Even though franchise rebuilder Bill Parcells has retreated to an outside consulting role, the Miami Dolphins believe his vision of the team will be realized by those he left behind.
View full sizeBill Parcells is no longer seen around practices or the Miami Dolphins' offices, but his impact on the rebuilt Dolphins can be seen on the field every week.BEREA, Ohio -- The last time the Browns met the Miami Dolphins in 2007, the Dolphins were in the midst of a 1-15 season. Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards hooked up for three touchdowns in a 41-31 Browns' walkover.
The team hosting the Browns on Sunday in south Florida is a totally different organization. It's been Parcells-ized.
Bill Parcells, the great franchise rehabilitator, transformed the Dolphins in one off-season. With Parcells masterminding the football makeover -- but not as coach -- they returned to relevancy with an amazing turnaround to 11-5 in 2008. After a dropoff to 7-9 last year, the Dolphins are in the AFC playoff hunt again at 6-5.
But they have been profoundly inconsistent. They haven't won two games in a row since Week 2 and have an inexplicable 1-4 record at home and 5-1 on the road.
In October, Parcells' suddenly walked out. He turned over total control to General Manager Jeff Ireland, cleaned out his desk and retreated to the golf courses and horse tracks neighboring his home in Jupiter, Fla.
Cynics suggested that Parcells sensed that his team never was going to reach his expectations and bailed out to leave the daily headaches behind. The other feeling is that Parcells believed the organization was in good hands and he wanted to make a clean break to contemplate his next career move.
"One thing about Coach Parcells," said Harvey Greene, the Dolphins' senior vice president of media relations and long-time sports public relations expert. "I think you can't predict anything in terms of long-term plans with him. Right now, we're operating with him still being affiliated with the club.
"He still communicates on a regular basis with Jeff and [coach] Tony [Sparano]. He's still being paid and he's still part of the organization. The work he's doing, he can do from home or other locations. He looks at tapes of our games and other games. He wasn't involved in the coaches meetings when he was here. It was more of working with Jeff on personnel."
Parcells' No. 1 goal when he accepted then-owner Wayne Huizenga's invitation to redo the franchise was to change the culture with the Dolphins. In that respect, it has been mission accomplished.
The Dolphins are physical on offense and defense, built in the mold Parcells perfected in coaching and/or executive stints with the Giants, Patriots, Jets and Cowboys.
He had two extended breaks on network TV during that magnificent run and two or three times said he was through with coaching, only to return and lead another team back from mediocrity.
Parcells' previous stop with Dallas saw him stock the Cowboys with immense talent and find and develop their franchise quarterback, Tony Romo. Once Parcells left, the Cowboys got soft and fell off the relevancy meter.
Can that happen to the Dolphins?
Greene says no because Parcells-guys Ireland and Sparano remain on the job. In Dallas, Jerry Jones replaced all of Parcells' central characters and succeeded him on the sideline with easy-going Wade Phillips.
"Coach Parcells made a sea change in terms of culture, attitude, everything," Greene said. "There's no doubt his impact was immediate, and I think it will be long-lasting. I do know he has a lot of confidence in Jeff and Tony. He feels he built a solid foundation and he's got faith in the people on board to continue the vision he had."
When Mike Holmgren took on the job of president of the Browns a year ago, he consulted with Parcells, among others. There are some major differences in the situations of Parcells in Miami and Holmgren in Cleveland, however.
Parcells, 69, just wanted to be in charge of football operations. Holmgren, 62, was put in charge of everything from football to stadium suite sales. Parcells was sure he didn't want to coach. Holmgren is trying to decide.
Holmgren also has said he's in it for the long haul. Parcells? Well, near the end of an NFL Films-produced documentary recently shown on NFL Network, Parcells says, "Get me back out there. I can do this one more time."
Tony Grossi's Scouting Report
Browns vs. Miami Dolphins
Sunday 1 p.m. in Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Record: 6-5.
Last game: Defeated Oakland Raiders, 33-17, Nov. 28, in Oakland.
Coach: Tony Sparano, 24-19, third year.
Series record: Dolphins lead, 9-6 (counting postseason).
Last meeting: Browns won, 41-31, Oct. 14, 2007, in Cleveland.
League rankings: Offense is 16th (19th rushing, 14th passing), defense is sixth (14th rushing, fourth passing) and turnover differential is minus-3.
View full sizeBriefly replaced by Chad Pennington, then reinserted when Pennington suffered a season-ending injury, Chad Henne offers the Dolphins a strong arm but hasn't yet developed consistency in leading the offense.Offensive overview: The team that brought the Wildcat into vogue two seasons ago has pretty much scrapped it. Occasionally they will still line up backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams without a quarterback, but it's no longer the focal point of their offense. The point of the Wildcat was to create space on offense in the absence of a legitimate throwing threat. Now the franchise is committed to big-armed QB Chad Henne while maintaining the physical running game that dragged the team out of mediocrity. Henne's got some decent weapons in receivers Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess and Brian Hartline, and tight end Anthony Fasano. But Henne's development has snagged. He makes big mistakes in the red zone. Some of the offense's problems as a whole is due to an interior line that needs fortifying.
Defensive overview: First-year coordinator Mike Nolan tweaked the scheme from a straight 3-4 to a hybrid 4-3. He was counting on a big contribution from first-round draft pick end Jared Odrick, but he was knocked out early with an injury. The linebackers still are the playmakers. CFL-import Cameron Wake (10.5 sacks) and rookie Koa Misi (3.5) are the primary pass rushers. Free-agent pickup Karlos Dansby is a force in both the running and passing game. Nolan also likes to blitz safety Yeremiah Bell (2.5) on occasion. The defense is not very opportunistic. Its 15 turnovers are tied for eighth-fewest in the NFL. (Browns have 23.)
Special teams overview: There's been a slow cleanup to this disaster. A meltdown in a prime-time game loss to New England (two blocked kicks for touchdowns and a TD return) cost former special teams coach John Bonamego his job. Under replacement coach Darren Rizzi, an assistant promoted to the full title, they've cut down on the embarrassment, though they did give up a 101-yard kickoff return to Oakland's Jacoby Ford last week. Kicker Dan Carpenter is 26 of 31 in field goals with a long of 54 yards. Punter Brandon Fields is 21st in gross average (43.4 yards) and 24th in net (36.5).
Players to watch:
View full sizeSecond in the NFL with 10.5 sacks, Miami's Cameron Wake (91) will be another stiff test for Browns left tackle Joe Thomas.• Linebacker Cameron Wake: This two-time CFL defensive player of the year has emerged as one of the league's most prolific sack artists. He is second in the NFL with 10 1/2 sacks and also has forced two fumbles. He'll line up over Joe Thomas.
• Linebacker Karlos Dansby: The high-priced free agent pickup does not leave the field. He could rush the passer, drop in coverage or plug the running lanes. He leads the team in tackles and gives the defense its attitude.
• Receiver Brandon Marshall: Second in catches and fifth in receiving yards among all NFL players over the past four seasons, he'll need to pick up the pace for his fourth season in a row of more than 100 catches. He's on pace for 84 this year, which would still be a Miami record.
Injury report: WR Brandon Marshall (hamstring) missed the last game. LB Karlos Dansby (wrist) was limited in the last game. LT Jake Long (labrum, shoulder) has been limited.
Small world: Head coach Tony Sparano was Browns offensive quality control coach in 1999 and offensive line coach in 2000. ... Assistant head coach/secondary coach Todd Bowles coached Browns nickel package 2001-03 and was secondary coach in 2004. ... Receiver Brian Hartline was a star at Ohio State before being drafted in 2009 . ... Defensive back Nate Ness was signed by Browns as undrafted free agent in 2009. ... Offensive lineman Eric Ghiaciuc was with the Browns in 2010.
-- Tony Grossi