Sunday Stats: Miami Dolphins at Arizona Cardinals

By Craig Ballard
Brad Barr-US PRESSWIRE

!!!GAME DAY!!! The Miami Dolphins travel to Phoenix to take on the 3-0 Arizona Cardinals in a matter of hours. It is Sunday morning so we know it is time for our weekly look at Sunday Stats.

The last time the ‘Phins played the Cards was 2008 when Arizona romped 31-10. That loss ended a putrid 1-20 streak for the Dolphins. Yes, 1-20. 3 straights losses to end 2006. 1-15 in 2007, and 0-2 to open 2008. The 0-2 in ’08 were the first 2 games in the Tony Sparano era, and the last 2 games before the Wildcat became the main part of Miami’s offense (back then…Miami does not run the Wildcat anymore).

In 2012 Arizona has 67 points, Miami 65.

Jamaal Westerman, Jay Feely, and Vonnie Holliday are all ex-‘Phins who are now Cardinals.

Karlos Dansby and Richard Marshall make their returns to Arizona as ex-Cards.

Today’s win probability is a whopping 71%-29% for Arizona.

The Baltimore Ravens have the longest current NFL home winning streak at 13. The #2 streak belongs to Arizona with 7 straight home Ws.

In their last 10 road games Miami is just 2-8.

0…As in 2012 sacks for Cameron Wake (so far). That could change today as Wake goes against D’Anthony Batiste. Also in Wake’s favor is the return of the regular refs. In baseball we see umpires squeezing pitchers with a tight strike-zone. I think Wake was squeezed by replacement refs as he has had several pass-rushes where a penalty on the player blocking him could have been called (offensive holding, and hands to the face a few times).

Jay Feely has made 17 straight FGs.

Miami is ranked #13 for overall offense, while only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a worst ranked overall offense than Arizona.

Both teams average 22 points per game. Miami is 14th for points allowed, while only the Seattle Seahawks have allowed fewer points that Arizona (by only 1 point! Arizona has only yielded 39 points all season so far).

Arizona is 1 of only 3 teams to not allow a 2012 rushing TD so far. The Dolphins run-D has also been outstanding. The ‘Phins allow a mere 2.5 yards per carry (#2 currently in NFL behind only the Seahawks).

Reggie Bush will be a game-time decision. He has never played vs Arizona in his career. Other Dolphins stars have also never faced Arizona before (Cameron Wake, Brian Hartline, Sean Smith, Mike Pouncey, Reshad Jones, Chris Clemons, Koa Misi, and Jared Odrick are all facing the Cardinals for the first time).

Cards QB Kevin Kolb entered 2012 with 20 career TDs and 22 INTs. This season he has 4 TDs and has yet to throw an INT (Miami has 3 INTs so far in 2012).

Thank you for your read! Pass it on…

www.rantsports.com/blog/author/craigballard/ for all of my daily Miami Dolphins articles

Follow me on twitter @craigballard77 and the new sports show @RantingBenCraig

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