Unrealistic Expectations

[mpn1334]

This certainly isn't meant to be a negative post, but rather a realist, unbiased look at the team we all love.

It is clear that this team simply isn't ready to compete at the NFL level. The lack of talent is evident in:

1. the secondary as nobody can stop the wide receivers
2. the front seven can't stop the run
3. penalties negate every crucial play...there is no excuse for these undisciplined mistakes
4. the wide receivers are non-existent aside from bess and camarillo, who certainly weren't expected to be depended on as our two best receivers
5. offensive line has a long way to go
6. our 9th overall pick last year did not see the field today until less than 7 minutes in the 4th quarter
7. ...
8. ...

We could go on and on, and it doesn't get any better.

This team needs to be upgraded at EVERY position. The only spot(s) I feel comfortable with is running back and the future of Chad Henne at quarterback.

We all get excited about the events of the offseason with the addition of Parcells and company, and certainly I believe this team is headed in the right direction. However, it was perhaps foolish for us to expect an immediate turnaround from last year's 1-15 season. In fact, and I know its only the second game of the season, but an argument can be made that the 2008 Dolphins are less talented at this point than they were at this point in 2007.

This front office replaced a high percentage of the roster, and perhaps it will take some time for this new group of players to gel. But this is a process that is going to take more than one year, more than two years. But eventually, this team will be ready to compete.

We expected it too soon. But as fans, who can blame us?

 

[Namor]

They are all pros...I expect EFFORT...

 

[Dr. Phin]

The expectations were unrealistic. This is a real rebuild...a real rebuild...and it is going to take patience, which many don't have...get used to it...it is going to be a long year; unless you look at only the pieces that are expected to be part of the future. Crocker, Goodman, J. Allen, Hill...aren't part of that future (I won't go into more controversial ones I believe are gone...) These junk players are going to kill us for now...

As for the front seven, we switch to playing alot of nickel and dime defenses...at the expense of run protection. I think that had more to do with the fact that we couldn't cover the pass...

 

[Pennington's Rocket Arm]

i'm not sure why anyone realistically expected a winning season. they get all excited about a new face of the franchise with Parcells and his minions, and while that's certainly logical, it doesn't mean they're going to turn a 1-15 team into a champion overnight. it's just not possible.

 

[Phanatical]

I don't think it is unrealistic to expect the team to compete on Sundays. Today's performance was pathetic.

 

[dolfan91]

I believe that the strong showing in the preseason built up the overall expectations of the team by the fan base!!! it's painfully obvious now how bad the mueller/cameron duo was... they thought they were outsmarting all the other nfl gm's!!! the 2007 draft is turning out to be a complete bust IMO... while satele looks solid.. he is replacable!!! parcells and company need MORE time to work this team... phil simms on several occassions has stated parcells likes to build through the draft and always targets the o-line and d-line 1st... eventually the cb's and wr's corps will be rebuilt as well... parcells has been saying that he hopes to field a playoff caliber team by 2010... IMO that is a very realistic goal!!! i feel that jake long, donald thomas, philip merling, kendall langford, samson satele, vernon carey, chad henne, chad pennington, ronnie brown, ricky williams, devone bess, are just the beginning of whats to come... i don't think this team is capable of winning more than 3-4 games if they are lucky... i feel that with another strong draft class by parcells and company will go along way in solving the holes at cb and wr... i'm not giving up hope... parcells has a plan, unlike wanny and mueller... and i do bel;ieve that better days are ahead, just not in 2008!!!!

 

[pags77]

There are many things to be depressed about with today's game.
1.Our offensive line just can't open holes for 2 top flight NFL RB's. I expected more from our running game as it was apparent that our WR's are terrible.
2.Our defense flat out stinks. Can't stop the run or pass, the offensive yardage pile up by the Cardinals was laughable. Either Fitzgerald our Bouldin could have caught passes all day. The mismatch with our secondary was embarassing.
3.Where is the discipline on this team? Huge penalities to allow opposing teams to sustain drives, I expected more from a Parcells team.
4.This is a team with no leaders, I don't buy Crowder as a defensive leader and I don't think Pennington will finish this season as our starting QB.

Realistic expectations were more competitive than what we saw today against a good, but not elite NFL team. Was hoping for about 6 wins, if we keep playing like what we saw today, that ain't happening.

 

[RoninFin4]

As far as the running game is concerned, we overpaid for an often-injured, average guard in Justin Smiley, couple that with having to play Ike Ndukwe on the other side and it being only Jake Long's 2nd game, you're going to have problems.

 

[finboss]

I have been the first to jump on the ultra-negative folks who just want to fire and trade everybody on the team, but after this debacle it's hard to argue with them. Maybe we should stop expecting anything. Maybe our team just flat out sucks and there is no point in hoping for more than some slight improvement from week to week. I listened to every second of this slaughter on WQAM and even Cefalo, Rose, and Mandich sounded like they were just throwing their hands up.
I'd like to throw out two ideas. First: Having these players trying to play with fear for their jobs on their minds all the time MIGHT be causing them to be too tight. The defense seems to be really hesitant to react to anything. Like they are so afraid of making a mistake that they just freeze up.
Secondly: Football is a game of match-ups (as we all know) and we just don't match up well with teams that have a pair of good to great recievers. Our secondary just can't cover very well and might only be seviceable against teams with an average recieving corps like the Seahawks, Raiders (maybe), Rams, 49rs, and Chiefs. I am afraid these blow-outs may continue until we find a way to stop somebody's passing game.
I know these points are pretty obvious but I'm just really depressed about how bad we looked today.

 

[Pinkboy]

If you are going to B***h and complain then take a vacation until 2010.

That's when the dolphins will seriously turn the corner.

FYI this is a rebuild process going on people. What part of that dont you understand ?

 

[volk]

I don't expect a winning team, but I do expect a competitive one. I expect some of the deficiencies of last year's team to be gone. Forget about talent for a moment, just look at team toughness and discipline. I'm sorry, but I see no improvement in those areas. Maybe it will get better by mid-season, but I thought that last year and received only dissappointment.

I am honestly thinking we are at least 3 years away from fielding a mediocre team. It will take that long for us to finish the defensive overhaul and get real WR's that can ac†ually play at the pro level. 4 years of suck is hard to stomach....

 

[Pennington's Rocket Arm]

If you are going to B***h and complain then take a vacation until 2010.

That's when the dolphins will seriously turn the corner.

FYI this is a rebuild process going on people. What part of that dont you understand ?

guess the forum should be shut down for 2 years then