In addition to being called one of the biggest flukes in NFL history, Jamie Dukes and Rod Woodson has snubbed two of our defenseman. In a recent list of the Top 5 Edge Rushers, Jason Taylor and Joey Porter were snubbed in favor of Demarcus Ware (which is understandable), Mario Williams, Jared Allen, Shawne Merriman and James Harrison. Seriously, 17.5 sacks isn't qualification to make this list? How about 120.5? At least Jamie Dukes mentioned J.T. What's everyone's beef with the Phins? In addition, Brian Baldinger and Solomon Wilcots are dubbing us overachieving flukes: http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d81104e82&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true
Well, we were bad for so long they are skeptical over our prospects. They were last offeseason as well.
well this is exactly why we keep reading that the Fins' success last year was only a fluke. These analysts don't like to have to face being wrong. The only way to justify their missed prediction is to loudly and repeatedly assert "it was a fluke"!
Well, it's fine to reject the conventional wisdom as long as such a rejection is based on facts, and we have added some good pieces in Wilson and JT and the Rook Cb's and Wr's. From 05-07, "us" fans did not want to hear about how poor we were going to play, but we had no facts to rely on to prove why we would prove them wrong.
While its hard to argue with the list they have presented, who really cares? Nobody expected anything from us last year, we punched em all in the mouth and won the division. We got better this offseason IMO, so there is no reason why it couldn't happen again. I'd love nothing more than for these idiots to be eating some crow come next season.
Baldinger's opinion doenst mean ****, especially when he said we'd be lucky to get 3 wins last year, ****'em
Look, we can go 10-6, win a game in the playoffs and still be better than last year even though the regular season was worse and Baldy, Dukes, et al will be 'right' in their assessment of us. There are compelling reasons to agree with these guys about that assessment. There are reasons to disagree as well. We look at the DL, for example, as improved because Merling and Langford have a full year under them and Starks played very well. Soliai looks to begin to show why he was drafted and Dotson and McDaniels are promising...they look at the DL and say "Wow, they cut arguably the best DL they had, Fergy is a year older, McDaniels was a bust in Jax and Soliai hasn't been able to have a breakout year, etc...it's a matter of perspective...and former players seem to lean more towards the releasing of veterans as a sign that a team will be weaker than a conviction of a younger player playing better... At any rate, I really don't like Dukes. Baldy is fine if he's analyizing tape and plays, but not speculating. The rest I could care even less about on the NFLN...too many ex-players that tend to downgrade teams because of past issues with those teams...
By "in their prime", do you mean juiced up? Take Merriman off that list. He didn't even play last year, and his injury if I remember correctly is a result of his drug use weakening his knee or something. The list is fine except for Merriman. Porter should have taken his place.
