DAVIE, Fla. -- Everywhere Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Brian Daboll goes, frustrated fans carp about the coaching.
He heard second-guessers rip his play-calling with the Cleveland Browns, and now that he's working for the winless Dolphins, it's more of the same.
So when he's asked if the job requires thick skin, Daboll smiles, looks down at his stomach and concedes he might be carrying a few extra pounds.
"I've got real thick skin," he says. "My wife feeds me good."
A sense of humor helps, too. Daboll is quick with a quip and popular with players, who praise his fiery personality. Still to be determined is whether he can produce more points in Miami than he did with the Browns.
And on Sunday in Cleveland, the question will be whether the Dolphins (0-2) can outscore the Browns (1-1).
Daboll became a target of fan frustration in Cleveland, where his game plans were criticized as being wildly inconsistent and too conservative. The Browns finished last in the NFL in yards in 2009, then fourth worst in 2010 en route to a 5-11 record.
Daboli was fired along with Cleveland coach Eric Mangini after last season.
Cleveland will face a Miami offense that has showed signs of improvement under Daboll, who replaced Dan Henning. Dolphins players praise Daboll's game plans for being more aggressive and wide-open than last year.
Quarterback Chad Henne looks more decisive and confident this year, throwing for a career-best 416 yards in the season opener. On the other hand, the Dolphins scored just one touchdown last week and rank next to last in red-zone scoring efficiency. The most important statistic, however, is their record, which has coach Tony Sparano back on the hot seat after nearly being fired last January.
Daboll's accustomed to such tumult. As he says, it's a game of ups and downs -- such as the time last season he celebrated a Browns' score by greeting 312-pound tackle Joe Thomas, who bumped Daboll and sent him into a backward flip.
Thomas will be looking for Daboll on Sunday.
"I'm probably going to jump up and knock him down again once, for good-old-times' sake," Thomas says. "We had some good times together."
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
