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What Are We Rooting For These Last 3 Games?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by KeyFin, Dec 12, 2019.

How do we want the last 3 games to unfold?

  1. Let's try to win out...

    9 vote(s)
    31.0%
  2. Hoping we lose all 3....

    16 vote(s)
    55.2%
  3. Lose 2, then stomp the Pats!

    4 vote(s)
    13.8%
  1. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    As most of you know, I was heavily against the tank job by the front office and I'm still not happy about it...but after 13 games the reality is that another win means nothing for this team. Yet with a Buffalo loss last week, NE will probably rest starters in week 17 and that means we have a legit shot at winning all three of our remaining contests.

    But would that be good or bad?

    This isn't about your "fan card"- we all want our team to win every Sunday. But in these last three games, what are you secretly rooting for- wins or losses?

    The #2 pick is not impossibly out of reach and if Cinci messes up and wins another game by accident on top of our heads up match, we could actually slide into that #1 pick. I want to see Chase Young as a Dolphin more than I want to see a 5-11 or 6-10 season in the history books, so I'm personally hoping for three hard-fought games that end in losses.

    The realist in me believes that we're going to win 2 of the last 3 though.
     
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2019
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  2. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

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    I started rooting for them to win mid season.. Now I'd prefer for them to lose to get a better draft pick. Flores has proven to me that he is competent as a coach. We saw what we needed to see out of Devante. Our secondary has been an area of pride despite the injuries and scab level roster. Our OL, while terrible, isn't as bad as I'd thought it could be.

    At this point, I want better draft picks. I can't say I was upset last week when the Jets hit that field goal.
     
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  3. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    I chose lose all three.

    I've seen enough of this team to know what to expect in the future as well as to know which guys have a future spot here and which dont with a few exceptions of course.

    I'd rather lose all three and have a better pick.
     
  4. Makados10

    Makados10 Active Member

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    Honestly, I dont care if we pick 4th or 8th, Grier needs to draft a pro bowl stud at that spot. No excuses.
     
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  5. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    Slightly left of center
    Can't/Won't root for a loss. EVER.

    I will admit to not being as disappointed as I usually am if we lose. But if we can figure out a way to make Marcia cry the last game I will be content with that victory.
     
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  6. Surfs Up 99

    Surfs Up 99 Team Flores & Team Tua

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    I want us to try and win out. IMO, team culture is more important than a higher draft pick.
     
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  7. Triggercut

    Triggercut Well-Known Member

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    You were against the tank before you were for the tank.
     
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  8. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    Well I dont want them to TRY and lose but if they play well and it results in a loss I'm fine with that.

    Like the Jets game. I didnt mind losing that, the team fought and played hard. It's not that bad for culture to be able to say "Look how close we were to winning x number of games. We need to learn to finish this year, our second year together and with our new pieces"

    Maybe not those exact words.
     
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  9. texanphinatic

    texanphinatic Senior Member

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    It's hard to see us lose to the two worst teams in football, so maybe 1-2.

    Personally, I wont be sad with 3 losses unless they are truly pitiful and regressive in their nature.

    As I am still good to draft Tua, his injury and Burrows ascension means we could potentially win another game or two and still be in good draft position. If not, plenty of interesting names to build on.
     
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  10. tirty8

    tirty8 Well-Known Member

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    I'm not gonna lie. Watching this team has been a lot more fun than I had expected. I think that they have really come together and improved. In previous years, it felt like a roller coaster of ups and downs. Contrarily, this team has steadily improved. Every Sunday, I cheer for this team to win.

    That being said, I had a real epiphany on my run last night. I think that the difference between the 3rd and 4th pick is enormous.

    I am at peace with drafting Tua despite his medical concerns. If we chose to shake the dice, I would support it.

    Picking at #3, you are telling me that we would get Burrow, Tua, or Young. Sign me up. No need to get cute and start trading our stockpile of draft picks. Just wait and see. I am completely fine with getting whoever the #1 and #2 teams don't want.

    At #4, things become tricky. No one player stands above the rest. There is a lot of debate and fodder that would occur. When things start to get cloudy, the odds of making a bad pick certainly goes up. The top three picks offer clarity.

    I imagine a lot of you guys are thinking that Tua is probably going to slip. Probably. But we are our own worst enemies here. It is the worst kept secret in the NFL that we are looking for a QB. Everyone on this board knows that we have been linked to Tua since before the season started. And if everyone on this board knows this, I would venture a guess other GMs know this.

    Tua is going to be an enigma. My guess is that at least one team will offer some sort of positive medical prognosis. If it is the right team, and they need a QB, I could either see us getting jumped or us getting cute and giving up more than some of you guys think to move up one spot.

    Truly this is a dilemma.
     
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  11. cbrad

    cbrad .

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    I'm hoping we lose all 3 because we need to have the best chance to get the QB we want in the draft.

    However.. there is a downside to losing against the Giants and Bengals: it should raise questions about whether Flores is good enough as a HC. Based on our play so far we really have no business losing to both of them. So it's mixed, but I'm still hoping for better draft position.
     
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  12. Hoops

    Hoops Well-Known Member

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    Considering we could end up at 7 after Sunday and outside the top 10 after cinci...

    losses
     
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  13. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    To win obviously! Why would you ever want your team to lose? Losing breeds losing; losing breeds apathy; apathy perpetuates losing. Draft position be damned. Play the BEST you can...be the BEST that you can. Winning breeds winning and winning breeds a culture of excitement for players to be part of a TEAM they can be proud of.
     
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  14. Tin Indian

    Tin Indian Rockin' The Bottom End Club Member

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    I will never root for them to lose but now that 0-16 is off the table I wouldn't be upset if they lost out.
     
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  15. bbqpitlover

    bbqpitlover Well-Known Member

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    Can you put just beat the Patriots on the Poll, if so I'm in.
     
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  16. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    I guarantee you once this season is over and we go into next year, not a single player or fan is going to care about what happened these last three games. Especially considering I expect about 75% roster turnover and most of these players wont be starting if they are here at all.

    These three games are going to mean absolutely nothing in the long term.

    Like I said I want them to TRY and win, be I'll be cool with 3 consecutive 1 point losses if it happens.
     
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  17. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    And I'm still heavily against the tank- it puts everything on Grier and I absolutely hate that in a team sport where 50+ people have their careers on the line. I still hate this path to the core....but what's done is done. From this point forward losses are more valuable than wins, so I won't be mad if we lose.

    Of course, I won't be mad if we win either....it's just a very strange year.

    The thing is, every player on our roster is treating each week like the Super Bowl because they know that this is a 16 week audition. Our record might not matter in eight weeks, but individual efforts will mean everything and this team will certainly try to end the season 3-0. We should be favored the next two games since we will be the better team on the field (in theory anyway).
     
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  18. Striking

    Striking Junior Member

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    The last time I rooted for the Dolphins to lose was when they played the Jests in the last game of the season where winning meant Wannstadt survived. That was a big downer of a day for me.

    I don't actively root for the Phins to lose, it simply would be better if they did
     
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  19. Deus ex dolphin

    Deus ex dolphin Well-Known Member

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    With the idea of getting to the #1 pick, a combination win/lose might be the best thing for Miami. Beat the Giants, then losses to the Bengals and Pats. This requires the Bengals to win another game (along with beating the Phins), the Browns at Bengals being the most probable. The Giants have to lose out.

    The Giants would have the #1 pick, while Miami would be down around #6 or #7. Now, the cost of trading up could be too much, but if you believe Burrow is a franchise QB the cost is worth it. If you want Tua, then you probably only need to move up to #4. Or sit tight and let him drop to you. That takes nerves of steel and hoping that another team isn't willing to give up extra picks to get Tua.

    Odds are Miami can wait and grab Tua without giving up extra picks. Tua won't be able to work out for the draft and you have to trust the doctors -assuming they project he will recover fully. Any doctor claiming he WON'T recover will be a HUGE red flag for most teams. A team could even leak a negative evaluation to try and drop Tua down to their pick. I honestly expect that to happen. Miami might even be the team to do that so they can grab him with their Steeler or Texan pick.

    This 2020 draft is going to be INSANE for Miami. So many options, so much drama.
     
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  20. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    Like I said I want them to try to win. I think most players on the team understand changes are coming next year.

    I know winning builds confidence, but I also feel like knowing you're so close but not there yet is exciting, challenging and fun too. It can make you want to work even harder to hit that mark. Especially when they know (and the players arent dumb so I do believe they know) that changes are coming.
     
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  21. texanphinatic

    texanphinatic Senior Member

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    I wouldn't be quite as sure tbh. There are probably quite a few of us smarting over the loss of Andrew Luck due to winning some flukey games.

    The situation would need to be pretty specific though. For example, if we draft at say #8, watch Tua get picked at like #4 and be a star while we take *insert second tier QB here/Herbert/Hurts/Love/Fromm/etc* who sucks, people will look back at the wasted wins and wonder about the what-if's.

    There is probably, however, at least as good a chance of something positive happening, if not better. Maybe we lose all 3 and it's academic. Maybe we win some and still get Tua at #8 or whatever. Maybe we lose out on Tua but he sucks. Maybe we take Herbert but he's the next Rogers. Maybe we take a non-QB and get Lawrence or Fields next year ... playing the what if game this early is silly but fun. :)
     
  22. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    Okay I do concede that if we lose a player due to winning we will remember.

    I meant more so if we lose noone will remember, in terms of players. I get the players will remember, but it won't matter to them anymore. If guys stop working hard next year because we lost 3 games this year...I'm pretty sure those are the guys we dont want on the team.
     
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  23. Not So Fast

    Not So Fast Well-Known Member

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    4-12 should keep the Phins in the top 5. So I vote lose 2 and stomp the Pats!
     
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  24. Deus ex dolphin

    Deus ex dolphin Well-Known Member

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    Based on the schedules of the teams around us in the draft, Miami would most probably have the #6 pick at 4-12. Detroit and Arizona have tough schedules and I doubt either team wins another game.

    Dropping the Pats into the Wild Card Playoff round would totally be worth it though.
     
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  25. Vertical Limit

    Vertical Limit Senior Member

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    I dont even want to know what kinds of tanking efforts will be made these next two games by all teams on the field (giants, phins and bengals)... most likely not tuning in to watch it.

    if i had to bet, id say giants can definitely win.. eli and saquon should be enough to beat the dolphins..

    and the bengals game will be a close game..
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 13, 2019
  26. Irishman

    Irishman Well-Known Member

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    That's the kind of focus we need.

    It's not where we draft, its whom we draft at each pick. It would be nice to see a list set up and maintained with all Grier's selections starting in 2020 to see how they fare (what level of success they achieve, if any over their rookie career (from the season they are drafted thru the season they get traded, dropped, extended or resigned). This would provide a reasonable basis that could be used to measure Grier's success in drafting people.
     
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  27. Surfs Up 99

    Surfs Up 99 Team Flores & Team Tua

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    I was just thinking the same thing. We need to learn how to make chicken salad out of... Other teams do. Look at the Ravens. I am always hoping for that lucky pick, but that is the wrong approach. We need to be smarter all around with our evaluations and as you said to be smart with who we pick and sign in FA. I think Flores and his staff can develop guys. Grier and company need to give him something to work with.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 14, 2019
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  28. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    And there is also the REAL risk of having a repeat of the Baltimore Colts...or the San Diego Chargers. Wait, what? What do you mean?

    The culture of losing had become such a common thing that when the Baltimore Colts drafted John Elway, he threatened to play baseball instead if the Colts did not trade him...

    The San Diego Chargers were such a losing stock that when they drafted Eli Manning, he threatened not to play for the Chargers.

    Had the Colts and Chargers had better reputations, Elway would have been a Colt and Manning a Charger. I don't want the Dolphins to be the Colts nor the Chargers and have a coveted player threaten not to play for us because we were focused more on losing that winning.
     
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  29. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    So for the record your opinion is if we lose the last three games our pick will demand a trade or be more likely to do so?

    I get what you are saying about sustained failure, but I dont believe our season puts us in that category.

    Also i hope I'm not coming off as combative at all, i know i have been with you in the past, I'm honestly just curious.
     
  30. Vertical Limit

    Vertical Limit Senior Member

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    Eli Manning will do enough this Sunday, he is about to retire and hes going to get a few wins on his way out.
     
  31. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    Don’t go putting words in my mouth guy. I didn’t say that. I just provided a historical account of two quarterbacks that were highly coveted and drafted by CRAP teams. I don’t want the Dolphins to give that appearance, that we’re intentionally failing just for the hope of a certain player in the draft. Hell, if that was the case, I wouldn’t want to play for us either. Get me on a team that wants and tries to win, not a pathetically desperate team.

    By many accounts from the “elite sports media”, that’s exactly what Miami has been this year...pathetic, desperate and willing to tank for draft position.
     
  32. Surfs Up 99

    Surfs Up 99 Team Flores & Team Tua

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    I am not advocating breaking the bank like we did with Suh, but if the arrow is pointing up for the Dolphins and players like playing for Flores then it might help us attract players we might not get otherwise without having to pay a premium for being such a lousy ( <— how’s that Galant? ;-) ) team and organization.
     
  33. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    I'm not putting words in your mouth. There was a ? at the end which means it was how I perceived your words but was waiting for clarification.

    Since the last three games cant give that appearance if that isnt your stance I honestly dont het what your point is relative to this season.

    In other words if you dont believe these last three games are capable of giving that losing impression, why do they matter?
     
  34. Sceeto

    Sceeto Well-Known Member

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    Try to win them all and lay a serious butt whooping.
     
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  35. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    The thing with text is you don't hear tone of voice. My statement when I typed it didn't have a combative tone to it. Guess I should have tossed an lol with it, but I didn't say if we lose our last three game, whomever our draft pick is, they'll demand a trade. You made it sound that my position is a+b=c...absolute. That's not necessarily the case. And will these last 3 games really change the opinion of the Miami Dolphins?

    Are the Dolphins a team struggling this season under new management, rebuilding and trying to win...going to have to endure a few seasons of pain before reaching glory?

    Or

    Are the Dolphins a pathetic excuse for a team that intentionally gutted its roster to lose as many games as possible in order to secure the top draft pick?

    If the Dolphins are the latter and you were the top college draft prospect, would you want to play for a team that was pathetically weak minded? If it were me, I wouldn't want to however if you're the former and had the opportunity to be a part of something special for years and years to come, you might want to be part of that.
     
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  36. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    Yeah it really is hard to read tone, apologies if I took that wrong.

    I dont necessarily agree that by losing the next 3 if we play really well it will give that impression BUT

    I do agree with the idea in general of wanting to play for the first team rather than the second.
     
  37. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    The thing is, as I was trying to illustrate in my point about Elway and Manning is that the Colts and the Chargers has become such embarrassments that no one realty wanted to play for them.

    I just don’t want Miami’s opinion to become that. Miami used to be the team that EVERYONE wanted to play and I remember one season, the Dolphins had 32 first round draft picks on our roster. Pretty impressive that many wanted to play for Shula.

    Will that many talented players want to play for Flores? Only time will tell
     
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