I can admit when I was wrong....
31 replies
CANEPHINSforum_veteranOPComing into this season I thought we were a nothing team that was going nowhere. I had us pegged for 6 wins, 7 at the most. I didn't like the look of the defense, I hated our WR and I was going to give this a learning curve year at QB. I hated the way the schedule set up and I didn't like what I saw from Philbin via Hard Knocks. I wasn't sure he was the answer. BOY WAS I WRONG!
Here we stand at 4-3. He we stand at a 4-3 record that is just 2 missed FG's from being 6-1....6-1 and the class of the AFC. Think about that for a second. Let it swim around in your heads and then absorb it. Forget what the talking heads have said. Forget what anyone here thought. Forget what the rest of the league thought. This team is building something and it looks pretty damn impressive right now. No matter what power rankings say, this team is playing like they are 6-1 and are one of the elite teams in the league. How is that for a damn turnaround!
How hav they done this? By getting back to basics.
When Miami was a division winner and a playoff team year in and year out under Shula they were the least penalized team in the NFL. This year, though 7 games, Miami is 3rd best in the NFL in penalty yards at 40.7 per game. 2011 Miami was 10th. Not a huge difference you say, but it turned out to be a full 8 yards extra a game that Miami was giving to the other team. 8 yards is the difference between FG range and not, between 1st and 10 and first and goal. These plays add up and you can't give away yards in this league.
Turnovers have been cut back. Week 1 was bad, but those were also tipped balls. Since then our guys haven't put the ball on the carpet as much and haven't thrown the picks as well.
Philbin is starting to remind me of someone. 
The way they prepare a team, coach the team, manage the team, and call a game....all very similar. The way they carry themselves on and off the field is the same and their tone is the same. If Philbin can produce Walsh like results we will be erecting a statue in his honor in due time.
This is the most fun I have had watching Dolphins football in quite some time. I would be as bold to say probably since 2002 or 2003. Even when we won the division in 2008, it still wasn't all that fun. The wildcat made it fun, but that was a gimmick and we all knew it. THIS my friends is fun.
Looking at the rest of the schedule I see this as being very possible:
11/04
Dolphins @ Colts: Dolphins win
11/11
Titans vs Dolphins: Dolphins win
11/15
Dolphins @ Bills: Dolphins win
11/25
Seahawks vs Dolphins: Dolphins win
12/02
Patriots vs Dolphins: Loss for Miami
12/09
Dolphins @ 49ers: Loss for Miami
12/16
Jaguars vs Dolphins: Dolphins win
12/23
Bills vs Dolphins: Dolphins win
12/30
Dolphins vs Patriots: Loss for Dolphins
That would leave us at 10-6 and very much in the wild card hunt, if not a home game for a wild card. WHO WOULDA THUNK IT? Outside of the Pats, 49ers and Seahawks...the remaining schedule is very favorable for us. The scary part is I can see us beating San Fran and splitting with the Pats. 12-4 possible? HOLY CRAP...that is crazy talk! Yeah...actually it is possible. Got to play every game like its our last and with the same intensity no matter who the opponent is. We do that and we very well could land anywhere between 12-4 and 10-6.
I have had my fill of Joe and am a believer...oh yes I am! :up:
padre31luxury_boxI like the fact that Philbin allows units to be aggressive, under Sparano we maybe tried 1 onside kick and that was late in the 4th qtr, now we are likely to do this at any time.
Honestly thought we were toying with the Jest in the 2nd half, under Sparano it would have been much closer, and keep in mind these are pretty much the same players Sparano had last yr.
CANEPHINSforum_veteranWe are more aggressive in all aspects of the game...Offense, defense, and special teams. I love it. We still give up the occasional huge return, but that happens. Philbin isn't content sitting on a small lead. He doesn't want to milk the clock and play field position with the other team. Every drive starts with the intent of it being a kill shot.
Sparano lacks vision and can't call a game to save his life. Nice guy, but he is horrible at the X's and O's. Jets are getting to experience that full bore now.
xphinfanxforum_veteranThe 49ers and Seahawks look to be the harder games IMO. New England is a winnable game it will be tough but I think if we stay healthy we take New England right now.
That's why they play the games!:yes:
Destroyerforum_veteranSeahawks and Bills will both be tough. Not too worried about the Colts or Titans but we shoudlnt look past anyone.
The Dolphins are the softest team in the NFL. Tua hater starting 12/11/22.
gandalfinforum_veteranThe Thursday night game in Buffalo will be a tough one to win. The Seahawks are a good team, but the long trip to Miami will be difficult for them. I didn't think this before yesterday, but I think maybe , just maybe, the Pats can be had in one of the games, probably the one in Miami.
I think our team will continue to improve.
RickyNeverInhaledNew MemberI predicted 10-6 in the off season. The crazy thing is that is on the low side of what we are capable of with how we have been playing and our schedule. I can see an extra 1 or 2 wins but 10-6 sounds like a safe bet!
Ohio FanaticsubscriberAs optimistic as I am about our future, I still see 8-8, 9-7 if our key players all stay healthy.
testing
During the broadcast yesterday, Dan Fouts said after spending time with Philbin on Saturday that he couldn't help but think how Philbin reminded him a lot of Bill Walsh. If that is even remotely accurate we are in damn good shape for a looong time.
P.S. On NFL Total access, MRI reveals no structural damage to Tannehill's knee.
6 or 7 wins is a lot more optimistic than I was at the beginning of the season, I figured we would squeak out 4 wins.
OnehondosubscriberAnother super positive is that this is a young team and they can get much better. As good as we can be this year we have a very good draft coming up and have fewer holes to fill than we have had in a long time. We can draft for need and still have a few picks for luxury. I say luxury as players who don't necessarily meet an immediate need, but good athletes, for future use. I think Philbin is an asset for the draft room because he can help Ireland sort through the potential draftees.
Personally, I am now glad we have Ireland and not Scott Pioli.
LudacrissubscriberPhilbin's trust in his players inspires his team. They are playing with some big cajones now.
MikeHonchosubscriberReminds me of Larry Coker :shifty:
:crapstrom:
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Headcoach material wouldn’t want to work somewhere they’re not trusted with actual football decisions.
MonstBlitzforum_veteranI know it's early. But I think Philbin might just be the best coach this team has had since Don Shula.
rafaelforum_veteranMy opinion before the season was that this team had far more talent than the "experts" or many on this board believed. I had them at 8-8 or 9-7.
RoninFin4subscriberI think the true test will be to see how Miami responds this week. Coming off a big divisional win, on the road, against a team that gave them bulletin board material all week, this game at Indy as the makings of a trap game IMO.
If Miami comes out a winner again this week, that would be a huge boost of confidence, not to mention gaining that half game on New England and pushing away from the pack of wild-card teams at the moment.
@KevinMD4
Aguaforum_veteranI sized this team up as a 4 win team. I looked at Philbin through the Hard Knocks lens, and I had NO confidence in him. I was highly doubtful of the wisdom behind hiring a failed TAMU coach, his son-in-law OC as qb coach, and stuffing it in a Miami Dolphins playbook. Nor was I keen on putting a secondary coach from Cin in as a first time DC,
I was wrong. These guys know what they're doing and are getting more out of this team, especially some of these 2nd and 3rd year roster fillers, than I ever thought was there.
Clark Kentforum_veteranhow great would it be to be 6-1, trolling the **** out if the afc east?
it's exciting to be.competitive either way. im trying not to be cynical though. I don't want to get too excited and be let down.
padre31luxury_boxTBH, Tannehill has been the largest surprise for me, a Rook Qb can mean a long season.
Alex13subscriber"padre31 wrote:
TBH, Tannehill has been the largest surprise for me, a Rook Qb can mean a long season.
and then you doomed him, saying he would be injured sooner or later :shifty:
jboogieforum_veteranI'm really excited about the team this year, and would place a sizable bet on making the playoffs but, part of me just keeps thinking ahead to next year after a year of players developing (that's right, I said it, Miami is DEVELOPING players!) and a fist full of great draft picks!
RickyNeverInhaledNew Member"Onehondo wrote:
Another super positive is that this is a young team and they can get much better. As good as we can be this year we have a very good draft coming up and have fewer holes to fill than we have had in a long time. We can draft for need and still have a few picks for luxury. I say luxury as players who don't necessarily meet an immediate need, but good athletes, for future use. I think Philbin is an asset for the draft room because he can help Ireland sort through the potential draftees.
Personally, I am now glad we have Ireland and not Scott Pioli.
I believe you are assuming we will resign our own players and I hope we do. If we don't we will have more and more needs which will be a tragedy IMO
JajNew MemberAs far as admitting that we were wrong on something...
The 2010 draft has produced what four starters for this team? That doesn't even count Nolan.
Bring this man back into the fold if you want some real leadership on this team.
RickyNeverInhaledNew Member"Jaj wrote:
As far as admitting that we were wrong on something...
The 2010 draft has produced what four starters for this team? That doesn't even count Nolan.
This post is like cooking a bunch of crow and feeding it to Ireland haters!
padre31luxury_box"Al13 wrote:
and then you doomed him, saying he would be injured sooner or later :shifty:
Like I have clout with the football universe!
2nd week in a row he has been crushed on a blitz.
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