| Fullback Jorvorskie Lane has come up big for the Dolphins this season under offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, who coached Lane at Texas A&M. (US Presswire) |
Miami Dolphins FB Jorvorskie Lane is becoming a bigger and bigger part of the team’s offense.
Not that anything about the 5-foot-11, 258-pounder is small.
Lane rushed for his second touchdown of the season in a 24-21 overtime loss at Arizona on Sunday, and has continued to get more playing time as his blocking improves. The former Texas A&M standout has a long way to go, but if he continues to be a force in the run game he has a chance to emerge as one of the best players at his position in the league.
“There are some things that he needs to do better. We still thought his blocking, there were some good pictures of it but it was sporadic at times,” Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said. “He did a nice job on one or two of the kickoff returns. I think on one of the kickoff returns he splattered a guy pretty good, so I think he is coming along.”
Dynamic Duo: The Miami Dolphins don’t have many stars at receiver, but you wouldn’t have known it if you saw the performances by Brian Hartline and Davone Bess this weekend.
Hartline made 12 catches for a franchise-record 253 yards with a touchdown in the loss to the Cardinals while Bess had seven catches for 123 yards. It was the first time a pair of Miami receivers went over the 100-yard mark in the same game since Oronde Gadsen (116 yards) and Chris Chambers (101 yards) in 2001.
But despite the record-setting day, Philbin wasn’t prepared to say Hartline was a star, let alone the team’s No. 1 pass-catching threat.
“I think you have a system, concepts in passing that you believe in that give your quarterback a chance to have some options and certainly he’s one of them,” Philbin said. “At certain times, he’s the first option, but, again, I’m more interested in the receivers that catch the ball consistently, get open versus man-to-man and compete for the football and block. What number they are doesn’t really matter to me.”
Turning over: The Dolphins simply must do a better job of taking care of the ball.
Miami had nearly 200 more yards of offense than the Cardinals but was doomed by four turnovers, including an interception near midfield in overtime that led to the game-winning field goal. The Dolphins have nine turnovers this season while forcing a mere five. Miami also has yet to recover an opponent’s fumble this season.
“I believe we had three giveaways in the last, I want to say was there nine minutes to go, when we had the fumble and then the sack-fumble with about three minutes to go and then a giveaway,” Philbin said. “That’s just not a good recipe to win games in the National Football League or in high school or Pop Warner. It’s disappointing and the turnover margin for every statistical guru is the number one measurement in winning or losing games.”
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