"I understand Dolphins fans...have some scar tissue and they're worried about getting their hopes up...dare to dream... Maybe this team will actually be really good this year and they'll surprise people..."
Definitely NOT getting my hopes up. COVID-19 truly screwed up preseason so there’s no way to truly gauge what we have until the trigger is already pulled
Although the roster has improved, it's tough to bet on significant improvement in the team's record because we may be doing a significant portion of the season with a rookie QB.
Watching the NBA this season and the Heat with a young, scrappy team that has no business with a 7-1 playoff record, I really believe that it's anyone's game this season. Teams aren't as well prepared as normal so it's going to come down to who wants it most and makes that big play to turn the whole game around- it absolutely could be us at the end of the year. There's simply no way to predict who's going to rise up and who's going to stink....but I guarantee you that the playoffs this season looks a lot different from recent years. There will be several surprise teams.
Not that Peter King is anybody special, but he's certainly had his finger on the pulse of the NFL for a long time. He's predicted the Dolphins to be the 4 seed in the AFC playoffs this year: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...ll-super-bowl-prediction-nfl-fmia-peter-king/
Love my Fins. But even with our improvements, we will take our lumps. Look at all of the new starters and think about how many rookie contributors we will have. If injuries don't hit us (knock knock... knock), I think the team will definitely be much better in December than in September. I'd be happy as a fly on **** if we made the playoffs. But I'm expecting great things in 2021, not 2020.
Beasley is a little bullish on us. We have a very young team with a lot of new pieces. Covid 19 has limited camp, wiped out the preseason and prevented this team from gelling. Now if we had a veteran team that had been together a year or two it wouldn't hurt as much and I'd think differently but this puts us at a bit of a disadvantage to start the year. We also have a brutal schedule to start the season. I think we have a great coach finally with Flores and I love the way the team is shaping up. Maybe by the end of the season they will be playing great football but I think the hole we will be in early on will be a little much for them to overcome and take the division or the 4 seed.
Obviously we'll need some luck in the health department both on and off the field. Can't afford to lose Devante Parker, Howard, or any of our offensive linemen. We just need key players to stay healthy, I like our chances at making the playoffs if everything that we were supposed to improve on is in fact...improved. Our offensive line has got to be better, it would be nice if our defense could find a way to get to the quarterback this year or at least pressure them. Who knows...I personally think the top four teams in the AFC this year will be KC, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo. After that I think New England and Houston make some noise and then there's us, the Colts, Raiders, and Browns. So who knows. I think the first half of the echelon is set, but we could very well be in the mix for a wild card. I certainly hope so. Gettin tired of getting so much **** from friends over being a fan of this team. I can't wait to shove back in their faces.
This season is going to be a big test for Flores. An extremely young team with an abbreviated offseason and little warmup makes for a tough situation. Also dropping us in vs. our biggest divisional opponents in NE and Buf isn't doing us any favors. I think if we can be around 8-8 the season it's a good step forward and Flores will continue to show us he was the right choice. If we really struggle and take some steps backward (think in the 4-6 win range), then we will enter 2021 with an eye raised in question and concern. A winning record and/or playoff entrance will obviously be a huge success. I think our team has the talent to make a push. Whether we can harness that talent into scheme and cohesive team play and avoid the mistakes that young players often make is the question. If Flores can get them scrapping and playing tough and hard, I think the season will work out.
NBC's Peter King is predicting that the Dolphins will win the AFC East. “The Tua Tagovailoa watch is on in Miami. But if the Dolphins win 10 games as I think they can, the more important additions will come on defense, in corner Byron Jones and versatile linebacker Kyle Van Noy.” – Peter King, NBC Sports