Dolphins offense needs to show more

There are too many positive aspects of the Dolphins being 2-0 to harp on any negatives.
There's the better-than-expected play of a defense that was considered too young, too depleted by injuries and retirement in significant spots and far more dependent on Jason Allen than anyone was ever comfortable with.
There's the fact that both victories came on the road, regardless of whether it was against an awful Bills team and a Vikings team that has yet to get it together.
There's the play of Jake Long, Ronnie Brown and Brandon Marshall and the generally mistake-free play of the offense altogether.
And there's simply the concept of being 2-0, a place the Dolphins haven't been since 2002, which seems a lifetime ago.
Clearly, there are way too many affirming aspects to dwell on anything discouraging.
Fine, then don't consider this dwelling. Consider it just a casual look at the one part of this 2-0 experience that is keeping everyone involved somewhat grounded.
The offense can't remain this unproductive.
It's OK to say it out loud. It doesn't make you a bad fan or an overly critical observer or cynical, or anything like that. It's just the truth, and you can either be honest with yourself now or be largely disappointed in the future if the anemic offense continues.
Delusion is not a prerequisite for being a football fan, and to think that everything is rosy with the Dolphins offense at the moment would be somewhat delusional.
TWO APPROACHES
So how does one look at this when assessing the prospects for the rest of the Dolphins season?
There appears to be two ways to look at it.
First, that the two games were on the road, in which the Dolphins struck early and conservatism was the best approach.
The Dolphins are a running team, and have been for the previous two seasons, so sticking to their strengths despite the addition of Marshall always is going to be the game plan as long as it keeps the team in games.
This team has a better defense than anyone gave it credit for during the preseason, so the idea of dominating time of possession is more important than airing it out and looking for quick hits because that can mean either quick, unsuccessful drives that give the defense too much responsibility, or potential turnovers that put the defense in near-impossible situations. And although the Dolphins are 28th in the league in passing yards, they also are sixth in passing yards allowed.
It's the way to look at it to stay optimistic. Not only optimistic that this style of football can still win plenty of games in the NFL, but it tells you the Dolphins were just doing what it took to win and nothing more, which means there might be more in the arsenal if called upon.
The other way to look at it, though, gives you pause. All it takes is a glance at the more successful teams in the league in recent history. It's an offensive team's league.
Two of the most electrifying offenses in the game reached the Super Bowl last season, and it's usually the most productive offenses that last through an entire season without significant lulls (the Cowboys don't really count because their awful leadership supersedes their offensive talents).
It's hard to remain entirely confident about the rest of the regular season if you believe this offense will be the one we see for the remainder of the season.
CAN'T ALWAYS RIDE `D'
Yes, the defense has been good, but can you really expect it to consistently keep teams to less than two touchdowns? Even in Sunday's game against the Jets, you almost have to assume the Dolphins can win a 9-7 type of game. Can you really anticipate scoring more points against the Jets defense than the Patriots did, or for that matter, more than the Ravens did?
You probably couldn't do that with any conviction. Not after two offensive touchdowns in two games.
What's most disconcerting is that the passing game added one of the league's best playmakers in Marshall and has yet to experience the diversity that his presence is supposed to provide you.
Marshall has 12 catches in two games and has been targeted plenty. But six of Davone Bess's seven catches came in the opener. Anthony Fasano and Brian Hartline have three catches apiece. Granted, Chad Henne has attempted only 49 passes, but the potential should be there for more explosiveness.
If you're pulling for the Dolphins, you're hoping those first two contests were close-to-the-vest experiences. You're hoping the fireworks were being held up for the home opener against those Jets and that all your concerns will be alleviated when the Fins light up an opponent, just to show you they can.
Because so far, not to dwell, this offense leaves a whole lot to be desired.