-81- McMichael
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I re-watched a couple of games this past weekend. The first Jets game... and the Sunday night Denver game (what a game!).
Here's some thoughts to maybe keep in mind DURING the season:
First...
That first Jets game was a lot closer than many people may remember. Had Pennington played instead of Vinny's sorry pathetic self... different game... Vinny gave up TWO very costly and stupid INT's and got sacked AND stripped by JT on the SAME PLAY!!! :o Much like Lucas against Buffalo... ONE MAN, literaly, lost the game.
The Denver game was JUST AS CLOSE as it seemed. And Denver could easily have won that game. BTW, Griese had some pretty good looking throws in that game despite INCREDIBLE pressure from our defense line and lb's. We blitzed A LOT and it WORKED (please, blitz more this year!). Griese also threw for over 300 yards in that game. Uhhh, but he also threw that one INT to Madison that almost cinched the game for us after Sammy returned it for a TD.
The Colts game came down to the last play (and shouldn't have).
The second Jets game was close DESPITE Lucas, aka sorry-piece-of-$h!T.
The Minn. game was close (one of the worst second halves I've ever had to endure).
The Raiders game was close (great game - NOTE: if we should lose JT during the season we will HURT... SERIOUSLY BAD).
The second NE game was close (worst coaching and special team play I've seen from my 'Fins in a LONG TIME).
The point here about all these CLOSE GAMES is that the argument could be made EITHER way about almost ANY team regarding their record at the end of the season... IF this play goes this way and IF that play doesn't happen and IF that ref's call had been right, etc. Enough! I don't want to see or hear any of that this year.
WE NEED TO DOMINATE GAMES!!! :yell: :yell: :yell:
And there's really no excuses for why we cannot. Honestly, I don't remember EVER (even when we had Marino and the Mark bros. and what was left of the "Killer B's") having a team this STACKED all around.
Secondly...
THINK about this:
After we got through with New York in our first meeting, the Jets had been OUTSCORED and humiliated by something like 74-10 in a two week period (other game was against NE). Their offense was a mess and they couldn't seem to tackle or hit anyone to save their lives. Either they left Miami at 1-2 or 0-3, I don't remember. But NO ONE that day would have seriously believed it if you'd have told them that the Jets would go on to win the division. I think even Jet fans would have been like, "Yeah, right!"
Mind you, ONE of the announcers did have enough mind to say, "... well, folks, lets remember that for every team the average season has something like FIVE TURNS in it."
Prophetic words. After re-watching the Denver game I could really see where we could really have been something special last year. But the loss of Fiedler, Chambers and OG was just too much all at once. Definitely ONE OF THOSE bad TURNS.
BUT GREAT TEAMS OVERCOME bad TURNS!
Baltimore did it when they won it all (Dilfer over Banks, plus the discovery of J. Lewis). New England did it when they lost Bleedso (and discovered Brady). Heck, really, the Rams did the same thing when they lost Trent Green and, I think, then their second stringer and ONLY THEN turned to Warner! [Correct me, if I'm wrong.]
The point is... the Dolphins HAVE TO find a way...
...to be Champions.
And THAT should be the 2003 motto.
Here's some thoughts to maybe keep in mind DURING the season:
First...
That first Jets game was a lot closer than many people may remember. Had Pennington played instead of Vinny's sorry pathetic self... different game... Vinny gave up TWO very costly and stupid INT's and got sacked AND stripped by JT on the SAME PLAY!!! :o Much like Lucas against Buffalo... ONE MAN, literaly, lost the game.
The Denver game was JUST AS CLOSE as it seemed. And Denver could easily have won that game. BTW, Griese had some pretty good looking throws in that game despite INCREDIBLE pressure from our defense line and lb's. We blitzed A LOT and it WORKED (please, blitz more this year!). Griese also threw for over 300 yards in that game. Uhhh, but he also threw that one INT to Madison that almost cinched the game for us after Sammy returned it for a TD.
The Colts game came down to the last play (and shouldn't have).
The second Jets game was close DESPITE Lucas, aka sorry-piece-of-$h!T.
The Minn. game was close (one of the worst second halves I've ever had to endure).
The Raiders game was close (great game - NOTE: if we should lose JT during the season we will HURT... SERIOUSLY BAD).
The second NE game was close (worst coaching and special team play I've seen from my 'Fins in a LONG TIME).
The point here about all these CLOSE GAMES is that the argument could be made EITHER way about almost ANY team regarding their record at the end of the season... IF this play goes this way and IF that play doesn't happen and IF that ref's call had been right, etc. Enough! I don't want to see or hear any of that this year.
WE NEED TO DOMINATE GAMES!!! :yell: :yell: :yell:
And there's really no excuses for why we cannot. Honestly, I don't remember EVER (even when we had Marino and the Mark bros. and what was left of the "Killer B's") having a team this STACKED all around.
Secondly...
THINK about this:
After we got through with New York in our first meeting, the Jets had been OUTSCORED and humiliated by something like 74-10 in a two week period (other game was against NE). Their offense was a mess and they couldn't seem to tackle or hit anyone to save their lives. Either they left Miami at 1-2 or 0-3, I don't remember. But NO ONE that day would have seriously believed it if you'd have told them that the Jets would go on to win the division. I think even Jet fans would have been like, "Yeah, right!"
Mind you, ONE of the announcers did have enough mind to say, "... well, folks, lets remember that for every team the average season has something like FIVE TURNS in it."
Prophetic words. After re-watching the Denver game I could really see where we could really have been something special last year. But the loss of Fiedler, Chambers and OG was just too much all at once. Definitely ONE OF THOSE bad TURNS.
BUT GREAT TEAMS OVERCOME bad TURNS!
Baltimore did it when they won it all (Dilfer over Banks, plus the discovery of J. Lewis). New England did it when they lost Bleedso (and discovered Brady). Heck, really, the Rams did the same thing when they lost Trent Green and, I think, then their second stringer and ONLY THEN turned to Warner! [Correct me, if I'm wrong.]
The point is... the Dolphins HAVE TO find a way...
...to be Champions.
And THAT should be the 2003 motto.