At least one good thing for teams facing the Miami Dolphins this year is that they are better prepared to face the wildcat offense than last year. It came as a total surprise to the New England Patriots in Week 3 of last season when Miami upset them 38-13. The Dolphins used their wildcat offense six times in that game, running for 119 yards and scoring four touchdowns off the formation on six attempts. Two weeks later, Miami shocked the San Diego Chargers when running back Ronnie Brown took the snap and sprinted five yards to the end zone for the decisive score and another upset. The Chargers will face the Dolphins, and perhaps a few wildcat plays, on Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium. The wildcat, a play in which the running back or someone other than the quarterback takes a direct snap, provides plenty of headaches for opposing defenses. What makes the wildcat so dangerous is its unpredictability. It’s difficult to know if the “quarterback” will run, hand off or pass. A running back or wide receiver might take the direct snap. The quarterback becomes a runner or a blocker. And it’s hard for a defensive player to know who has the ball. It can result in missed assignments and missed tackles. Offensive tackles and tight ends trade positions, and unbalanced lines are formed, creating more confusion. Miami, which enjoyed the most success in the NFL with the wildcat in 2008, ran 90 wildcat plays for 580 yards and eight TDs during the season, mostly with Brown taking the snaps, and running back Ricky Williams and quarterback Chad Pennington lining up wide. The Dolphins didn’t get much of a chance to use the wildcat in this year’s season opener, when they were whipped by Atlanta. But expect them, and many other teams, to put the wildcat to good use throughout the season. Week 3 Miami at San Diego Sunday, Sept. 27 Qualcomm Stadium, 1:15 p.m. TV: CBS All-time Series: Dolphins lead 12-10 in the regular season. Last meeting: Miami won 17-10 at home in 2008. Key stats: The Dolphins outrushed San Diego 167-60 last season, gaining 49 yards on 11 carries and scoring a touchdown using their wildcat offense. Ronnie Brown ran for 125 yards for Miami while LaDainian Tomlinson gained just 35 yards on 12 carries for the Chargers. Game Day: The Bolts should be more in tune to stopping the wildcat this time. They also need to make big stops on defense to get the ball into the hands of quarterback Philip Rivers more, so he can do his thing. Noteworthy: Miami has won seven straight over the Chargers, including three games in San Diego. Prediction: Chargers 24, Dolphins 20 Three Key Chargers games to look forward to Oct. 4, at Pittsburgh – there’s nothing like beating the Super Bowl champs. Nov. 22, at Denver – time to start wrapping up the AFC West title. Dec. 25, at Tennessee – win could mean home-field advantage in AFC playoffs.
