Joe Philbin says he didn't come to Miami Dolphins to be average (via http://ble.ac/teamstream-) http://teamstre.am/1fxwugL
"I can honestly tell you sitting here we've had a couple of clunkers in three years. But we haven't had a ton of clunkers where we just got manhandled from start to finish. So I've gone into every game thinking we're going to win every game." - Joe Philbin
Queezy Joe has not been awful but really need to close the deal this year otherwise........boom goes the dynamite.
He may not have come to the Dolphins to be average, but that is exactly what he has been since he arrived in Miami. I think Hickey and Tannebaum have done an excellent job of improving the overall talent on the roster. I just question if Philbin has what it takes to get the most out of this talent. Hopefully he will prove me wrong about his ability as an NFL head coach this coming season. Because if this team doesn't make the playoffs after four years as the teams head coach, I just hope Ross will finally be ready to move in another direction at the head coaching position.
This exactly. Hasn't been terrible but hasn't been good enough. This is his last chance so I hope he swings for the fences.
This is his last chance. This appears to be a pretty good team on paper. IF he cant get it this year he has to go.
Which is the very definition of "average." He doesn't "suck," but he doesn't "dazzle" either. Middle-of-the-road...I don't know if he just can't feel the flow of the game and respond accordingly, or he's too stubborn to adjust, or he adjusts too much, I really don't have the foggiest idea...but I do know it's rare in today's NFL to see a coach struggle for 3 years, miss the playoffs in all 3, and maintain his office. That said...I think that, coupled with the last few off-seasons, the young crew is developing well enough to make the team a consistent contender for the division/playoffs from a starting quality and depth perspective (not in every area, but in most). He's gotta put 'em on the table and dare someone to cut 'em off...GET IT JOE!
This year just feels different. I honestly thought last year, Miami would make that turn. Some injuries to key players and lack of depth may have been the issue. But depth is always an issue with any team. This year, this one, truly seems different. It feels different. Joe has a different demeanor. Sometimes it takes a while to develop, not only as a player, but as a coach. He may just be coming into his own. He now has solid players starting, and hopefully solid depth. One issue people are concerned with, and rightfully so, is the interior offensive line. But show me a line with THREE potential Pro Bowlers. It's just tough to come by. Hopefully those 'good' players can pick up demeanor of the entire line and jell to the point where the mistakes are minimal. I can accept getting beaten by players who are just faster, bigger, stronger moreso than a player who just blatantly misses an assignment. Keeping the mistakes at a minimal are key to this team winning because I believe the talent of important positions is there. Average is a good way to summarize the last few years. It takes time, and we have seen games where Miami dominates "better" teams. Miami certainly has something to work with here. I fully expect this team to make the playoffs. My concern is how this team will play in those games. Will they thrive or dive?
I think I've been as visible a critic of the coaching as there is on these forums, particularly Philbin as HC, however, even though I do feel coaching has been a major issue the past couple of years, if not THE major issue (Coaching vs. OL for me, I think), I do still hold out hope that Philbin can get to where he needs to be. It's possible that he's the type of guys who learns and moves slowly but surely. It's my hope that he's not stubborn but is humble and smart enough to see and hear and learn from his mistakes and weaknesses. By all accounts he is a humble guy and one who is moved and motivated more by plan and purpose rather than impulse. So it's my hope that this is the case and that he has what it takes to learn enough to take that step to grow and improve along with the rest of the team. I don't know what the reality will prove to be but he's still a Dolphin so come on Joe! Let's see everyone be a winner this year!
I think with this roster Miami has 10 or 11 win talent. If Joe Philbin is able to get out of his own way, i.e. letting the coordinators, Lazor in particular, have more of an influence on the game/personnel, things will get better. Philbin also has to improve his in-game decision-making considerably as well for this to be a playoff team - calling timeouts, challenges, overall strategy, etc. To me, using rafael's words, Joe Philbin himself is a net negative, but I think you can win with him if he's out of the way enough. To me, looking at it objectively, I've predicted 9-7 for this year as I don't trust Joe Philbin to get out of his own way, and the schedule as some pretty odd quirks: 7 of the first 9 on the road (I'm counting the "home" game in London), including 3 road games straight, one of which is on a short week (New England) in the middle of the season. Miami's also got two teams on the schedule that have dominated the Dolphins over the years - Baltimore and Houston. In short, Miami needs to put a lot of "victories in the bank" early on.
I'm not sure Ross understands how upset the fans are right now. He still thinks the reason the stadium is empty on Sundays is the heat, not that the team loses too many home games and the tickets are, right now, a bad investment
I think the main problem with Ross is he doesn't live in South Florida most of the time. While he owns a home in Palm Beach and flies down for Dolphin home games, he spends most of his time in New York for business reasons. Therefore he basically relies on the yes men around him to filter out the negative comments from the fan base. I too have always been of the belief that winning will take care of the low attendance at home games. It is difficult to blame the stadium for fan absence, when the Dolphins have also been at the bottom of the TV ratings in the locale area, compared to the other teams in the NFL. I seriously doubt fans avoid the game on TV because they don't like the stadium. Hopefully the changes to the stadium will increase the comfort for those attending games and create a better atmosphere, but in South Florida the only thing which will get fans into the seats is a winning product on the field.
Miami has had 10/11 win talent the last couple years. If Philbin gets out of the way, maybe. Still got to trump NE. Buffalo and NYJ may make big jumps this year. Work is cut out for us. Divisional games will tell the tale. win and were in
I don't know. There were some key injuries, and sometimes, no matter how good the coaching, injuries take a toll in the W/L column. I think depth has been an issue with this team, and while sometimes players surprise when thrust into a starting role because of an injury to the starter, this isn't always necessarily the case. Probably less so than often. But I think players who have been in the system who are depth guys will be better this year than in years past. They better be, anyway.....
The fact that the Dolphins are dead last in TV ratings should have everyone in Davie embarrassed. Maybe it's time Ross actually spent some time at the practice facility rather than rely on the opinion of his minions who are all trying to save their jobs.