'Q: Playing Miami this week, of course, brings up the possibility of the Wildcat. Last year, we did terribly in our first game against it and pretty much contained it in the second. What surprises me this year is that it appears teams are still having problems containing it. I assumed that after having seen it for a season, defenses would be able to shut it down. Have the Dolphins made adjustments that are difficult to cope with this year? -- Zoë (Tampa, Fla.)
A: The Dolphins have modified some things, Zoë, building on the success of the Wildcat last season. One change has been running it more without a quarterback on the field. But I think the foundation of the Wildcat remains the same, and part of what makes it tough to stop is the talent of the players with the ball in their hands (e.g. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are dangerous), and the execution of a tough-to-master system. The Dolphins work hard at it, as it's a big part of their identity.'
Excitement! But not the best answer for this week, which was the final one:
'Q: Mike, what's going on in the NFL right now? For a league that touts its competitive balance there certainly are a lot of powerhouses and a lot of real stinkers. What do you attribute the disparity to? -- Stacy (Portland, Maine)
A: Stacy, let's end on this one. My first thought is that I'd attribute it to the high number of coaching changes, and with those changes have come some dramatic philosophical shifts that have led to major roster turnover. Teams like the Rams, Lions and Chiefs come to mind. I also think some of the head coaching hires seemed a bit curious (Browns, Buccaneers). That's probably only part of it, but it is where I would start.'
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