| | | | | | | |  Friday, December 6, 2002
Williams needs to carry the load
By Melissa Stark
Special to ABC Sports Online
Jay Fiedler's return to the starting lineup is the big story this week when the Miami Dolphins host the Chicago Bears on Monday night (ABC, 9 p.m. ET). He was pretty rusty in his brief showing (5-for-9, 15 yards, 1 INT) last week when filling in after Ray Lucas got hurt.
How effective will he be after missing seven weeks with a fractured thumb?
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Historically, the Dolphins have always started out strong and faded in December (9-12 since 1996). Dave Wannstadt has made it a priority to psychologically get his team aware to finish up strongly this year. He started it in training camp and has worked to keep guys fresh for the final stretch.
This week, Wannstadt warned his team not to take the 3-9 Bears lightly. He referred back to the last meeting in the series, 1997, when Chicago came in with an 0-7 record and knocked off the 5-2 Dolphins 36-33 in overtime on a Monday night. (Incidentally, Wannstedt coached that Bears team.)
The Bears have nothing to lose this week, but they won't pack it in. Having gone 13-3 a year ago, you don't just change your mentality. They can still make big plays. They have had a lot of injuries this year, but the players in the lineup now are eager to prove that they can pick up the slack.
--Melissa Stark
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I talked to Warren Moon about it this week, and he had the same issue with his thumb in 1990. Moon said it was never the same again. He said he could never grip the ball the same way and had to adjust the way he threw. It affected him for the rest of his career. He never threw the ball the same again.
With Fiedler in there, the Dolphins have already stated that they can't use their full offensive package. He's not going to be able to come out and do the things he normally would.
Instead, they are going to run the ball. The offense is now centered around Ricky Williams and he has been successful (a Dolphins single-game record 228 rushing yards last week and seven 100-yard games this season).
The Bears' main goal is to stop him, but that is every team's game plan. Every team knows that the Dolphins are going to run the ball, but it doesn't seem to matter how many men they put in the box and how much they try to stop him. In order to be effective, they have to wrap him up because he barrels through so many tackles.
With linebacker Brian Urlacher (shoulder) and defensive tackle Keith Traylor (leg) both questionable for the game, it will be even more difficult. Both missed practice on Thursday, although all signs point to Urlacher playing on Monday night. He's never missed a game in his three-year career.
Offensively, the Bears are loaded with injuries as well. Anthony Thomas is out, and he'll be difficult to replace. He's been such a workhorse for them the past two seasons. They do feel that Leon Johnson has big-play ability.
At quarterback Jim Miller will start, but he has shoulder and elbow problems. He can't practice all week, and the first time he throws each week is on gameday.
|  | | The Bears are hoping they can spring Marty Booker loose downfield. |
Nonetheless, Sam Madison expects the Bears to attack the Dolphins in the air. The Bills burned Miami last week, Madison in particular, with a number of big plays in the passing game. The defense was embarrassed by that game.
Madison has been struggling. He is focusing on what he has done in the past and changed his technique a little this week because he expects to be tested. With Patrick Surtain playing so well, he realizes more balls are coming his way, but he's not making as many big plays as he used to.
However, he told me, "Believe me, my confidence level is intact." It's just a matter of him playing all four quarters instead of 3 ½. He feels like he was taking a little bit off. He doesn't really know what it will take -- whether it be a big play or something else -- to get him out of the slump, but he is focused on playing an entire game.
Just in time because Miami needs to win to stay on top in the AFC East.
Melissa Stark is Monday Night Football's sideline reporter and a regular contributor to ABC Sports Online.
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