BAMAPHIN 22
FinHeaven Elite
Gary Ramey-Phinfever: I could easily write this article as the official obituary for the Miami Dolphins 2011 Season. It would be pretty satisfying to take a cheap shot or two while they’re lying on the turf. Afterall, I had to call both my NE buddies last week to endure the usual taunt of how much my team sucks. If I write about how the defense isn’t living up to expectations, or how Reggie Bush isn’t being used right, or about shaky personnel decisions…I would have an easy time doing just that. You could be reading about how JT just called them out. I could write about Sparano’s lack of solutions. The bottom line is it is just 2 games. One was against the team to beat in the NFL and the other a team that is expected to go to the playoffs. Don’t look now but Houston is number 1 in the NFL in total defense. Their offense isn’t that bad either. So Miami fought hard but ultimately beat themselves with mental lapses in each of them. Then there is the curse of losing at home. Go figure how that works as Tony isn’t the only one puzzled. Even in the most unexplainable situations there is one thing for certain: if you keep doing the same thing over and over and hoping for a different result, you’re stupid. So next game..try leaving the sprinklers on overnight for several nights before the big game. Have your team practice in the mud all week. Or, maybe you fly the team on Friday to Timbuktu and then back on Sunday…to fool them into thinking they’re on the road. To quote Sparano “I don’t know” but I do know they’re usual preparation is a losing formula. Let’s say Miami manages a win this week. There will be critics because Cleveland is better than they were last year so the score might be closer than it should be. Indulge me…let’s chalk up a win for old time’s sake. They’re 1-2 with the opportunity to even the record on the road again. Impossible? The only two teams Miami lost too on the road last year was NE and Baltimore. That’s right, they were 6-2. Maybe the coaches gamble more. Maybe they’re more aggressive with the gameplan. Maybe the players enjoy playing to the tune of boos…who knows why. The fact is they were a very good road football team last year and a lousy home team. Don’t pop the bubbly just yet but hey we could at least HOPE things haven’t changed much from last year. In any case, I’m going out on a limb here and saying Miami is going to win this weekend by 11 points. You heard it hear first! Miami 28Cleveland 17 http://www.phinfever.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=686