2016 Miami Dolphins thread

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

18 hours ago, Daniel said:

Ye of eternal faith.  I've been beaten into submission with the absolute suck of this team since the turn of the century, so all seemingly good news is fleeting to me.  Basically a real contender for something significant would have stomped on the Bills, and we got a lot of help from the refs with not calling two pretty obvious pass interference calls.  

We could easily be 5-10 instead of 10-5, with two or three really decisive wins.  It'll be nice to make the playoffs, but don't kid yourself that this is sustainable in the long run.  Just remember the optimism the Jets had going into week 16 and into this year.  The same thing could easily be in our future. 

Geez, even Randy Quaid would tell you to lighten up, lol.

Seriously though, look at where your season started, and where you are now.  A "real contender"...are you fvcking kidding me with that?  You've been watching NFL football long enough to know by now that STYLE POINTS DON'T MATTER.  All that matters week to week are the Ws.  That's it.  Dolphins got a big one yesterday, against a team that was still trying and clearly wanted to play spoiler.  Rex has too many flaws to be a head coach, but at least he got his team to show up and keep fighting, and it's not like the Bills are a flat-out awful team.  Dolphins passed a tough test yesterday and they deserve more credit for getting it done than you're giving them. 

And man, if the Dolphins can make the playoffs AND manage to draw the Texans in the WC round...sure, they'll have to go into Houston, and the Texans are 7-1 at home...but the Dolphins could definitely pick that team off. 

And if Denver loses tonight...somewhat ironically (like I brought up a while back), it might wind up being the PATRIOTS that go into Hard Rock needing the game (I think home-field throughout is very important to the Pats, even though they have yet to lose a road game this season).   

Edited December 25, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[MadDog2020]

Geez, even Randy Quaid would tell you to lighten up, lol.
Seriously though, look at where your season started, and where you are now.  A "real contender"...are you fvcking kidding me with that?  You've been watching NFL football to know by now that STYLE POINTS DON'T MATTER.  All that matters week to week are the Ws.  That's it.  Dolphins got a big one yesterday, against a team that was still trying and clearly wanted to play spoiler.  Rex has too many flaws to be a head coach, but at least he got his team to show up and keep fighting, and it's not like the Bills are a flat-out awful team.  Dolphins passed a tough test yesterday and they deserve more credit for getting it done than you're giving them. 
And man, if the Dolphins can make the playoffs AND manage to draw the Texans in the WC round...sure, they'll have to go into Houston, and the Texans are 7-1 at home...but the Dolphins could definitely pick that team off. 
And if Denver loses tonight...somewhat ironically (like I brought up a while back), it might wind up being the PATRIOTS that go into Hard Rock needing the game (I think home-field throughout is very important to the Pats, even though they have yet to lose a road game this season).   

Absolutely correct CR- the hardest thing to do in football is go on the road in December in the division and win games. You always throw out the records in those scenarios. Name me any Dolphins team in the last eight years and I'll tell you that not only would any of those teams undoubtedly lose yesterday's game, the Jet game would've been waaaay harder than it was, and they might've even found a way to lose that one too. The difference is Adam Gase. He should be the Coach of the Year with what he's been able to accomplish with this roster this year. NO ONE- not even the most optimistic Dolphins fan- expected to win 10 games this season. No one thought this was a playoff-caliber team. What this team has accomplished so far this season is nothing short of miraculous, and if people can't see that, maybe they need new glasses.


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[Colorado Rockies 1976]

And the AFC is VERY wide open, especially now that Derek Carr is out for the season...this is as good a postseason as ever to get in as one of the dark horses.  Some are starting to jump on the "Pats D is for real" bandwagon, but they just beat up on a Jets team that's completely given up, and a number of iffy offenses prior to that.  It's nice that they're not getting sliced and diced up by lesser QBs right now (that's happened to them a number of times through the years, with Brady & Co often able to cover up), but I still think that NE's D is suspect...part of the reason I think that NE needs home field throughout, even though a team like Baltimore can go up there and win...Flacco's already done it twice in his career.

But ANY one of the AFC teams that get into the playoffs can lose a game, either on the road OR at home.  No one is untouchable.

 

 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

And Baltimore goes bye bye.  The tiebreaker that they held against the Dolphins is rendered meaningless.  Dolphins to face either Houston or Pittsburgh if they can get in.  

[MadDog2020]

And Baltimore goes bye bye.  The tiebreaker that they held against the Dolphins is rendered meaningless.  Dolphins to face either Houston or Pittsburgh if they can get in.  

Good riddance. After our AFC East rivals, there isn't a team I hate more than Baltimore.


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[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Kinda funny how the Denver D bitches about the O not getting it done, then promptly gives up 21 points in the first quarter of a game they absolutely have to have.  

[Daniel]

Looks like we're headed to the playoffs!  

[MadDog2020]

PLAYOFF BOUND BABY!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!


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[Colorado Rockies 1976]

5 hours ago, MadDog2020 said:

PLAYOFF BOUND BABY!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!


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Congrats my man!  Dolphins did this with very little margin for error, and didn't let that rough loss to the Ravens phase them.  Gotta give serious kudos to Matt Moore too.  

How do you think the Dolphins approach Week 17?  They have an outside shot to move up to the 5 seed if they win and KC loses, but KC faces San Diego, who doesn't seem to care much about their season at this point.  Seems like the Dolphins are pretty locked into the 6.  And NE needs the game, as has been discussed, so they're going to show up.  Think the Dolphins treat this one with caution?  

Edited December 26, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Daniel]

3 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Congrats my man!  Dolphins did this with very little margin for error, and didn't let that rough loss to the Ravens phase them.  Gotta give serious kudos to Matt Moore too.  

How do you think the Dolphins approach Week 17?  They have an outside shot to move up to the 5 seed if they win and KC loses, but KC faces San Diego, who doesn't seem to care much about their season at this point.  Seems like the Dolphins are pretty locked into the 6.  And NE needs the game, as has been discussed, so they're going to show up.  Think the Dolphins treat this one with caution?  

I doubt it.  I can see the argument both ways.  They just can't afford any injuries on the O-line.

[MadDog2020]

Congrats my man!  Dolphins did this with very little margin for error, and didn't let that rough loss to the Ravens phase them.  Gotta give serious kudos to Matt Moore too.  
How do you think the Dolphins approach Week 17?  They have an outside shot to move up to the 5 seed if they win and KC loses, but KC faces San Diego, who doesn't seem to care much about their season at this point.  Seems like the Dolphins are pretty locked into the 6.  And NE needs the game, as has been discussed, so they're going to show up.  Think the Dolphins treat this one with caution?  

I hope we go full out CR- I'd really like that 5 seed and have the Houston/Oakland path rather than a much tougher Pittsburgh/NE path to the AFC Championship game. I mean it's slim and none that SD is gonna beat KC, but as long as there's something on the table for us, I wanna go get it. Plus, I wanna keep the momentum going- taking your foot off the gas in the last game can affect momentum going into the playoffs, and that's the last thing I want. Plus, I really wanna beat you guys again. [emoji12]


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[Colorado Rockies 1976]

1 hour ago, MadDog2020 said:

I hope we go full out CR- I'd really like that 5 seed and have the Houston/Oakland path rather than a much tougher Pittsburgh/NE path to the AFC Championship game. I mean it's slim and none that SD is gonna beat KC, but as long as there's something on the table for us, I wanna go get it. Plus, I wanna keep the momentum going- taking your foot off the gas in the last game can affect momentum going into the playoffs, and that's the last thing I want. Plus, I really wanna beat you guys again.


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Getting the 5 is big in that Houston is clearly the "here by default" team in the playoffs...no one's scared of them, even with them getting a home game.  At least the Dolphins have a win under their belts against the Steelers, should they have to go there. 

It's too early to tell what your path would be beyond a victory against the Texans...home field throughout won't be decided until next week.  Kinda crazy that though all six AFC playoff participants have been decided, that four of them can finish in a number of spots (Steelers locked at 3, Texans locked at 4):

Patriots:  1 or 2

Raiders:  1, 2 or 5 (Crazy that they can go anywhere from hosting throughout to playing a WC on the road)

Chiefs:  2, 5 or 6

Dolphins:  5 or 6

Raiders and Chiefs will be on the road, facing teams that appear to have thrown in the towel...interesting in that I've gotta think both stadiums will have a nice presence of the visiting teams' fans, and that the home fans that show up probably won't be in much of a support mode.  Will be VERY interesting to see if Denver's D comes back to life with Carr out. 

At any rate, I get the feeling that both the Pats AND the Dolphins will show up to start the game.  If Moore struggles and the Pats get out to a big lead, I could see the Dolphins reigning it in...to be fair, I don't think the Pats will do that.  I think it will be a tight game. 

 

Edited December 26, 2016 by Colorado Rockies 1976

['7']

The Dolphins and their fans have waited a long time to be back in the playoffs and I congratulate them. This is a well coached, solid team.

Pitt would be a tough round 1 draw for them but these are not the mighty Steelers of 2008-2011. 

[MadDog2020]

The Dolphins and their fans have waited a long time to be back in the playoffs and I congratulate them. This is a well coached, solid team.

Pitt would be a tough round 1 draw for them but these are not the mighty Steelers of 2008-2011. 

Thanks brother, classy of you. Hoping we can draw the 5 and go to Houston instead, but while Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh will be incredibly tough, we do have a W against them this year. At the very least, I think that should give them some confidence going into a hostile environment.

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[Daniel]

Is there any doubt the Dolphins are a JV team.   

Would not be surprised if the Patriots score touchdowns on their first six possessions.  

It's nice to make the playoffs but they're going to get destroyed in the first round.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Game's never over as long as Puppet's D is on the field.  

[MadDog2020]

On to Pittsburgh. Sunday 1:00. Let's go.


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[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Pats-Dolphins was actually a little closer than it looked...no, Miami wasn't going to win that game with the way that it unfolded, but at 20-14, you had a huge block springing Edelman for that 77-yard TD, and then with the Dolphins driving down 27-14, you get the forced fumble by the Pats that killed a good drive, and set up another TD for the Pats.  So two plays really turned around what had become a fairly close game. 

The Dolphins will hear a LOT about their strength of victory down the stretch (to be fair, the Steelers didn't exactly play a bunch of world-beaters down the stretch during their 7-0 run), and how both the Ravens and Pats both beat up on them.  I think this WC game will really come down to Tannehill...can he play, and if so, how close to 100% will he be?  I think a 90%-or-so Tannehill gives the Dolphins their best chance to pull off an upset.  Asking Matt Moore to go into Pittsburgh and lead his team to a win is asking a lot.  I think this is one of those games where the Dolphins get their doors blown off early, or they hang around and give themselves a chance to win in the 4th quarter.   

[Daniel]

1 hour ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Pats-Dolphins was actually a little closer than it looked...no, Miami wasn't going to win that game with the way that it unfolded, but at 20-14, you had a huge block springing Edelman for that 77-yard TD, and then with the Dolphins driving down 27-14, you get the forced fumble by the Pats that killed a good drive, and set up another TD for the Pats.  So two plays really turned around what had become a fairly close game. 

The Dolphins will hear a LOT about their strength of victory down the stretch (to be fair, the Steelers didn't exactly play a bunch of world-beaters down the stretch during their 7-0 run), and how both the Ravens and Pats both beat up on them.  I think this WC game will really come down to Tannehill...can he play, and if so, how close to 100% will he be?  I think a 90%-or-so Tannehill gives the Dolphins their best chance to pull off an upset.  Asking Matt Moore to go into Pittsburgh and lead his team to a win is asking a lot.  I think this is one of those games where the Dolphins get their doors blown off early, or they hang around and give themselves a chance to win in the 4th quarter.   

Moore has been very good.  I have about as much confidence in him as I do Tannehill.  The WC game will really come down to how well the defense plays.

[MadDog2020]

The defense is banged up. The LB's suck without Misi and Jenkins and we're missing both our starting safeties in Jones and Abdul-Quddus, both of whom we had on the field in the first Pittsburgh game. Teams have been exploiting the middle of the field on us, as it's the obvious weak spot in the defense. If we can't get pressure on Roethlisberger, he'll carve us up. That's the key. Get to Ben and hit him relentlessly and disrupt his timing. If we don't do that along with limiting Bell, it'll be a very long afternoon.


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['7']

I foresee a close game. I don't think Pittsburgh has any answers for Landry/Stills/Parker. Their secondary is porous and that's what really separates them from the big bad 2004-2011 Steeler teams. The Polamalu era. They're not that anymore.

Back and forth game with a lot of lead changes. No feel for who wins or loses. Flip a coin. I think it's troubling for Pitt that they had to scratch and claw to beat a playing out the string and beaten up Bengals a few weeks ago. Tyrod Taylor was completing about 15 yards a pass against them a few weeks ago...they can be carved up. If I'm Miami I take deep shots early and often. 

Edited January 3, 2017 by '7'

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Just now, Daniel said:

Moore has been very good.  I have about as much confidence in him as I do Tannehill.  The WC game will really come down to how well the defense plays.

I think the opposite...I know the Dolphins held the Steelers to 15 points the last time they met, but this time I think the Steelers score 27+.  Then it's a question of can the Dolphins keep up?  '7' is right that the Steelers' D is iffy. 

It's hard to get a true read on Moore...the Jets seemed to be completely disinterested in competing (he fattened up his overall small-sample numbers in that game), and the Bills are kind of a mess.  If anything, he did a pretty decent job holding his own for a while against the Pats...he didn't get flustered and put together a couple of nice drives to get it to 20-14, and through no fault of his own, a third drive that would've pulled his team back to within six stalled due to the fumble.  If he goes into Pittsburgh and has a strong game, I'll be very impressed...and somewhat surprised.  I can't rule it out though...there isn't a shutdown D in the AFC in these playoffs, and that includes the Pats (despite having only allowed 250 points as a team)...the only "big" QB they faced as they ran the table down the stretch was Average Joe, who didn't have one of his better seasons...actually, one look at the Pats' schedule and their D didn't face many tough tests (one of many reasons I can't really buy into it being some big shutdown beast).  It would've been interesting to have seen how their D would've fared against Big Ben or Derek Carr...Tannehill's had his moments against the Pats too.  Obviously Big Ben vs. the Pats can still happen, but it's still a little early to call that one.   

[Daniel]

1 hour ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

I think the opposite...I know the Dolphins held the Steelers to 15 points the last time they met, but this time I think the Steelers score 27+.  Then it's a question of can the Dolphins keep up?  '7' is right that the Steelers' D is iffy. 

It's hard to get a true read on Moore...the Jets seemed to be completely disinterested in competing (he fattened up his overall small-sample numbers in that game), and the Bills are kind of a mess.  If anything, he did a pretty decent job holding his own for a while against the Pats...he didn't get flustered and put together a couple of nice drives to get it to 20-14, and through no fault of his own, a third drive that would've pulled his team back to within six stalled due to the fumble.  If he goes into Pittsburgh and has a strong game, I'll be very impressed...and somewhat surprised.  I can't rule it out though...there isn't a shutdown D in the AFC in these playoffs, and that includes the Pats (despite having only allowed 250 points as a team)...the only "big" QB they faced as they ran the table down the stretch was Average Joe, who didn't have one of his better seasons...actually, one look at the Pats' schedule and their D didn't face many tough tests (one of many reasons I can't really buy into it being some big shutdown beast).  It would've been interesting to have seen how their D would've fared against Big Ben or Derek Carr...Tannehill's had his moments against the Pats too.  Obviously Big Ben vs. the Pats can still happen, but it's still a little early to call that one.   

I know we're a bit into chicken and egg territory, but the Dolphins -- whether it's Tannehill or Moore -- can't win in a shoot out against an offense that has Big Ben, Antonion Brown and Bell.  They barely eked out wins against Niners and Bills that way. 

The good news is that Rothleisberger tries to extend plays behind the line of scrimmage and isn't a big time scrambler.  The Dolphins D gets killed by QBs that scramble a lot, or by offenses that are premised on the QB getting rid of the ball quickly.  If the Dolphins end up winning the game, the MVP will be either Suh or Wake.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

1 minute ago, Daniel said:

I know we're a bit into chicken and egg territory, but the Dolphins -- whether it's Tannehill or Moore -- can't win in a shoot out against an offense that has Big Ben, Antonion Brown and Bell.  They barely eked out wins against Niners and Bills that way. 

The good news is that Rothleisberger tries to extend plays behind the line of scrimmage and isn't a big time scrambler.  The Dolphins D gets killed by QBs that scramble a lot, or by offenses that are premised on the QB getting rid of the ball quickly.  If the Dolphins end up winning the game, the MVP will be either Suh or Wake.

I hear you on the "chicken and egg" thing, but I think the Dolphins are going to have a tough time trying to keep the Steelers' offense down and trying to win on defense...I think they have to go into that game thinking they'll need 30 or so to win.  If they can hold the Steelers to 21 or less, they'll have done as well as could be expected.  And should have a shot to win. 

[MadDog2020]

Jason Taylor has made the list of 15 finalists for the 2017 HOF class. Congrats to JT! Really hoping he gets in. I may make the trip to Canton if he does. http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/armando-salguero/article124391664.html


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