Herald - "Ryan Tannehill looks for ‘better showing’ against Houston Texans"

Offensive skill position players Week 1 vs Houston last year:

Tannehill
Bush
Lane
Hartline
Bess
Naanee
Fasano

And this year:

Tannehill
Miller
Clay
Keller
Wallace
Hartline
Gibson

So of course the media is obsessing over the offensive line.

You guys read the one in the PB Post- Tannehill looks for not bad, some mistakes here and there showing against the Texans ? :) See what I did there?

• If Tannehill and Mike Wallace can finally connect in a game. Tannehill barely looked Wallace’s way last week against Jacksonville, but the two found a rhythm in practice in recent days.

• How the Dolphins’ run defense holds up against Houston’s ground attack. The group — thought to be a strength of the team — has been gashed for 296 yards in two games this preseason. Neither Randy Starks (knee) nor Dion Jordan (shoulder) will play.

Read
more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/17/3567722/dolphins-quarterback-ryan-tannehill.html#storylink=cpy

These things are concerning.

Talent is SO much better this year for us... but will we play cohesively?

Let's see.

• If Tannehill and Mike Wallace can finally connect in a game. Tannehill barely looked Wallace’s way last week against Jacksonville, but the two found a rhythm in practice in recent days.

• How the Dolphins’ run defense holds up against Houston’s ground attack. The group — thought to be a strength of the team — has been gashed for 296 yards in two games this preseason. Neither Randy Starks (knee) nor Dion Jordan (shoulder) will pl

"anlgp wrote:

These things are concerning.

The offense only had a couple of plays to Wallace called in the Jags game and the protection was an issue through the middle. The author makes it sound like Tannehill either is ignoring Wallace or can't find him, and ignores the fact that the RG had issues in protection which contributed to Wallace's plays not being executed. As for the run defense. The starters haven't given up much of anything. 14 yards in one game...

"cuchulainn wrote:

The offense only had a couple of plays to Wallace called in the Jags game and the protection was an issue through the middle. The author makes it sound like Tannehill either is ignoring Wallace or can't find him, and ignores the fact that the RG had issues in protection which contributed to Wallace's plays not being executed. As for the run defense. The starters haven't given up much of anything. 14 yards in one game...

WHAT?! Perspective?!?! :omg:

I want to see miller. I'm starting to think we are hiding him.id like to see tanny use a play action once

"Bpk wrote:

Talent is SO much better this year for us... but will we play cohesively?

Let's see.

I do agree that the talent level appears to be better this year than in the previous years. As far as the team playing cohesively, this is where great coaching comes into play. It is up to Philbin and his coaching staff to get this talent to play to their potential.

Because Tannehill is only in his second year as an NFL starter,it might be asking too much to expect him to lead this team to playoffs this year. Yet it should not be expecting too much of this team and coaching staff to at least have a winning season this year. A record of at least 9-7 would show that this team and the coaching staff are finally headed in the right direction. Anything less than nine wins would have to raise questions about Philbin and the entire coaching staff, as well as Tannehill's future as the teams QB.

The players on last years team won seven games. Two of the games they lost last year were because of field goals missed at the end of the game. If this team is truly more talented than the 2012 team, nothing less than a winning season should satisfy the fans of the Dolphins.

"jw3102 wrote:

The players on last years team won seven games. Two of the games they lost last year were because of field goals missed at the end of the game. If this team is truly more talented than the 2012 team, nothing less than a winning season should satisfy the fans of the Dolphins.

From 2000 to the present, the 14 teams taking the largest year-to-year drop in strength of schedule (two teams, St. Louis and Tampa Bay, tied for this going into 2012) improved their combined record from 68-156 "the year before" to 114-109-1 "the year after," and 10 of the 14 improved their records by at least three games (only the 2008 New England Patriots dropped in record—but since the Patriots of course went 16-0 in 2007, no improvement was even mathematically possible in their case).

By stark contrast, the 12 teams taking the largest year-to-year jump in strength of schedule since 2004 (three teams tied for this in 2007 and two in 2005) saw their combined record plummet from 139-53 "the year before" to 88-104 "the year after," and all but one of them—the 2007-to-'08 Pittsburgh Steelers, the lone such team to actually improve their record—suffered at least a three-game drop in the standings (the Saints having gone from 13-3 in 2011 to 7-9 in 2012).

Miami---------------.500-----------.520........... -20

The question, is has you added enough talent to offset the slight increase in difficulty on your schedule?

Every team on your schedule this year looks to be better than last years, with the exception of the Jets. If you guys (the Dolphins) win 6 games, I'd be impressed. San Diego, Tampa Bay, & the Jets twice are the only "gimmies" I see. You pull out another 2 wins, & that's saying something.

Not where you want to be, I understand. I'm not saying you won't win 9 or more games. Just saying, drastic changes like HC, GM would be a mistake if were to only win 6.

"Thunderkyss wrote:

The question, is has you added enough talent to offset the slight increase in difficulty on your schedule?

Every team on your schedule this year looks to be better than last years, with the exception of the Jets. If you guys (the Dolphins) win 6 games, I'd be impressed. San Diego, Tampa Bay, & the Jets twice are the only "gimmies" I see. You pull out another 2 wins, & that's saying something.

Not where you want to be, I understand. I'm not saying you won't win 9 or more games. Just saying, drastic changes like HC, GM would be a mistake if were to only win 6.

If this team wins only six games as you suggest, getting rid of the GM and the HC would almost be mandatory.

Ireland has been the GM for the past six years and if the Dolphins have another losing season in 2013, that will make it five years in a row with him as the teams GM. There is nothing drastic about not retaining a GM who has been with the team for five consecutive losing seasons.

As far as this team only winning six games and Philbin remaining the coach. I think that would be a hard sell to season ticket holders. He has to start proving that he was the right selection for the position and winning less games this year than they did in 2012 would not be evidence that he is the right man for the job.

I think a six win season would mean that the next GM will be bringing in his own HC and possibly his own QB in the 2014 draft. Hopefully the Dolphins will have several more wins than just six in 2013.

"jw3102 wrote:

If this team wins only six games as you suggest, getting rid of the GM and the HC would almost be mandatory.

Ireland has been the GM for the past six years and if the Dolphins have another losing season in 2013, that will make it five years in a row with him as the teams GM. There is nothing drastic about not retaining a GM who has been with the team for five consecutive losing seasons.

As far as this team only winning six games and Philbin remaining the coach. I think that would be a hard sell to season ticket holders. He has to start proving that he was the right selection for the position and winning less games this year than they did in 2012 would not be evidence that he is the right man for the job.

I think a six win season would mean that the next GM will be bringing in his own HC and possibly his own QB in the 2014 draft. Hopefully the Dolphins will have several more wins than just six in 2013.

If this team disappoints again, and is blown up with a new GM and HC I'm not sure I'll invest the same level of time in it again.

Low ROI as a fan.

GOtta show me something this year or I'll just jump on the bring a team to L.A. bandwagon until it happens.

"Bpk wrote:

If this team disappoints again, and is blown up with a new GM and HC I'm not sure I'll invest the same level of time in it again.

Low ROI as a fan.

GOtta show me something this year or I'll just jump on the bring a team to L.A. bandwagon until it happens.

I live in South Florida and I will always be a Miami Dolphin fan. Of course if they ever relocate, I would drop them like a hot potato.

I agree that the team needs to show improvement over last year. This not only means they have to play better, but they HAVE to have a winning season. There is no excuse for them to not win at least nine games this year. Anything less would be considered a failure, as far as I am concerned. It would also make me reconsider purchasing season tickets for the 2014 season.

Of course if they have a losing season and Ross hires a top GM and a top Head Coaching prospect, I'm sure that would entice me to buy season tickets in 2014. Hopefully this years team will have a winning record and I won't even have to think twice about attending games next year.

"Thunderkyss wrote:

Every team on your schedule this year looks to be better than last years,

"Looks" is the key - as you never know how things pan out once the season gets going. Some teams' (Patriots for example) success hinges on one player, Brady goes down, and the Pats are Mediocre imo, Mallett looks awful thus far, and Tebow, well he is Tebow.

Also, I see multiple games winnable with the roster we have - you say two more after the teams you list, I see 4 more we could very well win - Indy, Buffalo (at least once), Cleveland, Carolina - on top of that, I am not overly scared of N.O. if our defense shows what it has been showing of late. I also think we can steal one from the Pats. The Bills are unproven at QB and we could take BOTH of those. Six would be a heavy disappointment with this team even with the current schedule.

If we don't win 8 this season is another suck...We win 8/9, decent and people will keep their jobs, we win 10 or more, and it's a success. That's how I see it.

Keep in mind, I didn't say you'll only win 6 games.

You should win six, anything less is unacceptable.

You win more than six, then there's been improvement. Looking at the teams on your schedule that is. You won't be favored to win but 4 games that I can see. Every game you win as an underdog says something about your team.