Everyone has already said it, “This would make a great movie!” Chad Pennington, thrown out of New York like a used napkin, returning with a team that went 1-15 last year, returning to New York for the first time, returning to give the ultimate blow. New Yorkers are still hurting from the Florida Marlins delivering a knockout blow to the Mets two straight years in New York. This would be the feather in the cap, the icing on the cake, not only to knock off the Jets and end their playoff hopes but to put the Dolphins into the playoffs. It’s the oldest story, the rivalry between New York and Florida goes way beyond sports. Thanks to the Marlins we have given the New Yorkers two years of misery, but now comes the big one. Can we do it? It won’t be easy, but then again nothing this year has.

While everyone outside of New York and because of Sunday’s results, Massachusetts, will be rooting for Pennington to win, there are still some major factors to take into account. First, the Jets beat the Dolphins, you can say what you want about that win, but they did beat the Dolphins. Second, as we have seen with Kansas City, Seattle, San Francisco and Oakland, teams can hang around with the Dolphins. While the Dolphins have closed the door on those teams, they haven’t closed the door on a team like the Jets, in their home stadium. Finally, the Jets will be playing with complete desperation, and the last time the Dolphins played a big game against a strong team, the Patriots beat the Dolphins.

The Dolphins will be the underdogs in this game. They will have to play in a hostile stadium, against a good team, in bad conditions. No one would be shocked if the Dolphins lose this game 35-10. Despite the wins we have seen the Dolphins weaknesses in every area of the game. But that’s what makes them such a great story. They aren’t number one in offense or defense, they don’t have anyone with eye popping numbers. They just play as a team, win as a team, and amaze us as a team. This Sunday in New York, if the Dolphins win it won’t be because of Chad Pennington, it will be because they played like a team against a group of millionaires. Pennington is the general, but every general needs his army if he wants to win.

Sources:

http://www.thephinsider.com/ 
http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/