DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Time and again the Miami Dolphins have referred to themselves as a running team first. The numbers over the last few games do not support that notion.
In a humiliating 16-0 loss to the Chicago Bears at Sun Life Stadium on Thursday night, the Dolphins ran a total of 13 times for 39 yards, Almost half of those rushes (6) were by quarterback Tyler Thigpen, who accounted for all but 12 of the yards.
With Thigpen making his first start for Miami and first since 2008 when he started 11 games for Kansas City, he was asked not only to kick-start the passing game with a patchwork offensive line, but to make the correct reads when he had the run-pass option. Coach Tony Sparano points out that on a few occasions Thigpen passed when the coverage dictated run.
