1 bone-head call, 1 choke, and 1 unlucky play away from being the BEST...2014

[Phinfan31]

The way I see it. The Miami Dolphins were 3 plays and 6 minutes away from being 11-2 going into week 14 against the Ravens. I want to break it down and fully appreciate just how close we were to greatness...




PLAY 1 - "one bone head call" - Dolphins 24, Packers 20 - 4th Quarter
This "play" comprises of two different failures​

Failure 1

3rd and 9 at MIA 47	(1:44) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers sacked at MIA 48 for -1 yards (sack split by O.Vernon and C.Wake). FUMBLES (O.Vernon), recovered by GB-T.Lang at MIA 48. T.Lang to MIA 48 for no gain (C.McCain).
	Timeout #2 by MIA at 01:07.

- In my opinion this is the TURNING POINT of our season. This pathetic call that Philbin makes to call a time out after we just sacked Rodgers, stripped the ball, and almost recovered a fumble, with only 1 min. left in the 4th quarter and GB at midfield ...this decision allows GB to come up with a play and convert - winning the game.

Failure 2

4th and 10 at MIA 48

(1:07 left) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass deep right to J.Nelson ran ob at MIA 30 for 18 yards.

- Regardless of how horrible of a call Philbin made...our defense still gave up the REAL losing play on a 4th and 10 at midfield. There just isn't any excuses for this. We had the game won, and because of two consecutive horrible moves we lose this game.

PLAY 2 - "one choke" - Dolphins 16, Lions 13 - 4th Quarter​

3rd and 10 at MIA 27

(1:12 left) (Shotgun) M.Stafford pass short left to G.Tate to MIA 17 for 10 yards (L.Delmas). The Replay Official challenged the first down ruling, and the play was Upheld.

- Our defense lets up again in a CRITICAL moment of the game...its just not handed to them on a silver platter the way Green Bay got it. No excuses though. A championship team makes that play...but we didn't.

Play 3 - " one unlucky tip" - Dolphins 28, Broncos 32 - 4th Quarter
​

1st and 10 at MIA 35

(3:45 left) (Shotgun) R.Tannehill pass short right intended for J.Landry INTERCEPTED by T.Ward at MIA 45. T.Ward pushed ob at MIA 8 for 37 yards (R.Tannehill).

- A tipped ball pops up in the air for an INT...just a bad bounce kinda situation...hard to be mad here. Our offense was driving on them all night with ease. We had 3 minutes and 45 seconds on our OWN 35. PLENTY of field to run the clock down and win the game. This play ruined what would have been another instant classic equal to 2002 in Den. Our QB and our OFFENSE dominated the Denver Broncos and outpaced PEYTON MANNING for 3 QUARTERS and 11 MINUTES of FOOTBALL. I witnessed it first hand at the game live. Just imagine how great we will be with some new additions at WR this year.


So there you have it. If these 3 plays, and 6 minutes of football had gone just a little differently...(point the fingers at who you want. That's besides the point...we would have been 11-2 going into WEEK 14 !!!!!!!!!! Already having clinched a playoff spot, and #1 in the league.


Do you guys truly understand and appreciate this? That's elite...and we were THAT close to that.

Consider if you will:

-Our RB injured for season
-Our LT injured for season
-An entire set of backup LB's
-58 SACKS on our QB

...and YET we STILL PERFORMED this close to greatness!? We were so negative this season...but seriously...were not THAT far removed from 2007 are we? We know what its like to be truly bad...its time everybody in here has some positive energy and realizes what we are taking for granted right now.

We were one bone head move, one choke, and one unlucky play away from having a season we haven't seen in 2 decades.

Its nothing but up from here. We have gotten rid of some of the trash, will continue to do so...and have a ton of cap room and are swirling with RUMORS about BIG NAMES, e.g. SUH that would turn us into an instant LEGITIMATE contender.

AN EXCITING TIME TO BE A DOLPHIN FAN!

ALOHA

 

[ohall]

I appreciate what you are saying here. But I think a lot of teams can make the same argument each year. The fact is the GOOD teams get over these set backs. Miami has talent, the question as far as I can see is do they have the leadership at the HC'ing position to make that next step?

 

[Phinfan31]

I appreciate what you are saying here. But I think a lot of teams can make the same argument each year. The fact is the GOOD teams get over these set backs. Miami has talent, the question as far as I can see is do they have the leadership at the HC'ing position to make that next step?

I think you're right it happens every season...but I don't know how many teams can legitimately look at that short amount of time, on so few of plays and say that is what determined an 8-8 season from a potentitally 13-3 with a first round BYE.

Its only logical to assume that had we NOT failed in these instances...and were on such a HOT streak...we would have had immense confidence and perhaps would not have lost those late season games in melt-down fashion.

If you ask me ---- that meltdown was 100% BECAUSE of these 3 instances I just described above and the emotional toll that it took on them as the season went on.

Perhaps some other teams can make that same claim about being so close...but how many!? And if were in the same category with the Colts, Bengals, Steelers, Ravens, etc....then I'm not complaining...ARE YOU!?

Thats my point. We all need to wake up and realize what we have here in Miami. I think were about to become REAL relevant in the coming years.

 

[Kdawg954]

I think you're right it happens every season...but I don't know how many teams can legitimately look at that short amount of time, on so few of plays and say that is what determined an 8-8 season from a potentitally 13-3 with a first round BYE.

Its only logical to assume that had we NOT failed in these instances...and were on such a HOT streak...we would have had immense confidence and perhaps would not have lost those late season games in melt-down fashion.

If you ask me ---- that meltdown was 100% BECAUSE of these 3 instances I just described above and the emotional toll that it took on them as the season went on.

Perhaps some other teams can make that same claim about being so close...but how many!? And if were in the same category with the Colts, Bengals, Steelers, Ravens, etc....then I'm not complaining...ARE YOU!?

Thats my point. We all need to wake up and realize what we have here in Miami. I think were about to become REAL relevant in the coming years.

Trust me, half the teams in the league can make this argument. A play here, and a play there. Play Devil's advocate and look at our close games and how that could of turned out worse for us. Record wise, what separates the good from the average in this league is a couple of plays . . . . but IMO, that separation is the definition of "elite" vs. "average". The team that can make those plays in those moments. We aren't there yet.

 

[slk018]

When it mattered most against Baltimore at home they laid an egg like usual.. What you posted is all smoke and mirrors. This team finds ways to lose bc they are not good

 

[terphin]

still say philbin is the **** up in the equation

 

[JCane]

No.

 

[SeasonsMusic]

Once Philbin is gone and we keep a core group of these good players, with a real coach and not a little bald girl like Philbin, I can see us finally making a playoff push.

 

[Trucanes99]

My avatar and signature will tell you all you need to know about why this team failed last year.

 

[JTC111]

The way I see it. The Miami Dolphins were 3 plays and 6 minutes away from being 11-2 going into week 14 against the Ravens. I want to break it down and fully appreciate just how close we were to greatness...

Your eyes must still be clouded with the tears from yet another crappy season. We weren't close to greatness.

 

[Dr. Phin]

Take the "rose-colored glasses" off guy...we weren't a very good team at the end of the year.

 

[gofins60]

When it mattered most against Baltimore at home they laid an egg like usual.

This is Philbin's legacy; when everything is on the line, the team chokes. Look at the end of the 2013 season... all they had to do was win just one game against either the Bills or the Jets to make the playoffs, and they lost both scoring just 7 points combined. And, this is after Miami had already won games against playoff teams that season. When it mattered the most, Miami played their worst! In 2014, as the OP posted, Miami went into the final minutes holding leads against some of the top teams at the time (GB, Detroit, Denver). Winning those games would have added the Dolphins to any conversations regarding the upper echelon of the NFL. But no; they choked and lost each one. Again, when it mattered the most, Miami played their worst.

As for the Baltimore game, Miami will never beat them as long as Philbin is Head Coach. Philbin wants a finesse team, but the reality is that the finesse teams usually have problems when playing tough, physical teams. A finesse team can beat a physical team, but you need superior execution on the field and coaching, both of which Miami lacks.

 

[utahphinsfan]

...I think you're right it happens every season...but I don't know how many teams can legitimately look at that short amount of time, on so few of plays and say that is what determined an 8-8 season from a potentitally 13-3 with a first round BYE...

Jimmy Johnson once said, "Its easy to go from 1-15 to 8-8. The hard part is going from 8-8 to 12-4."

Its frustrating As the phins are are currently caught in this conundrum. But, I know a few cowboys fans (last yr) who were feeling the way many of us are now.

 

[Spiff]

I appreciate what you are saying here. But I think a lot of teams can make the same argument each year. The fact is the GOOD teams get over these set backs. Miami has talent, the question as far as I can see is do they have the leadership at the HC'ing position to make that next step?

I agree. Good teams make plays, bad teams make excuses. We didn't make enough plays to be considered good.

 

[whizafriz]

Those games were close, sure, but to say we'd be the best or even a true playoffs contender is still a longshot IMO.
The defense and coaching gave it up in all 3 of those games. Reallll bad weaknesses to have for a playoffs team, in my mind that's where you want to have some strength in the 2nd half. As they say, "defense wins championships"