Are we a good football team?

I think slightly above average.

Our Defense is mediocre at best at stopping the run or pass.

Our offense is good to great at running and mediocre at passing.

Our special teams... I don't know. We used to be below average, but with Ginn and the better kick coverage I would say above average.

Coaching.. above average.

You are only as strong as your weakest link.. and the weakest link this year is the defense.

IMO there are great teams, bad teams and everyone else.

We are part of everyone else.

"Dol-Fan Dupree wrote:

IMO there are great teams, bad teams and everyone else.

We are part of everyone else.

You forgot to mention the Bills separately, right below bad teams and right above day old doggy doo doo.

We're close, but IMO our defense is keeping us out of the good category. If we have some more games like Thursday where we don't give up any huge passing plays then we could move up. (I would prefer better run D too, but Carolina is a great running team).

I also wouldn't put NE in the great category as their D is too suspect. Their passing offense makes them a threat against anybody but they are not complete enough to be great. I'd put Minnesota up there instead.

Pitt is also tough. They are a good team when Polamalu is healthy and average when he isn't.

I'd also drop the Ravens and Falcons from the good list.

Average, but held back by seriously consistent issues stopping the TE and plugging up the middle, and the lack of a playmaker WR that can make the kind of plays against us that we've been seeing all year.

Those two things are the biggest issue we have. We're starting to get the pass rush thing figured out I think, and if Cam Wake can step up and be a full package OLB, we're in the good category for sure.

The thing that separates good teams from great teams though, at least on defense, are players that are a master of every angle of the game. We've got a lot of defensive players that can stuff the run, or play well in coverage, but we don't have a lot of players that kill everything that comes their way. We need that to become a great team, and unfortunately thats going to mean in two or three drafts finding replacements for some players who are working well, but could do better.

We've got the formula, the bricks are in place, and we've got a solid foundation. Now we just need to properly address the fine details like we've been doing, and then over the next few years properly address our biggest need year to year.

I'm more confident in this team than I have been since Marino was around. Barring any major shakeups, the phins will be relevant again, thank god.

I don't think we are anything more than a .500 team

Good teams dont have a passing offense that is#29 out of 32 teams
Good teams are not #23 in total yards
Good teams dont have a defense that is 26th in points allowed
Good teams are not 25th in the NFL in yards allowed

With that being said I have no doubt with the next two drafts this team will be elite

Consider the fact that we were dominating 2 of the best teams in FB, who are both undefeated, we're in a tough division as it is. Now injuries are taking a toll on us.

I thought we looked good last night running a traditional offense.

d-1

We're better than our record shows. Right now until we can stand toe to toe with the Patriots, we're a potential wildcard team, that's it. Wildcard teams sometimes can capitalize on other teams injuries, or put together a remarkable SB run. But until we can reliably give the Pats a run of their money, and consistently split, or beat them 2x every year, we are just like every other team with SB hopes.

"SICK wrote:

imo there are

great teams (saints, pats, colts)

good teams (ravens, packers, falcons, chargers, bengals)

average teams (us, panthers, cowboys, steelers)

I would categorize the above as this:

Great: Saints, Colts, Pats, Chargers
Good: Bengals, Steelers, Vikings, Cardinals, Giants, Eagles
Average: Us, Cowboys, Ravens, Falcons, Broncos, Texans

You left out some good teams... Vikes, Cards, G-men, and Iggles...

I think we are considered average right now but are on the rise and with a few moves this offseason ready to move up into a contender. Although I do think we are better than most think,I feel some people still see the Dolphins as an easy game on the schedule and that is usually when we win.

I think to be good in today's NFL you have to be able to pass and stop the pass. Right now we really can't do either, but I think we have a promising young QB and promising talent in our defensive secondary. Looking ahead, we need to replace Porter and J. Taylor while upgrading our pass rush. We also need to upgrade our receivers. I'm afraid we may be two receivers away, though, not just one.

"Paul 13 wrote:

I would categorize the above as this:

Great: Saints, Colts, Pats, Chargers
Good: Bengals, Steelers, Vikings, Cardinals, Giants, Eagles
Average: Us, Cowboys, Ravens, Falcons, Broncos, Texans

You left out some good teams... Vikes, Cards, G-men, and Iggles...

How are the Giants good? They get killed by good teams.

How are the Cardinals good?

Eagles got beat by the Raiders, and they are good?

Chargers are great?

"keypusher wrote:

I think to be good in today's NFL you have to be able to pass and stop the pass. Right now we really can't do either, but I think we have a promising young QB and promising talent in our defensive secondary. Looking ahead, we need to replace Porter and J. Taylor while upgrading our pass rush. We also need to upgrade our receivers. I'm afraid we may be two receivers away, though, not just one.

I agree with the need to be able to pass and stop the pass but I don't think we're far off at least on D. I expect JT to be back and continue at a high level for at least one more year if not two. I also think Wake is already our best pass rusher. He seemed to get pressure on every snap and that was despite at least four non-called holds against him. When he develops his reputation the refs will be giving him those calls. Depending on what happens with Porter, Roth and Anderson going forward, I believe we have enough talented pass rushers there.

I actually think our secondary is set. The CBs are outstanding with Smith, Davis, Jones and a returning W. Allen. The Ss could be better in coverage but with Bell, Wilson, Clemons and just more time playing together they will be at least good.

The lack of go to receiving targets is what keeps us from solidly being good or great. I think we need a #1 WR and a seam splitting TE. I can think of other needs, specifically ILB and now a NT, but just adding those two receiving targets would make us a SB contender.

"Aqua4Ever04 wrote:

If I were to classify each NFL team:

Teams that are good enough to win it all: Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Minnesota.

Teams that aren't quite good enough to compete for a title: New England, San Diego, Dallas, Arizona.

Teams that are good enough to make the post-season: Miami, Baltimore, Houston, Denver, Philadelphia, NY Giants, Green Bay, Atlanta.

Teams that could go .500: NY Jets, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Chicago, Carolina, Seattle, San Francisco

Trying to stay out of the top 10 in next year's draft: Buffalo, Washington.

Teams already thinking about April: Cleveland, Oakland, Kansas City, Detroit, Tampa Bay, St. Louis.

Look at those lists. We play everyone in the top three lists. I like that our young team is learning what competition and tough games are like.

Good list, I have no real issues with any of it. I do think that teams with great passing attacks are always a threat though, so while NE, SD and Ariz. are not great or complete teams they are dangerous enough to win it all if they get hot at the right time.

"SICK wrote:

imo there are

great teams (saints, pats, colts)

good teams (ravens, packers, falcons, chargers, bengals)

average teams (us, panthers, cowboys, steelers)

below avg teams

and bad teams

i didnt list everyone obviously, but where do we fall in this catigory, right now we are 5-5

but we are 5-0 against teams with current losing records

and 0-5 Vs teams with current winning records. not good imo.

where do we stand? and is playoffs an actuality?

to me there arent any great or even very good teams so my list would start with

GOOD TEAMS

1) Vikings
2) Saints
3) Colts
4) Patriots
5) Bengals
6) Chargers
7) Broncos

AVERAGE TEAMS

8) Steelers
9) Texans
10) Cardinals
11) Dolphins
12) Cowboys
13) Ravens
14) Giants
15) Eagles
16) Packers
17) Bears
18) Falcons
19) Jets
20) 49ers
21) Jaguars
22) Titans

POOR TEAMS
23) Panthers
24) Redskins
25) Bill
26) Seahawks
27) Chiefs
28) Raiders
29) Lions
30) Buccaneers

HORRENDOUS TEAMS

31) Rams
32) Browns

its a shame not to have a receiving threat with how much potential has been in our back field all season.

if we had that, we would probably 7-3 or better. our offense's weak performance is putting to much of a burden on our defense. they wouldn't be as bad if they didn't have to play so much.

we have 4 prime time games this year. EVERYONE knows receiving is our weakness. think of this season as a show case for the organization. everyone knows about the changes being made. how much progress is taking place. those two things together SHOULD make us a desirable place for any free agent receivers. and its south Florida on top of that.

what free agent receivers wouldn't jump at the chance to come down here and be an immediate impact and fan favorite? any one that did so would be like a hero around here.

i think that is our number one need. a free agent receiver that can come in and start producing immediately and not have any periods of growing pains. with that assistance to the offense, it takes a lot of burden off of the defense as well. and im sure we will get plenty of production between player development and the draft, for all other positions.

i think more passing production alone moves us up from average to good. all the other pieces added in would make us one of the top teams.

I think we are right at good but are just beating ourselves out of wins.....I feel like we aren't even a couple players from winning, we are a couple plays from winning games.....we're not just getting smacked around....I think we just lack communication and execution at times...

like we might lose because a missed FG and some dropped passes but we all know that Ginn can catch or Bess can catch and that Carpenter doesn't miss often...so it's not lack of talent IMO...

the saints, colts and pats game we had a chance to either win or tie the game on a GW drive but some players weren't making plays...I think we get it together and make playoffs...you can call me crazy but I think we got it together...if not, then we should be ready next year..

very good on the way to excellent in year two of the rebuilding

I think nearly beating the Colts and the Saints we're very close (as in next years draft) to being a good team based upon the list you have chris.

Right now we're a neutral team who seems to be finding their execution on both sides of the ball.

Last year we found the identity
This year we practice executing that
Next year we kick some solid ass.
Year after we dominate
Super Bowl?

That's how I'd like to see it.

"rafael wrote:

We're close, but IMO our defense is keeping us out of the good category. If we have some more games like Thursday where we don't give up any huge passing plays then we could move up. (I would prefer better run D too, but Carolina is a great running team).

I also wouldn't put NE in the great category as their D is too suspect. Their passing offense makes them a threat against anybody but they are not complete enough to be great. I'd put Minnesota up there instead.

Pitt is also tough. They are a good team when Polamalu is healthy and average when he isn't.

I'd also drop the Ravens and Falcons from the good list.

id drop the packers from that same list

we will contend in 2010

Right Now we ar average football team. Injuries starting to take there toll but schedule getting easier can't hurt us or at least i hope it doesn't

We are contending this year. We are a good team that knows who we are. We will make the playoffs and after that it is a crapshoot.

We contended in 2008