So we all know how last season went. Gase predicted that it would take about 5 games to get the offensive system, and he said he has done it now several times and that's how long it took each time. Well, we were 1-4 over those first 5 games, and then went 9-2 over the remaining 11 games. And, that was while enduring a season full of unbelievable injuries.
Here's the starters that were injured last year: Reshad Jones, IAQ, Byron Maxwell, Xavien Howard (yep, the ENTIRE secondary was injured at various points of the season and our playoff game in Pittsburgh was a joke because of it), Koa Misi, Jelani Jenkins (yep, only 1 starting LB for most of the season, and even he was injured some), Kiko Alonso, Mari0 Williams (well, nominally he was a starter), Earl Mitchell, Jason Jones, Cam Wake (yes, that's 3 DL injured much of the season with 2 injured most of the season), Branden Albert, Laremey Tunsil, Mike Pouncey, Ju'Wuan James (yep, every OL was injured at some point last year, with Pouncey missing almost the entire season and Albert missing significant time, plus injuries to subs Steen, Young, and Urbik ... and I'm not even going to count Dallas Thomas, Billy Turner or Jamil Douglas), Jordan Cameron (he missed so many games we almost forgot about him!), DeVante Parker, and Ryan Tannehill.
Of the 22 starters on offense and defense, we had 17 of them miss games. We lost most of the season from 8 of them (Reshad Jones, Xavien Howard, Koa Misi, Jelani Jones, Earl Mitchell, Mari0 Williams, Jordan Cameron and Mike Pouncey).
That's a lot of injuries. The team re-built with more durable players, jettisoning Jelani Jones, Earl Mitchell, Mari0 Williams and Jordan Cameron. We relegated Misi to backup status by adding Timmons and McMillan. So, of the 8 who missed most of last year, we are only banking on a recovery from 3 guys, Reshad Jones who has been durable over his career, Xavien Howard, who was durable in college, and Mike Pouncey, who is being handled very gingerly in hopes of getting more games out of him. But even those 3 positions have been solidified as we brought in 2 safeties that will compete for starting roles (Nate Allen and TJ McDonald) to replace IAQ and backup Reshad Jones. We drafted a DE (Charles Harris) and traded for a veteran (William Hayes) to improve on the horrible performances of Mari0 Williams and Jason Jones. We drafted two late round DT's (Vincent and Godchaux) to fill the hole left by Mitchell.
The other injured areas were filled as well, with two new starters along the LB unit (Lawrence Timmons and Raekwon McMillan), another CB (Cordrea Tankersley), and two OL in draftee Isaac Asiata and free agent acquisition Ted Larsen. We buttressed our TE position with a former Gase guy in Julius Thomas to be a seam threat and a former Dolphin in Anthony Fasano to block.
Just looking at the injury situation, the Dolphins' roster should be significantly improved. Our Depth Chart should look a lot better.
Given the familiarity with the systems in year 2, we look to be a better football team. Looking at the offense's production after the 5 game adjustment period, we look much improved. Looking at Tannehill's performance during that time, he looked tremendously improved. Our defense couldn't have been more devastated by injuries ... and it looks much improved.
Looking at what we endured last year and what we appear to have on the roster this year ... it wouldn't be a surprise for an objective observer to say we're better.
How much better?
If I were just to look at these things, I'd estimate 2 games better.
But, we cannot look at this in a vacuum. The reality is that we won a lot of close games last year. While that is one mark of a good team, it's also something that tends to even out over time. And, our schedule this year is a tough one as we play the best division in the AFC, the AFC West. So, there is definitely room for us to be a better football team overall and have a worse record.
But what if we make good on this potential?
What if we stay healthy?
What if we did make a 2 game improvement?
What if we went 12-4? Exactly 2 games better than our 10-6 record ... and a record we surely would have had last year had we adjusted to Gase's offense earlier.
Well, there were only TWO teams better than 12-4 last year, they were the 14-2 New England Patriots and the 13-3 Dallas Cowboys.
Obviously, we've been beaten down for over a decade in Miami. We're used to hoping for the best and watching the worst. We're used to good players not producing good teams. We're used to having our hopes dashed. Everyone lives with a fear of impending doom even as the Dolphins start winning.
But that was all before Adam Gase. Things are changing here. So, why not dare to dream?
What if we were to make a 2 game improvement?
Here's the starters that were injured last year: Reshad Jones, IAQ, Byron Maxwell, Xavien Howard (yep, the ENTIRE secondary was injured at various points of the season and our playoff game in Pittsburgh was a joke because of it), Koa Misi, Jelani Jenkins (yep, only 1 starting LB for most of the season, and even he was injured some), Kiko Alonso, Mari0 Williams (well, nominally he was a starter), Earl Mitchell, Jason Jones, Cam Wake (yes, that's 3 DL injured much of the season with 2 injured most of the season), Branden Albert, Laremey Tunsil, Mike Pouncey, Ju'Wuan James (yep, every OL was injured at some point last year, with Pouncey missing almost the entire season and Albert missing significant time, plus injuries to subs Steen, Young, and Urbik ... and I'm not even going to count Dallas Thomas, Billy Turner or Jamil Douglas), Jordan Cameron (he missed so many games we almost forgot about him!), DeVante Parker, and Ryan Tannehill.
Of the 22 starters on offense and defense, we had 17 of them miss games. We lost most of the season from 8 of them (Reshad Jones, Xavien Howard, Koa Misi, Jelani Jones, Earl Mitchell, Mari0 Williams, Jordan Cameron and Mike Pouncey).
That's a lot of injuries. The team re-built with more durable players, jettisoning Jelani Jones, Earl Mitchell, Mari0 Williams and Jordan Cameron. We relegated Misi to backup status by adding Timmons and McMillan. So, of the 8 who missed most of last year, we are only banking on a recovery from 3 guys, Reshad Jones who has been durable over his career, Xavien Howard, who was durable in college, and Mike Pouncey, who is being handled very gingerly in hopes of getting more games out of him. But even those 3 positions have been solidified as we brought in 2 safeties that will compete for starting roles (Nate Allen and TJ McDonald) to replace IAQ and backup Reshad Jones. We drafted a DE (Charles Harris) and traded for a veteran (William Hayes) to improve on the horrible performances of Mari0 Williams and Jason Jones. We drafted two late round DT's (Vincent and Godchaux) to fill the hole left by Mitchell.
The other injured areas were filled as well, with two new starters along the LB unit (Lawrence Timmons and Raekwon McMillan), another CB (Cordrea Tankersley), and two OL in draftee Isaac Asiata and free agent acquisition Ted Larsen. We buttressed our TE position with a former Gase guy in Julius Thomas to be a seam threat and a former Dolphin in Anthony Fasano to block.
Just looking at the injury situation, the Dolphins' roster should be significantly improved. Our Depth Chart should look a lot better.
Given the familiarity with the systems in year 2, we look to be a better football team. Looking at the offense's production after the 5 game adjustment period, we look much improved. Looking at Tannehill's performance during that time, he looked tremendously improved. Our defense couldn't have been more devastated by injuries ... and it looks much improved.
Looking at what we endured last year and what we appear to have on the roster this year ... it wouldn't be a surprise for an objective observer to say we're better.
How much better?
If I were just to look at these things, I'd estimate 2 games better.
But, we cannot look at this in a vacuum. The reality is that we won a lot of close games last year. While that is one mark of a good team, it's also something that tends to even out over time. And, our schedule this year is a tough one as we play the best division in the AFC, the AFC West. So, there is definitely room for us to be a better football team overall and have a worse record.
But what if we make good on this potential?
What if we stay healthy?
What if we did make a 2 game improvement?
What if we went 12-4? Exactly 2 games better than our 10-6 record ... and a record we surely would have had last year had we adjusted to Gase's offense earlier.
Well, there were only TWO teams better than 12-4 last year, they were the 14-2 New England Patriots and the 13-3 Dallas Cowboys.
Obviously, we've been beaten down for over a decade in Miami. We're used to hoping for the best and watching the worst. We're used to good players not producing good teams. We're used to having our hopes dashed. Everyone lives with a fear of impending doom even as the Dolphins start winning.
But that was all before Adam Gase. Things are changing here. So, why not dare to dream?
What if we were to make a 2 game improvement?