Ram Notebook : Miami’s Troubles Haven’t Slowed Marino

You need a pocket calculator to keep up with Miami Dolphin quarterback Dan Marino these days.

Marino is churning out records faster than Lionel Richie.

It’s not enough that Marino already is the NFL’s all-time leading passer with a career efficiency rating of 94.9 at the ripe old age of 25.

In less than four seasons with Miami, Marino has passed for 15,508 yards and 134 touchdowns.

But that only begins to tell the story.

He set an NFL record earlier this season by throwing his 100th touchdown pass earlier than any other quarterback in history.

This year, he’s closing in on NFL records for most attempts and completions in a season.

He has thrown 36 touchdown passes this season and already owns the NFL single-season record of 48, which was set in 1984.

So who’s the best?

“The only way to evaluate is to compare,” Miami Coach Don Shula said Wednesday. “He’s done things that no one has done in the same period of time.”

Remember, Shula coached Johnny Unitas and Bob Griese.

Yet, there has been something missing for Marino and the Dolphins this season. Little things, such as a winning record, a defense that can tackle and runners who can run.

Yes, records and Pro Bowl appearances are fine, but wouldn’t it be nicer if you could tune the Dolphins in on your playoff picture?

The Dolphins (7-7) need nothing short of an algebraic equation to get a wild-card spot in the playoffs.

It’s a slim chance at a best, but the Dolphins can get in if they win their last two games, Cincinnati and the Raiders each lose two games and Kansas City and Seattle lose one game each.

It’s that easy.

“It’s been a little frustrating,” said Marino, who faces the Rams Sunday. “We felt we would be having a better year than the one we’re having now.”

Marino is the thread to which the rest of the Dolphins cling. Miami’s defense ranks 27th in the league overall while its rushing offense ranks 26th.

The Dolphins’ pass offense is No. 1. It’s not the kind of balance you’re looking for.

Still, Marino refuses to take all the credit for his success and put all the blame on the defense.

“We’ve had our problems offensively,” Marino said. “We’ve put a lot of pressure on our defense by putting them in tough situations. In some games our defense has played well and if the offense had played better we’d have won the ballgame.”

Despite the problems in Miami, a Dolphin game is still worth watching because of its quarterback, Marino. It’s been that way since midway through the 1983 season when Marino stepped into the Dolphin lineup and redefined the position with his quick mind and quick release.

“He was very aware when he came to us,” Shula said. “He had good field presence, good field vision and a quick release. Over the years, he’s picked up an understanding of our system and what the other teams try to do to us.”

Add Marino: The Dolphin quarterback said Wednesday that he thinks Ram quarterback Jim Everett possibly could lead the Rams to the Super Bowl.

“He has the ability to do it,” Marino said. “It’s tough, because you have to play well every week in the playoffs. But the team he’s on is playing very well right now.”

Ram Coach John Robinson said Wednesday that Ron Brown’s shoulder separation was not as severe as first suspected and that the wide receiver could be back for the playoffs. If, of course, the Rams make the playoffs.

Brown was injured in the second quarter of last Sunday’s 29-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Robinson feared that he’d have to place Brown on injured reserve, but that won’t be necessary.

“There’s a slight chance he could play against the 49ers,” Robinson said of the Rams’ regular-season finale Dec. 19.

The news was also better for nose tackle Greg Meisner, who has been hobbled by a leg injury. Meisner practiced Wednesday and said he would go at full speed today.

Ram Notes Running back Eric Dickerson on Tuesday taped five episodes of the new Hollywood Squares television show. . . . He’s also scheduled for an upcoming appearance on ‘Late Night with Joan Rivers’. . . . With two weeks remaining, 17 of 28 NFL teams are still in contention for playoff spots. . . . Although they have a 1 1/2 game lead in the NFC West, there is a chance the Rams could be knocked out of the playoffs entirely. It could happen if the Rams lose their final two games and San Francisco and Minnesota win their remaining games. In that scenario, the 49ers win the division title and the Vikings knock the Rams out of a wild-card spot. . . . The Rams, of course, can clinch the title with a victory over the Miami Dolphins Sunday in Anaheim Stadium . . . The Ram defense has allowed opponents an NFL-low conversion percentage (29.3) on third downs. . . . The Ram defense is ranked second in the NFL behind the Chicago Bears. . . . And despite the emergence of quarterback Jim Everett, the Ram pass offense still is the NFL’s worst.