fishfan34
2008 AFC EASTERN DIVISION CHAMPIONS!
Mike O said it best. The preseason means to us, what we want it to mean to us. Success or failure always brings the same response "it's only preseason." When we want to think our team is better than it is and they are 0-3 in preseason, that's our excuse, when our team is 3-0 and we want to stay grounded, we tell ourselves, it's only preseason.
Having said that, this preseason for the Dolphins has been more than just about the win's and losses, the successes and failures. It's been about a team pulling itself out of a 1-15 season a year ago and finding a reason to find a reason to believe and find some ray of hope.
So what happens is that a new regime comes in and gives walking papers to the majority of the players who have been here through the losing culture of the past decade. Save for Vernon Carey, Ricky Williams, Jason Allen, and a couple others I might be missing, this team has had a major overhaul and been stocked with a combination of youth through this season's draft, young veterans, and seasoned veterans, all with one thing in common, they haven't been apart of the losing culture in Miami for the past decade. This new regime has brought in rookies with that have skill, upside, and playmaking ability. They have brought in veterans who have had success in other places, in hopes of recreating that succes here. So where are we now?
QB- for the first time since #13 left, IMO, we have stability and hope at the QB position. We know pennington isn't the LONG TERM answer, but, so far, he's looked pretty damn good at running this offense and gives us a reason to believe we can compete offensively at that position. We have had Fiedler, a good game manager, but not a leader, and not someone that you felt could win the game if left in his hands. We had Feely, nuf said, we had Gus Ferrotte, who actually gave us one very good season, but really, he wasn't our answer. Daunte and Joey, nothing more than a failed attempt to try and win now with a team now built to win now. Pennington has shown us that the QB position is without doubt, the most important position on the team and that the difference in an average QB and a Playoff QB is a pretty big gap. Really, can't you tell a HUGE difference in this offense with a QB under center that looks like a leader and knows how to effectively run an offense inside of it's scheme? Chad Henne, obvious from last night, isn't ready to start day 1, but it's obvious this kid will be the QB of the future of this team and has the ability to be in the Tony Romo, Ben Rothlesburger, Philip Rivers class of QB's in this league when he's ready and given the reigns.
RB- is a deep position and a Ricky looks like, well Ricky, but how long will he be at this level of play or how long before he's off on another "trip". I think Ricky will truly give this teams what it needs for as long as he can. But having Ronnie as the RB this team will lean on for the future is comforting, once he shows us he can stay healthy.
But this OL is the biggest, whom without the QB does nothing, is looking very good, and although it's having it's issues here and there, I believe will be one solid unit at some point this season.
Finally, the D. We lose Zach and JT. Again, we love them, but, a part of the past, of that "losing culture". and in comes Merling, Langford, put together with Ferguson, Starks, Roth, and Porter, and the Bell, Crocker, and this Defense is fast, tough, skilled and a season away from retuning to dominance.
We watch the Patriots, the Cowboys, the Colts and think, why can't our team play so efficient and effortless like that and make winning look easy. Well I believe throught this season, we're going to little by little see that. I think we'll get a dose of reality in the first quarter of the season, but, this habit of the Offense taking the opening KO of the game and marching down the field and scorting, IMO, will become the norm. We aren't there yet, the penalties tell us that, the youth while promising, it still youth, but, the light is there, the ray is there, this season, we march toward that light, next season or two, we emerge from it and the NFL spotlight will shine on this team once again. My Prediction for this season, 7-9. 8-8 or 9-7 with the right bounce here or there, but for next season on, I see drafts like we saw this past April and the pickup of some free agents that at that point, will be additions to an already talented team to help put us over the top, not players we p/u solely to upgrade a position.
Go Dolphins!!!!!! We see the light.
Having said that, this preseason for the Dolphins has been more than just about the win's and losses, the successes and failures. It's been about a team pulling itself out of a 1-15 season a year ago and finding a reason to find a reason to believe and find some ray of hope.
So what happens is that a new regime comes in and gives walking papers to the majority of the players who have been here through the losing culture of the past decade. Save for Vernon Carey, Ricky Williams, Jason Allen, and a couple others I might be missing, this team has had a major overhaul and been stocked with a combination of youth through this season's draft, young veterans, and seasoned veterans, all with one thing in common, they haven't been apart of the losing culture in Miami for the past decade. This new regime has brought in rookies with that have skill, upside, and playmaking ability. They have brought in veterans who have had success in other places, in hopes of recreating that succes here. So where are we now?
QB- for the first time since #13 left, IMO, we have stability and hope at the QB position. We know pennington isn't the LONG TERM answer, but, so far, he's looked pretty damn good at running this offense and gives us a reason to believe we can compete offensively at that position. We have had Fiedler, a good game manager, but not a leader, and not someone that you felt could win the game if left in his hands. We had Feely, nuf said, we had Gus Ferrotte, who actually gave us one very good season, but really, he wasn't our answer. Daunte and Joey, nothing more than a failed attempt to try and win now with a team now built to win now. Pennington has shown us that the QB position is without doubt, the most important position on the team and that the difference in an average QB and a Playoff QB is a pretty big gap. Really, can't you tell a HUGE difference in this offense with a QB under center that looks like a leader and knows how to effectively run an offense inside of it's scheme? Chad Henne, obvious from last night, isn't ready to start day 1, but it's obvious this kid will be the QB of the future of this team and has the ability to be in the Tony Romo, Ben Rothlesburger, Philip Rivers class of QB's in this league when he's ready and given the reigns.
RB- is a deep position and a Ricky looks like, well Ricky, but how long will he be at this level of play or how long before he's off on another "trip". I think Ricky will truly give this teams what it needs for as long as he can. But having Ronnie as the RB this team will lean on for the future is comforting, once he shows us he can stay healthy.
But this OL is the biggest, whom without the QB does nothing, is looking very good, and although it's having it's issues here and there, I believe will be one solid unit at some point this season.
Finally, the D. We lose Zach and JT. Again, we love them, but, a part of the past, of that "losing culture". and in comes Merling, Langford, put together with Ferguson, Starks, Roth, and Porter, and the Bell, Crocker, and this Defense is fast, tough, skilled and a season away from retuning to dominance.
We watch the Patriots, the Cowboys, the Colts and think, why can't our team play so efficient and effortless like that and make winning look easy. Well I believe throught this season, we're going to little by little see that. I think we'll get a dose of reality in the first quarter of the season, but, this habit of the Offense taking the opening KO of the game and marching down the field and scorting, IMO, will become the norm. We aren't there yet, the penalties tell us that, the youth while promising, it still youth, but, the light is there, the ray is there, this season, we march toward that light, next season or two, we emerge from it and the NFL spotlight will shine on this team once again. My Prediction for this season, 7-9. 8-8 or 9-7 with the right bounce here or there, but for next season on, I see drafts like we saw this past April and the pickup of some free agents that at that point, will be additions to an already talented team to help put us over the top, not players we p/u solely to upgrade a position.
Go Dolphins!!!!!! We see the light.
