Dolphin Keep Delivering The Goods

   The worst start turned into a heck of a season, personally I feel so good about the Fins and the direction and culture change that I'm drunk of excitement for our team with their first winning season and playoff birth since 2008.

   I'm thinking what if Pouncey, Jones, Misi, Jenkins, Albert, Alonzo and Tannehill weren't out for the season or playing hurt. It's got to be really hard to tackle a RB with a clubbed hand or block an opposing DE.

   The excuses can be made about a lot of what's happened just as in seasons past, but no not this guys they just grind and fight for the win. I've been a fan a long time and I've never seen that next man up mentality work for the Fins before at least not like this.

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Dolphins Loss Hurts, But It's Not All Lost.

Ok, so we are back to looking in from the outside at the play-offs, We're experiencing that same feeling that makes us sick to our stomach thanks to a Ravens team that absolutely brought down the house of Dolphins dreams and hopes for this season's play-offs, not that it can't happen, but it just became a lot harder because the blue print is out on what to do against the Dolphins and every team we play will try to use it, hopefully we can adjust but the damage is great and the fact that we can't cover the middle of the field is obvious.

When I say all is not lost I mean look at the big picture we knew the Dolphins aren't a great team before the streak, but coaching and change of culture gave us a direction and though we don't have the talent at some key positions (O-line linebacker, corner, safety) to be a solid play-off contender, we have a good coaching staff and direction, the fact is our draft picks are starting to make a difference and our system is going to work for us once we have the right players on the roster.

The next couple seasons are where we become that team nobody wants to play, that team that has enough firepower to be a real play-off contender and a real contender for the AFC East.

One last thing to remember is that in the next year or to Tom Brady will begin his inevitable decline and we have the second best QB in this division ( not that I'm totally sold on Tannehill ) but we have better QB play than the Jets or the Bills.

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Jones Injury Exploited.

     The Dolphins winning streak was impressive.  Brought about by heart and solid schemes, the Dolphins out-performed our talent for a few weeks this year, and that was fun. In Baltimore, we ran into a playoff team and got its full attention.  The truth is, we aren't there yet. And that's ok, considering our first-year coach is still building his team.
    We aren't ready for the playoffs yet- too many things need to be improved. Many of those improvements are wearing other team's colors today.  We need a cornerback or two, some new linebackers, and some low-priced youth on our DL, and a pass-catching back who can make us lethal on third down.
     Two of our answers, however, are under contract. Our pro bowl center makes a big difference to our offensive unit. Perhaps more vitally, our defensive nerve center is missing.
     I have been silently wondering at how we have kept it together in the secondary without Jones. He covers so much ground, makes up for so many other defensive liabilities, and brings much needed swagger.  Superior play from Alonso and excellent scheming from our DC kept us competitive, but the cracks started to show when QB Castro lit us up last week.
    Our secondary is a mess. Our corners are both beatable, though both serviceable. Our linebackers can't cover tight ends or running backs (opposing offenses can have four yard dump-offs pretty much at will, and a quarterback who can confidently throw the seams can open us up entirely too easily.) And we are relatively helpless against running quarterbacks.
    All of this suggests that we are front-heavy, which we are. Our defensive dollars are all spent stuffing the run and generating front four pressure. We have bargain linebackers, a host of no-names, and Byron Maxwell, who maximizes salary and occasionally his play. Jones gave our secondary a chance. His absence makes us second rate.
    It's only one loss, and good to go ugly in all phases, perhaps, and get a wake-up call in all three units (how about that missed field goal to keep us on zero...) But all of this is to say that help is on the way- next year.  This year is about learning how to fight, winning winnable games, and cutting dead weight. We are on the right track.  Sunday was just a reminder that we have middle of the road talent at too many crucial positions, and that losing the leaders in the middle of our O and D units has a cost.

Jay Lopez

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SPANKED!

Can't finish drives. Miss a FG. 2 INTs in Red Zone.

And that was early in the game.

More to follow.

Too many offensive penalties, Too many missed coverages and tackles.

The true insult to injury is their back up QB comes in with over 9 minutes left.

That's how bad we got beat.

Fortunately, we keep our feathers numbered for just such an emergency.

It is only one loss. If the Ravens win their division, the loss won't hurt us directly against them for a wild card.

We have to win out now to have a prayer at 11-5.

And then get some help with Denver losing a couple games.

I know we all would accept losing on a last play FG by Ravens' kicker Justin Tucker a hell of a lot better than this shalacking.

It is what it is. One bad ass loss.

Keep the faith.

Phins Up!!!

Carl Leone
Dolfan since 12/25/1971

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Already Out of Control...

And there's no excuse for it. The defense is playing about as terribly as they have all year. If the Ravens are on third down, it's ABOUT to be first down. You can take that to the bank. This is ABSOLUTELY pathetic and they better make some amazing half-time adjustments because this defense is making me sick to watch right now. You could take a giant sack, fill it with dog crap, and fling it out onto the field opposite of the Ravens offense, and it would be a FINE replacement for our defense today... and much cheaper.


YOU GET PAID A TON. EARN YOUR DAMN MONEY.


Un...****ing....believable.

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