Brian Hartline learns to tune out the critics
Slow start in Buffalo has some questioning his focus, readiness to start
Miami Dolphins
September 17, 2010|By Mike Berardino, Sun Sentinel
DAVIE ? Barely into his second year in the NFL, Brian Hartline has seemingly reached the first crisis point of his young career.
The vultures are circling, waiting for him to fail this Sunday at Minnesota, speculating publicly of possible lineup changes.
One shaky game is all it took.
Newly installed as a starting wide receiver opposite Brandon Marshall, Hartline was shut out Sunday at Buffalo. Zero catches, for the first time in 10 outings, dating to last year's game at the Jets.
The former fourth-rounder out of Ohio State had a pair of drops, although one of them came courtesy of a ferocious double hit by the Bills secondary. The one catch Hartline did make, for 9 yards, was wiped out by a penalty.
"If we'd lost, I'd have been furious," Hartline admitted Friday.
Instead, the win glossed over his frustration. Temporarily, as it turned out.
At midweek, a report surfaced quoting an anonymous Dolphins official saying Hartline is "not the same player as last year," when he made 31 catches and led the team with three touchdown receptions.
The report cited internal issues with Hartline's "focus" and suggested rookie Marlon Moore and slot receiver Davone Bess could take playing time from him if he didn't shape up fast.
Asked about that report Friday, Hartline said he had not seen it. Nor did he put much stock in it.
"I would say it probably wouldn't be someone in the know," he said of the anonymous source. "And I would say, really, in the end, I have more concern about what I think. No one has higher expectations for myself than myself. Really, for someone to say that is a non-issue in my eyes."
Expectations? It was Hartline himself who, back in July, said he was shooting for "over 1,000" receiving yards, doubling his total as a rookie.
Focus? Those around him say nobody is more driven to succeed, day to day, than the kid whose progress was rapid enough to convince the Dolphins to cut Patrick Turner, taken a round higher in 2009, and trade trusted veteran Greg Camarillo, who will be wearing Vikings purple on Sunday.
"He's such a perfectionist," said Karl Dorrell, Hartline's position coach. "Now he's in a role of being a starter and he wants to do absolutely everything perfect, correct -- everything. He puts a pretty good standard on what he's trying to get done, and I think from time to time he has a mistake here and there because of it or a mental lapse with a ball drop."
