The same Dolphins quarterbacks who have struggled with consistency through the first two weeks of training camp found their collective rhythm Thursday afternoon.
Hours after being informed of the playing rotation for Saturday's exhibition opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, quarterbacks Josh McCown, John Beck and Chad Henne were told to keep that information from getting to anyone outside the team.
Those orders came from coach Tony Sparano.
''Coach told us exactly the plan, and all of the QBs are playing on the plan, so we're ready to roll,'' said McCown, who was listed atop the depth chart this week but would not say Thursday if he would start against the Bucs. ``It's nothing I'd care to discuss. If Coach wants to tell you all, he'll tell you.''
Sparano had not shed much light on the pecking order at quarterback -- with the media or his players -- until Thursday.
Part of the reason has been that none of the quarterbacks has done much to rise above the competition for the starting job.
McCown, Beck and Henne again spent time with the first-team offense Thursday. McCown suggested a similar plan could be in place Saturday, but Beck seemed unaware of any developments.
''Coach Sparano has told us it's a decision he would make come game time, so come game time we'll find out,'' Beck said. ``We'll see. Everything is up to him. He's the one calling what will be going on, so we'll just do what he says.''
Apparently, among the things Sparano said Thursday was for the quarterbacks to keep things quiet. All three fell in line and met Sparano's expectations.
''He has a plan,'' Henne said. ``He should be able to tell you, but not by me. I can't. That's his word. And we admire what he says.''
Before Thursday's practice, Sparano was content with the guessing game.
''I know who's playing in the game this week and who will play at the quarterback position,'' Sparano said. ``But the players don't know.''
GAME-TIME DECISION
Running back Ronnie Brown's status for Saturday's game might not be determined until just before kickoff.
Sparano said Brown would be a game-time decision. Brown, who is coming off season-ending knee surgery, has participated in full-speed drills through the first two weeks of training camp.
Earlier this week, Brown said he has hasn't had any problems with the knee in training camp and was looking forward to getting ''over the mental part of testing it'' in a game situation.
Sparano said he has been pleased with Brown's progress in camp.
''He's had some up-and-down days out there,'' Sparano said. ``Most of it right now with Ronnie is mental and just knowing how far he can push.''
THIS AND THAT
Defensive end Vonnie Holliday sat out of Thursday's practice after tweaking a hamstring Wednesday . . . Former Major League Baseball star Dale Murphy attended Thursday's practice and talked with Dan Marino and Bill Parcells while watching his son, guard Shawn, work out.
COACH'S CORNER
Sparano has agreed to do weekly 30-minute programs with WFOR Channel 4 and WQAM (560) during the regular season.
Neither will air live.
Sparano's TV show will air at 11 a.m. Sundays, with WFOR's Kim Bokamper as the host.
Sparano's radio show will be broadcast at 8:30 a.m. Fridays on Joe Rose's show on WQAM. And Sparano will do another segment with Jimmy Cefalo's on WQAM's Dolphins pregame show.
WFOR, which carries the exhibition games, also will air a magazine-style show, Dolphins Weekly, at 11:30 a.m. Sundays.
The Dolphins decided to move all of their ancillary TV programming to WFOR, and the team no longer will have a magazine show on WTVJ Channel 6.
-- BARRY JACKSON
