Realistic Expectations

[FORMER FIN1]

With the offseason we've had and due to the fact that this is the most boring time in football. I pose a question: What are your realistic expectations about our team? I don't mean in terms or record although is .500 a realistic goal. Is our talent better? worse? Is the injuries the main reason we were 1-15 or just that idiot Cameron? Thoughts Try to keep it somewhat positive we have enough "hate" threads.

 

[NWFLJoe]

Try to keep it somewhat positive we have enough "hate" threads.

I hate postitive threads.

OK, just kidding...

As an objective observer (or, as they say in NW Florida and Alabama, an "observator"), I will say that 1-15 was the result of a perfect storm that hit South Florida last year.

Schedule: Toughest schedule in the AFC, 4th toughest in the NFL.
Injuries: Ronnie Brown was on track for a monster year, the type of season that results in W's late in the season when other teams get worn down. Trent Green ain't Marino but he ain't Cleo Lemon, either. The list goes on.
Coaching: Cameron's easy-going approach was a dramatic change from Saban's maniacal, controlling approach. The change resulted in a culture change (shock) that required more than one season to
Roster: While the overall talent level was probably OK (not horrible), it was really a weird, Frankenstein-esque assemblage of talent. There didn't appear to be any cogent approach to selecting players and assembling units on each side of the ball (O-line unit, receiving corps, linebacking unit, d-backfield, etc). As a result, there wasn't any real team cohesion.

Obviously lots of other factors played into last year's fiasco of a season but I contend that the team wasn't as bad as 1-15. Realistically, a pre-season prediciton of 5-7 wins probably wouldn't have been much of a stretch for the 2007 Dolphins. So they weren't as bad as the record.

(Honest...I'm getting to the original question. I just have to go around my a$$ to get to my elbow.)

So, in comes Big Bill, the Dolphins capo di tutti capi, and blows up a team that wasn't as bad as its 1-15 record would indicate. That's the bad news. The good news is that the previously assembled team probably wasn't ever going to be much better than a 6-7 win team as it was currently constructed.

BP and the new braintrust tore the house down to the foundation, tore out the foundation, and started over. Because of this, the upside potential for the Dolphins has now gone from a 6-7 win ceiling to 10+ win potential.

Eventually.

This year, because BP&Co blew up the roster, brought in a new organizational philosophy, changed coaches, and established a new player profile paradigm, the team may actually regress from what their potential was last year (previously mentioned 5-7 wins).

The '08 Dolphins are probably a 4-6 win team. While that represents a marked improvement over last year's record, it doesn't mean the team will be better that what the '07 version should have been, if you're feelin' me.

The real good news for Dolphin fans is that the '09 squad will probably be a .500 team and the 2010 and beyond teams will be 10+ win teams every year. It'll take that long to get the structure -- and a franchise quarterback -- in place before the team really takes off.

Or not.

 

[Phinadict]

I hate postitive threads.

OK, just kidding...

As an objective observer (or, as they say in NW Florida and Alabama, an "observator"), I will say that 1-15 was the result of a perfect storm that hit South Florida last year.

Schedule: Toughest schedule in the AFC, 4th toughest in the NFL.
Injuries: Ronnie Brown was on track for a monster year, the type of season that results in W's late in the season when other teams get worn down. Trent Green ain't Marino but he ain't Cleo Lemon, either. The list goes on.
Coaching: Cameron's easy-going approach was a dramatic change from Saban's maniacal, controlling approach. The change resulted in a culture change (shock) that required more than one season to
Roster: While the overall talent level was probably OK (not horrible), it was really a weird, Frankenstein-esque assemblage of talent. There didn't appear to be any cogent approach to selecting players and assembling units on each side of the ball (O-line unit, receiving corps, linebacking unit, d-backfield, etc). As a result, there wasn't any real team cohesion.

Obviously lots of other factors played into last year's fiasco of a season but I contend that the team wasn't as bad as 1-15. Realistically, a pre-season prediciton of 5-7 wins probably wouldn't have been much of a stretch for the 2007 Dolphins. So they weren't as bad as the record.

(Honest...I'm getting to the original question. I just have to go around my a$$ to get to my elbow.)

So, in comes Big Bill, the Dolphins capo di tutti capi, and blows up a team that wasn't as bad as its 1-15 record would indicate. That's the bad news. The good news is that the previously assembled team probably wasn't ever going to be much better than a 6-7 win team as it was currently constructed.

BP and the new braintrust tore the house down to the foundation, tore out the foundation, and started over. Because of this, the upside potential for the Dolphins has now gone from a 6-7 win ceiling to 10+ win potential.

Eventually.

This year, because BP&Co blew up the roster, brought in a new organizational philosophy, changed coaches, and established a new player profile paradigm, the team may actually regress from what their potential was last year (previously mentioned 5-7 wins).

The '08 Dolphins are probably a 4-6 win team. While that represents a marked improvement over last year's record, it doesn't mean the team will be better that what the '07 version should have been, if you're feelin' me.

The real good news for Dolphin fans is that the '09 squad will probably be a .500 team and the 2010 and beyond teams will be 10+ win teams every year. It'll take that long to get the structure -- and a franchise quarterback -- in place before the team really takes off.

Or not.

Very nicely laid out. I think I can agree on all of your points, with the one (hopeful) exception of it taking us to 210 to get to .500 :d-day:

 

[feelthepain]

I honestly think it's to early to know anything. I know it's slow, but we have to get some pads on and some things sorted out before we have any idea what we have. JMO.

 

[mike_vee]

i agree with you, but this is the NFL and it is a sport that relys on a number of things. we can be 4-5 win team this year as we can be a super bowl contender(not likely) but possible, last year we got some really questionable calls against us at some very unoppertune times, that i don't really care what anyones says if the fins where on national tv i'm sure the calls would have been different, but if some of those calls go our way this year and some of the other teams get desimated by injuries like the fins did last year, we'll be in the thick of it just like the Jets where a coupple of years ago.

all i'm saying is things can change really fast in this league, and hopefully it will for the fins.

so now REALISTICLY i think the fins can win 7-9 games, and be very competitive in the one's they lose. definitly be alot more competitive than last year thats for sure.

 

[mullingan]

Realistically I expect this team to be very competitive. IF WE CAN RUN THE BALL. "On paper" it looks like we will be a productive, if not top notch, running team assuming RB comes back and Ricky is 90% of his old self. If that turns out to be the way it is, our passing game will benefit from that as will our defense. Our special teams have to be better then last years, so better field positions on both side of the ball should be in our favor. I say, realistically, 6-8 wins

 

[fatkirstyalley]

Cam Cameron's "Fail Forward Fast" gimmick made it OK for players to not succeed and feel OK about it. Plus Conditioning was horrible

 

[Captain Lou]

I hate postitive threads.

OK, just kidding...

As an objective observer (or, as they say in NW Florida and Alabama, an "observator"), I will say that 1-15 was the result of a perfect storm that hit South Florida last year.

Schedule: Toughest schedule in the AFC, 4th toughest in the NFL.
Injuries: Ronnie Brown was on track for a monster year, the type of season that results in W's late in the season when other teams get worn down. Trent Green ain't Marino but he ain't Cleo Lemon, either. The list goes on.
Coaching: Cameron's easy-going approach was a dramatic change from Saban's maniacal, controlling approach. The change resulted in a culture change (shock) that required more than one season to
Roster: While the overall talent level was probably OK (not horrible), it was really a weird, Frankenstein-esque assemblage of talent. There didn't appear to be any cogent approach to selecting players and assembling units on each side of the ball (O-line unit, receiving corps, linebacking unit, d-backfield, etc). As a result, there wasn't any real team cohesion.

Obviously lots of other factors played into last year's fiasco of a season but I contend that the team wasn't as bad as 1-15. Realistically, a pre-season prediciton of 5-7 wins probably wouldn't have been much of a stretch for the 2007 Dolphins. So they weren't as bad as the record.

(Honest...I'm getting to the original question. I just have to go around my a$$ to get to my elbow.)

So, in comes Big Bill, the Dolphins capo di tutti capi, and blows up a team that wasn't as bad as its 1-15 record would indicate. That's the bad news. The good news is that the previously assembled team probably wasn't ever going to be much better than a 6-7 win team as it was currently constructed.

BP and the new braintrust tore the house down to the foundation, tore out the foundation, and started over. Because of this, the upside potential for the Dolphins has now gone from a 6-7 win ceiling to 10+ win potential.

Eventually.

This year, because BP&Co blew up the roster, brought in a new organizational philosophy, changed coaches, and established a new player profile paradigm, the team may actually regress from what their potential was last year (previously mentioned 5-7 wins).

The '08 Dolphins are probably a 4-6 win team. While that represents a marked improvement over last year's record, it doesn't mean the team will be better that what the '07 version should have been, if you're feelin' me.

The real good news for Dolphin fans is that the '09 squad will probably be a .500 team and the 2010 and beyond teams will be 10+ win teams every year. It'll take that long to get the structure -- and a franchise quarterback -- in place before the team really takes off.

Or not.

The Dolphins were every bit as bad as a their record. Lets be honest here. We were one missed field goal from 0-16. Cam was ill prepared as a head coach. However,this team has a lot to prove. The new attitude that BP and company brings will help.

Our defense has more question marks than a book of riddles! The offense on paper should be a solid running team.

The ultimate success of the offense really hinges on solid qb play. Teams will stack the box and take away the run. Our qb needs to take advantage of the mismatches that will create! If that happens we'll have a lot more to cheer about this year and years to come. Right now we are a 1-15 team until we win 2 games, and then we'll build from there!

My guts says 4-6 wins! My heart always wants more. I hope I'm surprised with this years team!

 

[23EmilioVasquez]

I dont expect to be a very good team but I hope we can win 4 to 5 games get a good draft pick so we can get a star for our future Defence James L. for example

I would love to be the team to surprise everyone and kick some serius *** but i dont think that will happen so lets hope some of our rookies and some young guys step up so we can have some hope in the near future

 

[m i n o]

Realistically I expect this team to be very competitive. IF WE CAN RUN THE BALL. "On paper" it looks like we will be a productive, if not top notch, running team assuming RB comes back and Ricky is 90% of his old self. If that turns out to be the way it is, our passing game will benefit from that as will our defense. Our special teams have to be better then last years, so better field positions on both side of the ball should be in our favor. I say, realistically, 6-8 wins

well, we ran the ball pretty good last yr. in fact ronnie was looking to have a pro-bowl yr and was leading from los up till his injury. he should be fine come the season with a (on paper so far) improved o-line with three first rnd picks(not sure about smiley but i thought he went in the first). then we have a sober ricky williams to go with the rook parmele(i thought bookers scatback speed fit right in with ronn and rick..o well) yet our passing game was a little long in the tooth last year and so far it doesn't look much better atleast on paper. and as you state our st play can't get anyworse than last years unit.
who knows..the way the nfl is you can see a team go from 1-15 to 12-4 the very next season or vice versa