Were a good team that just cant find a way to close in the 2nd half

[Patrick_Bateman]

Unfortunately to WIN A ****ING GAME IN ANY PROFESSIONAL SPORT you can't be a good team for only one half. It's too bad we all know we can be a 4qtr good team, but I don't think the coaches can find the answers to this.

Sorry I had to fix that for you. "Winning" for part of a game means less than nothing when you do it over and over and over, year after year after year. Everybody knows "almost" only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, although this team might be able to close out a win if they were equipped with the latter...

 

[Oronde]

So picking up big leads in three quarters is talent, but getting humiliated in one is coaching?

Maybe part of the reason why we're blowing leads is because we're not talented enough to avoid being exploited from time to time.

 

[Spiff]

At halftime against the Panthers almost all posters on this message board would predict that we'll lose the game eventually because we were kicking field goals instead of scoring TDs, because we can't make proper halftime adjustments, because we just can't run the ball when we need to. That was pretty interesting to say the least. We have no trust in this team whatsoever. That's not a sign of a good team. Heck that's not even a sign of a mediocre team. That's a bad team. And amazingly enough it's been like that for years now, regardless of the coaches or the players. I don't understand this to be honest.

Anyway, we're 5-6 but we're only in the playoff hunt because the AFC is lousy this year. Good teams take care of the Bucs and the Bills and don't have this discussion. We're not good and we will most probably miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year.

 

[Pelorus Jack]

Almost good is like...

Almost eating a prime rib,
Almost winning the lotto,
Almost getting a raise,
Almost became a doctor, etc, etc., etc.

The one sure thing this team is not almost in is being frustrating.

 

[jlfin]

This is emblematic of a young team with a relatively inexperienced QB. While Tannehill isn't responsible for most of the losses (Buffalo game, being the exception), he hasn't elevated the team either. An upper echelon QB with the current roster wins the games against Baltimore, Buffalo, NE, Tampa and Carolina IMHO.
What I would like to see going forward is continued development of RT and an offseason dedicated to upgrading the O-line and replacing Wheeler.
This defense is solid, but could use a John Offerdahl/Zach Thomas/Kuechly type player in the middle to direct the defense.
This team is not as bad as some of you think it is, and it would be a huge mistake to "blow it up" in the offseason.

 

[Scotty P]

This is emblematic of a young team with a relatively inexperienced QB. While Tannehill isn't responsible for most of the losses (Buffalo game, being the exception), he hasn't elevated the team either. An upper echelon QB with the current roster wins the games against Baltimore, Buffalo, NE, Tampa and Carolina IMHO.
What I would like to see going forward is continued development of RT and an offseason dedicated to upgrading the O-line and replacing Wheeler.
This defense is solid, but could use a John Offerdahl/Zach Thomas/Kuechly type player in the middle to direct the defense.
This team is not as bad as some of you think it is, and it would be a huge mistake to "blow it up" in the offseason.

Couldn't agree more. We are a young team with a lot of new players this year. Although I'm not happy about our record, we've been in every game with the exception of the Saints. Which explains the frustration of people in this site. If I'm not mistaken though, almost everyone on this site had us going 7-9, 8-8, or 9-7 before the season started......yet they are now disgusted with this team??? Makes no sense.

I understand, we best some good teams and lost to some lousy ones......and we've been doing that for a decade. But You can't tell me we aren't a better team than last year??

 

[Pelorus Jack]

The team spent a lot of money in the off-season for player upgrades and should be much better. Yes they are a young team but next year a number of the players on the team right now won't be back so there will always be this element at some level.

A better o-line and run game will definitely help but what this team surely lacks is leadership and the vocal player(s) that inspire younger players and will create a we are winners together attitude.

The frustration of seeing the team just miss out on winning games is certainly present and some are disgusted with the team for sure. But others are just frustrated with the teams inability to close games when they have a lead and to just win the games they should win.

 

[kwask4]

It's called no running game

 

[ATL_PHIN_FAN]

This is emblematic of a young team with a relatively inexperienced QB. While Tannehill isn't responsible for most of the losses (Buffalo game, being the exception), he hasn't elevated the team either. An upper echelon QB with the current roster wins the games against Baltimore, Buffalo, NE, Tampa and Carolina IMHO.
What I would like to see going forward is continued development of RT and an offseason dedicated to upgrading the O-line and replacing Wheeler.
This defense is solid, but could use a John Offerdahl/Zach Thomas/Kuechly type player in the middle to direct the defense.
This team is not as bad as some of you think it is, and it would be a huge mistake to "blow it up" in the offseason.

Good points, all. Imagine a healthy Chad Pennington from 2008 as QB for this team in these games? I think we would have won the majority of the ones we've lost this season. What's missing from RT 's game is the experience and leadership that only comes with time. RT's physical abilities and long ball threat (not necessarily LB accuracy) are what's keeping our team competitive. Give him a decent line for both PP and running game, as Pennington had, plus the experience, and we start putting opponents away as we should.

 

[J Tes]

Think about this we were beating the bengals 17-3 even tho we won that. The patriots 17-3 and the panthers 16-3. In all 3 games we allowed all 3 teams to storm back. All 3 of those teams are playoff teams. Were not a bad football team. Were a good football team that can play with anybody riddled with injuries with poor coaching & adjustments. If we just could find a way to close these games out we would be dangerous and i think eventually we will. Maybe not this year maybe next year. But this is not a bad football team.

Bad teams find a way to lose. Good teams find a way to win.

 

[z926538]

There's a name for good teams that just can't find a way to close in the second half. They are called BAD TEAMS.

 

[jlfin]

There's a name for good teams that just can't find a way to close in the second half. They are called BAD TEAMS.

That's overly simplistic. Bad teams are teams that are devoid of talent and are rarely competitive i.e Jaguars. The Dolphins right now are an average team. There is no need to capitalize your opinion of the team, its pretty obvious how you feel.

 

[Pelorus Jack]

I agree that it is right now an middle of the pack team that showed some potential but that has been the case for some years now. The good teams easily figure out their competitors weaknesses early on and exploit them and there are just too many weak areas on this team.

Unlike others I do like Tannehill's potential. He just needs to get a good supporting cast and develop an inner fire to hopefully make him elite at some point.

 

[enigmatics]

Think about this we were beating the bengals 17-3 even tho we won that. The patriots 17-3 and the panthers 16-3. In all 3 games we allowed all 3 teams to storm back. All 3 of those teams are playoff teams. Were not a bad football team. Were a good football team that can play with anybody riddled with injuries with poor coaching & adjustments. If we just could find a way to close these games out we would be dangerous and i think eventually we will. Maybe not this year maybe next year. But this is not a bad football team.

All you've described is "mediocrity". I'm not going to sit here and say our coaching staff is the quintessential, because they're obviously not. But scapegoating everything on them is absurd. The players leave plenty of plays out there on the field.

 

[cullenbigcstill]

Yes the Jags are a bad team, they have every reason to be as bad as their record. The Dolphins offense is as bad as the jaguars they are statistically comparable and have been for a while. The only reason we are slightly better is because of the wasted defensive talent that we have on this team.

We are a young team no doubt, but at some point when does that youth show out like the Colts who are a young team? Being so young should give us an explosion and athletic ability yet it isn't.

This team would achieve with a better and more aggressive coaching staff. This team reflects its staff completely. While they are disciplined and not turnover prone( i know tannehill has struggled with fumbles but most of his INTs have been off tipped passes and late game hail marys) they are soft, intimidated, lack aggression and game awareness.

This team lacks grit and the play calling lacks schematic design and creativity. We never use different sets of the same play, or runs and passes or flip sides of one play. It's always the same plays as the game before!

There is no innovation. It is easy to defend the Dolphins Offense, just line up in your base defense and stop the run and get after Tannehill, because the Fins will not beat you with any sort of creativity!