Miami happy to hit the road

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Unlike almost every other NFL team, the Miami Dolphins love playing on the road. It’s the only place they can win anymore.

For some strange reason, the Dolphins have a home-field disadvantage.

In Florida, they’re fish out of water.

With home losses against New England and Houston to open this season, the Dolphins have dropped 11 of 12 at Sun Life Stadium — a statistical oddity that goes against the norm and one they had better correct quickly or coach Tony Sparano’s job could be in serious jeopardy.

If it isn’t already.

“I can’t explain it,” Sparano said of Miami’s home-road disparity. “I can’t tell you the reasons why. I’ve been banging my head over that.”

Today, the Dolphins (0-2) will face the Browns (1-1), who are eager to make their own home repairs after a disastrous loss to Cincinnati in the opener.

Die-hard Cleveland fans who thought they had seen the Browns lose every way possible in recent years, left the Sept. 11 game muttering and mumbling after watching the Browns’ defense get caught napping by the Bengals for a quick-snap touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

A 27-19 win at Indianapolis last week softened some of the blow, but the Browns understand the importance of establishing themselves as a dominant team at home, where they haven’t had a winning record since going 7-1 in 2007.

“You definitely want to defend your home turf,” Browns tight end Ben Watson said. “I’m sure the fans would love to see it with their own eyes, instead of on the tube, obviously. We feel the same way, we want to win.

“Sometimes it doesn’t work out that you win at home, sometimes you win on the road and you don’t plan it that way, but you attack each game and try to win each game, no matter if it’s at home or whether it’s on the road.”

Not only is Miami’s uncanny inability to win at home abnormal, it’s historic. Last season, the Dolphins went 1-7 at home and 6-2 in road games, becoming the first team since the league expanded the schedule to 16 games in 1978 to go 1-7 or worse at home and have a winning record on the road.

One explanation for Miami’s trouble at home is that the Dolphins have been more mistake prone in their own backyard. In their last 10 home games, the Dolphins have a minus-12 turnover ratio. In their last eight road games, Miami is just minus-two. Give the ball away, give the game away.