Ricky Williams is Done For the Year
By Brian Miller
By now, all of you know that Ricky Williams is out for the season. As the news broke on Tuesday, I was out of the house with family in town. Sorry for the delay. The torn chest muscle will now further fuel the debate on whether or not the oft troubled RB should be given a chance to stay in Miami as a member of the Miami Dolphins, released, or traded for a sticker that says “No Mas“…about the level of his value right now.
Ricky made no mistake this time around in his shortened season, perhaps because he didn’t have time. After all, he was added to the active roster on Monday and was put on the season ending injury report on Tuesday. Short season? Yeah, that is an understatement. Ricky Williams was in Miami for such a short time that the NFL drug testers hadn’t had time to surprise him with a visit. Samkon Gado, recently signed, was cut loose to make room. He should be back shortly.
Rickys’ injury is now the focal point and talking point of fans everywhere. The on again off again relationship with the fans is off again. He will be discussed in the off-season in more depth. Should he stay, should he go, should he…?
Cam Cameron will be criticized for going against his own discretion and playing Williams on Monday against not only the league leading rushing defense, but playing a guy that has not played in the NFL for 22 months. In fact, Williams had not so much as taken a bump in his first week in practice. Is that stupid? According to many it was. What is funny about all this, is that up until Monday night, many fans were calling for Williams to start on Monday night. Many felt that Cameron would be “stupid” if he didn’t, while many others wanted him no where near the field at Pittsburgh. He just wasn’t conditioned to play.
Now, Cameron who was finally applauded, by the same fans who have ridiculed him all year, for playing Ricky Williams, has his head once again on the chopping block by those same fans for playing the guy. No win situation.
The Dolphins will go up against fellow bottom feeders the NY Jets on Sunday. It is a game that the majority of fans say is a critical game for Camerons’ future with this team. He will employ a patchwork RB squad that only 4 weeks ago was the pride of Miami. With Williams gone for the season, Brown gone for the season, and Jesse Chatman questionable for this weekend, Cameron will turn to journeyman Patrick Cobbs and in all likelyhood rookie Lorenzo Booker to carry the load against the Cropdusters. The problem? The Jets have one of the worst run defenses in the league, but they play Miami like it was for the championship. They always do, and as of late, they have owned the Phins.
All of this points to a miriad of mistakes over the last 10 years. From player decisions, management decisions, owner decisions, coaching decisions, everyone is to blame for something. Including Cameron.
I am not one of those who thinks that Cameron should be fired. I think he needs another year to improve…dramatically. I am also not saying that Cameron will be or is a good or great coach, just that it is too early to truly evaluate him for what he may be long term. Cameron has made mistakes, he is a rookie coach and that is expected. Some of those mistakes do not repeat, while others seemingly linger week in and week out.
Cam Cameron wants to win. He especially wants to win now, and if anyone thinks that he doesn’t dwell on that fact, then they are wrong. It is human nature. It is the job of Cameron to coach the team to victories and he has not done that part of his job. Perhaps it is talent, perhaps it is game planning, or perhaps just dumb luck. It still amounts to zero in the win column. Cameron knows that, Cameron sees that, Cameron hears about it from the media, his family, his coaches, his players, and the organization and its fans. What Cam Cameron needs to do, is stop trying to get that first victory by playing safe and just play the game. Maybe that will not secure a victory this weekend, but at least some fans, will notice the effort in coaching.
As for Ricky Williams? Well, I believe it is safe to assume that with this very short chapter now closed, a new one is on the horizon. Ricky Williams will be open for discussion at the end of the year. That is something that even Joey Porter can guarantee.