If they team committed to Fitz as the starter for the season and Tua in the weight room and in class and really stayed convicted in those two strategies I 100% believe the team would of been in the playoffs and we would of never saw a game like that in Buffalo at the end of the year.. Our team was not ready to play that bills game because the team couldn’t believe that Tua was annoited the starter after Fitz played an incredible game the week prior. Grier hired Flores so I’m happy as hell about that even though Flores didn’t play the Qb position correctly this year. He drafted Tua so I’m happy about that that, he’s got a young roster so pressure is off for me for now.
Naw, it’s really going to be year 2 of the rebuild. Flores’ first year he completely GUTTED the roster to accumulate draft picks and dump cap space. You can’t really call that first year a rebuild year. It’s like gutting and completely rebuilding a house. Covering it with a tarp after it’s gutted isn’t part of the actual rebuild and that’s what the Dolphins had their first season...a “tarp” on the field. New drywall, new electrical, new doors and windows, new kitchen cabinetry, etc...that’s the actual rebuild and that what Flores and Grier started doing last season and continue into this upcoming season.
You know that I was preaching that since he was drafted; to sit, strengthen and learn. Yes, not doing that was a mistake.
If that was the case, not very professional on the team after Fitz wasn't going to be playing due to COVID violations. Also, Fitz got lucky in that LV game - Gaskin taking that short dump off 70 yards and the play to Hollins had no right being completed considering by the time he committed to the pass, his face mask was being pulled round. I'm not saying I didn't love it but that pass completion was 1 in a 1000.
Players aren’t stupid, they are also real people who have emotions and opinions. Tua wasn’t ready to play, Tua didn’t want to take the job from Fitz. The team wanted Fitz as their starter, why the decision was made was really a poor decision on many levels, I can list them but it sure would be a long list.jmo Nobody knows if Fitz was the starter if he would of been in the same place at the same tine when he attracted covid..
No doubt that they are real people with emotions. However, they are professional athletes that were within touching distance of the playoffs and although we heard lots of encouraging comments from the players throughout the year about Tua, for the really important game, they laid an egg - right. I love Fitz. However, I'm also realistic that if he was starting, we would have likely had a lot more of Fitz against the Jets in the 1st game, Fitz against the Pats, Fitz against the Seahawks, Fitz against Denver instead of the miracle fluke play against LV. And although Fitz was the only person that went into COVID protocol that week, so it is highly likely that he came into contact with it outside the facility, he wouldn't have potentially caught it if he was a starter? Good one
Fitz’s game was trending up, he had shown everyone that the so called Fitztragic was appearing a lot less and that is was just a lazy narrative for people who couldn’t see what was really going on. Players, even Tua told everyone this but no one payed close enough attention.. Team was deflated emotionally going into Buffalo, they didn’t feel they had a chance.. jmo
I petitioned for Fitz the entire season but in the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't matter. Tua gained critical experience and exposed some things for the coaches to work on with him this off-season. Miami still won 10 games and barely missed the playoffs. I think with Fitz the team does go 11-5 or 12-4, but I don't know if we'd be on the level to beat KC or Buffalo. Especially with receiver injuries at the wrong time of the season...we probably would have been one and done in the playoffs. Personally, I wish that Fitz got to complete his "magical" year with a trip to the post-season just because he's such an awesome leader. He's been amazing the past two years and he deserves so much of the credit for this rebuild. But in hindsight, it's probably better that Tua got that experience in and figured out where he's going to have to improve. It will save us a year in the rebuild that way.
Making the playoffs does matter to a team and organization it’s growth and maturity, its experience level, on many levels it matters. What doesn’t matter, is talking about it anymore because it’s over..it was a failure as a front office and head coach, not gonna hold it against Flores because he’s been great and I’m a huge fan..but he ****ed up.