By BRIAN BIGGANE
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
The silence is becoming deafening for Ronnie Brown.
As the weeks tick by this fall, Brown hears nothing about the status of his contract, which expires after the season.
He realizes that the Dolphins' running game, and his in particular, is not thriving.
With 313 rushing yards in six games, Brown is averaging 52 yards per game, the lowest of his six-year career. His average of 4.1 yards per carry is also a personal low.
"We've had some struggles," said Brown, who turns 29 in six weeks, "so I want to be sure I'm doing my part as far as preparation, getting myself where I need to be for this football team."
Brown, the No. 2 overall pick in 2005, was enjoying his best season last year before breaking his right foot, forcing him to miss the final seven games.
He signed a one-year deal worth $3.97 million but admits that he and team officials have not talked about a new contract.
Asked if his unsigned status ever passes through his mind during games, he replied, "A little bit."
"All I can do is be here every day, do what I'm supposed to do, and as an individual I put a little more burden on myself because I feel like I need to have a little more impact on this football team," Brown said Thursday as the Dolphins prepared for Sunday's game at Cincinnati.
General Manager Jeff Ireland doesn't routinely deal with the media and coach Tony Sparano doesn't address contract issues, so it's impossible to know exactly what the coaches and front office are thinking about Brown's future.
What Brown does know is that following a promising start the first three games, he has struggled the past three, totaling just 114 yards and averaging 2.9 yards per carry.
That slump has energized critics who point to his habit of stutter-stepping at the line of scrimmage.
"That's the way I've done it since college," said Brown, who played at Auburn. "I tend to get myself in trouble when I do it, because I'm trying to make the big plays.
"Instead of settling for zero or 1 yard, I feel like I can turn a play that looks like nothing into a 4- or 5-yard gain. I get criticized if it doesn't work out, but if it does there's that, 'Hey, that was a good run.'"
Sparano said he has no problem with Brown's running style.
"One thing with Ronnie is he's got really good vision," Sparano said. "As he's moving laterally, part of his stutter is seeing linebackers and maybe bringing the ball underneath these people.
"But there are times," Sparano admitted, "when I say, 'Hey Ronnie, just put your foot in the ground, cut your losses and get vertical.' And he's done that."
The disappearance of the Wildcat formation has affected Brown's production. Last year at this time he had 489 yards, but 218 had come out of the Wildcat. This year he has 10 Wildcat carries for 22 yards.
Another factor is the tough rushing defenses the Dolphins have faced. Of their first six opponents, all but Buffalo and Green Bay now rank in the top 11 against the run. In contrast, their next two, Cincinnati and Baltimore, are 22nd and 18th, respectively.
Other than a 51-yard burst against Minnesota, Brown hasn't broken any long runs. His next-longest is 17.
Brown said he looks forward to facing the Bengals' 4-3 defense, because such schemes typically feature fewer moving parts. He also looks forward to helping a running game that is now averaging 3.8 yards per carry, tied for 18th in the NFL, back toward the 4.2 it averaged last year.
While Brown said in the pre-season that he and fellow running back Ricky Williams could each rush for 1,000 yards this season, his goals now are more modest.
"We've shown we can run the ball effectively, but we need to be consistent on a weekly basis," Brown said. "Not have a good game this week, then not so good the next, then decent. It's got to be more consistent."
