Everybody Hates Chris

Chris Chambers has been the butt of jokes, the topic of trade, and a roller coaster performer on the field.  At times, the Miami Dolphins receiver is an ESPN high-light reel.  Other times, he is the guy who can’t catch a cold.  It seems that no matter how he plays one week, he comes back the next playing like someone else.  Chambers is becoming the Chris Rock of the Dolphins…”Everybody hates Chris“.

So far this year, Chambers has again been the typical up and down player that Miami fans are used to.  In week 1 he had 2 critical 1st down drops, but then made the hard catches look easy.  He had one play where he read a perfect defensive cover scheme and got a good 5 yard hook separation, only to disappear for a few series afterwards.

Chris has put up statistically solid numbers, in fact overall he is the 3rd most thrown to WR in the NFL.  He has caught 15 balls for 201 yards.  He does not however have a touchdown.

Chambers will have yet another opportunity to show what he can or what he can’t do this weekend against the Jets.  In his career, Chambers has faced the Jets 11 times and only on one occasion gone over the 100 yard mark and that was in 2003.   In those 11 games, Chris has only scored 3 times…another hard sell for fans looking for a bright spot this weekend.

In 7 of his 11 games, Chris has had reception yard totals less than 50 yards.  The good news is that in games he catches 4 passes or more, the Phins are 4-1 against the green goblins.

This year however, could be…SHOULD BE…different for Chambers.  This time, Chambers should shine.  The Jets are ranked 22nd in pass defense.  Tom Brady has lit them up with Randy Moss and last week Baltimore schooled them with far less talent.  When Kyle Boller can throw 2 touchdowns and 184 yards, well, that says something about the Jets.  Of course Todd Heap had 80 of those yards at the TE spot.

Still, Chambers should be able to match up with the poor secondary of the Jets.  Even in double coverage he should be able to separate and make some noise.  With the front 4 of the Jets defense not playing well, Green should have time to wait for Chambers to get open.

If Green gets the time to throw and Chambers is not on the receiving end of more than 6 passes, then Chambers is not doing a good job of getting open.  It is time for Chris to come out of this funk he has been mired in for most of his career.  If he is going to make the jump from overpaid underachieving number 1 WR then it should start this week with the Jets.  Chris has been here long enough to understand this rivalry and if he can not get up for this game and make his presence felt, then the Dolphins need to seriously get what they can for him and move him out.