Think we'll self destruct come December? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Think we'll self destruct come December?

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testtubetimmy

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I think this is a valid question, because it seemed to be a huge problem during Wannstedts Reign of Terror. I always assumed it was a coaching issue, not neccesarily a weather problem. Plus, this year we play the bills, jets and titans at home in December. So home field advantage seems to be where we thrive.

Or is it more of a mental barrier? One that's imposed upon our players by themselves, as an insurmountable goal, winning at the end of the season. Since we've failed so many times before, just wondering if Saban has the skills and abilities to get us over the last leg of the journey and into the playoffs?
 
testtubetimmy said:
I think this is a valid question, because it seemed to be a huge problem during Wannstedts Reign of Terror.
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It existed long before Wanny or JJ ever came down the pipe.
 
I think being able to win in December is a combination of a quality team and mental toughness. We have had some quality teams in the past but not themental toughness to win. I am hoping Saban can and will change that. It may takemore than 1 season, but that is what I am hoping for.:D
 
I think we will pull it together, but before december. I look at our two losses and I say to myself in the second half at home we will beat these teams. For what seems like forever(decades) we always seem to win the first game of our division games and lose the second when everthything is on the line. Now I forsee us being tied or even leading the jets and the bills when we play them again, and this time its our turn to "turn things around". I honestly can't wait.
 
signs of self-destruction are already arising with the amount of penalties we keep committing more and more of each game. If Saban grows a pair and cracks down on this team, I think we have a chance of making playoffs.
 
I think if we can come into december with some momentum, which aside from last year we usually do, having 3 home games in december will for sure be a help in the right direction. Although if we have a dismal record come december, it will probably be some ol' stuff
 
SoDakDolfan said:
I think being able to win in December is a combination of a quality team and mental toughness. We have had some quality teams in the past but not themental toughness to win. I am hoping Saban can and will change that. It may takemore than 1 season, but that is what I am hoping for.:D
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good point. this team may lose in december, but i wont be because of previous reasons. this team has already shown it is mentally tough, though not too smart :)
 
I WILL TELL YOU WHAT A GREAT DOLPHIN FAN SAID " HE SAID I THINK THE DOLPHINS SHOULD TRAIN IN THE NORTH POLE THAT WAY SANTA CAN KEEP HIS EYES ON SAM AND JASON AND MAYBE THEY CAN TRAIN FOR THE COLD WEATHER" this quote was brought to you buy the inmate in the county jail a fan that we should all know and love . ( mr mercury 40)

:judge: :judge: :bry:
 
I fear the 4 coast-to-coast trips made each week at the end of November and continuing into December will have a terrible effect on a team already suspect on the road.
 
I think a big part of our late season self destruction was the fact that JJ and Wanny ran their players into the ground at practice. Not so with Saban. Saban has made our practices minimum contact with a healthy dose of team study mixed in. I think that will make a big difference.
 
testtubetimmy said:
I think this is a valid question, because it seemed to be a huge problem during Wannstedts Reign of Terror. I always assumed it was a coaching issue, not neccesarily a weather problem. Plus, this year we play the bills, jets and titans at home in December. So home field advantage seems to be where we thrive.

Or is it more of a mental barrier? One that's imposed upon our players by themselves, as an insurmountable goal, winning at the end of the season. Since we've failed so many times before, just wondering if Saban has the skills and abilities to get us over the last leg of the journey and into the playoffs?
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Have you checked the team's records in December in recent years? What do you consider self destructing? From 2000 - 2003 the Dolphins were over .500 in the month of December. Even last year, 3 of the team's 4 wins were late in the season.

The "December swoon" is a myth spread by the media. Over the years, the biggest problem has been winning on the road, not winning in December. For a number of years, the Fins played division games, on the road, up north in December. That led to the late season failures.

Where are we this year? 2-2 with 2 road losses.
 
testtubetimmy said:
I think this is a valid question, because it seemed to be a huge problem during Wannstedts Reign of Terror. I always assumed it was a coaching issue, not neccesarily a weather problem. Plus, this year we play the bills, jets and titans at home in December. So home field advantage seems to be where we thrive.

Or is it more of a mental barrier? One that's imposed upon our players by themselves, as an insurmountable goal, winning at the end of the season. Since we've failed so many times before, just wondering if Saban has the skills and abilities to get us over the last leg of the journey and into the playoffs?
Click to expand...


It all depends on how well we are doing going into Dec. I know that sounds like an obvious statement, but if you look at Wanny's era, we were physically and mentally weak and usually down going into the last stretch of the season.

I believe this team is different. The talent level is not much different from Wanny's era (at least the starters)...The team is different mentally and there is a backbone of strength (the coaching) that was missing during that time as well. That is the difference...IMHO...

All-in-all, I still don't see us in the playoff hunt by any stretch of the imagination come Dec, so it really won't matter much...except that we could be a fly in the ointment to the AFCE....
 
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