Decade Of Disaster: Part II – All Decade Team

Today, as the Phins prep for battle against the Jacksonville Jaguars, we take a look at Part II of our “Decade of Disaster” with the Dolphins “All-Decade” team. The parameters were simple. The player had to have played during at least one season from 2000 to present. Many factors went into making the list. Statistics, longevity, winning, recognition, and in some cases their overall career.  You can read Part I here!

While most positions were easy, some were a lot more difficult, and in the case of two positions for me, impossible. The list includes some great Miami Dolphins players, some dubiously included simply because there was no one better. All in all, it showcases both the best and the worst from the last 10 years.

Note: I tried not to use any player that has only been with the team this season no matter the position even when that player is likely better than anything we have had in the last 10 years.

Defense:

By far the easiest positions on the field to name “All-Decade” members. Agree or disagree the names on this list are much simpler to defend.

DT – Vonnie Holliday (05-08) and Tim Bowens (00-04): Holliday and Bowens were a couple of solid contributors to defensive units that tended to be in the upper half of the league statistically. Bowens was a down lineman DT while Holliday spent time moving between both DE/DT. Still, very few Tackles defensively had the impact on the teams make-up and roster than these two.

NT – Jason Ferguson (07-08): Ferguson has spent one and one half seasons with Miami but by far has been the most impactful NT this decade.

DE: Jason Taylor (00-present) and Adawale Ogunleye (00-03): Taylor is a no brainer and I won’t waste my time or yours explaining why. Ogunleye spent only 3 seasons in Miami but had blossomed into a fierce pass rush specialist. Kevin Carter received some thought here but for DE’s it pretty much ended there.

OLB: Junior Seau and Joey Porter: Seau was only in Miami for 2 seasons and didn’t really do too much but the only other choice was Morlon Greenwood who in 3 years did less. Porter is still running off with his mouth in his 3rd season in Miami and his sack totals are clearly better than any other true OLB this decade. Having only two real choices here is disheartening in a decades worth of rosters.

MLB: Zach Thomas and Channing Crowder: Thomas is in the same boat as Taylor. Nothing needs to be said. Crowder took some thought but after looking at the MLB’s employed by the team this decade only Crowder has played more. He is in his 6th season with the Dolphins which is almost the entire decade.

CB: Patrick Surtain and Sam Madison: By far the easiest position to pick. The duo were as close to perfect shut down corners this decade for the Dolphins and although they both were hold overs from the 1990’s they stood far and away above the Dolphins CB’s this decade. Surtain left Miami following the 04 season and Madison left a year later. Today, their names are mentioned more than since they left when people talk about the Phins young rookie duo of Smith and Davis.

S: Brock Marion and Yeremiah Bell: Marion was a ball hawking hard hitting safety who was in Miami’s decade from 2000-03. Bell is the longest tenured Dolphins draft pick being taken late on day 2 in the 2004 draft.

Offense:

This was the side of the ball that gave me fits and is also the side of the ball that has one position left vacant. Forming an All-Decade team out of the Dolphins offensive roster was both hard to do and disheartening from top to bottom.

QB: Jay Fiedler – As hard as it was to put his name down over Chad Pennington and Chad Henne, in reality, he wa the longest tenured QB of the decade and is currently 3rd all-time on the Dolphins QB list. Much maligned during his playing days, Fiedler had heart. Unfortunately heart alone couldn’t overcome his playing deficits.

RB: Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown: Even with several suspensions and a retirement, Williams still easily makes the team. His hard running and breakaway speed made him a dangerous addition to the team even at the cost of 3 picks for the trade. Even today, Ricky still makes opposing teams game plan for him. If Ricky is the no-brainer than Ronnie Brown is the other one. No one has amassed more yards this decade than the duo. Brown has been able to rise above the injuries to become one of the Dolphins fan favorites.

OT: Jake Long and Richmond Webb: Long has been with Miami for 2 seasons and already has a pro-bowl under his belt. Because of the way he plays I chose him over RT Vernon Carey. Richmond Webb played only during the 2000 season of this past decade but I chose him because of all the Tackles we have had, no one could compete with his tenacity and athleticism. Webb, even in one season was an easy choice to make.

G: No one. Sorry, my choices were Dixon, Hadnot, Nails, Todd Perry, and Seth McKinney. I could have gone with Justin Smiley who technically is better than any of those but in reality he has spent too much time injured and this year lost his job to Nate Garner.

C: Tim Ruddy: Ruddy was never a beast at center but he was very serviceable and far better than what the Dolphins have had since he left. Jake Grove would easily challenge Ruddy but he has been here for only one season and is injured. Samson Satele could probably make a case but in reality, Satele was never really that good. Ruddy was with the Dolphins from 1194-2003 playing 4 seasons this decade.

TE: Randy McMichael: McMichael never lived up to what he could have been but compared to what the Dolphins have used this decade he is far and above the rest. Anthony Fasano is too new.

WR’s: This was a very tough list to make and I’m sure that there are enough fans out there to scream murder at my ommission.
Orande Gadsden – Gadsden never had the statistical numbers of say Chris Chambers but he had far better hands than anyone this decade. A reliable 3rd down receiver, Gadsden wasn’t afraid to go over the middle and take a hit. Much like Davone Bess now. Gadsden was an undrafted free agent gem for the Phins from 200-2003 this decade.

Chris Chambers – Statistically Chambers deserves to be on this list but statistically only. Chambers was a human highlight reel in Miami but rarely was consistent in making the catches that would not be shown that evening on ESPN.

Marty Booker – Again, statistically over the decade, Booker had over 2200 receiving yards and 11 TD’s from 2004-2007.

I left a certain New England Patriot off this list specifically for the fact that while a solid possession receiver, he was only here for two seasons and never posted numbers remotely close to what he has done since his departure.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

K – Olindo Mare – Mare was one of the Dolphins most accurate place kickers and had one of the best touchback percentages in the NFL during the decade.

P – Matt Turk – Turk had a booming leg and an attitude to go with it. While his stay in Miami was only for 3 years he is being challenged by Brandon Fields who would have taken the spot if not for his random shanks.

Special Teamer – John Denney Long Snapper: Denney has been a mainstay on the Dolphins as the long snapper since 2005 and has managed to make the roster simply doing exactly that.

Closing:

It’s usually a difficult process to pick a handfull of anything and call it the best. Of the names listed above, it’s almost a review of the Phins draft and free agent mistakes rather than a celebration of greatness. Of all the players mentioned, only 7, Madison, Surtain, Taylor, Thomas, Mare, Williams, and Brown seriously deserve to be on it. The rest unfortunately are the best of the rest….some good but only because of who they are compared to.