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Miami's Path to the Super Bowl

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by KeyFin, Dec 26, 2016.

  1. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    Ten weeks ago, I posted here that the 1-4 Dolphins were about to go on a 6-game win streak, lose to Baltimore, and then finish the season winning 4 of the last 5. I was wrong- we beat Buffalo and we actually have a chance of finishing one game better than I expected.

    Now, you may think that I’m bringing this up just to brag (which I am), but the bigger point is that I’d love for you to see what I saw 10 weeks ago in a team that couldn’t block anyone. Because once you can see what I see, I think you’ll get pretty darn excited about our chances in the playoffs. And like all good playoff stories, this one starts and ends in New England.

    Folks, when we saw Ryan Tannehill go off the rails in New England in week 2, it was one of the most beautiful moments I’ve ever seen as a Dolphins fan. The defense was absolutely dominant in every sense of the word. Our receivers were putting on an absolute clinic on how to torch a zone D. Belichek looked down-right sick to his stomach on the sidelines and we were destined to win that football game.

    Because even though we lost, I saw in that very moment a shift in the AFC East- we were a contender.

    Now, I know we lost the game and then line injuries cost us two of the next three…and if we’re being honest here we definitely did not beat Cleveland either. But the potential I saw was still there as plain as day- we lost to New England and Seattle because we were a young team with growing pains- even though we were definitely the better team in both of those contests.

    Landry and Stills dropped critical passes. Our corners gave up huge plays with blown coverage. We did so much wrong, yet we still looked like the better team in those contests. That’s why I predicted that we would win 9 of the next 11 games once they announced that we were getting our starting line back.

    I’ve seen a lot of folks share their opinion of which match-ups would be more favorable in the playoffs, but I think that some of you are looking at this a little backwards. Who is looking forward to drawing Miami in the playoffs? Definitely not Pittsburg or New England. They’re seen what this squad can do when it gets hot.

    I honestly believe that we have the best WR corp. in the league- and we still haven’t seen Parker’s best. I also believe that we will be the top run team in the playoffs as well. Then there’s our hit or miss defense that is tied for 5th in takeaways and 1st in stopping 3rd down conversions. Folks, we are outright terrifying on paper and we haven’t even talked about special teams or our quarterbacks yet.

    I personally believe that we’d be better under Tannehill in the playoffs if (1) he’s healthy and (2) he’s not risking his career by coming back too soon. The ACL never fully heals on its own so I’m hoping that we’re smart about exposing Tannehill. If he does take the field though, I think we are in store to see our best offensive output of 2016. If anything, I think riding the bench and seeing how Moore processes things has only helped him.

    But then again, what Matt Moore has done so far is PHEMONOMAL! Coming off the bench after 5 years and putting up a 110 QBR across three games? That’s the stuff of fairytales folks…it just doesn’t happen. You have to go all the way back to Earl Morrall to find a backup QB who went undefeated in December in the NFL- and I think you folks remember how that story ended. Perfectville population one.

    I know that we have some glaring holes as well- we can’t stop the run. We can’t seem to cover tight ends. We are paper-thin in terms of backups. I hear you on all of that. So I want you to hear me as well- this team consistently finds amazing ways to win football games.

    Ponder this for a moment-

    - We’ve won with special teams scoring in the 4th quarter

    - We’ve won with the defense scoring in the 4th quarter

    - We’ve won with our kicker making career-long field goals

    - We’ve won by pounding the run down the stretch

    - We’ve won with Moore passing on the final drive

    - We’ve won with Tannehill passing on the final drive

    - We’ve won stopping opponents in the red zone

    Do you know how many teams have won a game this season doing each of those things? It’s just us folks- not a single other team has pulled out victories the way we have. That’s because we’re playing like the most complete team in the league right now and NOBODY wants to draw us in the playoffs. The 2016 Miami Dolphins are freaking terrifying to game-plan against!

    So know this folks- we will not be favored in a single contest the rest of the season. We will probably have the worst overall odds for making the Super Bowl. Yet there’s not a team out there that wants to try their luck against Miami right now.

    I’ll leave you with this- of the past 20+ Super Bowl winners, each team was elite in at least one category- rushing, passing, rush D, pass D. I could make a pretty solid argument that the Dolphins could be elite in three of those four categories…our stats just don’t show it because we’ve had such a weird season with injuries. The perfect storm is brewing though and I think sometime very soon, you’re going to see Parker, Stills, Landry, Ajayi and Moore/Tannehill all play a complete game.

    And once that happens folks, there’s just no going back to the lethargic offense we’ve grown accustomed to. Some of you are talking about one and done….while I’m talking about 40 point blowout here.

    Nonetheless, the 2016 Miami Dolphins know how to close out football games and that’s because it’s a squad filled with winners from the top down. We’ve wanted it more than our opponents in 9 of the past 10 games and I just don’t see anyone that’s going to convince us otherwise. These are your 2016 Miami Dolphins folks…and we are making a trip to the Super Bowl.

    So get ready to board the J-train because it’s pulling out of the station with or without you!
     
  2. Fin-O

    Fin-O Initiated Club Member

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    You should write inspirational speeches because Im ready to run through a wall after reading this.
     
  3. Brasfin

    Brasfin Well-Known Member

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    You might be on to something there. Sometimes taking a step back allows one to see a different perspective that otherwise would not have been easily seen. Though If he does come back, we should ease him in... I'd like him to practice a full week with the twos while Moore prepares to start the game, then another week with the ones before he's cleared to go. Realistically, I can see him starting the divisional round game if we get there... not before that, though.
     
    KeyFin likes this.
  4. The Mad Hatter

    The Mad Hatter New Member

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    Nice read! Well said.
     
    KeyFin likes this.
  5. muskrat21

    muskrat21 Well-Known Member

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    well, no other team has tannehill or moore, so of corse no other team is going win with them on the final drive. what a ludicrous statement to include.
     
  6. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I think you missed the point there entirely....
     
    Fin-O likes this.
  7. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

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    Great post. I don't necessarily agree. I think Miami will get dominated by a well coached team with a QB that can take advantage of our poor linebackers. The talent gap is too big for Gase and Joseph.

    Let's hope I'm wrong. At 1-4 I felt like the team was the worst in the NFL.
     
  8. Brasfin

    Brasfin Well-Known Member

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    We'll have a preview of how that's going to look like this week against New England. Our DL is going to have to play lights out for us to have a chance, IMO, though playing at home will help significantly.
     
  9. PhinFan1968

    PhinFan1968 To 2020, and BEYOND! Club Member

    The Cheatriots have looked as dominant over the previous 3 years as well...and we all know how those @Miami games ended up.
     
  10. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    Time and time again it's been shown that pressure on Brady is the way to beat the Pats. He wilts every time he gets sacked/harassed/pressured enough. Their O-line always seems to play extremely well, however. IMO, there are two keys to this game:

    1. Pressure Brady
    2. Stop the run

    The Pats defense is the best in the league, so the Dolphins must also run the ball well and get a few big plays. The Dolphins actually match up well against the Pats...as long as they show up. The front 4 needs to get to Brady often, keep Blount at 3 ypc or less. The O-line needs to give Moore time and our WR's will get open. Hopefully J-Train is on his A-game and gets over 100 yards.
     
  11. PhinFan1968

    PhinFan1968 To 2020, and BEYOND! Club Member

    4 games to go boys...4 little games, that's all.
     
  12. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    You're right. But watch ANY starting quarterback...one who had mini camp, preseason and 16 weeks worth of practice...and you'll see them make some bad tosses. Once you put what Moore did in perspective with two weeks of practice, he had a pretty solid game. And the week before against the Jets? Absolutely legendary- he did the impossible, limp arm and all.

    I think we all know what Moore is and what he isn't here, which in a way makes it all the more sweet that he's 3-0 in December. There's three QB's in that category this season- Big Ben, Brady, and Moore. It's impressive- that's all I was trying to say.
     
    Finster likes this.
  13. Deus ex dolphin

    Deus ex dolphin Well-Known Member

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    Well, five actually, if you want us to get to the Super Bowl.
     
    dolfan7171 and PhinFan1968 like this.
  14. Finster

    Finster Finsterious Finologist

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    Great post Key, I wish I could go all in with you, but I don't think they're as good as you do.

    I am however, all excited all over again about my Miami Dolphins, warts and all, because the arrow is pointing up in a big way.

    I do think we will have to injure Ben again to win in Pitt, but 10 wins is a resounding success.
     
    KeyFin likes this.
  15. Runnincm

    Runnincm Active Member

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    Come on. Tannehill top 5 in three and outs this year. Hurtling up for sacks kills drives. 67% of his passes are w/I ten yards of the los and he is well under 50% completion on passes > 10 yards. Not to hard to gameplan against that.
     
    Finster likes this.
  16. cbrad

    cbrad .

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    That's not a fair assessment of how Moore played. He played terrible in the 1st half. But beginning of second half he was great. Overall it was no better than average. No way you can say he was "really really bad" over the entire game.

    Tannehill's had a bunch of games like that too.. played crappy for a large part of it then great for some portion of it (most recent example: Rams game). Anyway, based on the 2 games with Moore I'd also argue Tannehill > Moore, but no way was Moore's overall performance against the Bills "really really bad".
     
  17. Brasfin

    Brasfin Well-Known Member

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    Tannehill was number 1 in passes over 40 yards, and top 10 in YPA before he got injured, stop making it seem like he does not throw deep. If there is one thing he has done very well this season is throw deep, if you can't see that you have a huge agenda. :confused2:
     
    PhinFan1968, Aqua4Ever04 and Fin D like this.
  18. AGuyNamedAlex

    AGuyNamedAlex Well-Known Member

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    The way you talk down to others here these days you should be banned from the site. You used to be cool man...now all I see is an extreme narcissist who is hell bent on proving he is smarter than everyone else.

    Just saying....maybe check yourself.
     
  19. keypusher

    keypusher Well-Known Member

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    This post is really, really bad, Travis.

    If that's how you're going to describe Moore's game against the Bills, there aren't enough negative adjectives in the dictionary for some of Tannehill's games earlier this year. Really really bad would be Moore throwing three picks and us getting blown out of the stadium. Bad would be Moore flopping on the drive to get us to OT. He sure wasn't great. But he wasn't bad, much less really, really bad.

    There are a whole lot of posters on this board in desperate need of perspective concerning our quarterbacks. So far we've gotten 4.5 years of average from Tannehill. Moore is a backup for a reason. Neither one of them is worth all the sturm and drang I'm seeing.
     

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