Hardly anybody in the media is talking about the Dolphins

[patfanken]

With all due, the other teams in the AFCE are looking at Brady's retirement date - not that of any of the other, younger talent on the team.

Without Brady, the whole dynamic of the Patriots will change. The day he is no longer QB for the Pats will be one where every other team sees a big door open & where winning the division is actually a realistic possibility.

Well I don't doubt that the other teams in the AFC as well the the NFL will look upon the day Brady retires as some sort of liberation day. However Bellichick has already shown the division what he can do with just a moderately capable QB in Matt Cassle (11wins). And while it probably isn't realistic for Pats fans who hope that their next QB will be as good as the last, there is every bit of a chance that the "next QB" will be good enough to keep the team competitive.

While Brady is a big part of the Pats competitiveness, he's not the only part. But the good news is, Pats fans don't have to even worry about that for the next 3 or 4 years. Oh, wait a minute. That's not good news for Jets, Phins, or Bills fans.

 

[Fball]

Well I don't doubt that the other teams in the AFC as well the the NFL will look upon the day Brady retires as some sort of liberation day. However Bellichick has already shown the division what he can do with just a moderately capable QB in Matt Cassle (11wins). And while it probably isn't realistic for Pats fans who hope that their next QB will be as good as the last, there is every bit of a chance that the "next QB" will be good enough to keep the team competitive.

While Brady is a big part of the Pats competitiveness, he's not the only part. But the good news is, Pats fans don't have to even worry about that for the next 3 or 4 years. Oh, wait a minute. That's not good news for Jets, Phins, or Bills fans.

Eh, it can go quicker than you think. You're assuming that Brady stays at a very high level until he's 40 (maybe, but probably not), and that the 11-win Cassell season wasn't an anomoly (quite a few close ones in there, and let's not forget - that WAS an undefeated team he was working with except for the QB).

It won't be long now before the whole "is it BB or Brady" argument gets settled. My money is on "it's Brady."

 

[BradyBranch39]

Wonder if somebody will sign Ocho in April so that they can cut him in August and bring the rest of the team together against him.

 

[DolphinsX72]

Boy this has been a LONG time coming. Pre Parcells and the last few years of the last century (yes it has been that long that we can talk like that), it was the fins they were our main rival. There were many day when Pats fans and Fins fans would compare and contrast their teams. There were great Miami fans like Wauckenbauss and Scipio who I'd debate on the KFFL boards

Now even though the Pats have lost a few games with the Phins over the those years (including an AFCE title in 2008) It seems like a long time since the Dolphins have been relevant and their fan base active.

It looks like the Dolphins are gearing up to fly by the loathsome Jets in the next few years, so I guess we will have to start paying attention again. So far it looks like Joe Philbin has done a nice job after a very unpromising start. Only goes to show how first impressions aren't always true.

They probably don't have the kind of depth they need to challenge for a division title this season, but they certainly have enough talent to beat the Pats on any given day, so they better not take them lightly.

Oh yeah, the Dolphins have been mostly a disaster since 2004, which was bound to happen because they didn't really have any bad years since the 60s. And right before that they had talent with horrible coaching (Wannstache). Fans stuck around up until last season pretty much. So many coaching/GM/QB changes put fans into an apathetic "wait and see" thing.

People seem to slowly be getting optimistic about this one because the difference from 2008 is they aren't using a gimmick like the wildcat and the QB is a rookie and not an aging veteran.

AFC East deserves a bit of a classier challenger than the Jets who filled the role for 3 seasons. 3 is more than enough for them. Now the question is...when will the Bills pose any sort of a challenge?

 

[mgteich]

I don't think that Miami is flying under the media radar. The media presumes that we will win the division. Some have made Miami and Indy as the most likely competitors for the last playoff spot, with New England, Houston, Baltimore, Denver and Pittsburgh.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

They're our main competition in the AFCE. Can't wait to find out in a few weeks where they and we stand. Kind of strange to think how disappointed I was when they blew the game against the Jets earlier in the season, now I'm quite happy they did.

 

[Ring 6]

They really haven't beaten any good teams. Jets (and only a split) Rams, Raiders and Bengals (perhaps arguable, but IMO they are mediocre at best) while losing to the Jets, Texans and Cards. Thats really 0-2 vs decent teams and 4-1 vs poor ones.
With us twice, SF and Seattle on the roster 9-7 seems like the best shot they have and that would require winning at Indy and Buffalo.
I think they need to show more before they can be taken seriously unless we are taking .500 teams seriously.

I'm far from sold on Tannehill either. He has been OK for a rookie, but he has a long, long way to go to be a top tier NFL QB and I'm not close to convinced the skills needed are there.

 

[mgteich]

Are you suggesting that Miami is not our only competition in the AFCE East? Are you suggesting that Miami is not in the hunt for the 6th playoff spot?

They really haven't beaten any good teams. Jets (and only a split) Rams, Raiders and Bengals (perhaps arguable, but IMO they are mediocre at best) while losing to the Jets, Texans and Cards. Thats really 0-2 vs decent teams and 4-1 vs poor ones.
With us twice, SF and Seattle on the roster 9-7 seems like the best shot they have and that would require winning at Indy and Buffalo.
I think they need to show more before they can be taken seriously unless we are taking .500 teams seriously.

I'm far from sold on Tannehill either. He has been OK for a rookie, but he has a long, long way to go to be a top tier NFL QB and I'm not close to convinced the skills needed are there.

 

[Deus Irae]

Are you suggesting that Miami is not our only competition in the AFCE East?

The Dolphins are not the Patriots only competition in the AFCE.

Are you suggesting that Miami is not in the hunt for the 6th playoff spot?

Miami is one of many teams that are still fighting, and in contention for, a playoff spot. The same is true of both the Jets and the Bills.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

The Dolphins are not the Patriots only competition in the AFCE.



Miami is one of many teams that are still fighting, and in contention for, a playoff spot. The same is true of both the Jets and the Bills.

Isn't the same also true of the Patriots?

 

[Ring 6]

Are you suggesting that Miami is not our only competition in the AFCE East? Are you suggesting that Miami is not in the hunt for the 6th playoff spot?

They may be our only competition but as the season wears on it won't be much.
Anyone at 4-3 is in the playoff hunt. Do I think they are good enough to earn a spot? Only if 8-8 will get you in.

 

[Ive_Killed_People]

The Dolphins are not the Patriots only competition in the AFCE.



Miami is one of many teams that are still fighting, and in contention for, a playoff spot. The same is true of both the Jets and the Bills.

As predictable as you are wrong

 

[Deus Irae]

Isn't the same also true of the Patriots?

That line of the questions was about the Patriots competition in the AFCE, not about the Patriots. The Patriots currently have the 3 seed in the conference. In the battle for the last (wild card) spots, the current situation is:

Steelers/Dolphins/Colts at 4-3
Bills/Bengals/Chargers/Raiders at 3-4
Jets/Titans at 3-5

So that's 9 teams all within 1.5 games of the 5/6 seeds, and all the AFCE teams are in that group.

In the AFCE, all the teams are still within 2 games of the division lead. Nobody's out of the competition yet, every challenging team has shown that it's capable of playing good games and capable of playing God awful, and the Patriots performances against the likes of the Cardinals has shown us that NE is certainly capable of dropping some games this year.

Halfway through the season, the AFC is wide open.

 

[VrabelJr]

Strangely enough Karlos Dansby is hardly talking about the Dolphins too!

 

[Mike the Brit]

Before Ms Sandy came to call I watched the Fins-Jets game.

Certainly, the Jets did everything they could to lose -- had a punt blocked, let the Fins recover an onside kick, turned it over in the red zone, had a strip sack (have I forgotten something?) I got the impression that the Dolphins are decent, not overwhelming.

1. Bush/Thomas aren't a great RB combination

2. If I had to pick between Moore and Tannehill I'd take Moore

3. The receivers are pretty good. Jabar G had an excellent catch and a bad drop

4. The defense is good but not frighteningly good

 

[Joey007]

It'd sure be strange if we get either the 1st seed and play them in the Divisional round or if we got the 3rd seed and played them in the wildcard.

If Miami makes it I'm putting them at the 6th spot, and no higher because I think spots for NE, Denver, Houston, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh are all booked. So I just see one spot open for them.

I'd rather see Indy make it. Could you imagine a Colts-Broncos Wild Card Game?!

 

[wockenbauss]

And 3 picks in the first two rounds of next April's draft.

5 in the first three rounds.

Boy this has been a LONG time coming. Pre Parcells and the last few years of the last century (yes it has been that long that we can talk like that), it was the fins they were our main rival.

That extended a little bit into the 2000's Ken... with the teams fighting it out in some close games, as "death spiral" Dave squandered Jimmy Johnson's defense. If either of them had a clue about how to pick offensive players, maybe it wouldn't have ended so one sided. lol

That said... the records don't lie. As miserable as it's been for Dolphins fans this century, and as great as it's been for the Patriots.... you'll still find Miami has beaten the Pats more than any other division rival, and quite possibly more than any other team in the league. Meaningless I guess... unless your a die hard fan.

As an aside... can you get any sense of how much this year is like Christmas for Dolphins fans? "Death Spiral" Dave Wannstedt running the Bills defense? "Field Goal - Fist Pump" Tony Sparano running the Jets offense? Any chance the Pats will hire Cam Cameron away from the Ravens PLEASE? LOL Shouldn't be greedy, I know.

There were many day when Pats fans and Fins fans would compare and contrast their teams. There were great Miami fans like Wauckenbauss and Scipio who I'd debate on the KFFL boards

Farther back Ken... remember "The Sporting News" boards? I can't tell you how disappointing it is, you can't even spell the poster name right. lol

I distinctly remember telling you way back then how much I thought you guys were underrating a no-name LB named Bruschi back then... which you didn't want to talk about, because it came with criticism of injury prone Ted Johnson. Just have to take a bow for that one... even if it's 15 years later. lol

Except for Brady, Welker Lloyd and Mankins, every key offensive player is in their mid 20's or younger. On the defensive side they are even younger with some nice pieces that just aren't adding up quite yet.

Never any doubt the Patriots would re-tool... although given the amount of picks they've had over the years, I'd argue it should be further along than it is.

Outside of Reggie Bush (7), Ritchie Incognito (8), and Jabbar Gaffney (11)... no one on the entire Dolphins offensive roster has more than 5 years in the league.

On defense, outside Starks, Burnett, and Dansby (9, 8, and 9 respectively), only two other starters have as many as 6, and the rest are 4 years and under.

You have around 4 more seasons before you lose Brady, and a lot longer for everyone else.

Four seasons huh? Careful about counting chickens. But I hope your right. Beating the Patriots without Brady, is significantly less enjoyable than beating them with him. lol

I think their biggest problem i.e the play of the secondary will come back to bite them in the rear many times this season

Is that ours, or yours? lol Ours is getting better each week... even with starting CB Richard Marshall not playing for over a month.

They really haven't beaten any good teams. Jets (and only a split) Rams, Raiders and Bengals (perhaps arguable, but IMO they are mediocre at best) while losing to the Jets, Texans and Cards. Thats really 0-2 vs decent teams and 4-1 vs poor ones.

You might have mentioned the losses to the Jets and Cardinals were in overtime by a field goal (after Miami's Carpenter missed potential game winners in both games).

And for those who actually watch games, rather than Sports Center highlights and box-scores... outside four back-to-back-to-back-to-back turnovers (two tipped at the line passes, and two fumbles) which resulted in 21 points for the Texans in the last two minutes of the first half, the Dolphins might well have won that game as well. For those that watched the game... they DID most definitely dominate the line of scrimmage in that game on both sides of the ball (which several Texans fans admitted to me personally).

But you are what you are. Think what you like. We'll all know what to think eventually, and that's the beauty of the league and sport.

 

[Ring 6]

You might have mentioned the losses to the Jets and Cardinals were in overtime by a field goal (after Miami's Carpenter missed potential game winners in both games).

Why? They lost the games, that was the point.

And for those who actually watch games, rather than Sports Center highlights and box-scores...

So this is your argument? Anyone who doesn't say what you like must not know anything? Really?

outside four back-to-back-to-back-to-back turnovers (two tipped at the line passes, and two fumbles) which resulted in 21 points for the Texans in the last two minutes of the first half, the Dolphins might well have won that game as well.

Outside of 4 turnovers every team that ever turned the ball over 4 times and lost might have won. Of course you also have to pretend they would make a whole lot of plays they didn't right?

For those that watched the game... they DID most definitely dominate the line of scrimmage in that game on both sides of the ball (which several Texans fans admitted to me personally).

Yeah OK they dominated while losing 30-10.

But you are what you are. Think what you like. We'll all know what to think eventually, and that's the beauty of the league and sport.

Then why the post?

 

[VJCPatriot]

Fish are getting some attenton. I've seen them ranked around 12 in several of the latest power ranking polls. Being a top 12 team is nothing to scoff at. It's still the Wade and Lebron show in Miami. But the Dolphins are starting to get attention since they have been winning lately. But if they go on a 2 game losing skid, expect that attention to dissipate quickly.

 

[ATippett56]

The rubber meets the road this weekend in the AFC East:

Dolphins versus Colts

Bills versus Texans

Contenders or pretenders?