Best Off-season in a Long Time

[Dajesus]

The approach to this off season is light years differing than those in recent history. Our only coaching concern was replacing a guy who got a head coaching job else where. We have a couple starting holes to fill/improve rather than drastic house cleaning. Over all goal is to get better to go further in the playoffs rather than a complete rebuild. This is the first off season I have true optimism since the 2000 season ended. I'm so grateful for Adam Gase!

 

[artdnj]

This off season will be most interesting and quite frankly most important. If we progress and don't regress and kill FA and hit on the draft I think we can challenge the Pats for a div title in 2017. Good times to be a Fins fan and I hope this sentiment holds true. It's been a long, long time...we deserve it af devoted fans. I do have faith in Gase and his seemingly outgoing passion that will gain him respect in decision making for team. I think Ross has faith in him and until Gase proves otherwise, why not be onboard?

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Plus, players want to play for Gase and that's huge in potential free agent signings and in keeping players who now want to stay in Miami.

We are still quite a few players away, but if the Dolphins can find a few serviceable players in free agency and two starting players in the draft you've got to feel pretty good moving forward.

 

[claytonduper]

It is a different off-season, but probably the most important off-season in a decade. Instead of finding our long-term coach and franchise QB, we need a serious uptick in talent, especially in the defense to take that next step. If not we could flounder in mediocrity for years. I believe that Gase has a vision and if the front office doesn't undermine his approach we should be good to take that next step. However, injuries will always have a huge impact on the season. After last season, we are due some good health.

 

[gofins60]

Over all goal is to get better to go further in the playoffs rather than a complete rebuild.

I disagree! Philbin and the Front Office (including Tannenbaum) ruined this team by wanting finesse rather than tough physical players. This is why the defense has trouble tackling and stopping the run. And, far too often they used o-linemen that were pushed around by d-lines. Philbin's team was a bunch of pansies, and IMO most of the roster needs to be replaced. Personally, I can't believe that they still want to rely on overpaid and injury-prone Albert and Pouncey; they should be replaced ASAP. A big reason why they started out 1-4 is because Tannenbaum and the Front Office neglected to place the proper emphasis on rebuilding a terrible o-line. Drafting Tunsil was an accident; it was sheer luck that he dropped to Miami. Why did Miami open the season with both Thomas and Turner starting on the o-line? Why were two of the worst o-linemen in the entire league still on the roster? They had plenty of holes to fill going into the draft, yet Tannenbaum (and possibly Grier and Gase) traded away current and future picks for a #4 WR when the WR corps was the ONLY part of the team with decent depth. Tannenbaum is an idiot, and Miami will not go far with him in charge.

The only reason Miami actually made the playoffs this year is because they got lucky in a few games; usually, luck favors their opponent. This is a team that should have lost to Cleveland but their kicker missed 3 FGs. Overall, they didn't fare so well against quality teams. Rebuilding is in order whether people like it or not. They need a new o-line for the future... I'd keep Tunsil and replace the other 4 starters. Alonso is the only decent LB, and he's not suited for the middle. They're going to need more d-linemen and DBs at starting positions and for depth. This is not a roster that is 2 or 3 players away from being dominant. The only parts of the team that are in good shape are the WRS and RBs; even QB is a question mark with Tannehill's injury. It's a new regime in place, so now is the time to rebuild. Fixing holes with band-aids isn't solving anything and will only hurt the team in the long run.

 

[NorthernFin]

I disagree!
The only reason Miami actually made the playoffs this year is because they got lucky in a few games; usually, luck favors their opponent.

Personally, I don't believe in luck. But if you do that's fine. I would say to you then, teams make their own luck. Gase is turning this around and the arrow is definitely pointing up. He doesn't wait to make changes, Turner and Thomas got released quickly. He gave them a chance, they didn't play well, they're gone. Ajayi throws a fit about not starting, boom - stay home then. You change your attitude, you can play next week.

 

[Bumpus]

I disagree! Philbin and the Front Office (including Tannenbaum) ruined this team by wanting finesse rather than tough physical players. This is why the defense has trouble tackling and stopping the run. And, far too often they used o-linemen that were pushed around by d-lines. Philbin's team was a bunch of pansies, and IMO most of the roster needs to be replaced. Personally, I can't believe that they still want to rely on overpaid and injury-prone Albert and Pouncey; they should be replaced ASAP. A big reason why they started out 1-4 is because Tannenbaum and the Front Office neglected to place the proper emphasis on rebuilding a terrible o-line. Drafting Tunsil was an accident; it was sheer luck that he dropped to Miami. Why did Miami open the season with both Thomas and Turner starting on the o-line? Why were two of the worst o-linemen in the entire league still on the roster? They had plenty of holes to fill going into the draft, yet Tannenbaum (and possibly Grier and Gase) traded away current and future picks for a #4 WR when the WR corps was the ONLY part of the team with decent depth. Tannenbaum is an idiot, and Miami will not go far with him in charge.

The only reason Miami actually made the playoffs this year is because they got lucky in a few games; usually, luck favors their opponent. This is a team that should have lost to Cleveland but their kicker missed 3 FGs. Overall, they didn't fare so well against quality teams. Rebuilding is in order whether people like it or not. They need a new o-line for the future... I'd keep Tunsil and replace the other 4 starters. Alonso is the only decent LB, and he's not suited for the middle. They're going to need more d-linemen and DBs at starting positions and for depth. This is not a roster that is 2 or 3 players away from being dominant. The only parts of the team that are in good shape are the WRS and RBs; even QB is a question mark with Tannehill's injury. It's a new regime in place, so now is the time to rebuild. Fixing holes with band-aids isn't solving anything and will only hurt the team in the long run.

Yep. 10-6 is an abomination. Off with their heads!

 

[Danny]

Yep. 10-6 is an abomination. Off with their heads!

I have to agree with the gfuy on a couple of things tho. The o-line is bad and we should stop counting on injury prone guys so he's right about that. He's also right that our LB's suck other than Alonso who shouldn't be playing the middle. We beat one single team with a winning record and we should have lost to the browns. The 10-6 looks nice and the credit goes to Gase, not to the talent(or lack there of). We have many holes to fill and unless we do it the right way we might not win 10 games again next year. Again, we got the HC and a few parts but we're NOT 2 or 3 guys away only.

Ozzy rules!!

---------- Post added at 08:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:08 PM ----------

Personally, I don't believe in luck. But if you do that's fine. I would say to you then, teams make their own luck. Gase is turning this around and the arrow is definitely pointing up. He doesn't wait to make changes, Turner and Thomas got released quickly. He gave them a chance, they didn't play well, they're gone. Ajayi throws a fir about not starting, boom - stay home then. YOu change your attitude, you can play next week.

Coaching was great but we're lacking talent almost everywhere. We need a great off season imo just to win 10 games again

Ozzy rules!!

 

[spiketex]

The only reason Miami actually made the playoffs this year is because they got lucky in a few games; usually, luck favors their opponent. This is a team that should have lost to Cleveland but their kicker missed 3 FGs. Overall, they didn't fare so well against quality teams. Rebuilding is in order whether people like it or not. They need a new o-line for the future... I'd keep Tunsil and replace the other 4 starters. Alonso is the only decent LB, and he's not suited for the middle. They're going to need more d-linemen and DBs at starting positions and for depth. This is not a roster that is 2 or 3 players away from being dominant. The only parts of the team that are in good shape are the WRS and RBs; even QB is a question mark with Tannehill's injury. It's a new regime in place, so now is the time to rebuild. Fixing holes with band-aids isn't solving anything and will only hurt the team in the long run.

Millions of people around the world do not believe in the concept of "luck". Even with some player personnel deficiencies, the Dolphins were still able to win 5 close games. The team struggled all game to get points against the LA Rams and only succeeded in the dying seconds, but some of us would argue that the play called by Coach Gase that involved Tannehill throwing to Parker so that it was either a TD or going out of bounds, with all other team members doing their respective jobs, wasn't luck at all. It was a well executed plan that came to fruition. Yes, it was close, but there was an element of skill along the way.
Similarly, Kiko Alonso's interception try against San Diego wasn't just "luck". Kiko studied the offensive formation and accurately determined what and where Philip Rivers was doing and then had the skill to catch the pass and the speed and strength to run the 60+ yards evading tacklers, for the TD. Kiko had studied the gunslinger QB opponent all week and made the correct read and executed. Some of us do not regard that as just "luck".

 

[miamiron]

This past season the Dolphins took a step forward beating teams we
would have lost to in the past but with only 1 win all season against
a team with a wining record we have to start beating good teams.

How we get there should be interesting

 

[Digital]

By far the best piece of offseason business we've done in a long time is getting Adam Gase. We've also had other recent successes like in free agency with Ndamakong Suh, trading for Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell, and drafting Laremy Tunsil and Xavien Howard. Finally, things are looking up in the long term.

We can't control Belicheat and Tom Shady, but after the Cheatriots, we're definitely the next best situated team in the AFC East. Looking at the conference, we're in the upper echelon of the American Football Conference looking at the long term. It's too early to say Miami is back ... but we're definitely in a better position than any I can recall since Shula retired. Fingers crossed ... but we may have finally found a successor to the greatest coach of all time, Don Shula.

 

[FrostyFinFan]

I don't think anyone thinks we are just a couple guys away from a Super Bowl. There are still a lot of question marks for next year (LB's, DE, TE, S, OG, etc...). I know we won a couple games with some luck on our side, but that usually averages out. I have to believe though that we are headed in the right direction. I am actually fairly confident in our coaches abilities to get the most out of the talent we have. Yes, we still need a couple productive free agent signings and a great draft. But if that happens, I believe we will have a chance to be contenders, at the very least, in the AFC. Terrible free agency and terrible draft would negate a lot of our gains this year. My biggest concern is our front office. Can they continue to procure talented players that Gase and the other coaches can use effectively? Time will tell.

 

[jlfin]

Tackling is all about coaching fundamentals and technique. Same with O-line play.
The Pats aren't loaded with elite athletes/players on defense or O-line. They draft solid players and coach them.
The O-line has a couple of mid rd draft picks, but they are well coached. This explains why players always appear to be better players when they are Patriots, then when they play for other teams. This goes all the way back to Deion Branch.

 

[Digital]

It's more than that though jlfin. New England tends to draft OL that are technically good players and who have requisite power to not be bull-rushed often. They aren't always the most athletic, but technique-wise they can fill the role. Then the offensive scheme helps them out. Brady passes into stacked boxes with very quick short passes, and they run against nickel and dime defenses. This minimizes the window to beat technically sound OL when the ball gets out so quickly, so unless they get completely destroyed by the first move, the ball is gone. And, the OL has an advantage against nickel and dime defenses.

Sure, they grind clock with the battering ram LaGarroutte Blount at the end of the game, but most of the game the OL gets the benefit of a scheme that allows the supremely competent Brady to minimize the weaknesses of his OL. His receivers are designed to get open quickly and his TE's are huge fast mismatches. Brady simply doesn't make mistakes delivering the ball. So they hardly produce any give-aways and they're almost never Brady's fault. That offense doesn't stop itself, and makes it very hard for the defense to stop it. Josh McDaniels really does a great job utilizing Brady and the talent they have, making the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

IMHO, prioritizing guys with technique and the requisite amount of power, like New England does, should be how we scout OL. Unfortunately, we prioritize feet and length, which while also very good traits, are not enough without technique and the baseline amount of power. Either we get guys with all of those things, like Branden Albert, or we get guys without the technique, like Billy Turner. That's why we seem to only be able to find OL in round 1 ... because at least one of the most basic requirements (technique and power) are missing in our quest to find long athletic OL. New England doesn't make that mistake drafting OL.

 

[The Goat]

I disagree! Philbin and the Front Office (including Tannenbaum) ruined this team by wanting finesse rather than tough physical players. This is why the defense has trouble tackling and stopping the run. And, far too often they used o-linemen that were pushed around by d-lines. Philbin's team was a bunch of pansies, and IMO most of the roster needs to be replaced. Personally, I can't believe that they still want to rely on overpaid and injury-prone Albert and Pouncey; they should be replaced ASAP. A big reason why they started out 1-4 is because Tannenbaum and the Front Office neglected to place the proper emphasis on rebuilding a terrible o-line. Drafting Tunsil was an accident; it was sheer luck that he dropped to Miami. Why did Miami open the season with both Thomas and Turner starting on the o-line? Why were two of the worst o-linemen in the entire league still on the roster? They had plenty of holes to fill going into the draft, yet Tannenbaum (and possibly Grier and Gase) traded away current and future picks for a #4 WR when the WR corps was the ONLY part of the team with decent depth. Tannenbaum is an idiot, and Miami will not go far with him in charge.

The only reason Miami actually made the playoffs this year is because they got lucky in a few games; usually, luck favors their opponent. This is a team that should have lost to Cleveland but their kicker missed 3 FGs. Overall, they didn't fare so well against quality teams. Rebuilding is in order whether people like it or not. They need a new o-line for the future... I'd keep Tunsil and replace the other 4 starters. Alonso is the only decent LB, and he's not suited for the middle. They're going to need more d-linemen and DBs at starting positions and for depth. This is not a roster that is 2 or 3 players away from being dominant. The only parts of the team that are in good shape are the WRS and RBs; even QB is a question mark with Tannehill's injury. It's a new regime in place, so now is the time to rebuild. Fixing holes with band-aids isn't solving anything and will only hurt the team in the long run.

It's amazing how luck always seems to favor teams that actively put themselves in positions to succeed.