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1st Post - Sharing some perspective...

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by DolphinGreg, Dec 7, 2014.

  1. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Hey all! First post here.

    Since it looks like we're officially out of the running, I figured I'm share my thoughts on the state of the team as a way of introducing myself...

    I'm a big picture guy and an engineer by trade. That just means I'm pretty analytical and I'm not very emotional. ;) That's probably why I'm drawn to NFL football and not nearly as much to the college game. When it comes to football, I honestly don't mind losing because it's a step in the process of getting better and it presents the challenge of self-assessment.

    Although I'm disappointed that the Dolphins lost today, I think they lost to a more complete football team with an underrated QB. For a myriad of reasons, the Dolphins couldn't do what it would've taken to outmatch the Ravens today. That's alright with me. I'm not torn up about it. I saw a ton of progress from the team this year and I think they are well on their way.

    For the first time in 15 years, the Dolphins appear to have an optimistic view of the QB position in relation to the rest of the league. For the first time in 6 or 7 years, we saw big gains in both free agency as well as the draft process in the same year. While the coaches and front office personnel aren't viewed around the league as big names, they do seem to work well together sharing the same vision for team building.

    When the season began I felt that we were an 8.5 win team. I wanted to be optimistic, but it was clear that we were young, that we'd see growing pains with the new offense and that the tough schedule would at some point hurt us. The team came very close to outperforming my expectations and made a run at the Play-offs which was nice but at the end of the day, the Dolphins appear to be just who I thought they were--a team that's on the cusp but not quite ready for Play-off contention.

    Another thing I said at the beginning of the year was that this team should commit to the young QB and the HC. The one thing that this team needs is experience. When you think about where the Dolphins could be with this foundation and 3-4 years worth of experience, it's kind of scary. While the franchise has tried just about everything to get better over the last 15 years, they've avoided one thing. They've never tried commitment and patience.

    I hope I see this team held together and given a real chance to grow. I've seen this team take huge steps this year and for a guy who's pretty unemotional, that's more exciting than anything else could be. It's the toughest thing that anyone can be asked to do, but commitment and patience is something this team has needed for a long time.
     
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  2. CashInFist

    CashInFist Well-Known Member

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    It's been the same story ever since Dan Marino retired. Maybe next year!!!

    I'm fk'in tired of it....
     
    Fin-Omenal likes this.
  3. Stitches

    Stitches ThePhin's Biggest Killjoy Luxury Box

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    Since Marino retired? You mean that wasn't a thing when Marino was here? Because I could have swore it was.
     
  4. speed

    speed Banned

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    Welcome!

    Great post!
     
  5. TooGoodForDez

    TooGoodForDez Deion Sanders for GM

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    I'm also an engineer and I share your view 100%.
     
  6. CashInFist

    CashInFist Well-Known Member

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    We were ALWAYS contenders when Marino was behind Center...
     
  7. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I know there was something I liked about you, haha!

    Just trying to share a bit of positivity.

    I think this team has a lot to build on honestly.
     
  8. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    What evidence do you have to support your theory that the team has taken "huge steps"?

    Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
     
  9. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    And that's a great part of the history of this franchise. I didn't get to watch much of Marino but I remember exactly what you're talking about. He gave you the chance to mount a drive against anyone! 100%

    However, that was a long time ago and this franchise needs to takes strides. Part of that is accepting the next guy. We haven't done a good job of that as fans. When you have a guy like Marino, the hardest thing to do is admit that the next great QB isn't going to live up to those standards.

    It's good to see Marino having some influence on the team though. I like that.
     
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  10. Piston Honda

    Piston Honda Well-Known Member

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    Great post, welcome aboard.
     
  11. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Just talking in general. I never saw us opening up with a win against NE. I thought the San Diego blowout was awesome as well. That was totally unexpected.

    I was really surprised by how close we were to Denver and Green bay as well. I had those games pegged as blowout losses before the season started but those games showed me that this team has the heart to contend and that it believes in itself.

    Bill Lazor has also done a great job minimizing Tannehill's weaknesses. It shows me that he understands how to present the talent that he has in the best way possible. It's kept some of the games closer than we'd like but it gave us a shot at the Play-offs.

    We're not there yet. We're far from it. Today we lost to a Ravens team that I honestly think is better. Flacco's underrated. He lays an occasional egg but he's cool under pressure and throws those intermediate- and deep-routes as well as anyone in the game.

    Anyway, I was just trying to convey how I thought the team really changed directions offensively. We certainly looked different this year than last year. The flashes hinted at what we could become.
     
    Ronnie Bass likes this.
  12. CrunchTime

    CrunchTime Administrator Retired Administrator

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    Nice first post.Welcome to the site.This is a hard core group of fans so we will be here through thick and thin.
     
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  13. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Thanks! Happy to share.
     
  14. CashInFist

    CashInFist Well-Known Member

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    After the 1st quarter Ryan Tannehill looked like garbage. This is his 3rd year starting. How long are we supposed to wait before he (if he ever does) finally "Gets It"??
     
  15. RGF

    RGF THE FINSTER Club Member

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    I get all the staying positive thing, and thats fine, but this team has a habit of producing false hope when it matters most. I'm not about to call the ever-optimists wrong but I wonder just how far we've come and how much we progressed. Reason being, I really dont know, its just so hard to get a grasp on this teams make up and talent.
     
  16. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    You have a point. There are times when the offense just cannot seem to get it started.

    One of the reasons our defense gives up those inevitable drives near the end of games is that our offense has too many 3-and-outs. Part of that is probably the QB.

    But there are a lot of drives during which Ryan Tannehill looks great.

    I don't know what to tell you. If your mind is made up, that's fair. To me, he's a young and inexperienced guy still. I can't project what he'll be in 10 years, but I'd like to see what he could over the next few.
     
  17. CashInFist

    CashInFist Well-Known Member

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    So how many more non-playoff seasons are you willing to accept before you look elsewhere for a Franchise QB?
     
  18. TooGoodForDez

    TooGoodForDez Deion Sanders for GM

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    We have Oline issues to execute what Lazor favors.

    Lazor favors passing and does not make adjustments to pass pro.

    There is your recipe for inconsistency and failures on offense throughout the season.
     
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  19. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Oh man, you're talking about the Dolphins alright, haha.

    But you know, times moves in the forward direction. We're always going to be talking about next year Even the good teams do it. It's not really a Dolphins tragedy as much as some of the fans think.

    And it becomes fun to look forward when you start to see progress which is what we did when we left Sparano and Ireland behind. That was the only real tragedy, haha.

    But I'll tell you something else, you can't rebuild every 3 years. If after 15 years we've learned anything it's that the hardest thing to do is stay the course.

    It's not always pretty. There isn't always great justification for it.

    This team has never been great so long as I have watched them. I think that's what might make me different from the older fans. They saw Marino. I never got that luxury, so for me, Philbin and Tannehill are real improvements and represent real progress.

    I can see how that would be easy to miss.
     
  20. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Well, we were very close this year but I saw us as a 9-win team so the Play-offs were a bit of a reach. We were on the precipice but there were better teams quite frankly.

    I haven't looked at next years schedule but if we could manage 10-wins, I'm sure we'd be in contention with a more deserving squad.

    To me, we're close.
     
  21. Patssuck

    Patssuck Well-Known Member

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    Contender for a 9-7 record and first round lose
     
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  22. Stitches

    Stitches ThePhin's Biggest Killjoy Luxury Box

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    Oh so the "always next year" mantra only applies to making the playoffs, not actually getting to the Super Bowl.
     
  23. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Sadly, I look at the personnel and I think that's the answer. You can't justifiably ask a coach to game-plan around a couple of guys who are failing to do their job.

    When you look at how well James has played this year and both right and left tackle, you begin to appreciate what real talent looks like. With Albert, Pouncey and James, I think whatever inability to adjust Lazor has might soon well become irrelevant.

    With a couple decent guards I think we're quietly moving on from these constant discussions about the O-line.
     
  24. CashInFist

    CashInFist Well-Known Member

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    So, you're using one year, that we actually DID make the playoffs as a precursor for EVERY season Dan Marino was our QB. Pi$s OFF...
     
  25. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Haha...kinda true. :)
     
  26. CashInFist

    CashInFist Well-Known Member

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    Yes. At least we had a shot
     
  27. TooGoodForDez

    TooGoodForDez Deion Sanders for GM

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    I agree, but Lazor must call a balanced game. He failed at that, consistently this season.
    If the goal is consistency, improvement of all players, involving all players in the game, creating mismatches, and the OC is inconsistent or favors pass, it's a problem. OC is working against the advancement of goals.
     
  28. Eop05

    Eop05 Junior Member Club Member

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    Exactly. Were once again a bottom 10 offense or will finish that way. We play offense in a phone booth.

    All the same issues that were present last year are manifesting themselves in the most important games (lack of big play or even intermediate play ability, OL, run D, etc)

    This is last year all over again minus the media circus

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
     
  29. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Agreed. We got away from the ground game far too much.

    I see what your initial point was about Lazor's tendency to air it out.
     
  30. mlb1399

    mlb1399 Well-Known Member

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    Great post and welcome to the boards!

    RTH deserves some criticism and certainly needs to continue to improve.

    At the same time, I don't think most fans understand how truly important OL. In our first game against NE, we saw what can happen to a great QB when he is getting pressured, hit and sacked. You couple that with not having playmakers and dropped balls and well you have the Miami Dolphins. Every QB in the league has issues when they don't get time. Manning turns into an INT throwing machine.

    I think the reason Rodgers is having such an amazing year is because this is the best OL they've had. He literally has all day to throw. Sure he makes some great plays and can improvise but he has a really strong supporting cast.

    Of course the headlines will be that Flacco out dueled Tannehill today. The reality is Bal OL completely shut down our pass rush and blitz. At the same time, Balt embarrassed our OL and harassed RTH all game. Like most football games, the game was won in the trenches.
     
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  31. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Well said!
     
  32. HogsHDFinsfan

    HogsHDFinsfan New Member

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    Exactly.
     
  33. Patssuck

    Patssuck Well-Known Member

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    So we only went 9-7 with him one year huh?
     
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  34. CashInFist

    CashInFist Well-Known Member

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    You're a Troll
     
  35. Patssuck

    Patssuck Well-Known Member

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    No I am just someone that doesn't mythologize Marino.
     
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  36. CashInFist

    CashInFist Well-Known Member

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    I've seen your posts for years. I'm right.
     
  37. Patssuck

    Patssuck Well-Known Member

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    I'm right about Marino not winning a damn thing so...
     
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  38. Limbo

    Limbo Mad Stillz

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    Good teams and coaches do it all the time. But they have and know how to utilize big-time difference-makers to cover those holes.

    *Seattle's OLine is bad in pass pro and their WRs are 2s and 3s...but they run a great scheme to the strengths of their studs: workhorse RB, and a QB who makes plays all over the place. They still get it done on offense...enough to win a Superbowl.

    *Baltimore had garbage in the secondary and injuries upfront...but they focus on pressure schemes and letting Dumervil/Suggs work.

    *Patriots have no perimeter threats at WR...so they run one of the best offenses in the League through 2TEs, a slot man, and the run game.

    *Colts have a weak run game and their OLine is terrible in pass pro, not to mention they lost two starting OLinemen today...so they move Luck around on long-developing plays, call tons of screens, and play lots of 2TE. Today they were without their best defensive player(s) so they brought more heat upfront.

    *Arizona lost a whole bunch of star players, including their starting QB...but they have maybe the best coach in the League and currently lead one of the best divisions in the NFL.

    Just about every team has a hole or two or three. Everybody has injuries. The issue is that we don't have the studs to cover them up (perhaps a QB problem too), and we don't have the coaches who know how to adjust.
     
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  39. DolphinGreg

    DolphinGreg Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Good post.

    While the coaches may not be adjusting and optimizing talent like the best of them, I would caution you not to overlook the differences in our talent versus some of the other teams. It's a lot easier to maximize an elite talent like Gronkowski than it is to gets a guy like Wallace consistently involved.

    I would also say that Seattle's running and screen game is a key difference maker for them. They get their RBs and TEs the ball in a lot of creative ways I've rarely seen us attempt. With Lamar Miller and Charles Clay emerging as producers we should be copying that.

    Indy and NE both have better options at QB. I'm not afraid to say it. Indy is probably the only team in the NFL happier about their QB situation over the next 10 years, haha. Indy and NE won the lottery, but your point is still valid. We don't help ourselves out as much as we could. But when our 2 worst O-lineman are playing badly, they don't look like NFL caliber players. I don't think you could say that about anyone on Indy or NE. The Sparano/Ireland regime produced some of the worst starting O-linemen the league has seen during its time.

    Baltimore's defense did a good job of getting to Tannehill. For as good as he is, Wake seems to overrun the QB on 50% of his rushes. When the DTs aren't collapsing the pocket, Wake is just running himself right out of the play and there's no excuse for doing it over and over throughout a game. Suggs and Dumervil don't do that. It's part of why Wake disappears so often.

    Not only does it result is zero pressure on the QB but it allows the QB to step up with no one in front of him thus we see big QB rushes like Flacco's today as well as wide open passing lanes which make the QBs job very easy.

    People don't criticize Wake fairly. He's not perfect.
     
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  40. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    First off, welcome to the forum and grats on your first thread. You picked a fairly hostile time to chime in since the sky is falling in Miami, so be forewarned that you'll be met with some doom and gloom from having some sunny optimism about today's performance.

    Honestly, I do not believe that Tannehill has any chance of becoming a long-term answer under center because of his limitations. That's also due to the injuries at the offensive line....this is the 3rd or 4th year in a row we've finished out with 2nd stringers on the field and it is a massive drop-off in quality. Our offense has become completely one dimensional though; blitz from creative angles and Tannehill freezes...even when he can easily outrun the guy grabbing him from behind. There's just no answer to that for this season.

    I did see a whole lot of positive this season though.....Landry, Miller, Jenkins and a few other youngsters will be long-term contributors that become household names. Unfortunately though, I believe that Philbin's days are now numbered and Tannehill's time as QB1 is about to come to an end as well. It's a shame though because we did feel special this year....darn beat up offensive line.
     

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