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PFT Power Rankings has the Dolphins at #31

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by LBsFinest, Jul 8, 2014.

  1. CaribPhin

    CaribPhin Guest

    I think the dumbest thing about downgrading us because of our O-line is the fact that it was already really bad. We're not going from a line full of pro-bowlers to no returning starters. We're going from trash to question marks. What I mean to say is, I don't see it as reasonable to think our line can get worse than it already was. There's a certain minimum level of blocking that 5 300 pound men with NFL training can give you and we were at or near that minimum most of last season.

    Think of it like this: Imagine starting Blaine Gabbert, Brandon Weeden, or Mark Sanchez. Even if you draft a rookie and start them, there's almost no way the rookie could play any worse so predicting a precipitous drop in wins isn't sensible if the core of the team returns. The team would need to be very unlucky for that to happen.

    Basically, what PFT is saying is that absolute trash on the line is better than question marks. Last season we had trash + Pouncey. I would think question marks + Albert would be good for at the very least maintaining that level of play.

    I'm okay with the 21-25 range but 31 is just PFT being PFT.
     
    GMJohnson and Fin D like this.
  2. CaribPhin

    CaribPhin Guest

    Just checked em. We're a 24. Sounds about right to me. Say what you will, but outside of the outliers that happen from time to time, they're good at what they do. That's not to say we can't make a jump, but with information from last season combined with this off-season, 24 is believable. Not enough information is available to indicate a huge downturn or uptick.
     
    Stringer Bell likes this.
  3. CaribPhin

    CaribPhin Guest

    Here's Mike Florio's problem IMO: He isn't content writing about the NFL. He fashions himself as part of the NFL landscape. You have guys like Glazer and Schefter who aren't just breaking stories, they're part of stories. Getting interviews and being the first to break them (Schefter broke bullygate and Glazer got the Incognito interview). Then you have guys like Cosell who aren't really reporters, but they're ingrained in our minds as NFL icons. Peter King is also a guy who is part of the tale of the NFL.

    Mike Florio owns a blog that NBC bought from him, but nobody considers Florio to be a part of the NFL's landscape. As a result, Florio will write a story, then include what he had for breakfast while he was talking to his source. Something like "I almost spat out my bagel with expensive cream cheese when I got news of the charges". The story he wrote about Finnegan, for example, wasn't about Finnegan. It was about his conversation with Finnegan. If you think I'm exaggerating with that bagel example, here's the beginning of the Finnegan article:

    http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...he-was-talking-about-tim-walton-not-the-rams/

    See, you don't only need to know that Finnegan contacted Pro Football Talk. You need to know that he personally called Florio while he was at home. Most reporters would usually put something like this:

    The rest of the article reads like like Florio was being unabashedly sarcastic and Finnegan let himself get riled up, which is on him as an adult. Florio feels the need to be a part of the story IMO.
     
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  4. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    Yes Florio is a douche. Yes Florio is wrong more than a weatherman. He's a symptom, not the problem though.

    The sports media today essentially mandates he insert himself into the story. Its only gonna get worse as time goes on.
     
  5. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    Not sure we deserve #31 in terms of ability.

    Embarrassment factor, yes.
     
  6. unifiedtheory

    unifiedtheory Sub Pending Luxury Box

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    I saw it, laughed, commented and moved on.

    Power rankings are rubbish. Power rankings on the first week of July are total rubbish.

    I'll never forget the year the Patriots won their first Super Bowl, they were ranked last in every power ranking of record at one point.

    We just went 8-8 with the worst offensive line in franchise history, no running game and an awful run defense. I think all of those areas will be better this season. We are an 8-8 team unless Tannehill gets hurt or is awful.
     
  7. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    We finished last year 14th, thus the 19th pick in the draft. We aren't an old team on the decline nor did we lose a slew of players who were responsible for our success last year, and we addressed the main issue that held us back. At worst we stayed around 14, an optimist would say we are in the 10-12 range aka in good shape to grab a wild card.

    Denver, NE and Cincy are the top teams in the AFC. IMO we are in the 2nd tier with Indy, SD, KC, Pitt, Baltimore, we were 3-1 vs those teams head to head btw.
     
    Fin D likes this.
  8. rdhstlr23

    rdhstlr23 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I agree. It's going to take a special player. However, that player has to be a QB. We have special players now - Wake, Gripes, Pouncey. Those guys are generally considered one the 5 best at their positions. Yet, things haven't changed.
     
  9. rdhstlr23

    rdhstlr23 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I think that's a fair view. It's the view that most Dolphins fans feel or should feel.

    For me, I've seen this song and dance way too much. Last years Panthers are the only example I've been provided where a GM came in with an old coach and succeeded.

    Every year Miami has had off-season issues, whether they were talented or not, have had a rough season.

    Unless Ryan Tannehill is a franchise QB and "makes the leap" this year, I predict Miami to have a Top 7 draft choice next year.

    I'm tired of being fooled by this team. I've seen this song and dance too many times in the last 12 years.
     
  10. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    I think people mistake last season for underachieving when we actually overachieved. When you don't have the talent to adequately run block, pass block or stop the run, you have no business being in the playoff hunt, especially after the worst scandal in team history.
     
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  11. Vertical Limit

    Vertical Limit Senior Member

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    I think the worst team in the league has got to be Oakland... who is their starting quarterback? Derek Carr? I like Carr but he's not ready right away.. Jacksonville will be depending on a rookie quarterback and two rookie receivers to succeed right away, that's another team that's going to struggle hard. The Rams, I would never trust Bradford and they're in the toughest division in the NFL. Minnesota is another team that I think is going to have a hard time finding success right away. New coach and new quarterback. And I'm not sure what Tennessee has got going on for them but they don't look that great either...

    So I just mentioned 5 times that I think will struggle more than us.

    I think from Rank 10 to 27 you can scramble the rankings a hundred times over and be right. There are a few powerhouse teams, and a few teams that you can pencil in as a division favorite, but the middle group (second to third tier) extends to 27 because of how deep this league is, the parity is strong.

    That's why I'm all for playoff expansion..
     
  12. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    Top 7? Lol prepare to be fooled again.

    Are there really 25 teams you'd trade places with right now? Or do you make predictions w/o considering that other teams have issues as well?
     
  13. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    Yeah, 24 sounds about right to me too. There really is just as much that could cause the Dolphins to be worse as there is that could cause them to be better. They added some offensive lineman. Ryan Tannehill and Joe Philbin have another year of experience. The new OC could be better than Sherman. Those are positives. But they also replaced Paul Soliai with Earl Mitchell. They'll be without Mike Pouncey for the first few games of the year, at least. The team's two best players (Wake and Grimes) are both going to be 31 when the season starts. They're also going to be running a new offense. A lot of things could go wrong (especially defensively).
     
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  14. jdang307

    jdang307 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I've learned never to be too optimistic in this league, and that's not just my experience as a Dolphins fan but watching many other teams flounder after a positive offseason (Eagles dream team anyone).

    Remember back to last year and how you felt. Similar to this right? How could we get worse, we added Gibson and Wallace. And look Charles Clay emerged. We added Clabo! Cogs, Pouncey and Clabo will anchor a decent line!

    The line could still falter this year. The only thing giving me confidence is Lazor hopefully has removed Philbin's fingerprints from the offense and we'll scheme around a bad line if they are bad.

    For me, I'll be optimistic but won't shout anyone down for not being so. I'll just root for the team when the bullets start flying like I always do.
     
  15. brandon27

    brandon27 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    31st from PFT? Well... that's it. Shut it down. The whole site. The team. The stadium. Just close up shop, lets all go home. Lets watch something else this fall, our season is already over.

    Really what I'm trying to say here... is who gives a **** what some clown at PFT thinks. Since when are they actually a good source to go by?
     
  16. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    I was sure Miami wouldn't be 4-12 last year. I don't think I felt super great. We did just lose Long and Reggie Bush for no reason.
     
  17. PhinGeneral

    PhinGeneral PC Texas A&M, Bro Club Member

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    Well, look at the positives. If we truly turn out to be that bad we'll probably have a top 3 draft pick and possibly someone like Harbaugh or Malzahn to right the ship. What's one more year of suffering? :sigh:
     
  18. MonstBlitz

    MonstBlitz Nobody's Fart Catcher

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    I love how easy they make it to see where the other 31 teams are ranked.

    /sarcasm
     
  19. GreysonWinfield

    GreysonWinfield Release The Hounds

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  20. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Would Malzahn or Harbaugh enjoy the idea of taking over a team in shambles?

    It may be that going 8-8 could be the best outcome, so long as missing the playoffs yet again does indeed convince Steve Ross that Joe Philbin was a mistake. Harbaugh or Malzahn would be convinced there are pieces in place that they can use, and that would make them more likely to agree.
     
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  21. rdhstlr23

    rdhstlr23 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Talent doesn't always win out. That's really my point.

    On paper I'd say we're a talented football team. Certainly more talented than say a #31 ranking.

    But you know what?
    We were talented in 2004, but we had the Ricky fiasco...we go 4-12.
    We were talented in 2006, but Daunte doesn't play up to par...we go 6-10.
    We were talented in 2007, bringing in the hot OC with Trent Green, Joey Porter et all added to a team of solid players...we go 1-15.

    Teams that are talented suck all the time. Teams that "aren't as talented" overachieve all the time.

    I'm making predictions based on being a Dolphins fan and never seeing us respond to a majority of negative press in the offseason. I've seen 1 QB turn out to be a franchise QB that didn't make the playoffs in his first 2 years. I've seen 1 team perform well/make the playoffs when a new GM comes in with a lame duck coach.

    I'm just going on trends that don't bode well for the franchise and from experience in seeing this.

    I hope I'm wrong as hell. Watching the team suck...sucks. It's not fun. It's not enjoyable. However, it's exponentially worse when you have high expectations to only see the issues you thought were there come to light and hold the team back from meeting those expectations.

    I don't agree with #31, but I don't agree with most fans assuming we're going to be better than 8-8.
     
  22. jdang307

    jdang307 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Take KC two years ago. 2-14 with 6 pro bowlers. Classic underachievers. Reid comes in, adds a few pieces, and then, in my opinion, they overachieved. They collapsed at the end of the Indy game but man when you look at that offense you have Jamaal Charles and then ... well you have Jamaal Charles.
     
  23. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    I agree with the not enough info to indicate a huge downturn or uptick, and if you believe that then how do you come up with 24th as reasonable? That's a huge downturn from where we finished last season when we finished as a top 15 team.

    Putting Miami 24th implies they either over achieved last year or have been passed up by 10 teams since the end of last season. There's no other rationale for ranking a team that was in the driver's seat for a playoff berth till the very last week in the bottom third of the league a few months later.
     
    Unlucky 13 likes this.
  24. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    Thats understandable, but its also ancient history.

    Like you said, anything can happen but IMO there's no tangible argument for Miami being ranked in the bottom third. I can see why people have their doubts about this specific team, but relative to the other 31 teams, we are no worse than 15th or 16th. And that's what we're doing, ranking ourselves relative to everyone else, no?
     
  25. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    Good example. They collapsed down the stretch, or when the cupcake portion of their schedule was over, take your pick. They lost a Pro Bowl corner and LT, two more linemen and didnt add any impact players to replace them. I dunno what that adds up to come September but you could make a more credible case that they, and several other teams will take a plunge, than you could about the Fins.

    For now I'll chalk it up to preseason jitters, maybe if we had ignored our biggest flaw and added a bunch of receivers instead people would have more confidence.
     
  26. LBsFinest

    LBsFinest Banned

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    does 8-8 lead to Ross making sweeping changes? when we win 7-8 games, Ross always thinks that the team is on the cusp or close and that's why he doesn't clean house.
     
  27. PhinFan1968

    PhinFan1968 To 2020, and BEYOND! Club Member

    It's probably because of all the question marks surrounding the OL...and the fact they're instituting a tricky, new offense that could cause its own share of problems...not bothering to consider how obvious we were last year with all that GO GO GO BS. That wrinkle won't survive into this season.

    Add to that, no major, eye-popping upgrades at LB.

    While that's all true...it doesn't tell the whole story, and I'm more inclined to see the positives than to dwell on the negatives, so I say F*** PFT, and the horse they rode in on. Couldn't care less where they rank anybody
     
  28. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

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    Damned if you do. Damned if you don't. At this point, I'm just excited for football. Whatever happens, happens. No matter what, I just want Tannehill to step up and play well. If that happens, we'll be an attractive destination for any coach, should it come to that.
     
  29. PhinFan1968

    PhinFan1968 To 2020, and BEYOND! Club Member

    Judging by fan forums, not many people IN this fanbase believe in Miami.
     
  30. MAFishFan

    MAFishFan Team Tannehill

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    I don't agree with 31 at all, but until this team completely proves otherwise, it won't matter.
     
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  31. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    And it's like I also said. Those that are close enough to the team to actually have more accurate views can't be trusted.
     
  32. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    With one of the worst owners in the NFL, along with one of the worst head coaches in the NFL. It is very difficult to have much belief in this organization at this point. New ownership is what is needed ASAP, because that should also take care of the Philbin issue.

    I think Ross is a very smart man who has earned a lot of money. Unfortunately I just don't think he has a clue when it comes to building a successful NFL organization. I don't ever see any top tier HC or GM having any interest in working with him. As long as he remains the owner, only those who have no other job offers as a HC or GM will be willing to take these jobs with the Dolphins. That will keep the Dolphins no better than mediocre for as long as Ross remains this teams owner.
     
  33. rdhstlr23

    rdhstlr23 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    ESPN's NFL Future Rankings (2014-2016) aren't any better - ranked 31st.

    For me all of those points closely mirror my feelings and vision of this team. You need Insider to see it.
     
  34. VManis

    VManis Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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  35. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    Who's #32? Cleveland, Oakland, Jax, Minnesota? I can't even imagine how they came up with 31, other than shock value.
     
  36. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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  37. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    Read it this morning. It as much a pile of BS as the PFT article. ESPN has hated the Fins for years. As was said, any time the Fins win, its the other team losing thats the story.

    Every single season, Mike & Mike (who I generally like) will predict that the team, for no good reason (other than Greeny is a Jets fan) will end up winning half as many games as they actually do.
     
  38. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    The Dolphins have not had a single winning season for the past five years. Exactly why do you feel that ESPN hates the Dolphins and therefore they always pick against them? The fact is that if someone had picked against the Dolphins every game the past five years, they would have been right far more times than they would have been wrong.

    Personally I don't think ESPN or and other national media outlets care one way or another in regards to the Dolphins. The Dolphins have been basically irrelevant for the past decade and therefore they aren't going to get a lot of positive comments from the national media.

    All you have to do is go back a few years and see that the Seahawks didn't get any positive reviews from the national media either. It wasn't until they started winning games that anyone outside of Seattle even cared what the team was doing.

    The Dolphins will get plenty of love and respect once they earn it with their play on the field. It's not the national media's or ESPN's fault that the Dolphins have been nothing but mediocre for so long. So don't get mad at the media for ignoring or disrespecting the Dolphins. That is all the fault of the owner, GM, coaches, and players who have all been a part of this mediocre decade for this organization. Until they get their act together, the Dolphins will continue to be seen as a non-factor in the NFL. If they want respect around the league and in the media, all they have to do is win and make the playoffs. It's as simple as that.
     
  39. rdhstlr23

    rdhstlr23 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I actually thought the article was very fair. I don't see us being #31, but the prospect of this team having a new coach and a new GM is likely. Not to mention, there's a small chance we could be looking for another QB by that time also.

    I don't necessarily always agree with Louis Riddick's evaluations, but I respect his opinion as a former player & scout. I'm glad they included him on this.
     
  40. jdang307

    jdang307 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    When they won the first 3 games out of the gate the national media were starting to give them love. And then 4 losses. Then bullygate. Then a choke sandwich at the end.

    What love do they deserve? Lol
     

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