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My Perspective on the 2017 Season

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Galant, Aug 4, 2017.

  1. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    So it's beginning to look like Tannehill is going to be out for most of the 2017 season or at least the first half of it. That sucks. At least, I think it does. I like Tannehill. The worst part is, it's happened even before the season has started and now there's a dark cloud hovering over it. The question now arises, could we be in for a horrible season?

    Here's the thing though. As crap as it is to lose Tannehill (and I hope he gets this sorted and can come back strong), I'm refusing to get down about this season. I've no idea how things are going to turn out, it could be awful. But as I've thought about this, my perspective is, this is the NFL. People get hurt, get injured. It happens. It's crap. I wish no-one ever had to get injured. It would be so much more competitive, so much better. But that's not reality.

    And you know what else isn't reality? The Dolphins being able to quit on the season. That's not Adam Gase's reality. He can't just say, "Screw it. On to 2018." He's got a season to focus on. Games to win. He's still a Dolphin. The Head Coach of all the other Dolphins. He can't quit and I'll bet he doesn't want to quit - he wouldn't even tolerate that sort of thinking. Not from himself, his coaches, or any player on the squad.

    'Next man up' is a bit of a cliche but it's also a football reality. We're talking about the sport with rosters sizes beyond all other major sports (all sports?). We're talking about a hard hitting, brutal game that ALWAYS takes it toll. The guys who play this game professionally know that aside from the huge paychecks, they still have to get up in the morning and prepare themselves to face certain pain. They're going to get hit. They risk getting hurt. But they still do it. They might even love it. They prepare themselves to stare right into that reality and take it head on. That's football.

    So Tannehill has gone down. It must be so frustrating for him. All the training, hours in study, weights lifted, rehab done, building rapport, building the team, getting ready, and now looking at having to do it all again. But he's not the only one putting in the hours.

    Cam Wake, Suh - we know they're both hungry. They've given their youngest years to this game and they want to win. Reshad Jones, fresh off his own injury is preparing for his return to the field and laying some guys out. Maxwell, Alonso, ready with their fresh chance and seeking to prove who they are Miami. We know that Parker had to change a lot from his immature ways if he wanted to succeed and by all accounts he has and he's primed and ready to roll. I don't even need to mention Landry's fire. Then there's the rookies, Charles Harris has been putting in the time, evidently, to learn all he can and get good, fast and prove himself for his first time on the NFL gridiron. McMillan, Taylor, Tankersley, all those young guns raring to get their careers started. All of them have been preparing for this 2017 season. All of them having been lifting weights. Running laps. Studying plays. Working together, coming together, to get ready to play, play hard, and try to win.

    Do we think for one second any of them have considered quitting on the season? Do we think there's any chance they aren't going to 'next man up' and give it all they've got?

    All of them are preparing for 2017, right now. All of them, together, are the Dolphins, and the Dolphins will take to the field in September with an aim to win, albeit without their lead QB.

    So that's why I can't quit on 2017. I can't even let myself get down about it. Because what's coming is a full season of Dolphins football. Maybe not quite the way I, or the Dolphins, expected. But then that's the reality of the NFL. That's the Dolphins reality. And that's my reality. Anything else is just fantasy.

    So I'm still going to look forward to 2017. I'm still going to tune in and watch the games on Sundays. The Dolphins are going to be there and so will I.
     
  2. Not So Fast

    Not So Fast Well-Known Member

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    Great post. I am bummed about Tannehill, but the Dolphins still have have a long way to go to becoming a Super Bowl caliber team with or without him. Hopefully, they can use this season to improve other aspects of the team, and then cross their fingers for a fully healthy Tannehill next year to make a good run.
     
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  3. tirty8

    tirty8 Well-Known Member

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    I'm really upset too. I think what is getting lost is the fact that Matt Moore is pretty good. Most of the names that I hear linked to us are worse than Moore, honestly. Right now, I think that the only significant upgrade that is realistically available is Tony Romo. If we can get him, I say do it.

    I've never been a Jay Cutler fan, but in a pinch, I think he makes a lot of sense. It seems like he wants to come with a lot of strings attached - guaranteed starter for the year and starter's salary. He may be a little better than Matt Moore, but if this were the case, I would pass.
     
  4. canesz06

    canesz06 Well-Known Member

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    Matt Moore is pretty good but I just don't see this turning out to be a good year. I hope I'm wrong
     
  5. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I feel so confident that you're wrong- I've always liked Matt Moore over Tannehill for one simple reason...Moore is the absolute master of the huddle. He doesn't have 1/2 of Tannehill's ability on the field, yet he reads defenses well and never hesitates to take risks. In fact he's one of the most aggressive players in the entire league because he's not afraid to make mistakes when he sees a chance to put 7 points on the board. The guy believes in himself like few players ever can. Players LOVE him for that quality and they believe that they can always win with him in the huddle, simply because he never panics or let's the situation get the most of him.

    Back in Carolina, I saw a Matt Moore who played brilliantly for about a season and a half, then he took a massive hit that should have ended his career. He got up, wobbled to the sidelines and was back in about 3 plays later....still not even walking straight. He was obviously suffering from a concussion and he threw a pick six about five plays later....then he tossed two more TD's and won the game. The guy could barely stand and he was still an amazing leader who figured it out.

    The next week though, he got lit up something fierce two more times, both head to head collisions that brought him to the ground. They kept him in though behind that crappy line and he just kept getting lit up week after week- something that would never happen in today's NFL. His rating for that year was high 60's or low 70's...a terrible year....and it brought his career stats of a 90+ passer rating way down. He played that whole season in a haze when he probably belonged in a hospital. Then he was benched and eventually traded to Miami as a washed up has-been that makes poor decisions.

    As we now know though, concussions pass over time and the football smarts come back. That's the Matt Moore we saw the year Pennington and Henne went down- a confident leader that players love to rally around. He took an 0-9 team on a six game winning streak over the last seven games and darn near beat NE on their home turf. That's the Matt Moore I know and love...and he's one of the best I've ever had the pleasure of watching.

    Now in his 30's, Moore has lost a step in the pocket and his arm is not as strong, but his mind is still s sharp as ever. He sees things like Manning pre-snap and never hesitates to go for the big play, and his teammates are willing to die for the guy once they get to know him. Moore is fiercely loyal and he will fight for everyone in that huddle; I've actually seen him get nose to nose with a Refrigerator Perry looking defensive lineman one time when the big guy stepped on his lineman after a play. That's the Matt Moore I know and love.

    So I'll say it once again- I've always loved Tannehill and his amazing physical gifts. It kills me that he's hurt and possibly out for the season, because I really wanted him to have 2017 as an "awakening party" to show the whole league what he's really made of. It was his year and it sucks that injury stole that away. But my friends, Matt Moore is likely the better quarterback for so many intangibles that just don't fit on paper- you'd just have to watch the guy across his career to understand what I mean.

    And I said all of that to say this- I am more excited than ever for the 2017 Miami Dolphins. I think back to the '72 year where we started a talented backup and swept the league before turning back to our Golden Boy in the super bowl, and I can't help but wonder if history is repeating itself right before our eyes. When healthy, Matt Moore is one of the best STARTING QB's in the league and I think you'll get to witness that first hand in 2017.
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2017
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  6. JIGGAJOE

    JIGGAJOE Active Member

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    I think Moore has the right attitude to lead this young offensive team. He is aggressive and not afraid to let it rip, which if im not mistaken is exactly what Gase had been preaching to Tanny this off-season.
     
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  7. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    I love Moore, as a back-up and as someone who can go in and win a few games in a pinch. However, if we start and finish this season with Moore the Dolphins will win no more than 5-6 games. I'd love to see him go in there Kurt Warner or Tom Brady style and win a Super Bowl, but he's got half the ability of Warner, less ability than Brady with none of the cheating so I don't see that happening.
     
  8. Deus ex dolphin

    Deus ex dolphin Well-Known Member

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    A Cutler guided by Gase, with Moore as the backup? Looks like the best QB situation we could have for the season now that Tanny seems to be out for the year.
     
  9. Finster

    Finster Finsterious Finologist

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    Cutler is like the longest running bust QB ever.

    Matt Moore > Cutler
     
  10. Redwine4all

    Redwine4all Well-Known Member

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    2015 CHI
    G Com Att % Yds Avg TD Long Int Fum Rating
    15 311 483 64.4 3,659 7.58 21 87 11 6 92.3

    This is his one year with Gase. This would be plenty good enough.
     
  11. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    And that was Moore's one year with Gase.
     
  12. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I like Moore because he does everything off of feel and reading the defense in the moment. That does lead to more turnovers and he will get crushed at times when he should have thrown the ball away, but for some strange reason that's also why I love watching him. Tannehill will rarely put up 21+ in a quarter, but Moore looks for that big play every single snap. He reminds me so much of Favre with that gunslinger mentality and I love that games are never truly over with him on the field.

    My big fear has always been that he can't make it 16 games- he's taken A LOT of concussions and that's a ticking time bomb. But you'll never, ever hear me complain about him taking the field...he may be my favorite Dolphin ever.

    So I sort of disagree with you- I think we can win all 16 with Moore if he can keep a semi-clean pocket and avoid getting hit in the head. At the same time I'm also terrified though that the next big hit is coming and Moore is going to step right into it while trying to throw the bomb.
     
  13. Dol-Fan Dupree

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

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    Moore never played 1 full season in the NFL. Not 1 full season.

    Cutler > Moore
    RG3 > Moore
    CKap > Moore
    Tony Romo > Moore
     
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  14. Finster

    Finster Finsterious Finologist

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    It's ability on the field, not time served that counts, just saying.
     
  15. Dol-Fan Dupree

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

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    Agreed. Moore isn't able to put his ability on the field because he hasn't been good enough to get there without there being an injury.
     
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  16. Finster

    Finster Finsterious Finologist

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    Could just be circumstances.
     
  17. Rock Sexton

    Rock Sexton Anti-Homer

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    I'm the same as you on this one. From a talent perspective I have no issues riding with him for a full season. However, the problem when you look deeper is that hit he took up in Pittsburgh - it worries me a bit. Technically that was two concussions last season.

    All of the other QB options don't really make a whole helluva lot of sense from a +/- games won perspective. How many more wins are they actually good for? Do people really think we can ride a one-read QB without a top flight defense? Why would you spend $13 million or more just to be average? Two of those QB's are also divisive - one from a political standpoint (Kap) and the other because a lot of his former teammates don't like his persona (Cutler).

    Yet, we do need a step up from Doughty/Fales. They CANNOT hand a starting spot to Cutler though. I think it would reflect poorly on the coaching staff given how much cache MM8 has built with his teammates.
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2017
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  18. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    Moore entered the league in 2007 as a backup and came off the bench to finish the season. He got hurt and sat all of 2008.

    In 2009, same thing- he took over mid-season and put up a 98.5 rating over 7 games. Looked like a dominant franchise QB.

    In 2010, that's when he took the massive head shot I talked about earlier. Played 6 games with a concussion and kept getting hit. Put up a 55.6 rating and was benched....which probably saved the poor guy's life. He was getting slaughtered because he couldn't react fast enough.

    In 2011, he started 13 games in Miami when Henne went down. 87.1 rating. He's been benched ever since behind Tannehill, with a 118.8 rating in 2015 and a 105.6 in 2016.

    Moore has an 82.0 career rating, which jumps to 89.5 if you don't count the six games with a concussion. As Tannehill's backup, Moore has posted a 96.65 rating over the last 5 seasons (one season he only threw for one series, so I left that out). That places him as the #1 backup in the league over that span and ranking at #8 league-wide against all QB's.

    Besides that one terrible year where he never should have been on the field to begin with, Moore has been a low 90's QB who has consistently improved each year. You can't say that about the others you're comparing him to- they all got worse with time as defenses figured them out. And while I like Cutler, he was a one-hit wonder under Gase and has never consistently performed at Moore's level.
     
  19. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    Cutler is closer to Favre than Moore. Moore doesn't have half the talent as Favre. Cutler is a very talented QB.
     
  20. Dolphin North

    Dolphin North Well-Known Member

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    Cutler under Gase looks a lot like Tannehill's season last year. I'm happier with Moore, but IDK if he can last a whole season.
     

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