Forecasts for last year's 8-8 teams (nfl.com) | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Forecasts for last year's 8-8 teams (nfl.com)

Coach_Rob

Coach_Rob

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LOOKING UP! [h=3]Miami Dolphins[/h]This is the year Ryan Tannehill has to show he can improve, namely by cutting down on interceptions thrown and sacks taken. Yes, adding Branden Albert to the offensive line will help, but the fact remains that some of the league-leading 58 sacks given up by the Dolphins last season were Tannehill's fault; it looked like he held the ball too long at times. Fortunately for the Dolphins, I think Tannehill has the capacity to grow as a quarterback and take care of these issues. Miami also will need to get more from receiver Mike Wallace, who managed just 12.7 yards per catch -- not commensurate with the big-money contract the team gave him last offseason.
Of course, even with an offense that ranked 27th in the NFL in 2013, Miami still managed to hang in the playoff hunt late into the season. In 2014, we can expect the Dolphins' attack to bring much more pizazz, thanks to their secret weapon: new coordinator Bill Lazor. He's a sharp up-and-comer who can have a transformative effect on this squad.
Predicted win total: Nine.
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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...-should-soar?campaign=Facebook_writers_brandt
 
Somebody's drinking the coolaid, 9 seems a bit high to me. I would be VERY happy with 9 wins from this group.
 
I just want to be able to see a team moving in the right direction instead of stagnating, nine wins would be a start.
 
KTOWNFINFAN said:
Somebody's drinking the coolaid, 9 seems a bit high to me. I would be VERY happy with 9 wins from this group.
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That's a one win improvement from last year. That's not exactly setting the world on fire. It's not unreasonable to think a team that spent an entire offseason addressing its biggest weakness would improve by a single game.
 
We have a tough schedule this year. Nine wins would be a pretty good season, if you ask me. Playoffs would be great, but it's going to take an easier than average schedule (like last season's) to get us in until we have the winning habit and better consistency.

Anything between 6 and 9 wins is believable to me. I'd lean towards 8 or 9, but who knows with the calibre of opponent we face?
 
I also believe that with the team, and coaches we now have (unless we get hit really hard with the injury bug) 9 wins is an attainable goal.
 
KTOWNFINFAN said:
Somebody's drinking the coolaid, 9 seems a bit high to me. I would be VERY happy with 9 wins from this group.
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Dude - if Lazor can get the players to buy into the new system and if our linebackers learn to tackle and our run defense tightens up, we can be a good team. We have a lot to be optimistic about. Some of last year's draft picks like Jordan and Taylor, who saw few snaps will make a contribution. Dolphins are flying under the radar. I think that you are in for a pleasant surprise.
 
I'm going 10-6 and a playoff birth mainly because I think Tannehill will take that next big step and finally has at least a decent OL. Yeah, I'm optimistic, so sue me :)
 
spiketex said:
Dude - if Lazor can get the players to buy into the new system and if our linebackers learn to tackle and our run defense tightens up, we can be a good team. We have a lot to be optimistic about. Some of last year's draft picks like Jordan and Taylor, who saw few snaps will make a contribution. Dolphins are flying under the radar. I think that you are in for a pleasant surprise.
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im sure our linebackers are who they are by now lets not act like these guys just came into the league. Ellerbee and Wheeler have proven over time that they are not good enough to be starters
 
As a betting man I have a 8.5 grade on us which may not seem great but essentially that grade means wildcard contender and I have us as the favorite. Thats up from about the 7.8 line I had us at this time last year so like the article I agree that we are trending up.

So the 8.5 is the realist number I would go with if I was forced to bet my life. As a fan if I'm projecting where I hope Tannehill will be, and that Lazor is a big upgrade, and we actually get the up-tempo working, and if we run even in the luck department I think we're a 10.5 win team. In fact as soon as I see concrete evidence we are going to be an up-tempo offense I'll be placing long term bets on the Dolphins winning the championship game, and the SuperBowl as well if the odds make sense. My thinking is if we're able to run an effective up-tempo I think we have a real good shot at homefield advantage in the playoffs which gives us the advantage to actually go to the SB.
 
The way I look at it 9 sounds pretty reasonable. Our defense got worse with the loss of Soliai, so we are vulnerable to run teams. Fortunately, most of the teams we play this year are pass first teams. Not many power run teams we need to face.

IMHO, the addition of Lazor and Benton improve the team tremendously. Our OL got worse every year under Turner and the Bills, Jets and other teams figured out our play queues (go go-go, Pouncey's head bob, Clay in the game = pass, Yeatman in the game = run, etc.).

With better OL coaching and a legit LT, our OL will be significantly improved. With Lazor's multiple sets, motion, varied personnel groupings, screens, TE's that are effective blocking for the run game and picking up the pass blitz in addition to being a big safety valve when Tannehill gets pressured, and the use of screen passes to slow the pass rush and get our speed backs out into space ... this looks like a much more effective offense.

At least one more win seems very likely to me.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 
TarHeelFinFan said:
That's a one win improvement from last year. That's not exactly setting the world on fire. It's not unreasonable to think a team that spent an entire offseason addressing its biggest weakness would improve by a single game.
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Like no of the other teams spent anytime working on their biggest weakness. By the end of the season I would not be surprised in the slightest, if KTOWN's post isn't very accurate. All the teams in our division have made moves to improve themselves this year, it's going to be tough to even match our record from last year. Either way 9-7 or 8-8 will do us no good long term tbh.
 
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