QB of the Future is Here

The 53-yard pass from Henne to Ginn was hardly the only highlight during a wild fourth quarter Monday night, when the lead changed hands five times and the Dolphins won 31-27 on a TD with 6 seconds left. But Henne's long toss underscored the dramatic change his strong arm brings to Miami's offense, giving the Dolphins the deep threat they've lacked since Dan Marino retired nearly 10 years ago. Even last year, when Chad Pennington threw for 3,653 yards, the Dolphins rarely went deep. In the first four games this year, they had only two completions of 20 yards or more to wide receivers. A shoulder injury ended Pennington's season Sept. 27, and Henne became the Dolphins' 14th starting quarterback since Marino. The past two games suggest Miami finally has a long-term solution with a QB talented enough to lead a championship team. The Dolphins have scored 69 points in Henne's two starts, their biggest point total in consecutive games since 2002. They won both to reach the bye week at 2-3, putting them back in the AFC East race. They're ready to follow Henne. As a starter he's 34 for 48 for 356 yards, with three touchdowns and no turnovers. He repeatedly made good decisions against the Jets, and avoided being sacked even though they blitzed two dozen times. Henne outplayed the Jets' rookie Mark Sanchez, while facing a defense that had allowed only three touchdowns in the first four games. Henne led the Dolphins to three TDs in the fourth quarter alone, each time bringing them from behind.