Were We really 4-12 Bad Last Year? | Page 2 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Were We really 4-12 Bad Last Year?

finsnchips said:
we lost games because teams ran over us.. they wouldn't have been doing that if Bowens and Chester was playing. We were, IMO, the best 4-12 team ever - wow, thats something to be proud of.
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I was going to say the same thing. I said it all along last season (just wasn't here at the time) that we were probably the best 4-12 ever. A lot people are writing us off because they simply look at the record and think "they suck" but when you consider Ricky quitting, Boston going down, never settling on a QB, the coaching disaster, Gordon getting hurt, etc. etc. it was just a season of bad luck. It was our first losing season since '89. All it was was an off-year so no I don't think we were really as bad as our record indicated and I think this year we're going 8-8 with an outside chance at 9-7.
 
Cannonboy said:
No we werent. Other then the Jets Monday night game we were pretty much in every game. There were 2 or 3 plays in each game that if we could have made or not made our record would have been so much better. I think this team will surprise alot of people this year. If we can get the qb play just to play within the game and try not to force the issue we will have great success. Our defense still is there, they just need that extra to make a key stop in the game every now and then. I think a 9 or 10 win season is not out of the question.
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I absolutely agree that we were right there in every game except the Jets game. We were a play or two here and there in each game. The Interceptions for TD's in both bills games did us in, otherwise we're in both of those games. We let Arizona drive the field on us and score in the final seconds, Seattle takes one to the house when we're driving for a potential game winning FG in that game, Remember, Mare had already missed one, or we're running out the clock instead of trying to get in FG position. I have NO CLUE how we lost to Cincy, their offense was HORRIBLE.. so was ours, but COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... We were right in the Titans game until the end, I mean, We could have had 5 or 6 more wins last year with a play here of there. But, the reality is we didn't have those extra wins and it was what it was. I truly believe better coaching, a plan of attack on offense, and improved play all around will lift us to those 5 or 6 wins this year. I say 8-8 or 9-7.. I'll still hold off my final prediction for the season until I see how the draft plays out..
 
I'm not sure if I'm going to get flamed for saying this or not but was I the only one who was hoping we'd have a bad season last year? I mean, I had high hopes when we signed Boston but then Ricky quit and Boston went down with an injury I figured the season was a lost cause already at that point and that even if we made the playoffs we wouldn't go far in them, so I started hoping teams would beat us just so it would cost Wanny his job and we could get a high pick in the draft and bring in a better coaching staff and a solid player to build the franchise around with the eventual draft pick. I was willing to go through a year like we did if it meant bettering the team long-term which I think it will.
 
4U2NV said:
I'm not sure if I'm going to get flamed for saying this or not but was I the only one who was hoping we'd have a bad season last year? I mean, I had high hopes when we signed Boston but then Ricky quit and Boston went down with an injury I figured the season was a lost cause already at that point and that even if we made the playoffs we wouldn't go far in them, so I started hoping teams would beat us just so it would cost Wanny his job and we could get a high pick in the draft and bring in a better coaching staff and a solid player to build the franchise around with the eventual draft pick. I was willing to go through a year like we did if it meant bettering the team long-term which I think it will.
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you got what you wished for
 
The over/under betting lines for wins in the season isn't out yet. But the betting lines has us as second from worse to win the superbowl @ 126 to 1. Based on that I say the best the over/under will be 7 wins, and probably lower.

I plan on taking that bet.

--Ross
 
we were better than a 4-12 team last year, we had a lot of close games. I say this year we get 7 or 8 wins because we are in a tough division.
 
No, we were not nearly as bad as our record indicated last season (I don't care about that stupid Parcells saying) and to prove it let me do a recap:


Week 2 at Cincinnati: In spite of a masterful defensive effort by the Dolphins, we still fall 16-13 in the closing seconds to the Bengals.

Key Moments: Anthony Simmons' 51-yard interception return for a touchdown and the questionable decision to switch to a prevent style defense toward the end. Had we taken away the turnovers, we would have won 13-6 in spite of a pitiful offensive showing.


Week 9 vs Arizona: In a battle of two of the NFL's worst teams, the Dolphins lose when Josh McCown culminates a long drive with a 2 yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald to give the Cardinals a 24-23 win at Dolphins Stadium with 19 seconds left.

Key Plays: This, in my opinion was the worst defeat of the season, AJ Feeley rallied the team to a 23-17 lead with under two minutes to go and thanks to an embarresing defensive collapse and questionable officiating we go down. Had the Dolphins stopped McCown for scrambling for 9 yards on 4th and 8 or had JT's sack in the waning moments counted (thank u Mr. Zebra!), the Dolphins walk away with a 23-17 win.


Week 10 at Seattle: In Jim Bates' head coaching debut, the 1-8 Dolphins give the NFC West leading Seahawks a run for their money, but fall 24-17 when Michael Boulware returns an errant AJ Feeley pass 63 yards for a touchdown.

Key Plays: Toward the end of the half, AJ Feeley had the Dolphins on a rare sustained offensive drive that reached the five yard line. On second down, Feeley zipped an apparent 5-yard scoring pass to Chris Chambers, but an illegal motion penalty negated the score and the next play, Feeley was sacked and fumbled away the oppurtunity. Olindo Mare didn't help matters when his 34-yard field goal attempt drifted wide left in the 4th quarter. Had Miami played smarter football, they might have walked away from the Pacific Northwest with a huge 27-17 upset.


So, from my deduction had the Dolphins played a little smarter and limited the turnovers and penalties, they could have achieved a 7-9 record in 2004, which would be remarkable considering the circumstances they endured over the offseason.
 
The record last year in my opinion was based on bad coaching and the schemes on both the offensive and D side of the ball. We never adapted, never changed it up. Always did the same thing! The love affairs just had to end. It was like a soap opera. This year, I have a feeling will have anywhere from 8-12 wins. We havent lost that many key players and were going to gain alot more in this draft(Quality players) Im getting prepared for a treat. Playoffs?? I beleive so
 
I agree with futurePhin, last years team with a good coaching staff would have done alright. Wanny was just a very stubbonrn SOB. He didn't realize that if something doesnt work the first 500 times, it is not going to work the next 500 times!
 
Yes we were really that bad. You dont have to get blown out every game to be 4-12, you just have to find ways to lose. Thats what we did. A lot of the games were close and a better team would have found a way to win. So, yeah, we really were 4-12 bad.
 
I don't think that a massive turnaround is really out of the question. I mean seriously, who thought the Chargers would be 12-4 last year, anyone? I remember an article about LaDainian Tomlinson where even he was mad about playing for a team that couldn't go anywhere, then they are in the playoffs with Tomlinson playing on a groin injury until about week 12. That's the thing about the NFL, you just never know. Yeah our division is strong, but with Saban at the helm I just feel like we are going to have our screws in a lot tighter this year. The biggest problem of the Dolphins 2000-2003 was their lack of a killer instinct, which was undoubtedly from Wannstedt's fraidy cat approach to games. With Bates at the helm last year they were much more disciplined and seemed much more enthusiastic just to go out and play, not be hindered by Wannstedt's non-belief in the team. I'm not going to predict anything, lets just roll with it and have fun. Anything would be better than last year.
 
Our record says we were 4-12 and thats fact. Our team did play their hearts out in numerous games and I think the coaching staff had alot to do with our losses. WE WILL NOT BE IN THE SAME BOAT THIS YEAR!!!!!
 
Ross said:
The over/under betting lines for wins in the season isn't out yet. But the betting lines has us as second from worse to win the superbowl @ 126 to 1. Based on that I say the best the over/under will be 7 wins, and probably lower.

I plan on taking that bet.

--Ross
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I think it will be lower than 7 wins. Probably 6 (over the favorite) or 6 1/2 flat.

Actually, I'm sure the over/under wins are already out somewhere. The bolder joints usually stick that up in February. But the guys who ran the Imperial Palace, which was historically first with stuff like that, have moved over to the Hilton now. If anyplace has them up already, the Hilton is a good bet. I haven't been over there in a while.

I noticed we went up from 10/1 to 12/1 to win the AFC East at a couple of sportsbooks in the last week or so.
 
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