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This weekly sick feeling...

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by zwave21, Nov 25, 2013.

  1. zwave21

    zwave21 New Member

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    Feels like every week its the same gosh darn feeling. Pretty sure with just about all our losses you can recognize a moment in the game (let's call it a lapse) where it could come back to cost us and you know what? It usually does. It's sad really. Let me say this:

    If anyone actually thinks Philbin deserves another year, ___(Please enter valid reason here)___.

    There is not one part of Philbin's coaching style that is above average or even above mediocre (maybe his challenges) but really not one thing.

    1. This team comes consistently flat in to begin the game and the 2nd half. We had a real opportunity yesterday to put the game away early and I mean early like 2nd quarter early. That Matthews play was a killer but regardless its the NFL, we argue that calls are too stingy or not tough enough depending on the situation. But, we just have the same recurring problem that we have had for a decade. Where teams go for the throat and put the game away we do not. We settle for FG's when we should get TD's. That'ts on a mix of urgency, strategy and execution. It's basically a split. The urgency is to be instilled from the staff to the players and carried out from there. The Strategy is from the staff. As I've stated in previous blogs we might have the worst coaching staff when it comes to Football 101. We have NO identity as a team, we misuse our personnel, and lastly we can't adjust to a game. The execution is on the players plain and simple. I am by no means ready to get on Tannehill but he leaves a lot on the board. He has such a vast array of valuable QB tools, stuff that other QB's drool over. But, he has shown me next to nothing when the game is on the line. His awareness in those situations to take a sack in spite of throwing the ball away, freaking kills me every time.

    2. We fail to recognize or adjust. Each week I see us add or neglect some wrinkle that should have been taken cared of prior to that point. These past 3 weeks I have noticed an improvement (not saying good by any means) in pass protection. I will give credit where it's due and that comes to the much desired addition of roll out plays for RT17 but this is something fans and media alike have noticed since Week 5. Our packages on offense are maddening. We preach on interchangeable parts at WR yet we are so bland in the creativity department it makes the Jaguars look interesting. And finally, we start utilizing talent over tenure. Dion Jordan saw a career high in snaps yesterday and guess what he proved again he is a difference maker. My question is why have we waited so long? Don't give me this b.s. about him not being ready or not fitting a particular oppositions strength very well. It's just crazy to me cause it isn't a particular unit or group, it's a collective thing.

    3. Miami may be the new graveyard for where talented players come to die. I know that sounds terrible but how can we truly argue that. Take a look at the success Brandon Marshall has been having in Chicago, oh and Denver prior to that. Reggie Bush, had two good rushing years here, but let us not put him in game changer category he was in New Orleans or he has been so far in Detroit. Why? Well, for one doesn't seem like the coaching knew how to utilize him properly. The guy was are only true play maker last year and taking his numbers into account it is pretty sad. Let's be serious even our newly acquired players seem to be play well below their talent level or resume say they should be. I know one thing we have had no continual success on a season by season basis. We have had talent. Let me repeat. We have had talent. Might not be Super Bowl level, but I see no reason why our playoff record should be 0-1 in the last decade. There has been zero continuity. When 3 of the top Tenured FO and Coaching Personnel from the years of 2001 to Present Day are Jeff Ireland, Dave Wannstedt, and Tony Sparano there's no reason to expect some sort of success. This comes down to decision making from the top down. Coaches coach and Players play, but we got to take into account there are those in charge of picking and choosing those individuals. There are two obvious things Stephen Ross has shown since coming into power for the Phins is that he does give a s*** about this team and that he has next to no idea how to properly run a successful Football Franchise. The first part is very needed as I can name a few owners who care a whole lot less than ours does and that bodes well for the fan base to a point. It's one thing to state you want success yet neglect to make the necessary changes when no success has been had in the past few seasons. The second part about Ross is concerning. He is a extremely successful businessman who has extremely knowledgeable and successful employees managing and up keeping his ventures. But, I feel he judges those in place of the Dolphins using his heart when truly he needs to use his head and quite possibly his gut. Just do me a favor look up the picture after the Bucs loss. That should tell him all he needs to know. If Jason Taylor truly believed we had no talent do you think he'd be so disgusted by a hard fought loss. That's my point if you invest in talent those who are in charge of acquiring and developing that talent should be criticized and take the blame.


    4. These issues are all recurring. The lack of quality decision making from our Front Office and GM has been an issue for some time. The lack of a figure head at HC during this turn to the 21st century is obvious. It'd be one thing if we let a HC go that proved to be successful at another destination but the truth is we have either cut the cord right away or have held on too long. Cam Cameron was a sweet one and done. Tony Sparano gradually got worse should not one sign of improvement. Sad thing is this staff has done nothing to prove any different than any of them and that comes down to one thing.... improvement. Philbin and co. in my eyes did a admirable job last year. A halfway decent record for a team that had an obvious lack of quality talent or depth. Well, here we sit in year 2 after a full season of experience under their belt and a bevy of draft picks and high $$$ FA acquisitions. Yet, here we are at 5-6 with an obvious problem. We has digressed. In situations where we should have learned from our mistakes we haven't. Situations where we have failed we have not adapted. There are no things I'd say we are particular good at in any phase of our football team. We get to the Quarterback at times but that hasn't resulted in more W's. We've created more turnovers on defense especially in our secondary but we still are what our record says we are 5 and 6. We have had a pretty steady defense the past decade on a year to year basis. Still, we haven't had a defense say like the Ravens in 2000 or Bears in 2006 that can mask our offenses ineffectiveness and propel us to a Super Bowl game. Heck, we haven't even had a defense that can get us a single playoff win. Our offense save the Wildcat phenomenon for that portion of the 2008 season has not garnered any real respect or struck any fear into our opposing defenses. It's always a struggle to score more than 20 points a game. We can never win those games that become shootouts. And it's nearly impossible for us to play catch up when we fall behind. Let's also take into account that here we sit in Year 13 A.M. (After Marino) and none of us can sit here and say RT17 has put our long lost lust for a Franchise Signal Caller to bed. I do believe our current option is the most talented of our previous ones. Still, we see the same recurring mistakes and missed opportunities. But, truthfully I believe he has earned the right to prove what he can do with another regime. If that yields no improvement as well then unfortunately it should be viewed as yet another failed option at QB.


    As fan's it is sad we deal with this. This is truly our only real option to voice our opinions and feelings on the state of our franchise. Well here is the honest state of the Miami Dolphins.

    82 = as in the number of wins from 2002 to this point of 2013.
    105 = as in the number of losses since 2002 to this point of 2013.
    0 = as in the number of playoff wins since 2002.
    1= as in the number of playoff appearances since 2002.
    2 = as in the number of times we've had multiple HC's during the course of a season.
    3 = as in the number of times we've selected in the Top 3 draft picks since 2002
    4 = the number of 1,000 yard receivers we have had during that time (Chambers '05, Marshall '10/'11, Hartline '12)
    5 = as in the number of Top 10 draft picks we've had ('05, '07, '08, '12, '13* yes we traded in but still counts)
    6 = as in the number of All Pro Players we have had since 2002
    7 = as in the number of head coaches we have had since 2002.
    12th = as in the highest ranking for Overall Offensive points (the year was 2002).
    19 = as in the highest number of pass TD's in a season for a Dolphin QB. (Chad Pennington 2008)


    That has been what has been notable for this franchise since 2002 in which I consider the last point this franchise has any display of consistent success. If you leave out the 2002 & 2003 season we have had not back to back seasons in which we had a winning record. We have missed on far too many draft picks to even begin to list off.

    Our roster is comprised of talented parts, talented enough that believing a winning record is not a far fetched expectation. Talented enough that we should more success on the offensive and defensive stat sheet. We may have parts that aren't the best fit for our system but again this organization has chosen them.

    I've seen us bring in the big names of the past in a Bill Pacells and letting him have free reign which yielded us one playoff appearance and no winning season since. We've tried bring the glitz and glamour in the owner's booth with Jennifer Lopez, the Williams sisters and others which did nothing but remind us the lack of a quality team that we had on the field. We've publicized our pursuit of Coaches only to be turned down in front of the public eye. We purposed a new stadium only to not even get a vote in Congress. We've tried to stay loyal to our decision makers when nothing backs up that it has been needed.

    This is where we are at folks, tell me your thoughts on what seems to be our consistent and prevalent problems.
     
  2. RGF

    RGF THE FINSTER Club Member

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    Great post. And I , for one , dont think Philbin deserves another year. Too many collapses and that falls solely on the HC's shoulders.
     
  3. TooGoodForDez

    TooGoodForDez Deion Sanders for GM

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    Bad GMs and stubbornness to stick with them and not cut them loose right after bad drafts, this goes back to bad ownership.
     
  4. Roman529

    Roman529 Senior Member

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    The weekly sick feeling was much much worse for me the year we went 1-15. You almost wanted to give up on the Dolphin's forever. Each week just seemed to be worse. This year we are 5-6, but other than the Saint's game, we have been in pretty much every game. It's not like we are getting our butts handed to us. Frustrating close losses are very hard to take, and you hate losing the close ones, but it just means we have to find a way to bear down, and maybe we need a new head coach and OC who will help us get this done. I have bigger issues with Ireland than I have with Philbin, but ultimately the players have to make the plays. Tannehill and Wallace look good one minute and out of sync the next. Good teams (like the Patriots) find ways to always win the close ones, and average and bad teams piss games away.
     
  5. zwave21

    zwave21 New Member

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    I agree we have had some pretty crappy GM's. I am all for giving the person the necessary time but we should've known after that Dez Bryant scandal and consecutive losing seasons after that impressive 1st season Ireland was not cut out. We can't fire all GM's after one bad draft but with 5 consistently underwhelming drafts the time has come and gone.

    Yeah, that 1-15 season was pretty tough. But, I'll take that any day than a season like this. During that 2007 season their was something very obvious we had a lack of talent, crappy coaching, and got bit with a lot of injuries. But, this year we have stayed relatively healthy you could say. We have talent their is no doubt about that but the coaching issue still remains. Again, I'll take a Saints loss over yesterday's anyday. Why? Cause a Saints loss tells you exactly where you stand no doubt about it. Yesterday's game leaves us scratching our head as we dominate the game and then let it slip away time and time again. We all have issues with Ireland but unfortunately every time the game is won or lost during the game he has no control over that. That is on Philbin and his staff and if you honestly think he should stick around what would justify that?

    The Patriots are the model NFL franchise for many important reasons but their is one thing that has been there each and every year. Bill Belichick. Say what you want about his coaching style, and personality. The guy gets it. This is a league based on results, based on wins and losses. You don't win you don't have a job. That decision to defer the kick so they could play with the wind separates him from just about 99% of coaches all-time. Why? He understands every aspect of football from the biggest scenarios to the miniscule details. We all can't have a coach like him but I sure as hell want one who no matter what puts his team in the best situation to win. One who doesn't cost his team the game with his decisions during the game.
     
  6. Makados10

    Makados10 Active Member

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    I hate the day after losses too but i predicted 8-8 record so i can't get too mad about the season...
     
  7. KB21

    KB21 Almost Never Wrong Club Member

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    My stance is that talent is the biggest issue on this team, and I just don't see that changing. There was a study done that determined the VAE (value above expected value) and ROI (return of investment) on the draft from 2000-2012. During that time, Miami's drafts have been the 4th worst in the NFL relative to VAE and I believe 3rd worst relative to ROI.

    This is the reason the Dolphins have played only 1 playoff game in the past 10 years.

    From 1970-1995, Miami had the 2nd best VAE in the league and the best ROI relative to the draft. In that time span, the team had 2 losing seasons and won 2 Superbowls while playing in 5 total.
     
    finfansince72 likes this.
  8. adamprez2003

    adamprez2003 Senior Member

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    I agree. It all starts with the GM. Not even just football but every sport. Show me a champion, I'll show you a damn good GM. Its why I've stopped posting as much the last two years. As long as ireland remains we're doomed to mediocrity. No coach will overcome his failings. How do you go five years without being able to build an offensive line and still retain your job? Its beyond baffling. Hopefully its the end of the line for him. I would love to get excited about this team once again
     
  9. KB21

    KB21 Almost Never Wrong Club Member

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    That is why I am indifferent on whether Joe Philbin should be fired or not. Honestly, I'm leaning towards firing him and starting anew, but I could honestly make a case to keep him as well. Look no farther than Ron Rivera to see what could happen when you give a head coach enough time.

    Nothing is going to change as long as Ireland is in the picture.
     
  10. PhinGeneral

    PhinGeneral PC Texas A&M, Bro Club Member

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    I find this year harder to take due to higher expectations. 2007 for me was pretty .much met with numb resignation after the first few games.

    I haven't made my mind up about Philbin. I think he's been betrayed by his assistants to a certain degree, but the bottom line is those were his hires and his architecture.

    Ireland should, as a fan once wisely suggested, "fire himself".
     
  11. finwin

    finwin Active Member

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    Everyone would be singing a different tune had Steve Smith dropped the 4th and 10 or had the ball been blocked at the line. No one wanted to fire Ireland after the draft and during camp.

    Our consistent and prevalent problems differ each year.

    1) This year the problems are lack of talent on the OL (Ireland). The OL cost us at least the Buffalo Game and the Baltimore Game. Every Dolphin fan thought going into the season with John Jerry and Johnathan Martin was a mistake. The Clabo experiment was an unknown and it turns out to be an epic fail.
    2) Coaching (Sherman and Zack Taylor). Sherman's dumbed down West Coast Offensive schemes do not utilize player talents to full potential. He's very slow to adapt and second half adjustments are foreign to him. It seems like Zack Taylor has just 2 games now taught Tannehill to step up in the pocket, scramble, and hold on to the football and not fumble.
    3) Leadership (lack of players taking ownership and instilling a winning attitude). The team has no offensive identity because the team has no true leader on offense. Tannehill is still learning the offense and by sheer will he needs to make his OL and WR's look better than they are. It would help the team if he improved on his ball placement but his coaches and GM have not surrounded him with the play design and players he needs to succeed.
     
  12. smahtaz

    smahtaz Pimpin Ain't Easy

    If Philbin comes out of this investigation unscathed he absolutely gets another year. Mr. Ross was very clear on that.
     
  13. Destroyer

    Destroyer There for every play.

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    I hope Philbin gets the axe. I am so tired of the same type of coaching. Playing not to lose is so frustrating. Jeff Ireland has made a ton of mistakes but does still find some good talent and could be a good GM if he wasn't such a moron.
     
  14. KB21

    KB21 Almost Never Wrong Club Member

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    If Steve Smith had dropped that pass or it had been batted down, it would not have changed the fact that this team overall has mediocre talent compared with the rest of the league. The Dolphins have routinely been one of the worst drafting teams in the NFL since the 2000 season, and I think this is the largest contribution to Miami's struggles. Since the 2004 season, which is really the first season that the 2000 draft's lack of production for the team long term had a major effect, the Dolphins are 63-92, winning only 41% of their games. Prior to these seasons, this team was 329-223 (winning 60% of their games). In the Shula years, the Dolphins won 66% of their games, so it shouldn't be a surprise that they were among the best drafting teams in the NFL during Don's 25 years with the team.

    I'd also venture to guess that Miami has been one of the worst teams at identifying and signing unrestricted and restricted free agents who have accrued years of service in the NFL. Think about all the money that has been spent on free agents during the years that Jeff Ireland has been the GM (Justin Smiley, Jake Grove, Ernest Wilford, Randy Starks, Eric Green, Karlos Dansby, Kevin Burnett, Dannelle Ellerbe, Phillip Wheeler, Mike Wallace, and Brandon Gibson to name a few). Out of those players, Starks and Gibson have been the only ones worth their contracts at this point. I mean, what has really separated the Dolphins from the Redskins at this point? Washington has been a bad drafting team that tries to augment their team by signing high priced free agents, and they have been a bad team for a while now.

    In fact, I think if you look at our free agent record and drafting record under Jeff Ireland, it's really a miracle that the team has been in the middle of pack to just below that relative to winning during this span. I mean, the team is 43-48 with Ireland as the GM. I don't know for certain what other teams had a record like that over 6 years and kept their GM. My guess would be not many. I'll see if I can find any evidence to support that. If anything, it gives you an idea that our coaching hasn't been quite as bad as we have wanted to make out during this time span. In the Dave Wannstedt years, I always said that Dave the personnel guy did in Dave the coach. Dave the coach was actually pretty damn good and probably the best the team has had since Don Shula. Dave the personnel man was bad, but over the years, we have been surpassed by the Bills in our division and are now the worst drafting team in the division by a good margin. The data I have looked at suggests that Jeff is indeed the worst personnel man the Dolphins have had since 2000 and perhaps in the history of the team.
     
  15. KB21

    KB21 Almost Never Wrong Club Member

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    I agree with you, but good luck finding a new head coach that is going to eschew traditional NFL thinking and pay attention to numbers, particularly if you limit yourself to only coaches that have NFL head coaching experience (not you, but I've seen some say that they only want a coach who has been a head coach in the NFL).
     
  16. Destroyer

    Destroyer There for every play.

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    I don't think I want a recycled head coach.
     
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  17. Ludacris

    Ludacris Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    It's obvious the consistent and prevalent issue is Ireland. He goes through the same cycle of creating more holes and not filling enough holes on the roster. Those holes get exposed on a weekly basis. He drafts decently but his FA tranactions have a lot left to be desired. The roster he has built is inadequate for someone in the FO this long. There is a talent issue which starts with the GM. It almost doesn't matter who the HC is unless the GM acquires the necessary components.
     
  18. KB21

    KB21 Almost Never Wrong Club Member

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    Ding, ding, ding, ding!

    Replace Joe Philbin if you want to, but it isn't going to matter much until this team gets the personnel side of the business right.
     
  19. rtl1334

    rtl1334 New Member

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    I got the sense watching Philbin's post game press conference yesterday that he's just exacerbated with the lack of talent along the o-line.
     
  20. WhiteIbanez

    WhiteIbanez Megamediocremaniacal

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    Shula signed him in 1995. It was gonna be the dream team remember. Not sure why that name is in there.
    I'm sure you will try to figure it out.
     
  21. finfansince72

    finfansince72 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I tend to agree, its the GM that is the important decision. And if we get the right guy and he wants to keep Philbin I don't have a big issue with it. Now if he lets Philbin stay and he keeps his staff intact?......not so much. I do think Sherman is a coward and has nothing innovative to add to the offense, I'd rather see him gone personally.
     
  22. KB21

    KB21 Almost Never Wrong Club Member

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    Jeff signed a corner named Eric Green in 2008.
     
  23. Destroyer

    Destroyer There for every play.

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    Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett are both good players and having pretty damn good seasons and that's because they are being utilized probably.
     
  24. rtl1334

    rtl1334 New Member

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    You are assuming that the GM will have authority over the coach. There are many GMs in the league that have final say on personnel matters but no authority to fire the coach.

    Besides you might find that Philbin is part of the search committee for a new GM because, after all, he needs a GM that will find the players needed for his system.

    Don't be surprised if Gaine is simply elevated to the role.
     
  25. WhiteIbanez

    WhiteIbanez Megamediocremaniacal

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    Crafty. :lol:
     
  26. finfansince72

    finfansince72 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Do you want a GM that doesn't have authority over the coach?
     
  27. rtl1334

    rtl1334 New Member

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    It works in other places. The GMs in New Orleans, San Fran and Seattle have final say over personnel yet no authority to fire the coach. These examples are among many. So in short...yes I'm fine with it.

    Having said that the key issue here is how out of sync Philbin and Ireland are. It is imperative that the personnel department acquire the types of players the coaches need to run their system.
     
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  28. zwave21

    zwave21 New Member

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    Wouldn't be surprised by Gaine getting elevated just really don't see why that would happen. He has been a piece of the problem with the current FO. I personally don't care if the GM has authority to fire the coach. All I care about is if we bring in a GM let him choose his pieces himself. I don't want a GM force fed a crumby staff and a roster. Funny thing is if we do that (keep the current Coaching staff) and we very may will but we basically will lose out instantly on half the top tier of GM's.

    True, Philbin may be part of the search committee. But, plain and simple whether he gets the players to fit his system it doesn't matter. Everything he preached about when he arrived in 2012 about his system of fast paced, interchangeable parts with depth is such a hoax its like we chugged all the Kool-Aid. His issue is he doesn't know how to manage a game, inspire and lead men, and most importantly adapt and adjust to the game. When we hired him all we heard was in his 25+ years of coaching he has never once held the title "Head Coach". Well it shows and if you don't see it you've got to be blind. It's like were on repeat on a weekly basis by the way we keep teams in the game and let them take it away from us.

    Ireland is who we thought he is and that is lousy. But, we can bring in as much talent as we want but if we don't have a coach to utilize that talent we end up where we are right now. One thing we truly need is a functional and familiar relationship with our GM/Head Coach. We need to learn from our mistakes and completely clean house if that's the choice not get rid of half of the stuff.
     
    LI phinfan likes this.

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