Head coach Tony Sparano attempted to absorb the blame for the offensive line's pass-protection breakdowns in the Week One loss to the Falcons, saying that many of the problems were attributable to poor communication and too much cushion between the offensive and defensive lines. But while Sparano might be right about the cushion issue, the reason that he prefers the linemen closer together is because OTs Jake Long and Vernon Carey continue to struggle against speed rushers. Falcons DE John Abraham's two-sack effort against Long highlights that point. For as good a run blocker as Long is, there are concerns as to whether he can be trusted on an island or whether the Dolphins need to pair him with a tight end in tough matchups. There's speculation that Sparano, a former OL coach who has largely avoided spending a disproportionate amount of time with his linemen, will have to devote more time to that unit if it continues to struggle.

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