THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DAVIE - Given the way the Miami Dolphins cover punts and kickoffs, they might want to let the offense go for it on every fourth down. Onside kicks seem a modest risk. And on returns, settling for touchbacks is perhaps the best bet.
In a year of dramatic improvement by the Dolphins, special teams are worse than ever. Miami is last in the NFL in punt coverage, kickoff coverage and kickoff returns.
It has been a season-long problem the Dolphins seek to remedy as they prepare for an AFC East showdown Sunday against New England.
"We keep coaching it like we coach it, and we hope that we're going to turn the corner," coach Tony Sparano said. "No one is more disappointed than I am, but I've got to take responsibility for it and I've got to find a way to get it fixed."
Last week, the Dolphins re-signed Courtney Bryan, who was working the night shift at an Arby's in California while out of the NFL the first two months of the season. They also upgraded the kickoff coverage team with the addition of starting free safety Renaldo Hill.
Still there was a breakdown Sunday. Oakland had a 93-yard runback, the longest punt return ever against the Dolphins, and it nearly cost them the game.
"We're letting one out a game, and it's killing us," Sparano said. But he's reluctant to use other starters on special teams because of the fatigue and injury risk.
"I just have too many people playing too many plays right now," he said.
The problems on special teams are especially glaring because Miami's offense and defense have progressed so significantly under their first-year coach. The Dolphins are 6-4 after going 1-15 last year, and Sunday's game will be their biggest since 2003, the last time they were in a playoff race this late in the season.
Special teams threatens to doom their postseason chances. Their net punting average is 34.4 yards per kick, the kickoff coverage unit is allowing returns averaging 27.3, and Miami's kickoff return average is 19.5.
All three figures are last in the league. Even the dreadful 2007 Dolphins were better.
"We've got a lot to work on," rookie kicker Dan Carpenter said. "We know that."
It's not all bad. Carpenter is 13 for 15 on field-goal attempts, including a 38-yarder in the final minute to beat Oakland. But coverage units have been woeful.
Ellis Hobbs had an 81-yard kickoff return for the Patriots when Miami beat them in September. Denver's Eddie Royal had a 95-yard kickoff return against the Dolphins to set up a touchdown, and Houston's Jacoby Jones ran back a punt 70 yards for a touchdown.
"They've had a couple of plays that I'm sure they'd like to have back that weren't great plays," New England coach Bill Belichick said. "They're aggressive and they knock a lot of people around. And sometimes if you have a real aggressive team like that, you get a little overcommitted or get a little overaggressive and lose some leverage, lose a lane against a good returner that could be costly."
Missed tackles have also been a problem, with as many as 11 in one game on special teams.
"We're not making the tackles, and we're making boneheaded plays," said Patrick Cobbs, perhaps Miami's best special-teams player. "Those two things are beating us up."
