(by Tony Simmons) I will get a chance to take in Miami’s opening game of the season, a 1:00 battle between teams that had huge turnaronds from abysmal seasons in 2007. Both teams finished up the 2008 season with 11-5 records and both lost there 1st playoff game, the Falcons to eventual Super Bowl runner-up Arizona and Miami to AFC runner-up Baltimore. The turnaround earned Mike Smith the NFL Coach of theYear in a tight battle with Tony Sparano.

A lot of the so called experts believe the Falcons can make a deep playoff run this year while most of the same group of people believe the Dolphins will take a step back. It’s time to see what our Dolphins can do.

The guys have spoke about the game in detail this week for the most part, so I will not go into much detail in regards to strengths and weak points. What I do believe is that Miami will have to take one aspect of Atlanta’s offense away from them, either the run game and Michael Turner or the pass game featuring Matt Ryan. I believe Miami will focus there attention on Mr. Turner and try to take the run game away from the Falcons.

It will be key for Miami and Chad Pennington to have success against a rebuilt, smallish Falcon defense, and I believe they will. Containing John Abraham will be key, as he is coming off a 16 sack season, but he is really there only solid pass rush player. Ball control with the run game and precise passing and key 3rd down conversion will be big.

The Falcons are a 3.5 favorite, but most people will not be surprised to see the Dolphins win this game and Peter King and Colin Cowherd indeed believe the Dolphins will win this game. I am being a homer here, but include me in that group. Miami 24-21.

# Time: 1:00pm
# Network: CBS
# Direct TV: 704
# Sirius: 153 (MIA); 125 (ATL)