This team is what it is

[SiScotty83]

Hey guys, please go easy here. There are far more knowledgeable guys on this forum than myself and I just wanted to see what folk think....

I thought before this season that this team was a 9-7 team, maybe if they played well a 10-6 team. That was my expectation and hope. We went 7-9 last year and that would represent improvement and a nice step forward. Well, here we are at 6-6 with 4 to play and the likelihood is we go 9-7, with a great finish 10-6 or even with a poor finish we probably go 8-8. That's despite some extraordinary obstacles put in our way and some defeats that were tough to take. To think this team could be sat here with 8/9 wins with how we've performed in various games is a real positive.

Yet all I read on here is negativity in the main. For all the talk about Tannehill, he's still a second year NFL QB. He's currently competing with the likes of Flacco and Rothlisberger for a Play Off spot. I'm quite happy with where he's at. Rome wasn't built in a day is how I look at it. A Play Off spot would be magnificent but it won't stop me being relatively content with where this team is at. Defensively we haven't been anywhere near our best. Our O has been hit and miss for much of the season. We have a FG kicker that can't decide whether he's awesome or absolutely shocking as well. We've seen some of the oddest playcalling in the NFL. We just aren't that bad and the future could be very, very healthy.

I'm looking for this team to make the next steps over years 3 and 4. That's where I'm looking for more improvement and for Miami to start becoming an 11-5/12-4 team. Baby steps. Fingers crossed.

Thanks for reading folks. Good day.

 

[gofins60]

I knew that this wouldn't be a Super Bowl year but it's just so frustrating to think that if the coaching staff had done something/anything with the o-line early in the season (which would probably mean less stalled drives), that may have led to one more TD per game putting Miami at 10-2 atop the division. As it stands, the fact that they're still alive for a Wild Card is a testament to the players in spite of a poor coaching staff.

 

[FinHopeful]

I agree with you. This team has met my expectations for the season. Fans get caught up in the moment. They are not steady and consistent like Philbin. People are frustrated by the fact that this team had an opportunity to exceed expectations. In fact, the team still has this opportunity. You might be surprised to find out I am happy with the structural changes in the talent on the team. Our defense has a better chance to help us win because we have more playmakers. I find it humorous that people slam Ellerbe and Wheeler for their lack of run support. The fans that complain about the lack of run support are the same ones that criticized linebacker coverage skills. The linebacker coverage is significantly improved, and this is the source of my chuckles when fans complain about the run support. We are better in the passing game with better talent at wide receiver. This drastically improves our odds of making the playoffs.

 

[finfan54]

People are impatient so they want to change everything again and suddenly your great with new system/personell?

Yeah, just be a little more patient. We got some studs on this team.

We had a tough schedule and lost some key guys and we still are improving. But these last 4 can really tell us something so....enjoy the ride!

 

[doughbraz54]

I had the same expectations. 9-7 and possibly 10-6. Both records could still be obtained but the main thing I wanted to see with this team was progression from Tannehill and I think that we have see a drastic improvement from him but there is still more that can be done.

 

[MiZFiT]

I think people often forget that Philbin was hired with the full knowledge of having a long-term plan for the organization and team as a whole. He was basically handed the okay for 3-4 years guaranteed. How he was so persuasive with Ross and Ireland behooves me but I like Philbin and think he is growing and maturing just as much as Tannehill but as a coach. Philbin is not perfect and yes he makes mistakes but he runs his team like a professional place of business which is what the NFL should be all about.

 

[Kdawg954]

This team could easily . . . I mean easily, go 7-9 still without breaking a sweat. We've seen this Dolphins team in this position almost every year since the Parcells/Ireland era began:

2008 - Dolphins were 6-5 and ended up winning the final 5 to win a tiebreak over New England with an 11-5 record and win the division. Very well disciplined and coached team in 2008.
2009 - Dolphins were 7-6 with their playoff destiny in their hands and then they lose the final 3 games by a touchdown or less. Dolphins finish 7-9
2010 - Once again Miami is 7-6 with 3 games to go and they lose at home to the Bills and Brown before going up to New England to get destroyed. Dolphins finish 7-9
2011 - 0-7 start doomed us . . . we did finish the season 6-3 . . . if we finished 6-3 in any of the past 2 seasons, we make the playoffs in those years Dolphins finish 6-10
2012 - 5-6 start, like this year, but we finish the season 2-3 for another 7-9 season.
2013 - Another 6-6 start . . . . 2 cold road games and a home game against New England and a season ender at home against the Jets . . . . Dolphins finish ???

We've seen this same story play out for quite some time now . . . maybe the ending this year will be different. I'll watch to find out.