Armando The Debbie Downer... | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Armando The Debbie Downer...

That's sunny optimism compared to the knee-jerkers on this site who swear we are already worse than last year
 
Here's the info in case you don't want to click on the link:

Miami Dolphins enter season with plenty of uncertainty

The most important game of this soon-forgotten preseason is over and now I can make this grand pronouncement about the 2016 Miami Dolphins:

We don't know.

Sorry, but that is simply the truth as I see it now.

I'm not going to tell you Adam Gase and his interesting roster have the makings of the most pleasantly surprising story of the looming NFL season. I cannot tell you the Dolphins are about to make a magical last-to-first vault that we've sometimes seen in past NFL years and even saw from the 2008 Dolphins.

I just haven't seen the makings of that team this training camp or in the first three preseason games.

Neither, however, am I going to tell you the Dolphins are a 2015 cellar dweller that renewed their lease at the bottom of the AFC East.

I am going to share with you that I've heard both affirmations from people within and without this team that know a lot about football and certainly a lot more than me. These people are former coaches, players, national pundits, players on other teams, and personnel people from around the league. These people also work within the Dolphins organization, are coaches and players for this team.

So this mix of bright NFL minds have told me …

The Dolphins are flawed in too many places, too old in too many places while too young in too many others to be a playoff team. I've been told the quarterback will never be the right answer. I've been told the defense -- with multiple castoffs from other teams -- is going to be a huge disappointment.

This mix of people have also said …

This team will surprise everyone. I've heard talk of Ryan Tannehill throwing over 50 TDs this season -- I am not kidding on this one. I've been told this team has designs on the playoffs.

So who to believe?

I find both camps are too certain about a team that is replete with uncertainty.

Come to think of it, that's what I am certain I see when I look at these Dolphins. I see uncertainty. Lots of it. Practically everywhere.

The epicenter of that uncertainty begins in the secondary. If you watched the Dolphins play the Atlanta Falcons in the so-called regular season dress rehearsal Thursday night, you know the secondary is troubled.

Starting cornerback Tony Lippett is not an NFL caliber starting cornerback. He is a college wide receiver who is working on becoming an NFL cornerback -- a three-year project only in its second year.

Lippett is not ready. You saw it when he gave up a long completion on a post in the first quarter. You saw it when he got beat deep in the second quarter. You saw it when he was removed from the game in the first quarter and replaced by Bobby McCain.

McCain, by the way, also isn't ready. He's a slot corner who is being asked this preseason to play outside and that simply is not going to work when the real games begin. You saw that on the pass interference play he was called for in the second quarter.

The Dolphins hope Xavien Howard will be ready to play in the opener, but based on their current situation, the rookie is going to have to be a really good starter to save this team because even veteran Byron Maxwell on the other side has had tough moments this preseason.

The lone exclamation point among a herd of question marks in the Dolphins secondary is Reshad Jones, who had a dozen or so impactful plays last season, and came up with another -- an interception -- against Atlanta.

The Dolphins say their secondary issues will be minimized because of their great pass rush.

Maybe.

If Cameron Wake, who played exclusively on third down Thursday, is his old self that will help. It seems Wake has not lost a step based on the sprinter's start he got against the Falcons. He looked sharp.

But the season is a marathon race not a sprint so we simply don't know if Wake, at 34 years old, will hold up. Having said that, he still seems the most impressive defensive end on the team -- again.

Mario Williams has been quiet in the preseason. Andre Branch and Jason Jones are solid but have never been stars and haven't exactly wowed anyone this preseason.

Maybe if Ndamukong Suh regains his former Pro Bowl form at the same time Wake and Williams regain theirs this front will be dominant. Maybe. But we haven't seen it yet.

The Dolphins offense promises to be interesting this season because when it's over we'll know if …

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is part of the solution or the problem.

Running back Arian Foster has regained his form following surgery to repair a torn Achilles and can stay healthy.

DeVante Parker can stay healthy (which he hasn't done yet in his career) and then meets his grand potential.

If the offensive line that is trying to convert two former left tackles -- Laremy Tunsil and Jermon Bushrod -- into the unit's starting guards can be a solid foundation.

If the Dolphins get good news on these issues, most importantly on the Tannehill issue, the offense is going to hum this season. But that's a lot of ifs.

That's a lot of uncertainty. How all that translates to strong declarative statements about the 2016 Miami Dolphins by football people I talk to, I do not know.

And I get the feeling neither do they.
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I don't think Armando was unreasonable with this article.

He is basically saying "I don't know what the hell is going to happen with this team this year."

Nothing wrong with that. Just being honest.
 
This seems to be a pre game write up with a few edits to match up what happened in the game. He just wanted to have something to get out there quick.


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Can't disagree with that assessment. There aren't any certainties with this team whatsoever.

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The "we will look better in the secondary because of our awsome pass rush" is the same philosophy the team had last year and that failed big!! Also, where exactly is this big scarry pass rush? Anyone seen it?

This whole season is based on t-bum covering his arse after giving tanny the huge contract he didnt deserve and all focus and off season moves dedicated to making tanny an all world qb.

Unfortunately, they were very short sighted on the defense and we ARE hurting in to many important spots on D. As of right now? I dont see a playoff team. If we make a trade for some cb that can actually play and get the run stoping deficiantcy straightened out, maybe we squeek in. But i think losing to many games early from the offense not being completely gelled and defensive woes continuing will leave us out of the play offs this year.

It will easily take half the season for everyone to be comfortable in this NEW offense and games will be lost due to that factor. We ABSOLUTELY have a few big problems with this team. As i have said before, i think we will look better in some areas than what we showed in pre season but we WILL have issues with the defense. But even it wont be as bad as its looked with game planning and the starters all on deck. Unfortunately, we wont be good enough all the way around to make the playoffs.
 
I have absolutely no issue with what he said. There's nothing but uncertainty this season. This team could go 13-3 or 3-13. Only time will tell.
 
So, he's being honest about the team. If you want to read that the Dolphins are going to win the division and contend for the Super Bowl, those journalists aren't employed because it's fiction. We don't know what this team is going to do; we looked like a top team in the preseason last year and we went 6-10. We did look good last night, but we don't know what we are going to get from the offensive line, Kiko Alonso, Byron Maxwell, who is playing opposite Maxwell?, how will Wake be back from his achilles, how will the running game produce? We also have a difficult schedule this season, so it's going to be difficult to finish with a winning record.
 
I disagree that McCain's PI proved anything. He committed the PI against Julio. Beat him to the spot but couldn't get his head around. Tough play for any CB.

I have no issue with the rest.
 
My problem with this is not the uncertainty but the fabrication of bull**** including that anyone of consequence would be wasting their time on that worthless slug telling him anything!
 
D0lphan72 said:
I have absolutely no issue with what he said. There's nothing but uncertainty this season. This team could go 13-3 or 3-13. Only time will tell.
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This team will not finish 13-3; I'd bet my house on it.

No Dolphins team has finished with more than 11 wins in 25 seasons. 25!!! And no Dolphins team has finished with more than 12 wins in over thirty years. That's a lot of Dolphins teams and quite a few of them would absolutely destroy the 2016 Dolphins.

There's no way that this team, with this defense, and with these running backs, and with a first year coach, is going to win 13 games. They'll be lucky to win 8.

If this team wins 13 games this year it's because Tannehill has had a 1984 Marinoesque season, and that's not happening either.
 
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