Replacing running back Patrick Cobbs, out for the season with a torn knee ligament, on the Dolphins offense could be a combination of 240-pound Lex Hilliard and more Cobbs-sized Kory Sheets.

Replacing Cobbs on kickoff returns apparently will be Ted Ginn Jr., who answered in the affirmative when asked Friday if he would be going back to kickoff returns this week.

Ginn started the season as the Dolphins main kickoff returner, only to be taken out before the end of the season opener.

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said at the time it was because poor blocking required him to use Cobbs, who's better at breaking tackles.

Ginn would be later used as a decoy when the Dolphins faked reverses on kickoff returns. No matter whether Ginn (21.8 yards per return) or Cobbs (22.6 yards per return) have been on returns, it's remained a blot of underachievement. Miami ranks 21st in the league in team kickoff returns.

``We need to finish better in that phase,'' Sparano said. ``What I mean by that is not necessarily the runner; I mean the blockers need to finish better. We need to get a little bit more frontal on people, we have to be able to finish a little longer, hold our blocks, sustain our blocks a little longer.''

ROTH OUT AGAIN

The Dolphins have a blank final injury report. For the second consecutive day, the left ankle outside linebacker Matt Roth injured on his first day of practice with the team this season kept him out of practice.

Starting outside linebacker Scott Fujita (calf) and backup cornerback Malcolm Jenkins (ankle) have been listed as questionable by New Orleans.

The starters among the probables are tight end Jeremy Shockey (shoulder), right guard Jahri Evans (toe), punter/kickoff kicker Thomas Morstead (ankle), long snapper Jason Kyle (ankle).

AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW

Both veteran Dolphins outside linebackers, Joey Porter and Jason Taylor, pointed to the Buffalo game as an example of a team that pressured Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

The Bills spent most of the game in a nickel defense with a four-man line, blitzed occasionally and got big days from defensive ends Chris Kelsay and Aaron Schobel.

They got both of Buffalo's sacks and were instrumental in forcing Brees to run six times for only 8 yards. The Dolphins could do with similar days from Porter and Taylor, whose pass rush numbers have been rather tame, partially because of the hamstring injury that hampered Porter in two games and kept him out of a

third. Porter's rushed the quarterback 83 times with two sacks, one fumble caused, five quarterback hits or pressures and no holding penalties caused.

He's been blocked one-on-one by an offensive lineman 61 times, double-teamed nine times, three times by two linemen.

In Taylor's 107 times, he's produced one sack, one hit or pressure and caused no holding flags. He's been one-on-one with a lineman 73 times and double-teamed 15 times. Buffalo, trying to protect a callow, injured offensive line, accounted for eight of those 15 double teams.

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