Each season is different and things change. 2008 was the first and only year Pennington started 16 games for the Dolphins (He only started 3 games in 09, and 1 play in 2010) The Dolphins were still 7-7 at one point each season without him. I can't help but think that Pennington could have beaten the bad teams Henne couldn't to end the 2009 and 2010 seasons and the Dolphins would have beaten out the Jets for the playoffs in 2009.
Regardless, the Dolphins missing the playoffs the next couple of years doesn't prove they were a fraud anymore than the Jets 2011 season proves their 2010 season was a fraud. Using that logic, you could say NE's perfect season in 07 was a fraud becasue they missed the playoffs in 2008, got pummeled by Bal in 09, and got beat by a lesser Jets team in 2010?
The Dolphins did have an easy schedule to finish the 2008 season, but I think facing bad teams is different than facing teams that rest their starters. Those teams have no desire to win and were not going to game plan since they were heading into the playoffs. That is very different than bad teams who are trying to win.
You did start out 0-3 w/ Chad P. He's obviously the much better QB btw he and Henne but would Chad P have been able to outduel us in Miami like henne did? We would have been better either way.
The Jets in 2011 were still 8-8 and in the thick of the playoff race after TWO title game runs, the '09-'11 dolphins were never even in a playoff race after getting crushed at home in the WC rd in 2008.
The '08 dolphins had a much easier time late in the year than the Jets did getting a qtr and a half of Colts backups. Miami faced 5-6 completely dead teams, the Jets got a qtr and a half of Indy backups(trailed by 5 w/ starters in) and a half against Cincy(led by TWENTY SEVEN when starters were in).
what makes you so confident in saying that, i know the draft is still ahead but what have they done since the season ended to make themselves better in your opinion?
Laron Landry one year deal is good but he is only getting one year for a reason and that is because he is a liability in coverage, who is the other safety
resigned Wayne Hunter, thats a loss by addittion
Plax is all but gone, Holmes coming off a bad year let alone the on and off field drama, Chaz Shillens? Relying on a 2nd year Kerley?
still no pass rushers, everyones a year older, bart scott barely wants to be there and the only reason he is still there is because of $
oh and i forgot bringing in the most controversial top 5 worst completion percentage QB who is going to take snaps away from your "franchise QB" and be a cobnstant distraction
so how exactly are you so sure they will be better?
What makes me confident is I believe we have a very good HC and we have plenty of talent to win. I'll take 2 years of good play vs. 1 year of mediocre play, to me that year is an aberration until they do it again.
There are a million moves to be made but why I feel the Jets will be better is I think the OL will be better which will make the QB better. On D Rex will be calling games again, I think that is huge and I expect this team will have the hunger to overcome the embarrassment of last year. There's too much talent to be an 8-8 type of team.
as far as roster moves:
re-signed Pouha- great move
re-signed Bryan Thomas- good move, he was a pretty big loss last year
signed Landry- if healthy he'll be good
signed Schilens- if healthy he'll contribute
Holmes is coming off a bad year, I expect he'll be much better. Plax was great in the RZ but struggled everywhere else. Kerley will be in year 2.
The OL should be healthier at least going into the season
who cares about tebow's comp %? he is not coming in as a QB, he's going to be a gimmick player and he's a playmaker that gives us another dimension.
The QB is in year 4, he was good in year 2, took a step back last year. I expect a big step forward.
as far as pass rushers, we didn't have any in '09 or '10 either.
