Fan Since the 70s
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Is there only the choice between Flores or McDaniel's style, or are there other options?Yeah the Flores way produced much better results.
Why the Season was a Failure
- Thread starter Fan Since the 70s
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I don’t think style has anything to do with it. You either have the players or you don’t. I’d wager big money if McDaniel took over the Ravens they’d be even better than they are now and if John Harbaugh was coaching this Dolphins team they wouldn’t have sniffed the playoffs.
Fan Since the 70s
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Of course things other than players have a lot to do with it, or the superior team in terms of player talent would beat the inferior team every time. That doesn't happen however.
VAFinsfan72
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Why it was a failure to me was because this was a year we could have at least made a deep playoff run if we didn't choke away the Titans game.
The division was there for the taking. We had a 3 game lead with 5 games to play with 4 of our last 5 games at home. If we can't win the division with that setup then when are we going to do it?
I think injuries helped to derail the season at the very end but after we were blown out by the Ravens it was obvious we werent going to win the Superbowl but if we didnt blow the Titans game then we would not have been in a position that we could lose the division in week 18.
If we didnt blow the Titans game we would have hosted the Steelers last week. Assuming we would have won we would then either be hosting the Chiefs or the Texans this week. So I think its possible that we could have made it to the AFC Championship game and everybody would have considered it to be a successful season even if we were blown out by the Ravens again.
To be 9-3 with a 3 game division lead and 4 of the last 5 games at home, to be one and done and there to be no progress made from last year makes this season a failure to me.
The division was there for the taking. We had a 3 game lead with 5 games to play with 4 of our last 5 games at home. If we can't win the division with that setup then when are we going to do it?
I think injuries helped to derail the season at the very end but after we were blown out by the Ravens it was obvious we werent going to win the Superbowl but if we didnt blow the Titans game then we would not have been in a position that we could lose the division in week 18.
If we didnt blow the Titans game we would have hosted the Steelers last week. Assuming we would have won we would then either be hosting the Chiefs or the Texans this week. So I think its possible that we could have made it to the AFC Championship game and everybody would have considered it to be a successful season even if we were blown out by the Ravens again.
To be 9-3 with a 3 game division lead and 4 of the last 5 games at home, to be one and done and there to be no progress made from last year makes this season a failure to me.
AgentXof12
Active Roster
I kind of don't think any of the players in the NFL really take this thing seriously, or maybe it's just the ones playing in locations like Miami where the night life seems to be everyone's biggest priority. It appears to me that most athletes come out of college ready for that big pay day and feel as though they've already earned it. Sure, they'll work hard and play hard during game time, but there's a persistent issue across the league with doing what coaches ask them to do, learning playbooks, and so on. The NFL is a circus, but really Miami is one of the biggest circuses.
I've felt like McDaniel isn't helping when it comes to the circus, but if he was a disciplinarian they would just ignore him, so....
I've felt like McDaniel isn't helping when it comes to the circus, but if he was a disciplinarian they would just ignore him, so....
Meh not sure that’s it. I would like to see McDaniel give up playcalling and focus on being head coach. He’s never done either and now he’s trying to be good at both jobs. Think if he takes a step back Miami can be more successful.
For all his faults, and he had a few big ones, he beat good teams.Yeah the Flores way produced much better results.
He also can't play at home in perfect elements against good teams. The Bills game in the final regular season game is proof of that.
Fan Since the 70s
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The Titans game was a study in the team's ineffective culture. The Dolphins played poorly in that game and were gifted the lead by the Titans' unforced errors. Amidst that poor performance the Dolphins did their typical rehearsed end zone celebrations, as if they were somehow playing well and such elaborate celebrations were in order. Then of course we know what happened in the final three minutes -- a charge by the Titans that was unmatched by the Dolphins, resulting in one of the most improbable wins in NFL history. In all the game was indicative of a team -- once again -- entertaining with fun and games, while unable to switch gears and get down to business when the need arose. In fact the video in the original post here was made the day after that game, when it became readily apparent the Dolphins' team culture was highly amiss.
You literally think that after practice, they went over to Tyreek Hill's house, hired a professional choreographer and had 4 hour rehearsals in his kitchen.
I get it, you're probably in your 60's. Wake up it's not 1977 anymore. It's a different player and culture today.
Fan Since the 70s
Active Roster
No, I don't think the inability to get serious and bear down with drive and determination is dependent on four-hour end zone celebration rehearsals in someone's kitchen. It simply arises from a team with a culture organized too much around fun and games and not enough around seriousness and determination.
Old man yells at cloud.
mwestberry
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All of the "reasons" listed are part of the problem ... to ignore the overall "attitude" of the team while focusing on injuries and the such would be a mistake IMO. The distracting and playful nature of this team needs to be there to some extent but when it becomes your identity coaches and players of opposing teams are not likely to take the team seriously...
The culture McD has developed is good for the team in terms of camaraderie, but it falls short when you have to switch gears because you're getting your A$$ handed to you. You can't switch from a type C personality to a type A on the fly.... and while type C will win you tons of friends it isn't likely going to end well on the football field. Making up terms like "frenemies" doesn't mean it will work in a violent sport where the only thing that matters is winning.
Like Parcells said ... If they don't bite as pups they won't bite as dogs ... or something like that... the first step is finding that type of attitude in a player ... and coach. You don't have to be a dictator or even a disciplinarian to coach players but there has to be a foundation built on winning ... not celebrations and stats. Coaches like Andy Reid, Mike Tomlin consistently win with a no-nonsense approach.
The culture McD has developed is good for the team in terms of camaraderie, but it falls short when you have to switch gears because you're getting your A$$ handed to you. You can't switch from a type C personality to a type A on the fly.... and while type C will win you tons of friends it isn't likely going to end well on the football field. Making up terms like "frenemies" doesn't mean it will work in a violent sport where the only thing that matters is winning.
Like Parcells said ... If they don't bite as pups they won't bite as dogs ... or something like that... the first step is finding that type of attitude in a player ... and coach. You don't have to be a dictator or even a disciplinarian to coach players but there has to be a foundation built on winning ... not celebrations and stats. Coaches like Andy Reid, Mike Tomlin consistently win with a no-nonsense approach.