Hello to all. Long time fan, recent reader of this board. Allow me to preface this post by saying I have no secret insight or do I claim expert status. I am a long time fan and I have watched with interest the past three seasons and in that context, I will offer the following opinion. As the Super Bowl teams are now set, we as fans get to look forward to that great game, and also reflect on our own Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins played a total of five games vs the four teams playing yesterdsay, posting a record of 2-3 in those games. We beat GB and split with the Jets, lost to Pittsburgh (controversial call on the goalline) and were plagued with injuries in the shutout loss to the Bears. If that was all there was, you would think the Dolphins might be close to contending. Unfortunately, theres the home record, the losses to the Lions, Browns,and Bills, a very strange odyssey to replace our coach which ended in him getting an extension, and another offseason wondering why we can't get better QB play? Anything can happen from year to year in the NFL, so no one knows for sure what next season will hold for the Dolphins. However, I cannot imagine that many experts will pick the Dolphins to finish higher than third in their division, and I can imagine that some may pick them to finish last. Meaningless to the grand scheme, just trying to quantify what impression our three year body of work will make on so-called professionals. Those impressions aside, what do the Fins have to do to improve? The easy answer is get better QB play and find some speed on offense. Get better play calling and be better prepared on Sunday. Score more TDs instead of kicking so many FGs. Play better STs and stop having so many turnovers. I have no idea what they will do in FA (assuming the CBA gets worked out) or who they will draft. I hope its better than it has been. We arent getting many rookies, drafted or otherwise, to have an impact on this team. Our FAs and traded players, despite great talent, havent been able to get us to have a winning record. I noticed yesterday, one of the best players on the Packers defense was Sam Shields, an undrafted converted WR, playing CB. He's also from UM. I am not beating up our FO, just giving credit to the Packers for coming to our back yard and getting a player to go up to Green Bay as an UDFA. I just wish we get some players LIKE that. Other than Cam Wake, anyone else? I don't think so. I hope it gets better, but I am like most other fans, I don't know what to make of this team anymore. An owner who seems to agree we werent very good, but doesnt seem to have a coherent way forward. A HC that seems to understand his role, but can't get the Dolphins to play well, esp at home. A QB that seems to have all the talent in the world, but has an overwhelming propensity to turn the ball over. A defense that plays great, yet gives up just enough plays to get us beat. I am not trying to be negative. I just see us as having far more questions than answers. Watching the Jets coach yesterday, even in defeat, saying "next year we will WIN the SB". Forget the pompousness of the statement for a minute....his team believes it. They believe in him. His fans believe it. For two straight years, they have been one game from the SB. Its not a hard sell to make fans and others believe it. Does anyone believe the Fins will even have a winning record? Would anyone believe it anymore if Tony Sparano got up on TV and proclaimed it? That, I think, more than anything, is the most frustrating part of being a Fins fan. I cannot even rationally believe in them. But still I try. Thanks for listening.
Welcome to the site. Nice first post. Next year (if we have football) will be a very interesting year for the phins. I don't think anyone can really say what's going to happen. Will Daboll be better than Henning? Will Henne be better without Lee and Henning? Will we get a RB with some speed, some more WR's with speed? Will we get a bigtime improvement along the OL? All of these things HAVE to happen for this team. There's alot of unknown right now, I think that's what causes many to think negatively on the state of the phins. Lets not forget Davone Bess though when talking about this organization's ability to find hidden gems. Sure the pack found Sheilds, and thats fine and dandy. This isnt NCAA recruiting though, they probably didnt have to do a heck of alot to get him from "our own back yard". He was a UDFA, he would have taken any job probably. You mentioned we found Wake, which is great, but you can't forget about Bess. What he provides this team is nothing short of outstanding.
Welcome to the board and your post echos many of us fans. The thing is, in the NFL, there is always hope that teams can be turned around in short order. Certainly, our results this season (and a few other past seasons) have been disappointing. One of the main reasons things don't look very rosy right now is the looming CBA issues. Once that is resolved, then Jeff and Tony can get on to the task of plugging the holes up in this team. You speak of the pasties, and BB is the model of success in the last 10 yrs, but you also have to look at the Ravens, Falcons, Cards, even the Bears in how quickly a turnaround can be made. As the Ravens proved, it doesn't have to be wholesale changes...their core is still intact. This team is not as far away as many seem to think. There is debate as to whether or not Henne is the answer, and that will continue. There is need for speed on this team along with a TE or two. And of course, until the CBA is resolved, we don't know about quite a few key members of the team (Brown, Williams, Cobbs, Polite, Fasano, Soliai to name a few), but think about a few key players to be added that could make a big difference in this team, and then think about how a few key subtractions from the jests could change the complexion of the AFCE race rather quickly.... Like you, I don't know what will happen. I do know that all is not lost. Tom Brady's play is going to decline at some point in the near future. The jests have a job to do to get back into the cap and still keep key guys. The Jills still have some growing to do and still need a QB as well. At this point, we're all in a wait and see mode, so join the gang !!
the next year for the dolphins is very critical and most of us in the dark about how things are going to go should be exciting to say the least
I think its all about whether or not Sparano has enough wisdom and talent to get this team focused, with 1 goal....If he can succeed, with these kind of variables and disfunction, he will of shown great resolve and character, and great coaching talent...Its all up to him at this point, and you know what gives me hope for him?, he's not freakin afraid of such a daunting challenge..he may have some weaknesses, {which I think are overrated relative to the lethal combination that he inherited in Henning and Henne} but the man loves his team, shows great adaptability without ego, and is tough....He deserves a year without BS to lead us with his own vision of how his team should play..
I agree to those of you who say we found Bess and Carpenter. Lets hope we can find a backup OT, an ILB, a back up NT, an OLB, S, Speedy WR and RB, and good QB play. Hopefully some of those guys are on the roster. We can play with the top teams in the league....we just dont beat them consistently. That needs to change in 11 (if there is football).
