Seems Dolphans expectations for the team this year are way too high. Are people really convinced this team isn't rebuilding? Have people convinced themselves they can compete for the division or wildcard this year? Reality is, if the Dolphins finish higher than a bottom 5 team in the league it would be a surprise. Let the team develop and gear up for next years likely top 5 pick in the draft.
Interesting. I would think the majority of fins fans right now do not actually have high hopes. This argument Ifeel would have been more valid prior to the two preseason games which have served as a bit of a wake up call Either way its still preseason.
Should have been the mindset before and after preseason. Thread was created because I found it shocking so many fans had such high expectations that weren't rooted in reality. If your expectations are accurate you wont have that same letdown and disappointment that some are having. Team has some pieces to build around moving forward.
Have you seen the FA list for next offseason. The rebuilding process is going to be long term at this point. I don't see anyone talking Super Bowl here.
We could very easily win 8 games against this schedule if we simply play at the same level we did last season.
Well, I figure the team won 6 games despite everything. I assumed that both the players and coaching staff had been upgraded and would account for about a 2 win improvement. If now we are going to be told that this is a 3 or 4 win team, then yeah that is a problem.
8? How do come up with 8 wins? Even blind homerism can't find yo 8 wins.....OK, blind homerism can find 16 wins, but I don't see how you can objectively look at everything and them come up with 8 wins. I can get to 6, maybe 7 if I throw objectivity out the window.
I'm not sure we've upgraded much in the player dept. If anything, I think we've taken a step backwards. Worse at QB, only because we'll be starting a rookie. Worse at WR. Worse in the defensive backfield....I know alot of people didn't like Bell, but the defense is worse without him.
Well I would take Tanny over Henne. Yeah, worse at WR, but supposed to be better at RB, TE and OL. Not sure on Bell. Philbin and Sherman are OL guys and Martin was supposed to have "1st round talent." Maybe I just wasn't paying attention, but OL was supposed to be a strength of the team going into training camp.
Just go with our passer rating differential from last year and compare that to this seasons opponents differential from last year. Then factor in that we will not be starting Chad Henne any games this year. We won 6 games with Henne as our QB against one of the toughest schedules in the league. I would think with QB play at Matt Moores level its very reasonable to expect 8 wins against one of the easiest schedules in the league.
I'll take Tanny over Henne too, but he will no doubt struggle as a rookie. I think this season or at the very least, the first half of the season we will be worse at QB. If the OL continues to play this bad and someone in the WR corps doesn't emerge I don't expect more than 4-5 wins.....and that's being generous.
I will bet anything we don't win 8. And that's a win-win proposition for me....either I win the bet or the Dolphins don't suck.
I really don't think EITHER group of people has that firm a grasp on the "reality" of the Dolphins right now. Getting all about how you're going to give the plebs a reality check is just as misplaced as thinking the Dolphins are going to be awesome and make a surprise run or what have you. It's pre-season. That doesn't mean you ignore everything, or you can't draw any conclusions, but seriously, you don't know as much as you think you do at this point off of what you see on the field. Do you think they're going to run the ball 17% of the time in the regular season, or leave Martin on an island, or decide to switch a linebackers position a week before a game and start him in the regular season?
We all understand this. But this is a message board and we're all fans. It's what we do. What, should we just shut down the website during the offseason?
Henne rarely produced much at the position. Tannehill despite some struggles will probably be able to produce more. At least that's what it looks like at this point.
Sure will. Dolphins 7.5 total wins. If I could really bring myself to bet against my team, I'd put a shatload on the under.
No, I don't think a lot of people do understand that from the reaction around here. I don't think people discussing the team or drawing some conclusions is really inappropriate or shouldn't be done. "We're gonna suck", or "We're gonna be awesome" is silly though now.
I think you underestimate the struggles a rookie QB usually has. Especially one with a crappy OL and no real weapons at the WR position.
It is. But those are usually made in the heat of the moment either in a game thread or right after a game. All I'm doing is taking the information we currently have and giving my opinion. I don't see the inappropriateness in what I'm saying.
Anything less than 5 wins is incompetance on the coaching staff and anything above 8 would be amazing. I'll be disappointed if RT is not starting by mid-season. I'm torn on having him face the Texans D in week 1.
We actually have no idea how difficult our schedule will be. SOS measured using the previous season's winning percentages is notoriously unreliable. That said, I see only three games that I can confidently say we're going to win: W2 vs Raiders, W3 vs Jets, and W12 vs Seahawks. If I put on the "What could possibly go wrong?" goggles, toss in W4 at Cardinals and W15 vs Jaguars.
To me, betting big on the under is a way to guarantee your happiness in an otherwise murky season. For a hundred bucks you can ensure that if they lose you'll feel okay about it. But if they win lots more, you'll be happy and say it was worth losng the hundred bucks, Make the bet.
I'm not sure why dolphins fans would feel comfortable winning any of those games. Agreed on SOS though. I can't believe people still take that seriously.
W2 vs Raiders: we always beat the Raiders. Always. (Corollary: we always lose to the Texans. Always.) W3 vs Jets: we always split with the Jets. Sparano teams start slow, even going back to his days as a Cowboys assistant. It's reasonable to expect a win through general Jet offensive incompetence. (Notice that I said nothing about the rematch later this season.) W12 vs Seahawks: west coast teams that travel to the east coast for 1 PM local time games have an abysmal record.
PR differential, pythagorean wins, DVOA, among others. There are a whole host of stats that are used to predict YoY performance.
Seahawks could be a surprise team this year. Very legit defense, some weapons. Only real question is qb and oline is up and down. Either way the Seahags will definitely be better than the dolphins. Fins can win like any team any week in the nfl, but to feel confident about it shows you much not know anything about the Seahags. They're going to shut down the dolphins offense so easily, Carroll has a legit defense
vs Raiders , vs Jets , at Cardinals , at Bengals, vs Rams, at Jets, at Colts, vs Titans, at Bills, vs Seahawks, vs Jaguars, vs Bills. That's the schedule minus the New England games, @ San Fran, and the Houston game. Which of the above games would it truly shock you if the Fins won? Holes at WR and DB aside, I can see them going 7-5 in these 12 games. They could be favored in all 7 of the home games.