Glasgow to set up an all-Irish PRO12 final with Leinster

DAVIE, Fla. -- The Miami Dolphins now have something in common with their 1984 Super Bowl team, and its not good.Miami has allowed 971 yards the past two weeks, the highest total in consecutive games for the franchise in 32 years. The 1984 team gave up 455 yards in the AFC championship game and 537 in the Super Bowl, a collapse even Dan Marino couldnt overcome as Miami lost the title game.The Dolphins defense hasnt retreated so furiously since -- until now. Coordinator Vance Josephs unit has allowed season-high yardage totals (475 and 496) each of the past two games, the latter a 38-6 loss at Baltimore.The last two weeks we havent played well, Joseph said Thursday. Its Week 13. What weve done well for the last month and a half is on tape. Everyone is making adjustments, so we have to make an adjustment now and help our guys more.A dramatic turnaround will be necessary Sunday if Miami (7-5) is to beat the explosive Arizona Cardinals (5-6-1).The defense appeared upgraded during a six-game winning streak in October and November, but the Dolphins rankings have been in freefall the past two weeks. Theyre now 25th in yards allowed and 30th against the run.Pass defense has been the biggest problem lately. San Franciscos Colin Kaepernick threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns against Miami in Week 12, and Joe Flacco threw for 381 yards and four scores last week.Flacco and the Ravens did most of their damage in the middle of the field, exposing weaknesses in pass coverage by an injury-depleted linebacker corps.We were trying to play tight coverage, and it wasnt happening, Joseph said. We were soft across the middle. Joe got hot, and we couldnt stop it. We couldnt cover them. We couldnt chase them. We played zone; it was too soft. We played man; we couldnt chase them. It wasnt good.Carson Palmer is sure to test the Dolphins the same way with throws to Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson, who leads all running backs in receptions (64) and receiving yards (704), and leads the NFL in scrimmage yards.Our defense has to make sure we dont let Johnson take complete control of this game, Miami coach Adam Gase said. If we let him get going, thats a recipe for disaster for us.Another worry is the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Fitzgerald in the slot. Cameron Wake, the Dolphins 263-pound defensive end, happened to walk past as Joseph was discussing the challenge of covering Fitzgerald over the middle.I can play nickel, Wake said.Hes your size, so maybe, Joseph responded.With Kiko Alonso nursing hamstring and thumb injuries, the Dolphins might be forced to start backups at all three linebacker spots. Theyve also been without two starters in the secondary, making the season -- especially the Ravens game -- an education for young replacements.We can learn a lot from that, and I think we will, veteran cornerback Byron Maxwell said. Weve got a lot of smart guys on this team, and they want to get better. Its going to be better next time.Joseph has been known to shake up the lineup, but said hes not planning any changes this week. Effort hasnt been an issue, he said, and his main complaint has involved self-inflicted damage.As one example, he noted a third-and-15 play where the Ravens took advantage of a mental mistake.Lets be more detailed, he said. Lets get back to doing it right, and then we can see how we fare. But the last two weeks, it has been too much error.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL.---Follow Steven Wine on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Steve-Wine. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/steven-wine Discount Football Jerseys Throwback .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. Cheap Football Jerseys Throwback China . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. http://www.cheapfootballthrowback.com/ . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. Clearance Football Jerseys Throwback .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park. Custom Football Jerseys Throwback .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open.Bundee Aki led the dressing room celebrations after Connacht beat Glasgow to set up an all-Irish PRO12 final with Leinster. It was an emotional win for Connacht, who will feature in a Guinness PRO12 final for the first time in their history.Defending champions Glasgow on the other hand will rue a spate of handling errors and ill-discipline that kept victory in the play-off encounter just out of reach. Winger Niyi Adeolokun scored Connachts only try of the day, with fly-half Jack MacGinty contributing 11 points with the boot in Galway. Fijian second row Leone Nakarawa scored a try for the visitors, while Duncan Weir, on as a replacement in the first minute after Finn Russsell was stretchered off following a collision, kicked two penalties.ddddddddddddThere was a glimmer of hope for the Warriors when Connacht prop Rodney Ah You was sent to the bin with eight minutes remaining, but Gregor Townsends men could not make the extra man count as the home side held out for the win.Connacht will now face Leinster in the PRO12 final on 28 May in Edinburgh, live on Sky Sports.Watch the video at the top of the page to see Aki lead the celebrations. Also See: PRO12 home PRO12 table Fixtures and results Rugby Union on Sky ' ' '