Miami Dolphins 10 @ New Orleans Saints 7: The View from Section 312

Holy crap on a cracker that wasn't a very fun game. My father-in-law managed to score a few club level seats right on the fifty yard line - I gave away my regular tickets to a friend - but watching this performance was just a waste of a good seat. There were a few highlights, sure, but this did not look like the same team we've seen the last three weeks and not really the way they'd hoped to enter the regular season, I'm sure. Now that the Saints have gotten that out of their system, they can move on and let the domination begin when it really counts. Knowing the Saints, a perfect pre-season would not bode well for regular season success.

Make the jump for all of my notes, bullet style.

• I've got to start off by giving props to Rod Harper. He was pretty much the only player doing exciting things out there last night. The punt return was a beauty and that makes two for him this pre-season. That alone ought to earn him a spot on the roster. On the following drive he came up with two nice catches for first downs, further proving he's got some upside on the receiving end as well. He deserves to make this team.
• If Harper wasn't the most exciting act of the night, the sideline marriage proposal by dude with microphone to his Saintsation girlfriend was. He popped the question during the second quarter and she embarrasingly said yes. The wife tells me she would have killed me had I proposed in such a way. Though he didn't actually use the scoreboard. I can't help be reminded of this classic commercial.
• Joey, Joey, Joey. What the hell are you doing? I'm gonna go ahead and assume Harrington is the problem since Brunell didn't take that same punishment working behind mostly the same line. He just holds onto the ball too long and doesn't seem to have that presence and awareness to feel pressure around him. Brunell has always been my guy and he's still my guy. Tonight sealed it.
• I had no idea about Billy Miller's injury until I got home. When I popped on the television, they're interviewing him and talking as if his career is over. It's not looking good. Sad news.
• Skyler Green = done.
• It's going to be interesting to see what happens with Arrington. It was nice to see him make an appearance tonight. I would love to keep him around for another year and give him one last chance when healthy. I'm not sure if I'm going to get my way on this one.
• Thomas Morstead finally showed us why the Saints used a draft pick to acquire him. He looked very good, which is a pleasant relief because...
• ...the field goal kicking is crap. Carney missed a 34-yarder? I thought the attraction with Carney is that he's golden from under 40 yards. Honestly, I'm beginning to think Hartley is the best option and for at least the first four games of the season, we're not much better off then we have been the last two years.
• Speaking of Carney's field goal, what was the deal with the Dolphins timeout call and icing the kicker crap. This is freakin' pre-season. Get over yourself.
• I kept hearing Jo-Lonn Dunbar's name being announced over the loud speaker so he must have had a good game. I know he was responsible for picking up the fumble and a quick look at the stats shows me he led the team in tackles with thirteen. Dunbar is really starting to come into his own and I'm excited about him.
• Malcolm Jenkins got a lot of time and I had to chance to focus on just him for a little while. I didn't see anything mind blowing or spectacular to get me super excited.
• Tracy Porter's hit early in the game got me excited. In the pants.
• Lynell Hamilton should have locked up that fourth running back spot, if there is one, with his performance tonight. He looked solid, confident and was the only other source of excitment on the field other than Rod Harper.
• On the defensive side of the ball, Anthony Hargrove continued to look good out there.
• Anyone else noticing a large percentage of completed passes given up by the Saints defense seems to be over the middle? Or is it just me?
• Random fan yelling at referee after a bad call, "If you had another eye, you'd be a cyclops!"
• The crowd managed to get a litte loud late in the game when the defense had the Dolphins pinned on their own 2-yard line.
• More spotty play from Randall Gay. He's looked pretty good in recent games but he got burned tonight on a pass to the sideline. I think Forrest Gump said it best: Randall Gay is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're gonna get.

The Club Level concourse. Swanky.

The view from my seat. Doesn't get much better.

The little kids playing at halftime.

He went to Jared.

The new blimp.

The new windows on the corner of the dome.

Here is the roll call from last nights open thread. I was surprised to see how little action there was last night. I hope it picks up again for the regular season.