OFFICIAL 2014 MIAMI DOLPHINS SEASON THREAD (8-8) : MAYBE NEXT YEAR SMH

wb fam 
nthat.gif
 
[COLOR=#red]I see no signs of Philbin getting better, no halftime adjustments = death as it has shown time and again.
Linebackers can't cover TE (except Jordan who is out).
Fully expect the offensive line to be better eventually...
Tanny will have a good to great year with Lazor.
Defensive line will ball pass rushing, run stopping will still be an issue (see linebackers).
All in all I can see the dolphins winning 11... but realistically I predict:

9-7[/COLOR]
 
Miami Dolphins

2013 Record: 8-8
Pythagorean Wins: 7.5 (overperformed by 0.5 wins, 12th-luckiest team in NFL)
Record in Games Decided by Seven Points or Fewer: 6-4 (.600, 10th-luckiest)
2013 Strength of Schedule: 0.502 (11th-toughest)
Estimated 2014 Strength of Schedule: eighth-easiest
Turnover Margin: minus-2
2014 Out-of-Division Schedule: NFC North, AFC West, vs. Ravens, at Jaguars

Miami, quite memorably, could have clinched a playoff spot in the AFC with a win in either of its final two games against division rivals with nothing to play for. It didn’t go so well; the Dolphins laid an absolute egg in one of the worst performances of the season, a 19-0 loss in Buffalo, before losing 20-7 at home to the Jets in the season finale. It was the worst a team has played with a playoff spot on the line since the 2004 Bills lost a home game in Week 17 to a Steelers team with absolutely nothing to play for. Buffalo has never recovered from that game; it’s a combined 54-90 since then and hasn’t come close to sniffing a playoff spot. Will the Dolphins suffer the same cruel fate?

I don’t think they will. It’s fair to say the Dolphins were fielding just about the worst possible offensive line the NFL will allow you to suit up by the end of last season, as a porous unit was hit by the departure of Jonathan Martin and the suspension of Richie Incognito. I would say the linemen at the core of those hazing allegations were distracted by the national attention, but having read the transcripts, I doubt they’re particularly aware of what’s going on in reality at any given moment. In any case, the only holdover from last year’s line is the most talented player, center Mike Pouncey, who will miss at least the first two weeks after undergoing offseason hip surgery. Miami will start five new linemen in Week 1, and although there aren’t any guarantees the line will be great, having professionals like Branden Albert around should be an upgrade toward adequacy. Miami also invested a first-round pick on Ja’Wuan James (who will play right tackle) and a third-rounder on Billy Turner (who should eventually take over a guard spot), so there’s more depth than there was a year ago.

The improved offensive line should make things easier for third-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill, as I wrote about when I profiled his strengths and weaknesses in August. With the Tannehill–Mike Sherman relationship gone bust, it’s critical to see what new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor does to play to the strengths of his offense, notably wideouts Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline. Lazor’s expected to install some elements of the Philadelphia offense after coming over from Chip Kelly’s crew.

Miami’s other serious concern is fixing a run defense that ranked 29th in football last year, as opposing teams ran for 133 yards or more 10 times. Handicapped by the largesse of deposed4 general manager Jeff Ireland, the Dolphins are stuck shuffling chairs around instead of investing in replacements for their front seven. Just one year after signing him to a five-year, $35 million deal to be their middle linebacker of the future, the Dolphins are moving Dannell Ellerbe to the weak side and shifting Koa Misi into the middle. And the less said about third linebacker Philip Wheeler’s 2013, the better. Fortunately, Ireland guaranteed Wheeler’s $5 million base salary for 2014, so the Dolphins couldn’t cut him this offseason. Miami also lost underrated defensive tackle Paul Soliai to the Falcons in free agency and has milk-carton pass-rusher Dion Jordan (who had two sacks last year after the Dolphins traded up to take him with the third pick) out for the first four games because of a PED suspension, so I have significantly less faith that the run defense will actually get much better in 2014. If the Dolphins can keep Tannehill upright, I think he has enough potential to keep them competitive with Baltimore for a wild-card spot. Because they’ll play the Ravens at home, I’m pegging the Dolphins to narrowly beat out Flacco & Co. for the final spot in the AFC playoffs. Unless the Bills get in the way again.

Best-Case Scenario: Tannehill has a Nick Foles–esque breakout year in his new offensive scheme and the Dolphins ride a dominant rush to some of the best pass defense in football, producing double-digit wins for the first time since the Chad Pennington/Tony Sparano magic of 2008.

Worst-Case Scenario: An early-season injury to Tannehill leaves Miami running an up-tempo offense with Matt Moore, which goes about as well as those words sound in a sentence. Cameron Wake — who is secretly three months older than Jared Allen — reveals himself to be on the downside of his career, as Jordan continues to have Shea McClellin’s career in better weather for more money.
Click to expand...
 
:smh: Wake is older than Jared Allen? Dang

Man Ireland KILLED us signing these bum #@%@ LINEBACKERS
 
Dolphins lost six of last eight openers, but are 2-0 in home openers under Philbin and 5-1-1 vs. spread as home dogs.
 
Last edited:
Been some positives, glaring negatives... Three turnovers is a 100% no no.

As it is now (20-13) If they get one or two scores off of those three turnovers who knows what it would be.
middle of the field is a please pass here zone. Linebackers aren't catching people coming into their zones at all. just has been ugly to watch the linebackers. Injuries didn't help either... Might as well throw Tripp and McCain in there.
hasn't been a ton of pass rush but as I type this Cam just forced a fumble. I'll be very happy when Jordan and Rashad comes back.
Lamar looks scared... Moreno is running down hill HARD!
Other than one throw Tanny looks good against a beastly secondary...

All for now.
 
Our schedule is absolutely brutal though, in my opinion to have a shot at the playoffs we need to win two out of the next three games before the bye.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

raider5
2023 NT NFL Mock Draft
6 7 8
Replies
194
Views
14K
raider5
raider5

The ultimate sneaker enthusiast community.

NikeTalk was created as a way of giving back to both the sneaker enthusiast community and to the greater global community of which we are all a part.

NikeTalk is NOT affiliated with Nike Inc. in any way, shape, or form. All opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Nike, Inc.

© 1999-2024 NikeTalk.com

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom