Hyde10: Ten effects of Irma on our football (Dolphins not home until October...)

Chris Perkins and Dave Hyde discuss Hurricane Irma scenarios for the Miami Dolphins.

So, the Dolphins postponed their opening week game and the University of Miami canceled its football game in Jonesboro, Ark., against Arkansas State because of Hurricane Irma.

The people in charge are doing what leaders should do — putting safety and community ahead of football. Hurricane Irma has South Florida in the crosshairs and decisions have to be made accordingly. Which, again, our teams have done.


Here are some thoughts on what's happening:

1. The key to both teams' questions came from a simple statement of common sense by Miami athletic director Blake James: "We made the collective decision that we simply cannot put our student-athletes, coaches and staff in danger traveling to and from contests." Turn the decisions over, second-guess them if you wish to do so, but that's the fundamental issue involved here, especially for students at Miami and anyone looking at Irma's path of danger understands.

2. No, the Dolphins won't play a game in Hard Rock Stadium until Oct. 8 against Tennessee. Even that will come under some duress, as the Dolphins will be coming back from a "home" game in London the previous Sunday. Problems? Yes, those are problems. No two seasons are the same, of course, and life will quickly get back to normal if the damage isn't great. If it does? Well …

3. Here are two NFL compareables to seasons altered by massive hurricane damage:

* In 2005, the Saints had to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Their city was wrecked. They split games between temporary facilities in San Antonio and LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. Their first home game was in New York. They went from 8-8 the previous year to 3-13.

* In 1992, th Dolphins ahd to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. Their home opener was canceled. They lost their bye week and had to play 16 straight games (sound familiar?). They went 11-5 and advanced to the AFC Championship Game before losing to Buffalo. That's the best season the Dolphins had have in the past 25 years.

4. Some people are saying the Dolphins didn't want to scratch the game because Steve Ross wanted a home game for dollar reasons. Ross isn't motivated by a few dollars from one home game. If you haven't watched him pump money into this team and this stadium, money isn't the primary motivating force for him on decisions like this. Safety played into the decision. What else? If you're looking at scheduling, the fact the Dolphins would have just six home games would have, too.

5. Some people wonder why Thursday wasn't an option to move the game. The weather isn't the problem a couple of days before the effects of the hurricane will start. All the support staff working the game was. Fans staying for a game rather than evacuating, if necessary, was. This was a topic of conversation between the league, the teams and local and state officials. In this case, what the government officials say about public safety matters more than the teams' desire. As it should.

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6. Here's a strategic disadvantage — and advantage — for the Dolphins by moving the game into November. Disadvantage: Tampa Bay's top running back, Doug Martin, is suspended the first three games of the season. So he would miss this game but be there for the Nov. 19 game. It's hard to say what this exactly means. The Dolphins had the 30th-ranked rushing attack last year and have questions at defensive tackle and middle linebacker. But Martin wasn't exactly a force last year in averaging 2.9 yards a carry. Still, he is considered the Bucs' top back. In his place, Jacquizz Rodgers, Charles Sims and Peyton Barber will spread the load.


Advantage: The Dolphins would have safety T.J. McDonald back from an eight-game suspension. He will be a big upgrade for this defense, judging by his play with the Rams and this preseason.

7. The football advantage for the Hurricanes? Not much. If Irma's damage isn't much — this is the "if" that's running South Florida right now — they'll get extra time to prepare for Florida State on Sept. 16. Still, any extra days from not going to Arkansas will probably be lost in just preparing for and living through the hurricane.

8. Should the NFL expand the Dolphins and Bucs rosters for their game in November to help offset the safety issue? Sure, why not? It won't help the primary 30 players in the game, but it could alleviate some players here and there. Any little bit might help.

9. Hurricane flashback: Dolphins linebacker John Offerdahl owned several bagel shops in South Florida when Andrew hit in 1992. He went to the hardest hit areas afterward with employees and hundreds (thousands?) of bagels to help. To tell what a good act that was, it's as much a part of Offerdahl's football legacy as anything he did in a great career on the field.

10. Some karmic thought on the Dolphins starting the season Sept. 17? The last time they started on that date was 1972. The Perfect Season. Hey, I"m trying folks...

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