There’s trouble brewing in south Florida.

And it’s not the Hurricanes that I’m talking about. It’s Miami’s other professional football team —the Dolphins.

With only three weeks remaining in the National Football League season the Dolphins may rank as the year’s biggest disappointment since the O.J. verdict.

Miami entered the season stocked with all of the biggest fish in the free-agent sea and still are fighting for their playoff life.

How could a team with enough talent to fill the entire division virtually collapse?

That answer is an easy one — defense. As in no defense. As in the same old Miami Dolphins/swiss cheese/el matador defense.

For the past 13 seasons, the Dolphins have been blessed with the greatest quarterback to ever touch a football, Dan Marino, but have wasted his talents by fielding a defense that makes most Ivy League schools lick their chops.

In their last three games the Olphins (notice the lack of “D”) have allowed approximately 4,000 points. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating, but not by much.

Worst of all, the bulk of these points came against the comatosed offenses of the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts.

The fourth period of last week’s game vs. the Colts typified the Dolphins’ season to date.

With about nine minutes to play, Marino threw his third touchdown pass of the game to pull Miami within nine points. More than close enough a margin to overcome.

But on came the defense and there went the game. The Colts soaked up seven minutes with an 80-yard drive and walked out of the RCA Dome in Indianapolis one game ahead of Miami.

For a Dolphins backer it was an all too sickening occurrence.

Here it is December, and the “talented on paper” Dolphins are just that — talented on paper, except where it counts, in the section marked “NFL STANDINGS.”

A .500 team they are not, but unless things change quickly they may be forced to remain there.

And now some words of advice:

To Dolphins fans: KEEP THE FAITH.

To the rest of the NFL and you legions of critics geared against Miami: BEWARE.

Never doubt Marino, Don Shula or, believe it or not, even the defense.

As they proved early in the season the defense can be stifling. And if they ever decide to stop someone again, the Dolphins are the best in the league — period.

Defense aside, though, the hopes of the team can be traced back to the golden arm of Dan Marino.

As long as Marino is in the game, so are the Dolphins.

So far this season, Dan the Man has shattered Fran Tarkenton’s career records for completions, yards and touchdown passes and is nearing the mark for attempts.

You can tell by the fire in his eyes, though, that the numbers are not what he’s after. He sorely wants a Super Bowl victory and is about to take matters into his own hands.

This past week, Dan said that it was about time to “turn things loose,” and if he does, things could get fun. An angry, determined Marino usually results in astronomical numbers and Miami victories.

Do not be surprised if, with a little assistance from Marino and his friends on other side of the ball, things begin to click once again for the residents of Joe Robbie Stadium.

If the defense can just hold the opposition to numbers somewhere under the average of Nebraska and give Marino a chance to add to his NFL record book, the Miami Dolphins will storm, not only to, but right through, the Super Bowl —guaranteed.

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Matt Downing is a freshman in journalism from Sioux City.