I'm feeling the weight of most of the posts on our forum, like walking in waist-deep snow remember: 1) we beat the Jets twice, it was a sweep. with any luck @ all, it could have been us playing the Colts instead of the JESTS for a shot @ the SuperBowl. 2) we are just now completing Year Two of the RebuildingProject & are already a force to be reckoned with on any given Sunday. 3) we have already established the Trenches, assembled a solid ReceivingCorp, have put together one of the strongest RunningGames in the NFL, have set into play a young & promising DefensiveBackfield, sport an excellent SpecialTeamsUnit & found our Franchise QB 4) very few holes to fill: (Stud) ILB, (Starting Calibre) NT, (PlayMaker) WR, maybe we could throw in a FreeSafety & Tight End to cover the spread not so bad! add to the list a competent Defensive Coordinator, one more solid draft, a smart free agency & a strong off season program & training camp, then we're set to make a legitimate run @ the Big Enchilada We Will Contend in 2010 thereupon, become a perennial contender for a decade.
While I think we can have a good year next year, it is going to require a very strong draft, and hoping we unlock some talent that we already have. We're close, but as this year showed us we do still have a ways to go.
sometimes better to be lucky than good we could have been where the Jests are today easily, had last years luck held thru 2009 the team is much closer to serious contention than most realize, could very well be in year 3
I think we are going to go there next year. I am talking about the Super Bowl....it's not as far as some may believe. If we had finished games that we should have won (and I don't have to name them) we could have been like the 23rd said, in the same place as the Jets. We could win it all. I know we can. I have seen enough in each game that if we was in the playoffs right now and we was playing like I know we can, there is no one that wants to play the Dolphins in the playoffs or the Super Bowl for that matter.
Colts, Jets, and Saints. 3 of the 4 teams in the championship games and we are 2-2 against them. SHOULD be 4-0. So I agree, we are capable of being where those teams are now. We just have to get it together this offseason and we'll be set to make a run at the Super Bowl, and for many years to come.
so finally we've found our snow shoes... hold your head high Dolfandom, this is one solidly brutal, tenacious and unforgiving team we field. the Miami Dolphins are the future. foundation & character are everything. fill in the holes & coach them up & we'll make our own luck in 2010
1.Yes we beat the Jets twice but not so sure the team right now could even win a playoff game. 2.Not so sure if were a force to be reckoned with. We did lose some heart breakers and we play tough but were missing alot of key pieces before we contend. 3.Not really all there IMO. The line is highly overrated for getting the kind of pay their getting. Receiving core is atrocious IMO. Strongest running game? Eh were top 5 if everyone is healthy. ST unit is nothing but average and not so sure Henne is the guy. I want to see what he can do with a Top flight Receiver and security blanket TE. 4.very few? More like alot of holes were still years away from being a real threat. Your too optimistic need to take the homer shades off.
You are living in a past where you seem to be too young to remember. Miami isn't that far from being a real threat. A few more players step up and they are there.
I fail to see we get those players in 1 year. Plus you have to bank on this team to stay healthy something the Oline and Ronnie Brown have not shown they can do. We are competitive but not a contender and not close to it IMO.
YoungBlood: of course I'm a Homer & an old one @ that... however, there are very few holes to fill: 1) (Stud) ILB 2) (Starting Calibre) NT 3) (PlayMaker) WR 4) maybe we could throw in a FreeSafety & Tight End to cover the spread (not so bad & totally doable in the off season) add to the list 1) a competent Defensive Coordinator 2) one more solid draft & free agency 3) a strong off season program & training camp then we're set to make a legitimate run @ the Big Enchilada p.s. no reason to walk through knee-deep snow, this is South Florida & the Miami Dolphins are a good thing. think about it, then be happy we're Dolfans We will Contend in 2010
Those players are most likely already on the roster. Merling, Langford, Davis, Smith, etc. This front office believes in building a team through the draft, and developing that talent.
Kind of have to agree, with our defense I just don't see us of having had a legitimate shot this year, which got worse when Channing went down. Maybe we beat a Bengals team that had already ran off the tracks, but think our fun would stop there. The Jets winning I think does kind of show the people who said we would definitely be a one and done team that they could have been wrong, but I think we were in between one and done and contender. Kind of like the Cardinals, wouldn't of put any money on them going too far. I do think there's a lot to be optimistic about for next year and a lot of the troubles this season may prove to be blessings in disguise, like Ricky's absence from football is now with him being in better shape. Henne got his feet wet and the coaches let him sling the ball around and he got even more experience with Ronnie going down, making them more pass oriented. Allen gets hurt so Davis and Smith both get a lot of experience, Hillard came in as a fourth string RB and contributed, Solai gets more snaps, and so on. Hopefully some of these bumps this year help strengthen the team next year.
We need to learn how to finish games. We're not good enough to build a lead then go conservative. I do like the direction our team is going, with a little luck we could be in the Jets shoes. Just remember the Jets are rebuilding as well.
At least 3 of 4 starting linebackers stink.We need a nose tackle,ronnie brown has only played 1 full season (can't count on him) ,don't even get me started at fs,2 of our starting off lineman can't stay healthy, and we need a playmaking wr.Hopefully our rookie corners will step up next year but nobody knows for sure.Another problem is going to fill these holes with no cba signed.We our at least 2 years away from really having a shot unless they have a stellar draft and no pat white,pat turner, picks. On a positive note i do think henne is the answer at qb and i like thighpen (not sure if i spelled that right)as a quality back up who can step right in for us as long as he is the #2 qb and not the #3 qb.
Friend Pumpdog, is the glass half empty or half full? is it snowing in South Florida? comments on statements made: 1) stink is a strong & an inappropriate as well as inaccurate word referring to 3 of our 4 starting LB's common knowledge: we need one stud ILB 2) the Orca-5 made their bones this year & rank within the top ten (probably top five) in the NFL by all legitimate accounts 3) BrianHartline is stepping up @ PlayMaker & we'll go for another in the early draft w/potential the Receiving Corp is solid & will significantly improve with the development of Henne 4) no one bats a 1000 in the NFL draft having said that the FrontOffice has put together undeniably two excellent drafts & the jury is still out on PatWhite & Turner 5) we have our FranchiseQB & an experienced, first class backup in Thigpen what's not to like? we will contend in 2010 & be perennial contenders for a decade.
Sorry,The Jets defense is far away better than ours We were dominated in the second Jet game total net yards 104 for us versus 378 for the Jets Other than 2-3 plays in that game we were dominated You can say we won but make no mistake we were dominated for 99% of that game...go back and watch it. TEAMS THAT ARE CLOSE DO NOT GET DOMINATED Our turnover ratio went from a plus 17 best in the NFL in 2008 to negative 8 in 2009...A 25 TURNOVER SWING IS TERRIBLE This team needs everything to go right to be successful injuries,draft,free agents,turnovers,players to improve, otherwise we will be looking back in 2011 saying "one more year"or "the 3 year plan just became the four year plan"
After the 2009 playoff game against the ravens i thought we would compete in 2010 for the bowl.The offseason last year did not improve our team at all.We signed a ss to play fs,we signed an injury prone center instead going after the center from the ravens who by the way played all 16 games.Then we wasted a 2nd round pick on little skinny qb who you tell by looking at him he will never be an nfl qb in this league.Then in the 3rd they picked turner who had no business going that high.I will admit i do like hartline but he is more of a #2.The draft really only got us 3 players and free agency was a bust. We need two more drafts to compete and i think we will be in 3rd place again next year.The jets and pats are better than us at this time.
I agree with your thread for the most part....except I don't really think you understand how bad the defense really is...this isn't a good unit at all.....They gave up the 8th most point scored in NFL history. They routinely got burnt for big big plays.....What do you think the outcome would have been if the Dolphin/Colts game was the Colts/Jets, and the Jets had the ball 45 minutes like Miami did? The Jets have the best defense in the league, they make shutting down teams look to easy. Make no mistake, I effing hate the Jets, but honestly I wish Miami's defense was half as good as theirs. They punch you right in the mouth, the best players right in the mouth, they are physical, tough, and are like a pack of wolves....Miami misses tackles... If Miami made the playoffs, I think they could have given Cinny a shot, but no way they win in SD.....no way.....not with that defense...
Rio, I think the state of our franchise improved significantly with the hiring of Mike Nolan this afternoon.
I totally agree finyank. Let's hope we draft well, with an emphasis on defensive players (specifically, LB's) to give Mr. Nolan the pieces he needs to work with.
I see that 23rd had ILB listed as a need, I don't disagree, but I also think we need a OLB in a serious way as well. And if you need an upgrade at ILB and OLB when you play a 3-4, well those are 2 major holes to fill. Although I believe we can go from where we are to contenders in this offseason, we will need to hit on some solid F.A. pickups, and bulls-eye on a couple of draft picks that can come in here and make a difference right away.
I really do feel like this is the year that we will establish ourselves as a team in the upperend of the league and stay there for quite awhile
about the LB-Corp & Defense: the immediate & most pressing need is to find one stud inside line backer all they have to do is keep & coach up what they have @ OLB: Taylor, Wake, Moses, Porter & Anderson, there is no problem here they could conceivably trade Porter & not miss a beat still retaining a full set to start w/ depth @ the position we need an ILB, NT & possibly (not necessarily) a FreeSaftey I think we may very well pick up the the NT in free agency & two ILB's & a FreeSafty in the draft
who would trade for Porter and what would we possibly get in return? not sure Anderson is an everyday back and Moses and Wake seem like pass rushing specialists. i want to believe they can be coached up...but we definitely need a 'home run' LB in the draft....we need an impact player(s) like Cushing was for Houston and Matthews for Green Bay. As far as safety....I think we need to decide on Bell or Wilson for SS (probably Wilson because Bells roster bonus is just too high) and look for a FS if we do not believe Clemons is the answer. I do believe Clemons can be coached up and I like his skills a lot.
its an on-going process, no doubt however I honestly feel we're on the precipice of a run on the Big Enchilada in 2010
Friend DolfinJake: looks like chicken soup to me, just needs a pinch of salt we will contend in 2010 chicken ****? break out the snow-shoes