One more Miami thought...

[BionicPatriot]

I have a question that's been bugging me all week. It seems like everytime they play Miami we hear all week about how much trouble Miami gives the Pats, etc.

We have a 10-5 record against them, this decade has been dominated by the Pats, yet we still hear about Miami like theyre a big problem. They're a thorn in our side, but they don't beat us in big situations, they haven't really cost the Pats anything, etc.

I don't even see the rivalry, I just see 2 division teams that play eachother because they have too, one is clearly better than the other. It's not uncommon to play close division games, it's not even crazy for your divisional opponents to beat you. That's what happens when you know your opposition. But yet people talk about the Dolphins owning the Pats? They certainly give Brady fits, but the Patriots?

10-5 aint exactly tied for the decade series.

So please answer, why do people talk about Miami in this way? I'm just curious on other people's perspective.

 

[PatsSox363804]

They're the only team in our division to beat us 5 times since 2002, but I think a lot of it stems from 3 games:

1) the game in 2004 where we lost 29-28 at the end

2) the game last year where they ended our winning streak.

3) The game in 06 where they stole our audibles and beat us like 21-0.

That and Brady has had several bad games against the Dolphins.

 

[ALP]

I have a question that's been bugging me all week. It seems like everytime they play Miami we hear all week about how much trouble Miami gives the Pats, etc.

We have a 10-5 record against them, this decade has been dominated by the Pats, yet we still hear about Miami like theyre a big problem. They're a thorn in our side, but they don't beat us in big situations, they haven't really cost the Pats anything, etc.

I don't even see the rivalry, I just see 2 division teams that play eachother because they have too, one is clearly better than the other. It's not uncommon to play close division games, it's not even crazy for your divisional opponents to beat you. That's what happens when you know your opposition. But yet people talk about the Dolphins owning the Pats? They certainly give Brady fits, but the Patriots?

10-5 aint exactly tied for the decade series.

So please answer, why do people talk about Miami in this way? I'm just curious on other people's perspective.

its a matter of perspective....we've dominated the jets and bills, so the wins miami gets are shows us as them giving us trouble

 

[shmessy]

10-5 is a lower winning pct. than the Pats have overall during the last 8 years. (103-33)

So, yes, the Dolphins have been a thorn in the side.

 

[Section103]

This is a complete aside in regards to Miami and I had to vent. Today, in the power rankings on ESPN, next to Miami Clayton has this blurb:
"The Dolphins are finding that the tougher schedule after an 11-win season is burdensome. (Clayton) "

Really, John?? Tougher schedule?? That is poor that a pro football sports writer has NO IDEA how the schedule is created. Peter King actually explains it nicely in his column today.
Kansas City Chiefs make right call on Larry Johnson - Peter King - SI.com

To summarize the scheduling rule - TWO games on every schedule are a function of last year's record. The other 14 games are pre-determined from now until eternity (or expansion or division re-alignment. Which ever comes first. )

Miami's two games that are dictated by their '11-win season'... The Chargers and Steelers. They lost to Chargers and they play the Steelers at the end of the year...
So wow, if it weren't for that Chargers loss Miami would be sitting pretty huh? Stupid, just stupid. Maybe sloppy is a better word. The Pats, Jets and Bills have 12 identical games on the schedule (you need to remove an additional 2 games cuz teams don't play themselves of course)

 

[BionicPatriot]

I still don't see where 10-5 is that much of competition.

I guess unlike raping everyone else, you can say the Pats merely have the upper hand against the Jets.

 

[jmt57]

"The Dolphins are finding that the tougher schedule after an 11-win season is burdensome. (Clayton) "

Clayton got it half right, but his logic was wrong. He is correct that the Dolphins do have a tougher schedule than last year. But the reason for that is because they (along with the rest of the division) are playing the NFC South and AFC South this year, rather than the NFC West and AFC West.

As for the two opponents on their schedule as a result of the final standings last year, it's a wash. While the Steelers and Chargers may finish ahead of the Ravens and Broncos, it could also be argued that the time those four games were/will be played, the Pats' games were more difficult than the Dolphins'. When the Pats played Baltimore and Denver, both were undefeated, playing well, and considered to be among the league's elite. When Miami played San Diego the Chargers were viewed as an injured team in decline, and when they play Pittsburgh in week 17 it is possible the Steelers might be resting their starters in a meaningless game.