So, missing the playoffs by ****ting the bed against inferior teams to blow a chance at MAKING the playoffs (in year 2 of the system overhaul) is worse than making the playoffs and WINNING a playoff game (in year 1 of a system overhaul)? They won a playoff game in year 1 of their system overhaul, the Dolphins franchise has not won a playoff game in 13 seasons. Seriously, I understand being a fan, I love this team but at some point "fan" and "reality" have to meet. The Dolphins are in year 3 of their "system overhaul". If the Seahawks are "overrated" (how the World champion can be overrated is mind boggling) then the Dolphins, to be as "overrated" as they are should be where the Seahawks were in their year 3. That means playoffs, a playoff win and a strong push in the divisional round.
And coaching, and roster turnover, that is the really depressing portion, if we brought back the same roster (more or less) with an upgraded OL (and maybe running game) I'd feel far more confident.
He said I "overrated" another team. I was discussing the World champion Seattle Seahawks. The team that just dismantled the best passing offense in league history, holding them to 8 points en route to a 35 point beat down. A team that is beginning to appear it may have a historically good defense, is the 4th youngest Super Bowl champion ever and has it's roster locked in for next year. A typical post? I brought fact and objective observance to a conversation. You are giving this forum too much credit.
No. I defended the notion that we can't say he was responsible for the years Parcells was here. During that whole time I said over and over and over, that if we missed the playoffs this past season he should be fired. Then when I found out he wasn't getting players Philbin wanted this year i wanted him fired for that too. I misspoke. I meant to say we would have made the playoffs with Albert. But apparently that makes me an optimist somehow.
I know. And to be as "overrated" as the Seahawks the Dolphins have to win a playoff game and make a strong push in the divisional round.
I think it's better to let guys blow off steam and not interrupt them with logic or reasoning. I feel Fin D's pain
It cuts both ways IMO. If Ireland gets Philbin more of his guys we make the playoffs, if Philbin does a better job using the guys Ireland gave to him then we make the playoffs.
That's a different debate and one, WADR, I don't have the energy to engage in right now. I was merely explaining that my stance has been repeatedly mis-characterized.
Very salient point that goes to coaching. The problem is that we didn't make any changes in the coaching staff other than OC, which is not even a teaching position, so that trend will continue for the foreseeable future. As far as Danielle Thomas, though, there my be little to salvage there. But it would be a shame to finally have a great draft, and to watch the new talent crawl out of the box as we've had to for so long here. Player development has been a consistent thread through various administrations.
Not trying to debate. Just wondering who's going to be next scapegoat? We go 8-8 with the "terrible" GM so if we miss the PO again will it still be "terrible" GM, maybe Philbin or even Ross?
I suspect a lot of it comes from just being a young, rich, athlete in the Miami area Distractions does not even cover what that must be like for them, and it takes away from focus on their craft and getting better. Put Sean Smith in KC and he is a turnover creating machine compared to what he did in Miami, put McDaniel in Seattle and he helps win a SB, put Wallace in Miami and we see drops and miscommunication, Clabo comes to Miami and he falls off the career cliff.
I don't think Ireland got the talent that Philbin wanted. That's been confirmed with the oline in Martin and Cogs. I think we win at least 2 more games had the line been better. That would have been a simple fix. Expecting Philbin to be the type of coach he isn't, was not a simple fix. You've got 2 kinds of good coaches, those that adapt to their players and those have a system that adapts to their opponents. Philbin is the latter, IMO. Could I wave a magic wand and have a coach that can adapt to any player like Shula? Yes, absolutely. But they are rare. Maybe Malazhan is that guy and hopefully if Philbin fails, then he'll be a target we can acquire, I guess.
I don't disagree. I just think it's the coaches job to get the most out of his players, individually, as units and as a whole. The OL was obviously an issue but there were 4 proven starters there, 5 if you count Garner. Putting it all on talent/the GM is a little dismissive. And it's not like the OL was the only unit to underachieve. Our DL had the talent to be top 5. At worst. They were about average. Ellerbe and Wheeler were proven guys, Wallace too. Jones, Miller, Jordan, all talented, all disappointed. Clabo came on late but he was pretty bad early in the year. We routinely beat/nearly beat the better teams and laid eggs vs lesser teams. It can't all be talent or scheme issues. And you don't have to change schemes to call more draws and screens if your pass pro is struggling. Move the pocket, use more check downs, leave more guys in to block. Get Miller/Thigpen in space not in the back field getting bull dozed by blitzing LBs. Use Wallace's speed horizontally on reverses and crossing routes, not just on low percentage vertical throws. It's basic stuff, yet in instance after instance there are examples of guys with talent not being used efficiently or not performing to the standards they'd set previously. You say another player or two would have made the difference but who's to say those guys wouldn't have underperformed too?
What I don't see in this conversation is any mention to the mental side of the game, does anyone really think Seattle is that much better than Denver talent wise that the score would indicate, or could there be an element of a group of men turning that @@@@ up a notch to where the other team just got mind bleeped..
I thought it was more indicative of the fact a spread based offense will never beat a truly great defense in a big game without help from their defense and running game. Denver was entirely one dimensional and Seattle pounced
some bad examples pad. sean smith had 2 Int's this season, same as with us the two years prior. Mcdaniels was always a pretty solid player here too. And wallace led the league in drops his last year in Pitt.
Honestly I thought their timing based offense got shook by the energy of the crowd noise in the very beginning, I don't think they expected it, panicked, then pressed, then they just took advantage of a Qb who can't make plays on his own with a weak arm.
And there's reports out today that Fox had them turn down the crowd noise simulators in practice since it wasn't an away game.
Been saying it for looooog time now, the culture and venue continues to prove me right.. Here's my dilemma GM, and a serious question, I have my conviction about the venue this team plays in, im torn, I'm actually starting to think about caving in and going full metal jacket for the offensive side of the ball, and that's because I don't feel like the venue and fan energy can support and inspire a defensive identity or, do you think a defensive identity is EXACTLY what this town and culture needs.? Lets say Aaron Donald and Skov with our first two picks..
i agree, when was the last time we had a draft pick that delivered right from the start...must be zach thomas right ?
I feel for our players Deej, playing at No Life Stadium. Not only do we have no home field advantage, we have the year round warm weather climate that hurts us when we have to go on the road late in the year. When it comes to distractions Miami is probably the worst city in the league with the exception of maybe NY. I see why Ross likes Philbin. He wants an up tempo exciting offense to put fans in the seats and stadium upgrades to make it a better place to watch games. But you gotta be able to run the ball late in the year unless you have a Rodgers type QB or you play primarily indoors/ in warm weather cities. Imo our quickest path is to fix the run game. A bigger more physical back, a TE who can block on the edges, an OL that can move people, etc.
It can turn...just like...that. A little luck and Tanny development..and we are in a super bowl. The NFL is a random sport afterall. Unless of course you think the point differential between Denver and Seattle would hold up to be 35 points over a larger sample. There is the distinct possibility that you drop the Dolphins, Chargers, Bengals, etc...(any one of the many mediocre but competent teams) in THAT VERY game and it's a barn burner. The KEY is to build a COMPLETE roster to get through the REGULAR season gauntlet and have the matchups to win in the playoffs...and that is why what the Fins, San Diego, Cincy, etc..are lacking.
Now..are we far? Is 3 offensive linemen...1 playmaker on offense, and depth on defense...far? I would say Yes, because that would require a PERFECT offseason..and those are very rare. (Perfect as in 3 FA signings that hit..and 4 draft picks that contribute mightily.)
I think the problem with this is Seattle didn't just magically appear in the Super Bowl. They won 13 regular season games which gave them homefield advantage and a bye week (both huge advantages), then they defeated two of the legit best teams in the NFC (which puts them up there for potentially best teams in the NFL) to get to that Super Bowl. I don't think it would be a stretch of the imagination to say that Seattle beat three out of the four best, most championship-worthy teams in the NFL during the playoffs...and they represented the fourth. I don't think the Miami Dolphins team that stumbled and punched themselves in the dick on the way to the ground during their "playoff run" (/sneer) is capable of coming even close to that. Maybe a 30% chance (if that) of winning one of those games let alone all three.
I can agree with this. But I will add that aside from the offseason changes you mention that all have to go right, probably even more important is that previous offseason changes will need to be proven to have been good moves after all. Most notably, they will need Wheeler, Ellerbe, Jones and Wallace to show that the team was not misguided in giving them big contracts, and it would help if Dion Jordan showed that he might be a good draft pick after all. Personally I have always believed that when a team makes a strong run you have to look at the seeds sewn multiple years ago not the moves they made in that offseason. Though understandably, the moves made in that offseason can close up gaping wounds that would have otherwise prevented those previously planted seeds from flowering.
People keep squabbling about the talent on the field between Seattle and Miami but greatest difference is the coaching staff, front office, and owner. There's still a difference in talent, however, if Seattle's coaching staff had taken over our roster two years ago we would've been in the playoffs this year and perhaps even won a wildcard game.
Seattle had played one team in the top 10 on offense going into that game..and had faced the three worst offenses in the NFL..they had also played against Teams with an average Def. Ranking of 19..and an average Power index of 18. That had a lot to do with 13 reg. season wins.
So..those 13 reg. season wins could have been a product of luck and circumstance..because they LOSE to San Francisco if that game is in SF...and that could have easily happened.
We have to stop treating these small sample sports (football) like Basketball, and Baseball that force you to actually be better than everybody else. In the NFL, you have to build a roster for the Regular Season, and have matchups go your way... You get that to happen when you become excellent at several facets of the game. Fins are only excellent at two (pass rush, kick coverage)
