What do the Bills, Pats, Jets think of Miami? *NO SMACK*

[jman924]

It almost looks like this team is built to run. So why is Joey throwing 60+ passes a game?

 

[Tigers2003]

Wow. HUGE topic, of which I am by no means qualified to answer, but I'll give it a basic shot.

Off the top, you are still transitioning from the previous regime, and the previous regimes personel. I think you underestimate this issue. Saban came here, with a lot of successful baggage, and the majority of your fanbase equated that with instant success. By instant, I mean within 2 or 3 years.

That's a lot to assume and saddle him with. This is not college. You simply can't recruit your personel. And the ones you can (free agency), you're still limited via the salary cap. I think the cap has been overlooked in your total success. If Saban had his way and was able to replace a lot of the old guard with the new guard he would, but alas the NFL in the post-salary cap era is much different than pre-cap. You have to build carefully.

You have also changed a lot of coaches (OC & DC.) I know that you have replaced them with quality individuals, but I would assume that takes time. It is hard in today's NFL to have consistancy, but the more a group plays together, the better they become as a team. It has hurt my Patriots more than some would care to acknowledge.

You guys (please don't flame me!) have also vastly overrated your players. Before this season, the majority (not all) said how good your team was, how they would take the AFC East from the Patriots for sure, and that many of your players (ie. Ronnie Brown, Zach, Taylor, etc.) were the best at their positions. I was even hearing how amazing Traylor was. Hey, they're your team and you are entitled to that opinion, but realistically they are not. Doesn't mean they are not immensly talented though. The point is that your pre-season '06 hype put false expectations on your season. And for the record, there are not many Pats players I would say are the best either.

As for your now infamous "O-Line", they are not nearly as bad as being blamed. Funny how much less pressure is on the QB position with Harrington back there. Culpepper sold a bag of goods that seemed false (as many opposing fans said before he played) about his injury status. It didn't help you fans that reports out of camp said he was "ready to go" and "looks great!".

Part of it is just bad play. Some of your position players need to step up and play better. It is a fine line between winning and losing in the NFL. I too thought you guys would be far better than you are currently playing, and part of me still believes you will start to turn it around this season.

I am not one for trash talking or running my mouth off with smack. I give the Jets a ton of credit for playing far better than I ever thought they would. I also think Buffalo is underacheiving too, I thought they would play better. As for my Pats, well, I think they are overperforming right now and thought they would have been a bit worse so far.

To sum it up, you guys have been so good for so long that I think the modern NFL is forcing you as a fanbase to rethink your team. You can't simply be Super Bowl bound or instantly turned around because you got a talented coach, RB and QB. It takes far more to create a champion, including at times, luck. There have been many talented team in the past who never won the Super Bowl either.

I would end with this. Even though you are not doing well, there are plenty of positives to build on, even if that means next season. You could have Herm Edwards or Mike Tice as your coach, more style than substance.

Now... flame on!

No flaming whatsoever. You gave an honest observation and it is rare that I ever would agree with a Pats fan but you are close on some of them.

I do think a lot of our fan base (and I was as guilty as anyone else) overestimated the talent. I think though that a lot of us assumed that the previous failures was all about coaching and with a lot of reasons. But its not just bad coaching; the baggage was also players not producing.

But the OL is still not where it needs to be. Yeah Culpepper's knee issues, bad timing, and taking too long to make reads made the pass protection look worse. But, we aint nowhere near what we should be. Last year I thought the first half of season with the exception of first two games our OL went from mediocre to pathetic and got much better as the season wore on. I thought like many fellow Dolphin fans that the unit turned a corner. Well that has not happened and unless there is a dramatic turnaround as in more games like vs. Chicago than there will need to be an overhaul.

It is going to take time to right this ship. IMHO Saban will do it and do it right. But what is most frustrating is that we in every definition regressed this year. That is why the pressure is on Saban for there to definitive progression for '07 already.

Yeah a lot of cleaning needs to be done. I predict a lot of turnover in personnel. I strongly believe that a team needs to build through the draft and add FAs to cover missing links. Hopefully for us guys like Roth, Hagan, Toldeo, Allen etc. will step up and realize their potential as they will soon in due time will be given real opptys to become starters going into next year.

By the way thanks for the thoughtful and classy non smack post.

GO DOLPHINS