FN: Playoffs? 5 Players Who Must Step it Up

[gafin]

It sure looks nice in south Florida these days. A new offensive line, a recharged running game and new management and coaches to help put 2013 behind the Dolphins. But the head coach remains, the quarterback remains and the memories of what could have been, all remain. Not everything on the field that happened was Joe Philbin’s fault. Not everything that happened to Ryan Tannehill was his fault. But with all the changes on the roster, the additions and the subtractions and the changes in staff, the two are now more under the microscope than ever before.

NFL.com is running a piece on its website about players taking the next step and listing 25 players who will be a splash with their teams this season. I want to take this a step further. With all these changes (for the good), here are five players who must step up this season to ensure the team has a change to fight for that playoff spot.

Joe Philbin/Ryan Tannehill

I say these two are connected for several reasons. First, a general manager/head coach/quarterback are all usually tied to together. Jeff Ireland Joe Philbin, then drafted Ryan Tannehill. Ireland is gone. It will be interesting to see if Philbin can right the ship in south Florida and if Tannehill, who threw for 3,900 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, can take the next step forward. If he does not, this could be the end of the trip for the head coach. Whether the Dolphins look to make a change behind center remains to be seen.

http://www.footballnation.com/content/miami-dolphins-5-players-who-must-step-it-up/29882/

 

[roy_miami]

1. Tannehill obviously. 90+ passer rating and we'll win a lot of games. Show some leadership and take some ownership over your pass protectors and lack of chemistry with our number one receiver. And play with a much bigger sense of urgency in the middle parts of the game or when we have the lead.
2. Jamar Taylor. We need fierce competition at the number 2 CB position which will push both him and Finnegan to be better. If one of them is gifted the position by default I won't be too confident in the unit as a whole.
3. Lamar Miller. Step up your pass protection because if Tannehill steps it up and proves he can shred defenses with his arm you'll be the beneficiary with a much bigger role in the offense.
4. Dannell Ellerbe. We paid you a **** load of money, now start making some God Damned plays!!
5. Joe Philbin. You've been trying to implement an up tempo offense since arriving, we both know its the key to us making some big noise as not just a playoff team but a Super Bowl contender so get it ****ing done already!!

 

[Fin Thirteen]

I hope I'm not offending any fellow fin fans on here when I say this, but that was a pretty underwhelming article. Poorly written and nothing really insightful about it at all.

The idea for the article is nice, the article itself is not.

 

[maralieus]

I think they missed an obvious one....koa misi.

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[Dolphin North]

I think they missed an obvious one....koa misi.

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And a CB not named Grimes.