direction of, say, Miami.

This is silly. We are talking about a talent, not a trend. The whole point is that Luck is such a rare talent that he takes the bitter out of defeat. Why, he’s the best since Peyton Manning, some say. Why, he’s the best since John Elway, say others.

Let me ask you this, however:

Did anyone ever “Slouch for Couch?”

Did anyone “Refuse to Hustle for JaMarcus Russell?”

Did anyone ever cry out, “Let’s Win Nary and Get Ron Yary?”

Did the Bucs have a campaign called “Go Nerdy for Testaverde?” No, it just turned out that way.

In other words, this is no need for an overreaction. Just an underperformance.

So who deserves Luck? And who will end up with him?

The Dolphins, that’s who.

I know, I know. The Dolphins, being who the Dolphins are these days, have scared the dickens out their fans the last couple of weeks by almost winning. At this point, who needs that? Beating the Broncos or the Giants wouldn’t have saved Tony Sparano’s job, let alone the season. It would have just meant hope wasn’t on the horizon, darn the Luck.

In the grand scheme of the meek inheriting the quarterback, blowing two leads was worth it. For goodness sakes, have you paid attention to the quarterbacking in Miami lately? Miami once had a quarterback named Lemon, but if you’re honest, all of them could have been. Since Dan Marino left, the Dolphins have had 16 quarterbacks, and none of them could throw the ball over your house.

If not the Dolphins, then how about the Cardinals? Larry Fitzgerald is far too nice a guy to have Kevin Kolb in charge of his huddle.

Indianapolis? No. If the Colts end up with the No. 1 pick, general manager Peyton Manning would then trade him for about a half-dozen No. 1 draft picks. Seriously, if Manning has any more quarterbacking left in him, it is bad karma even to suggest Indy has a shot.

(And speaking of Indy, doesn’t this year put a little tarnish on the plaque that declares Bill Polian to be a genius? Just asking.)

Seattle? Sure, the Seahawks could use him. But does Pete Carroll, who skipped out on USC just before the NCAA posse arrived, deserve him?

Then there is Denver. Frankly, it mystifies me that Denver has won twice this year. Whenever I see it play, I have this urge to check the results to make sure.

If I didn’t know better, I might think the Broncos are chasing Luck with as much fervor as anyone. Tim Tebow has struggled, and it looks as if Denver’s coaches spent hours finding just the wrong offense for him, and they gave away his best receiver. To make it any more obvious, the Broncos would have to change the fight song to With a Little Bit o’ Luck.

Jacksonville? Tennessee? Minnesota? All of them have promising young quarterbacks. And you get the feeling that all of them would be traded in by their teams for a shot at Luck.

Still, there is no franchise that seems like a better fit than the Dolphins. Everyone else can just wait. After all, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III may decide to bypass this year’s draft.

If so, next year’s teams can always Give in for Griffin.

That’ll shake them up in the NFL offices.

[Last modified: Nov 03, 2011 09:48 PM]

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It was almost as if Dolphins coach Tony Sparano knew immediately that he probably wasn’t choosing the best word to describe his expectations for his offense during Friday’s preseason debut in Atlanta.

“I don’t want to use the term vanilla,” said Sparano, sending a spark through the sports community that could have been better accomplished with a wet match. “But that’s kind of where you’re going to be.”

If you listen closely, you probably can hear the dial tone at the team’s ticket-sales office. Vanilla? What happened to the sprinkles? And the caramel? And the cherry on top? What happened to hope of a more entertaining offense in 2011?

Before you start drafting your complaint to owner Stephen Ross, perhaps it’s time for a little context: If ever Sparano had a true, legitimate excuse to roll out an offense with the flavor of a bagel made in Florida, this might actually be it.

Aside from any potential (and public-relation savvy) attempts at the start of the game to throw a few deep balls between quarterback Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall, the Dolphins’ exhibition game Friday night isn’t expected to reveal anything about this year’s team.

“Going into this game a year ago, you might have had 20 practices by now,” Sparano said. “I mean, we’re going to go into this game and we’re going to have had 11 practices. So that’s going to dictate it.”

In other words, you’re about to witness the first publicly visible repercussions of the lockout and the limitations of the resulting collective bargaining agreement, which no longer allow two-a-day practices in their purest form.

Consider the many reasons for the vanilla approach:

• Usually, the new league year begins in March. That means new players, such as running back Reggie Bush and linebacker Kevin Burnett, would have had five months to acclimate themselves to a new system and surroundings. Both started practice eight days ago.

The Dolphins’ rookies — including four who could see significant time this year — were unable to undergo any organized team activities before the start of training camp. They experienced their first NFL practice two weeks ago.

• The Dolphins hired an offensive coordinator, while overhauling the offensive staff, after the 2010 season ended. Although players got the new playbook, they couldn’t have direct interaction with their new coaches until July 30.

• Compounding all of this, the new collective bargaining agreement has put an end to two-a-day practices. Now, rather than having two full workouts every other day, the Dolphins can only conduct one full workout and a noncontact walk-through.

Beyond all of the missed minicamps and offseason workout opportunities, NFL teams also have nearly five less practices two weeks into camp. As a result, Sparano hasn’t had a chance to break the surface on some necessary lessons.

“In a normal year, you’ve practiced the short yardage and goal line two or three times, maybe,” Sparano said. “You’ve got the different blitz periods, you’ve gotten into some situational stuff. We haven’t even gotten to that yet. I’m scripting that stuff now for next week as we sit here now.”

So what should we expect to see? First of all, very little of the starters. Not when there are too many unknown players who need to be evaluated in these types of situations.

“I mean, we’ll get [the starters] out there,” Sparano said. “They’ll play. There’s a few guys that may not play, but for the most part, most guys will play. Just not much. I can’t afford it. I need to make sure these players get evaluated because as we get going here into the next couple weeks I really can’t waste that kind of time.”

By the time the starters leave the game, Sparano also can’t exactly set high expectations for the young players who he will get a look at.

“You’ve got to let these guys have a chance and to ask them to do something that maybe they’ve only done once out here on the practice field right now,” Sparano said. “That doesn’t really give them a chance.

“You really just have to ask these guys to do minimal in this ball game, and that’s where I think it gets graded a little bit differently.”

Bored yet? If you aren’t, you will be. You only need to wait until this first exhibition game gets under way. Just remember: When the offense looks less exciting than LIV before midnight, don’t blame Sparano.

This time, the man actually has a decent excuse.

His body barely in bounds, Dolphins rookie Clyde Gates positioned himself up and over cornerback Nolan Carroll to snag one of the sweetest touchdown receptions through two weeks of training camp Wednesday.

It was only one play in one practice, yet nonetheless a reminder of the type of spark this rookie class could provide an offense in need of some fire.

“The main thing is to get in here and learn,” said running back Daniel Thomas, who joins Gates as two of the four offensive rookies drafted this year. “But we’ve got to go out and make some plays. That’s why they brought us in. That’s the expectation.”

Whether it’s Gates or Thomas or center Mike Pouncey or fullback Charles Clay, moments like Wednesday’s catch serve as clear reminders of what’s possible from this group, even if it isn’t entirely fair to assume it is what’s immediately expected.

Rookie classes are always important. But few in recent memory have been this important. And certainly no class in the past decade has been put in a situation (because of the lockout) as challenging as the current one.

Perhaps during other summers, the Dolphins would be able to slowly bring these rookies along with the impediment of the lockout in mind. This year? Because these rookies only began getting NFL instruction two weeks ago, coach Tony Sparano is forced to take a different approach.

“You have to understand, you’re expecting a few of these guys to maybe contribute,” Sparano said. “Under normal circumstances, that may have been the case. But now, we’re going to find out what they do well and only ask them to do that.

“That might be their job right now until they can handle another job and another job and a little bit more, so we are going to try and handle it that way.”

So yes, a catch like the one Gates made Wednesday — albeit during a single practice — is something worth valuing at the moment. For a player who clearly has the speed to get past defenders but lacks a big frame and any real experience, the Dolphins should be encouraged to also see him pull down a big pass in tight coverage.

Sparano is likely to let Gates just get his feet wet as a return man — but don’t expect him to hold back as the rookie makes more progress as a receiver, too.

“That guy has all the ability in the world,” cornerback Vontae Davis said Wednesday. “Reminds me of myself. He’s just got to learn, become a professional. He’s got stuff you can’t teach — it’s a matter of getting polished. He’s raw.”

That’s why Gates is also a perfect example of the crazy expectations on these rookies: He’s raw. He admittedly was surprised by the complex nature of the playbook. As a longtime basketball player, he has been playing football for only a few years.

Playbook reality

“I definitely wasn’t ready for the playbook,” Gates said. “I didn’t know the playbook was going to be like this. I heard about it, but I wasn’t expecting it to be that challenging. But I’m starting to catch on. I’m coming along pretty well.”

Gates is right: He’s coming along. Each of these rookies right now is doing just fine. Are they performing solid enough to make the impact some are hoping for? We’ll start to find out more Friday when the Dolphins play the Falcons in the first exhibition game.

Now or later, it’s clear this group is going to have plenty of opportunities to contribute. The Dolphins invested in four players to help quarterback Chad Henne show once and for all what type of quarterback he can be. Consider this year’s draft:

In 2010, the interior line struggled. So they drafted Pouncey. The Dolphins needed a speedy deep threat. So they drafted Gates. They needed an every-down running back. So they invested a second-round pick in Daniel Thomas.

Relieving pressure

Outside of Pouncey, who is currently the clear starter at center, the other three rookies at least have other players to take off some of the pressure. Gates has Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess and Brian Hartline. Thomas has Reggie Bush. Clay, for now, has Lousaka Polite.

So perhaps it’s best for these rookies to chill out. Maybe it’s best for them to breathe deep and be patient with the learning process. But deep down, everyone including this coaching staff and these players know just how important this rookie class’ impact will be to the success of this season.

“You don’t want to put too much pressure on yourself,” Gates said. “I’m just going to take it a day at a time and do my best.”

The Dolphins can only hope his best is good enough.

For those who are impatiently waiting on the debut of Dolphins running back Reggie Bush, somebody has a message for you. His name is Kory Sheets, and he wants to make sure you’re paying attention.

Never heard of him? That’s fine, he says. You will.

“I told Ronnie and Ricky before they were gone, I’m looking at it as if nobody is standing in my way,” Sheets said. “I don’t care who they bring in. I don’t care who they draft. In my head, they’re going to be the No. 2 back.

“And I’m going to be the starter.”

Sheets is one of four running backs — joining Bush, Lex Hilliard and rookie Daniel Thomas — who are in prime positions to make this year’s roster. But neither he nor Bush, the team’s tandem of speedsters, has been able to practice yet.

That could change as soon as Thursday, barring a possible holdup, once the league’s remaining issues with the new collective bargaining agreement are finished. At that point, all NFL free agents who signed new contracts this year will be able to begin practicing.

For the Dolphins, the list includes Bush, linebacker Jason Taylor, nose tackle Tony McDaniel and eight other Miami players. Oh, and Sheets. Don’t you dare forget about Sheets.

“Everybody wants to label me as a third-down back,” Sheets said. “That’s not who I am. I’m an every-down back. There’s not one person in this league that can tell me I’m just going to play on third down.”

For the avid Dolphins fans, those who follow the team more closely than most, Sheets’ brash style might seem justified. Last training camp, during the first week before his Achilles tendon popped, he was making immediate waves.

His blazing speed made him a favorite to be the team’s kick returner.

“The job was mine,” Sheets said. “They told me the day before it was mine to lose. As soon as I went down, I knew what it was. It broke my heart, especially after seeing that the kick-return game wasn’t as good as it should have been.”

So, sure, Sheets has potential. Sure, he had a record-breaking career at Purdue that included a career rushing average of 5.1 yards per carry. But is he really in a place to be suggesting he can snag this job from Bush and Thomas? With just one carry for 5 yards on his NFL résumé?

Not sold just yet

Although he noted Sheets’ explosive nature, coach Tony Sparano wasn’t quite willing to anoint Sheets as the team’s next Pro Bowler just yet. He wasn’t critical, but he nonetheless pointed out a few of the aspects of Sheets’ game that need work.

“Things Kory needed to get better at, he kind of got thrown in to the middle of that group [last year] so the mental part he never really had the full process,” Sparano said. “I would say the blocking end of it was something he hasn’t been asked to do, so those were the things we wanted to see a little more of.” 

Sheets, an undrafted free agent in 2009, is fully expecting to prove it. And then some.

“It wouldn’t have mattered who they brought in,” Sheets said. “Bringing in Reggie, I look at us as being the same person. He’s just getting paid more than me.”

Sheets was not being antagonistic with his comments. Instead, he loves the idea of pairing with Bush, Thomas and Hilliard to produce a backfield that can provide all sorts of assets and weapons.

“We’ve got more speed in the backfield,” Sheets said. “If I’m tired, he’s got it. … We’ve got speed and big dudes. We’ll be able to wear defenses down. And you’ve got Daniel Thomas to pound it.”

Instead, Sheets just isn’t going to spend his time letting the expectations of others deter him from setting expectations for himself. Go ahead, ask him about Chris Johnson, a player you might expect him to admire.

“I wouldn’t say I look up to him,” Sheets said when asked if he indeed looks up to a blazing fast player such as Johnson. “Chris Johnson and me are playing at the same time.”

Something to prove

Sheets has a massive amount to prove before his bite matches his bark. But he seems plenty up for the challenge, which is going to make some of these upcoming practices fun to watch.

Once the free agents can take the field — hopefully Thursday — the attention will mostly be centered on Bush. Just don’t forget to watch for Sheets, too. If he is anything as he is advertising, you won’t need another reminder.

“I come from Connecticut,” Sheets said. “People always say they didn’t know they played football in Connecticut. So I’ve always had to just believe in myself.”

No doubt, he does. Do you?

  On Tuesday, Miami Dolphins quarterback and former Coastal Carolina All-American Tyler Thigpen paid a visit to Conway Elementary School to talk to second graders.  Afterwards, WPDE’s Mark Haggard spoke with Thigpen about the current NFL labor situation.

There is a Friday deadline to get a deal done (a one week extension that was agreed to last week).  There is a possibility of a lockout and work stoppage for the 2011 season.

ESPN.COM: NFL Talks Resume 

  For Thigpen, the new collective bargaining agreement will have a direct impact on his future with the Miami Dolphins.  A four year veteran, Thipgen would be a restricted free agent under the old CBA, meaning a team would have to give up a second round draft pick to sign the quarterback.  If the new labor agreement changes to allow free agency to four year veterans, Thigpen can become an unrestricted free agent and talk with any team about a new contract.  Thigpen was a backup to Chad Henne and had one start in 2010 for Miami. 

ESPN.COM: Thigpen’s Stats 

  Thigpen spends his offseason in Myrtle Beach, where he regularly works out at Coastal Carolina. 

Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress will interview for the Miami Dolphins’ offensive coordinator job on Saturday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Thursday.

Childress, who was fired by the Vikings in November, told the newspaper he wasn’t certain if he will coach next season or sit out. He is owed $3 million for each of the next two seasons from his Vikings contract if he chooses the latter option.

“I really don’t know what I want to do,” Childress said. “I may just sit out this year and maybe two years. But I’ve coached for 33 straight years and if the right position comes up, I’m going to give it strong consideration. I’m a football coach.”

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano is looking for an offensive coordinator — a job Childress held with the Philadelphia Eagles prior to the Vikings hiring him in 2006 — after Dan Henning retired.

“I don’t have any preconceived notions,” Childress said of the Dolphins’ opening. “If there’s a good opportunity there with good people, and that’s the key, I’ll coach again this year. If not then I’ll pass and do something next year.”

Former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Brian Daboll reportedly interviewed for the Dolphins position, as have Dallas Cowboys tight ends coach John Garrett and San Diego Chargers tight ends coach Rob Chudzinski.

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 7:48 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, 2011

Posted: 12:52 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3, 2011

DAVIE — Tony Sparano told reporters Monday morning that he loves his job, that plenty of good things have resulted from coaching the Dolphins and that he would like to come back for a fourth season.

The one thing Sparano couldn’t say was whether the Dolphins’ future will involve him.

Shortly thereafter, he likely made his case to stay in a meeting with team owner Stephen Ross.

Sparano, Ross, General Manager Jeff Ireland and CEO Mike Dee reportedly met Monday at the training facility where players spent the morning clearing out their lockers.

The Miami Herald reported that the meeting took place and lasted more than three hours.

“I think I have the greatest job in the world,” Sparano told reporters before sitting down with his superiors. “And I enjoy this organization and the people here and I love coaching this football team. So I don’t take it for granted at all.”

The meeting of the Dolphins’ braintrust came less than 24 hours after a 38-7, season-ending thrashing at New England that dropped the Dolphins to 7-9. They had the same record last season and missed the playoffs both times.

Sparano’s future wasn’t the only question hanging over training camp at Nova Southeastern University:

• Sparano would not discuss his coaching staff, particularly whether offensive coordinator Dan Henning, 68, will retire following a season in which his unit ranked 21st in the NFL in total offense and 30th in scoring.
• Quarterback Chad Pennington, 34, said he expects to know more late this month about whether he’ll return for a 12th NFL season. He has appointment with Alabama-based Dr. James Andrews to check on the latest surgery on his right shoulder.

“One day I wake up and I feel one way and the next day I wake up and I feel another,” Pennington said.

• Sparano was vague about whether he would consider incumbent Chad Henne his starting quarterback entering training camp this summer or if there would be an open competition including Tyler Thigpen. Sparano said he’s “going to evaluate” the situation. Henne was not available for comment.

“Black Monday” failed to live up to its label this year in the NFL, with Cleveland’s Eric Mangini the only head coach to lose his job the day after the regular season ended. Several other changes are sure to follow, but while some Dolphins fans clamor for the club to seek former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, an analyst at CBS, several Dolphins players said the solution already is in Davie.

“Dolfans and people on the outside need to understand that the right man for this organization is Tony Sparano,” Pennington said, accurately citing statistics that the team was 16-32 in the three years before Sparano arrived and is 25-23 with one division title since.

“If you had said that three years ago, I think people would sign up for that,” Pennington said.

Sparano finished second to Atlanta’s Mike Smith by one vote in coach of the year balloting in his first season, when he turned a 1-15 team into the playoffs at 11-5. “It’s the same guy,” Pennington said.

Running back Ronnie Brown also endorsed his coach.

“You see him running up and down the sidelines,” Brown said. “That’s what gets some of us excited, knowing he’s into it that much. To know you have a guy like that behind you means a lot.”

Both Pennington and Sparano cautioned against reading too much into Sunday’s blowout.

“If you do, you’re going to make the wrong decision and you’re going to make an emotional decision, and that’s something that Stephen Ross doesn’t want to make,” Pennington said.

Sparano said he’s a “body-of-work guy” and indicated he’d like to be judged as such. He seldom if ever criticizes his players in public and appeared to bite his tongue when relating his precarious situation to Sunday’s debacle.

“If I evaluated some of the players here based on yesterday we’d really be ” Sparano said before cutting his sentence short. “I make sure I look at the entire body of work and try to figure out where we are.”

Statistics offer some answers.

Offensively, the Dolphins slipped from 14th in the NFL last year to 21st this year, marking the eighth time in 12 seasons they have finished 20th or worse. The Dolphins ranked 21st in rushing and 16th in passing.

Asked where explosiveness will come from in 2011, Sparano pointed out that Davone Bess and Brandon Marshall finished in the top 15 in the NFL in receptions and also singled out Brian Hartline and tight end Anthony Fasano, “so there’s some meat on the bone.” But Marshall’s 11.8 average and Bess’ 10.4 finished out of the top 75 in the NFL. Miami had only four plays of 40 or more yards.

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 8:00 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011

Posted: 7:52 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The Dolphins will have two opportunities to see a Broadway play next season, and will likely be munching on turkey legs in Dallas.

With the regular season concluded Sunday, the Dolphins’ full list of 2011 opponents became known.

As usual, they will travel to New York to play the Jets, but they also will go there to face the Giants, as Miami faces the NFC East next year.

The Dolphins also are likely to play at Dallas on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys are scheduled to host an AFC team, and the only alternative is Buffalo.

The Dolphins are 5-1 on Thanksgiving with a 3-1 record against Dallas. They last played on Thanksgiving in 2006 at Detroit.

In addition to six games against their AFC East rivals and four against the NFC East, the Dolphins will face the AFC West and their third-place counterparts in the AFC North (Cleveland) and AFC South (Houston).

The Dolphins played eight games this year against teams that qualified for the 2010 playoffs, but will get a bit of a reprieve next year with only six games against teams that qualified for the post-season.

Dolphins fans who suffered through a 1-7 home record this year could see two of the NFL’s more intriguing quarterbacks. Michael Vick of Philadelphia and former Florida Gators star Tim Tebow of Denver are scheduled to visit.

Dates and starting times likely will be announced in April, assuming the NFL and players’ union sign a new collective-bargaining agreement.

Home opponents

AFC East: Buffalo, N.Y. Jets, New England.

AFC West: Denver, Kansas City.

NFC East: Philadelphia, Washington.

AFC South third-place team: Houston.

Road opponents

AFC East: Buffalo, N.Y. Jets, New England.

AFC West: Oakland, San Diego.

NFC East: Dallas, N.Y. Giants.

AFC North third-place team: Cleveland.

DAVIE, Fla. — As Brandon Marshall shared his opinions about the Miami Dolphins’ coach, quarterback and offensive coordinator, he endorsed only one of them: Tony Sparano.

Big offseason changes are likely for the Dolphins, who rank next to last in the AFC in scoring and will sit out the playoffs for the eighth time in nine years. But Marshall said he hopes Sparano returns as coach.

“I’ve never been around a coach before who gives me goose bumps in a team meeting during the week and in OTAs before season even starts,” Marshall said Thursday. “His ability to motivate guys and be a people person and talk to guys and have his door be open is amazing. You don’t always get that. I’m glad they brought me here.”

The Dolphins traded for Marshall in April to upgrade the offense, and while he became their biggest threat, his streak of more than 100 catches in three successive seasons likely will end with Sunday’s finale at New England. He has 81 receptions, only three for scores, and said he failed to play anywhere near his potential.

Marshall didn’t blame quarterback Chad Henne or coordinator Dan Henning for Miami’s lack of productivity, but he didn’t rave about them, either. When asked if his partnership with Henne can become great, Marshall said: “I’m not sure. We had some opportunities this year to do that, and we didn’t get it done. I guess we have to evaluate what we’ve done this year, and see if we can improve, and see if can become good before we become great.”

As for Henning: “Like any relationship, especially in sports where you’re around someone every day, you may have your ups and downs. But he’s a wise man.”

Henning isn’t expected back next season, while the futures of Sparano and Henne are uncertain.

But everyone agrees the offense needs a jump start. The Dolphins (7-8) have scored more than two touchdowns in only two games. They rank 29th in the NFL in yards per carry, and Henne’s quarterback rating is 27th. The offense has been especially feeble at home, where Miami went 1-7.

Sparano said he has scheduled a meeting to discuss his future with owner Stephen Ross and looks forward to sharing his ideas for improving the situation.

“I’m confident in my ability,” the third-year coach said. “I’m confident in the direction we’re headed. I like where we’re going; I don’t like where we are.”

Sparano led the Dolphins to the playoffs in 2008, his first season as an NFL head coach, but he’s 14-17 since then. If Ross has yet to decide whether he wants Sparano back, perhaps Marshall’s opinion will influence the owner.

“My first touchdown — even though I haven’t had many — I gave Coach the ball, and on the ball it says, `The first of many,’ ” Marshall said. “We haven’t had many, so we’ve got a lot more to do.

“As a player, you want to be able to have some stability. Change isn’t always the best thing.”

Henning agreed. The 68-year-old coordinator, who has coached for nine NFL teams, said it’s often a mistake to seek improvement by changing coaches — or players.

“Too many people have done that in this league for years and years,” Henning said. “You change the quarterback, you change the coach, you change this guy and that guy, and next thing you know it comes around in a circle again.”

Henning said Sparano has a vision of how to make the Dolphins better.

“Tony Sparano has the clearest vision of anybody in this building,” Henning said. “If anybody knows what the problems are, and what the possible solutions are, Tony does. If I was going to start to try to find out the way to get this thing squared away, that’s the guy I would go to first.”

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

DAVIE — When the Dolphins put up 15 points against Buffalo in Week 1, radio analyst Joe Rose figured it was just a slow start for the offense. Then the problem became a trend:

• One offensive touchdown at Minnesota in Week 2.
• Fourteen points overall against New England in Week 4.
• One touchdown and five field goals at Cincinnati in Week 8.
• Then 10 points against Baltimore, none against Chicago, 30 net passing yards against the New York Jets …

“And here we are, 19 offensive touchdowns in 13 games,” said Rose, who has been part of the organization for 30 years as a tight end and broadcaster. “It’s shocking this offense is not better.”

The offense was supposed to surge in the third season under coach Tony Sparano. Supposed franchise quarterback Chad Henne was the starter from Day 1 and had new target Brandon Marshall, the kind of big-play receiver Miami long had lacked.

But the Dolphins are having perhaps the worst season on offense in franchise history.

Entering today’s game against Buffalo, the Dolphins have scored just 17.3 points per game. Only the 1-12 Panthers have scored fewer points per game (12.6) or touchdowns (15).

The Dolphins’ defense is No. 5 in the league in yards allowed and No. 9 in points, but the Dolphins are just 7-6.

“Thank God we have a tremendous defense,” former receiver O.J. McDuffie said.

The Dolphins never have ranked second-worst in the league in points scored – not even in the dreariest days of David Woodley or in 2007, when Miami finished 1-15.

Running back Ricky Williams, speaking Monday on his radio show a day after the Dolphins had six first downs in their 10-6 win over the Jets, admitted that he is “embarrassed” by the offense.

“They’re obviously inconsistent,” said CBS analyst Dan Fouts, who has called several Miami games this year, including last Sunday victory in which they gained 131 yards. “And it’s never one plain reason. It’s always a combination of things.”

So what are the problems? Henne is inevitably put at the top of the list. The second-round draft pick in 2008 might have played his way out of a job. Certainly he is in danger of being let go when his contract ends after next season.

“I don’t want to bash, but I don’t think we have the answer at the quarterback position,” McDuffie said. “I think it’s time you invest in a high-profile quarterback.”

Henne has 13 touchdowns against 15 interceptions, and his 76.5 passer rating is 26th in the NFL. In the fourth quarter, his passer rating is 49.7 – No. 37 in the league.

“Sometimes after the first read, it looks like he gets stuck with where he wants to go with the ball,” Dan Marino said this week on WQAM-560.

Henne is hardly the Dolphins’ only problem.

McDuffie said the Dolphins tried too hard to get Marshall the ball earlier in the season, and that Dan Henning’s play-calling has been erratic.

“This team has zero identity,” McDuffie said. “We go into some games, we want to be pass-happy. We go into some games, we want to be run-happy. We don’t know what we’re going to get week-to-week.”

While Marshall has only two touchdown receptions, the Dolphins also are failing at what was supposed to be the team’s strength – running the ball.

Ranked No. 4 in the NFL in rushing yards last year and 10th in yards per attempt (4.4), the Dolphins have slipped to 19th and 28th (3.7) this year.

They also might become the first team in history to lead the league in rushing touchdowns one year (22) and finish dead last the next (they currently rank 32nd with just five rushing touchdowns).

“We need to take pressure off the quarterback by running the ball better,” Sparano said. “Being more patient and staying the course is what we need to do.”

That hasn’t been easy given the inconsistency of the offensive line, which has affected both the passing and running games.

Henning called right tackle Vernon Carey, now out for the season with a knee injury, an “enigma” – great one play, not so much the next.

Miami thought it had upgraded the interior of the line this season. Free agent Richie Incognito replaced Justin Smiley (traded to Jacksonville) at left guard; Joe Berger took over at center when Jake Grove was released; and rookie John Jerry replaced right guard Donald Thomas (released). The new trio has played well at times, but not often enough.

“The strange one for me has been John Jerry,” Rose said of the Dolphins’ third-round draft pick who lost his job to journeyman Pat McQuistan three weeks ago. “I thought early in the year that he was going to be a block, and it just hasn’t worked out.”

The two problems for the Dolphins: One, time to fix their problems is running out. Two, there are no easy fixes.

“You can’t get rid of the whole team. That’s what I call a radio special,” Rose said. “And this is the most good players we’ve had in a long time. That’s the sad part.”