Killing Time 8/ December Losses, Are IMO, Linked to Teams' Post Season Failures..

[Disnardo]

Hello everyone...

As we all know, the Dolphins have been attached to this "satirical" title since December 1986. They have lost an average of 2 games in every December since then.

Are they the only team that has gone through that same agony? I don't know, I have not looked up other team records yet, but I believe this ironically placed satire, has more meaning to the team, due to the results the team had in trying to reach the Post Season, and/or its success, or lack of, when they get in. As the winning % this team has accrued over the years, we the fans, media and the country, expect to see them in the PS every year.

They have not won a Divisional Playoff game in 11 years, and IMO, their record in the last month of the regular season, seems to have a link to their performance in getting deep into the Post Season. I hope to show how conclusive the December Swoon has been to the Dolphins in the info bellow.

I compiled some interesting stats on teams that have made the Post Season over the last 11 years...

-> 47 of 132 (36%) teams had 2 or more losses in those 11 Decembers...
-> 85 out of 132 (64%) teams had 1 or less losses...
-> Teams with a winning % in December have better chances in getting to the PS...

-> 10 (21%) of those 47 made it to a Division Championship Game...
-> 34 (40%) of those 85 made it to a Division Championship Game...
-> Teams with a winning % in December had 2X the chance of getting deep in the PS

-> 3 (6%) of those 47 won the Division and the Super Bowl. Denver (2X), and Dallas. These teams had very productive Offenses and good Defenses...
-> 19 (22%) of those 85 won the Division...
-> Teams with a winning % in December had almost 4X the chance of winning the Division

-> 3 (2%) out of a total 132 teams in the 11 past Post Season won a SB. These teams had lost 2 or more games in December...
-> 8 (6%) out of a total of 132 teams won the SB...
-> Teams with a winning % in December have 3X the chance of winning a SB...

Here is to the first year we break the trend... :)

Bottom line, though others might disagree, these #s show me a good trend, that a winning December, while making the PS, improve the team's chances of success in the Playoffs...

 

[dolfan91]

i couldn't agree with you more ... miami needs to change the trend it has developed in december ... it is getting ugly .. like a 62 - 7 loose!!!

 

['Deep]

Somehow, someway things have to change in December for us to ever get anywhere in the playoffs, having home field advantage and a first round bye are critical. Strange thing is our December tailspins go all the way back to when Shula was coach, continued with JJ, and now Wannstedt is experiencing it. Just have to keep thinking positive that one of these years we`ll break the jinx, and go 4-0 in December.

 

[Finsflurry]

Hello everyone...

As we all know, the Dolphins have been attached to this "satirical" title since December 1986. They have lost an average of 2 games in every December since then.

Are they the only team that has gone through that same agony? I don't know, I have not looked up other team records yet, but I believe this ironically placed satire, has more meaning to the team, due to the results the team had in trying to reach the Post Season, and/or its success, or lack of, when they get in. As the winning % this team has accrued over the years, we the fans, media and the country, expect to see them in the PS every year.

They have not won a Divisional Playoff game in 11 years, and IMO, their record in the last month of the regular season, seems to have a link to their performance in getting deep into the Post Season. I hope to show how conclusive the December Swoon has been to the Dolphins in the info bellow.

I compiled some interesting stats on teams that have made the Post Season over the last 11 years...

-> 47 of 132 (36%) teams had 2 or more losses in those 11 Decembers...
-> 85 out of 132 (64%) teams had 1 or less losses...
-> Teams with a winning % in December have better chances in getting to the PS...

-> 10 (21%) of those 47 made it to a Division Championship Game...
-> 34 (40%) of those 85 made it to a Division Championship Game...
-> Teams with a winning % in December had 2X the chance of getting deep in the PS

-> 3 (6%) of those 47 won the Division and the Super Bowl. Denver (2X), and Dallas. These teams had very productive Offenses and good Defenses...
-> 19 (22%) of those 85 won the Division...
-> Teams with a winning % in December had almost 4X the chance of winning the Division

-> 3 (2%) out of a total 132 teams in the 11 past Post Season won a SB. These teams had lost 2 or more games in December...
-> 8 (6%) out of a total of 132 teams won the SB...
-> Teams with a winning % in December have 3X the chance of winning a SB...

Here is to the first year we break the trend... :)

Bottom line, though others might disagree, these #s show me a good trend, that a winning December, while making the PS, improve the team's chances of success in the Playoffs...

I always enjoy your killing time posts, its a refreshing change from the Fiedler/Feeley Wanny/Wayne monotony we deal with every day. I agree with you on December, gaining momentum into the playoffs and that possible one week of rest is too important, as evidenced by your stats. I truly do believe that we will finally have a winning record in December and we'll roll into the playoffs instead of backing in as we always do.

Thanks for the research.

 

[DoLpHiNz34]

Great job gathering that info.:clap:

If there was a year to get on a roll in December it's gotta be this one . Our schedule isn't easy but it's the best December we've had in a while. I hope we take advantage of it.

 

[DeDolfan]

Hello everyone...

As we all know, the Dolphins have been attached to this "satirical" title since December 1986. They have lost an average of 2 games in every December since then.

Are they the only team that has gone through that same agony? I don't know, I have not looked up other team records yet, but I believe this ironically placed satire, has more meaning to the team, due to the results the team had in trying to reach the Post Season, and/or its success, or lack of, when they get in. As the winning % this team has accrued over the years, we the fans, media and the country, expect to see them in the PS every year.

They have not won a Divisional Playoff game in 11 years, and IMO, their record in the last month of the regular season, seems to have a link to their performance in getting deep into the Post Season. I hope to show how conclusive the December Swoon has been to the Dolphins in the info bellow.

I compiled some interesting stats on teams that have made the Post Season over the last 11 years...

-> 47 of 132 (36%) teams had 2 or more losses in those 11 Decembers...
-> 85 out of 132 (64%) teams had 1 or less losses...
-> Teams with a winning % in December have better chances in getting to the PS...

-> 10 (21%) of those 47 made it to a Division Championship Game...
-> 34 (40%) of those 85 made it to a Division Championship Game...
-> Teams with a winning % in December had 2X the chance of getting deep in the PS

-> 3 (6%) of those 47 won the Division and the Super Bowl. Denver (2X), and Dallas. These teams had very productive Offenses and good Defenses...
-> 19 (22%) of those 85 won the Division...
-> Teams with a winning % in December had almost 4X the chance of winning the Division

-> 3 (2%) out of a total 132 teams in the 11 past Post Season won a SB. These teams had lost 2 or more games in December...
-> 8 (6%) out of a total of 132 teams won the SB...
-> Teams with a winning % in December have 3X the chance of winning a SB...

Here is to the first year we break the trend... :)

Bottom line, though others might disagree, these #s show me a good trend, that a winning December, while making the PS, improve the team's chances of success in the Playoffs...

Wow, nice job! What is quite clear to me is that it's not how many gms you may lose, but rather WHEN you lose them. Momentum means alot. I think I would pick an 8-8 team to win it all over a 14-2 team if the 8-8 team won their last 8 gms and the 14-2 lost their last 2. No team ever wants to lose their LAST game !!

 

[Fin-Loco]

This december looks like we can do it. Great teams win when it counts. Regardless what the calenadar says. I want us to smell the playoffs this year and finish strong. Trounce the lesser teams and turn up the tempo when we get evenly matched or out matched so we can take the win. We did better than average last December (though obviously not enough) hopefully we broke the cures last year and now we can break through it.

However, let's not forget that playing great in December doesn't mean jack unless we bring our A game in January. Both qb's and head coach combined equal a paltry 3 playoff wins. We don't have any key players with much experience winning in the playoffs either. BUT, neither did Carolina last year New Engalnd three years ago.

 

[pigskinguy]

As always, great Killing Time post. I agree, I think winning in December has a direct affect with post-season success. If you are playing well going into the playoffs, odds are you will do well in the playoffs.
More importantly, if you do well in December you have probably put youself in position to have a first round bye......or at the very least a first-round home game with a team that may have just squeaked inot the playoffs.

 

[iceblizzard69]

Teams that win games have a better chance of doing better in the playoffs and getting there. That's a no brainer. We don't win games, so our chances of doing well in the playoffs are lower. The month when we win the least games is December, so our lack of success in that month hurts our chances of getting to the playoffs or doing well in them. Also, by playing poorly in the last month of the season, we lack momentum going into the playoffs (if we get there), so we don't do if we make the playoffs.

These numbers don't really tell me anything. Teams that win games and have momentum going into the playoffs tend to do better.

 

[TerryTate]

If you are looking for the smack part of this section, its been moved to the Depths of the Sea....we dont smack here....

 

[Disnardo]

If you are looking for the smack part of this section, its been moved to the Depths of the Sea....we dont smack here....

Thanks Terry for cleaning it up... :up:

Edited: Thanks everyone for your remarks and opinions.

I should add that winning in December shows the character of the team and depending on the team record going into the last 4 weeks, even the teams that ended with 6-6 record were still kind of in contention in the start of December. Many teams have made the Post Season with a 9-7 record. So those teams that start December with a 9-3 record can loose the last 4 if they don't come to play and might see themselves being on the outside looking in...

 

[*_*ADMIRAL*_*]

i totally agree with your post Disnardo.....unless you win most of the games in december there is a small chance for you getting deep into the playoffs

great post Disnardo

 

[DeDolfan]

i totally agree with your post Disnardo.....unless you win most of the games in december there is a small chance for you getting deep into the playoffs

great post Disnardo

momentum is a wonderful thing !!

 

[CrunchTime]

The late season flop has more to do with tough scheduling and planning than any "Jinx".

Players have complained that that the fins do too many full contact practices well into the season and that there is a "burned out" effect at the end of season.Last year they relaxed a bit and we had an inordinate amount of penalties,missed tackles at the end of the season.(Also missed FGs).But we did get by with relatively few injuries.Late season results were somewhat better but not in the games that count.

This year we have a fovorable schedule and although there will be a couple of away cold games they will not be against our traditional rivals.

I expect we will do better this year in late season.