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SPORTS Friday 11 OctOber 2019
Tough call: Is offense or defense worse for Dolphins?

By STEVEN WINE team effort.
AP Sports Writer They're on pace to give up
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Players 652 points, which would
who have outscored the shatter the record of 533
Miami Dolphins this year allowed by the 1981 Bal-
range from A to Z, a com- timore Colts. They're on
mentary on a team with no pace to score 104 points,
O. well under the record low
Nelson Agholor and 49 for a 16-game season set in
other players have more 1992 when the Seattle Se-
touchdowns than the Dol- ahawks totaled 140.
phins; Greg Zuerlein and 34 Such awfulness might be
other players have more tough to sustain Sunday,
points. Of the 403 TDs in the when Miami faces the
NFL this season, the Dol- equally winless Washington
phins have two. Redskins. But Flores isn't ex-
All of which underscores, actly talking up his team's
shall we say, the ineptitude chances.
of their offense. "Look, this is the National
And their defense might be Football League," he says.
worse. In four games Miami "Every team poses prob-
has allowed 163 points; the lems and issues, and every Los Angeles Chargers defensive back Desmond King (20) tackles Miami Dolphins quarterback
Josh Rosen (3), during the second half at an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Miami
1973 Super Bowl champion game is tough." Gardens, Fla.
Dolphins allowed 150 in an That's especially true for Mi- Associated Press
entire 14-game season. ami, which is so bad that
Give the 2019 Dolphins this: Washington (0-5) is favored Dolphins gave up a fran- says. "When the offense is passing yards per game,
They're balanced. It's hard for the first time this season. chise-record 6,257 yards. in rhythm and the defense passing yards per play, first
to say which unit is the big- On offense, the Dolphins This year they're on pace is getting three-and-outs, downs and third down effi-
gest culprit in the team's have showed they can stop to allow 7,552, which would you can kind of keep that ciency.
historically bad start. themselves both on the be a league record. Op- rhythm going. They always Safety Bobby McCain says
"There are a lot of things ground and through the ponents are converting 58 play into each other." a spark by either unit — a
we need to do a better air. They have yet to score percent of their third downs That's for better or worse. couple of quick touch-
job on," rookie coach Bri- a rushing touchdown, and and have a passer rating Miami's offense ranks last downs or takeaways —
an Flores says. "There are their longest run has been of 137.6, higher than the or next to last in the league would give the entire team
a lot of places where we 11 yards. Fifteen NFL quar- rating by any NFL quarter- in yards per game, yards a boost.
can improve just the basic terbacks and five receivers back. per play, rushing yards per "That would be big," Mc-
fundamentals — tackling, have longer runs. In short, no other team has game, rushing yards per Cain says. "You definitely
catching the ball, blocking, When Miami tries to throw, so many ways to get beat. carry, passing yards per can feed off each other.
communication." Josh Rosen ranks 34th in It's the opposite of what Mi- game, passing yards per The offense can feed off
The Dolphins are 0-4 be- the league in passer rating, ami's offense and defense play, first downs and inter- defense, and the main
cause they've been out- completion percentage strive for. ception percentage. thing that people don't
scored 163-26, the worst and touchdown passes, "We preach all the time The defense ranks last or talk about is the kick-
point differential through even though there are only that like we have to pick next to last in yards per ing game. Special teams
four games since at least 32 teams. each other up, we have game, yards per play, — you can feed off that
1940, and it has been a As for defense, last year the to play as a team," Rosen rushing yards per game, tremendously."q

Boxer Errol Spence seriously

injured in Dallas Ferrari crash

DALLAS (AP) — Welter- tion is listed as stable. He and virtuosic skill, Spence,
weight boxing champion did not sustain any broken who is 26-0 with 21 knock-
Errol Spence crashed a bones or fractures but has outs, has captured fans with
speeding Ferrari in Dallas some facial lacerations. He a series of crisp victories in
early Thursday and was is expected to make a full recent years. He won the
badly injured but is expect- recovery," the Spence fam- IBF title in 2017 by stopping
ed to survive, police said. ily said in a statement Thurs- Kell Brook in England, and
The crash happened just day evening. he defended it three times,
before 3 a.m., when Spen- Police said they're still inves- culminating in a one-sided
ce's Ferrari crossed a me- tigating the cause of the thrashing of undersized In this Sept. 28, 2019, file photo, Errol Spence Jr., center, cel-
dian into oncoming traffic crash, but they noted that Mikey Garcia in March. ebrates his victory over Shawn Porter during the WBC & IBF World
and flipped over several the Ferrari was speeding at Spence, 29, emerged vic- Welterweight Championship boxing match in Los Angeles.
times, ejecting Spence, the time. torious from his bout with Associated Press
who wasn't wearing a seat- Last month, the 2012 U.S. the veteran brawler Porter
belt, police said. Spence Olympian added the WBC (30-3-1), which featured ers when they embraced including a possible fight
was taken to a hospital welterweight title to his IBF several wild exchanges after the final bell. with the resurgent Manny
and placed in the intensive strap with a thrilling split-de- and had the Staples Center Heading into the fight in Pacquiao and a potential
care unit. cision victory over Shawn crowd of 16,702 on its feet which he was a heavy fa- bout with fellow unbeaten
"Spence is awake and re- Porter in Los Angeles. throughout the 12th round vorite, Spence had a lot of champion Terrence Craw-
sponding and his condi- With his rangy athleticism and roaring for both fight- attractive options ahead, ford after that.q