4 games vs AFC West. 4 Games vs NFC West. The weakest divisions BY FAR in the league.

2 of our wins come against teams that are awful.

Raiders
Rams

2 more come from teams with depleted rosters.

Chargers
Seahawks

1 from another young and inexperienced team.

49ers

1 from one of the most inconsistent teams in the league.

Broncos

We also have to account for 2 wins against the awful, awful Bills.

Finally we have the beating on the Patriots. (Ok, that was a good one, and I loved every second of it.)

All in all, most of our wins come from weak teams. Now before you all get upset and say I'm causing trouble, just hear me out. I'm of the school of thought that 1) You don't pick the schedule and 2) A win is a win.

However, I was talking with my roommate about how bad the Bills are and he couldn't understand why they fell apart. Take one look at their schedule.

They beat up on the AFC and NFC West, that again, contain awful teams.

This got me thinking...what if we are simply doing the same? Beating up on (and sometimes barely winning) against teams that just aren't that good. I know there is (supposedly) a lot of parody in the league, and yeah, "any given Sunday", but we can't ignore the facts here, the West divisions SUCK.

I am as thrilled as all of you over our turnaround this year. It is great and I don't have to be embarrassed when I go to work with so many Pats fans. There is, however, doubt in my mind, that if we make it to the playoffs, (again, a huge accomplishment, and I can't say that enough) but can't help but just have a bad feeling.

I will say this though...I am still damn impressed with the coaching and execution of plays, given the serious lack of talent on this team. They are finding ways to win and building confidence, which is HUGE. I really think that if we continue on this path, draft well, and continue to make smart personnel moves, we'll be a powerhouse within the next two years.

However, I will be in no way shocked if we take a few steps back next year, but that all depends on who we play.

Just something I was thinking about, and something I took a look at before Saban's second year. We had a great run at the end of his first year as head coach, but when I looked at who we played and the margin of victory, it wasn't a stretch to see that we beat up on crap teams and that there was a very good chance we would have a rough season, despite so many writers picking us to go to the Super Bowl.

Whether the late season success got into the team's head and there was a breakdown in discipline, or we had better competition...I don't know. All I know is that as a fan, I love hearing about the Dolphins and seeing them do well, but with their history lately, I can't help but remain a skeptic until I start seeing some consistency in the team.

I hope I am wrong about this, and I hope that we are watching the beginnings of the next dynasty, but I'm just one of those guys who has to take another look at another angle.

Anyway...I'd like to hear some thoughts and opinions about this, and of course...

GO DOLPHINS!!

Futt - I just saw something about this yesterday, although I can't remember where I saw it. The news I saw said almost exactly what you just said - that Miami has feasted on a last place schedule and will face a much tougher schedule next year - and possibly a decline wins. They pointed out that our wins (7 of our 9) came against teams with losing records. Meanwhile, we are 2-5 against teams that are .500 or better.

I guess I can see the point, but think about it this way: We have not lost to a team with a losing record all year. We are 7-0 against losing teams. That is amazing. We have won the games we are supposed to win.

We are 2-5 against .500 teams; but we should have beaten the Texans and could have beaten the Jets.

I expect us to have another good draft next year (thank you Redskins for giving us a 2nd round pick for Jason Taylor and his 1.5 sacks this year); and I expect that we will have more succcess in free agency in the coming offseason than we have had in the past.

Also, by the end of this season, we will have played 8 teams with .500 records (assuming the Texans win another game). How many will we play next year? The Colts had a brutal schedule this year and will only play 9 .500 teams this year.

Bottom line - I expect that we will play a tougher schedule next year, but some of the teams that are good this year could stink next year - so it may not be as difficult as expected. There are always some surprisingly bad teams in the NFL. For example, nobody thought Seattle would be 3-11 this year. Nobody expected Jacksonville to be 5-9 either.

One more thing, we will have more experience and more talent next year. What that will translate to for wins is anyone's guess; but it's hard to think that we will take a step back when we have so much youth on this team.

Agreed. W4e are winning games that we lost last year. Last year we lost to the Raiders, the Browns, Bengals, Bills (twice), Texans. they were losing teams ( ok Browns had a good year last year).

This year we are beating them. Ugly, pretty, last minute...they are wins that were loses last season.

As to our prospects? The competition changes. We improve while others fade.

New England - Bruschi is done, Seau gone, Their stars on D are aging. Randy Moss will be entering his 12 the season next year. WR's in their 30's ALL slow down and drop in production.

Colts- we are seeing the end of their dominance.

Same with Chargers.

The Steelers and Titans have key people locked up at a decent age. They look to be in good position next year.

If we hit on a good draft, and the Ol gels? We could be a 12-4, 13-3 team next year.

So who the hell cares who we play? Why take the time look up all these stats?
We are 9-5 and can make the playoffs after 1-15 last year. That alone is all we need to know.
Of coarse we have a weak schedule, that is the way the league is set up.
We will continue to improve and get there as a solid #1 team. We have the front office and coaching to do it.

So there.

realist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> New England - Bruschi is done, Seau gone, Their
> stars on D are aging. ...

True but would you believe that due to injuries they actually re-signed Seau a couple weeks ago along with a couple other ancient retreads.

Sports talk hosts here in Boston even aren't too crazy about Seau...I heard one guy even say all he does is jump onto the pile after the tackle has been made by someone else. Hearing that from the Patsie kissass homers up here made me LOL.

I agree that we have played a relatively easier schedule this year. Both of the variable divisions have had down years. However, there are really only two opponents that are determined by a team's performance the previous year - 14 opponents are set no matter how a team performs. This is important because each of the teams in our division plays the same opponents for those 14 games (some head-to-head). If we win the division this year, then (theoretically) we should stand a great chance to win it next year, given our performance vs. common opponents. To give stronger legs to that argument, we actually are 0-2 against the variable opponents based upon our 2007 performance (Baltimore and Houston). If we win out, we will have played our common opponents better than the other teams in our division. If NE and we both finish 11-5, and the Jets 10-6, I think it can be said that our divisional play was of a relatively high caliber (one doormat and 3 teams finishing with splits among them).

I guess I'm saying that if we take care of the divisional games and perform similar to our division leader opponents in the 8 variable games that pit our division against a single NFC and AFC division, then we stand a good chance of winning the division. We can't go any worse than 0-2 against the teams we'll face based upon our 2008 performance. A tougher non-divisional schedule could definitely hurt our chances at a wild card, but shouldn't impact our ability to win the division if we play that schedule as well as the other AFC East teams do.

One 2008 schedule caviat. We absolutely did luck out in having OAK, SEA and SFO travel to Miami this year. We also had an advantage in playing in the dome in Toronto. So, opponents were the same, but the location was to our advantage. Likewise, we didn't have any of the crazy Florida weather to contend with.

In all, I think that injuries, momentum, and changes in the team's talent level will play more into next year's performance than the schedule.

Listen, so what we beat all of the crappy teams, what were we supposed to be? 1-15 we were a crappy team as well. And if we are just a product of our schedule then why are the bills not 9-5? Granted they are 0-5 in the division but if the schedule is so easy they should run the table and be 9-5 as well. And another thing that bothers me is that everyone says "oh the dolphins are just a product of an easy schedule" why dont they say the same thing for the jets and new england? they play the same easy schedule.

And further more, this is the major reason why it bothers me that people say, "oh we did good this year but if we lose out we did well" or " wow I cant wait to see what next years team will do". If we finish 11-5 do you really think we can beat that record next year? I dont! How many teams finish with more than 11 wins in a season? out of 32 i would guess 3-4. Do you really think we will be one of those 3-4 next year? You are fooling yourself if you do. I do believe that we will either have the same record or a worst record next year. I dont think we will do much better cause it is VERY difficult to get 12-13 wins. THIS IS OUR YEAR STOP WISHING FOR NEXT YEAR!!!

Everyone here seems to concur with your points Futt BUT what everyone fails to recognize is this we have the SAME record as the other "top" two teams in our division.

So what you ask? well these teams, jets and pats, have played virtually the same schedule as us!

So if you want to say that we picked up garbage wins well you have to say that about the Jets and Pats. Also of note, the JETs have lost to the Raiders, 9ers and broncos. Dont discredit this team, reguardless of schedule we have won 7 of the last 8 games! Go around the league/division and see how easy that is? We havent let up a touchdown in the past 3 games. This is why we are 9-5. The easy schedule does help but it isnt the main reason we are in the position that we are in.

As far as next year goes... i dont think we are going to take a step back. If this front office hits on all the free agents/ draft picks like they have done this past year we should be in ridiculously good shape in our future.

You see the schedule you play the schedule. What's so hard about that.Miami Reppa is right, how come people don't talk about the jets and pats having the same success playing the same teams? We were 1-15 last year and the pats were 18-1 and we're both 9-5. Are we getting better or are they getting worse? Who gives a crap we're winning. How about the mighty Bills that started 4-0, they couldn't hang with us so do they really suck or are we just better?? Not many were saying this early in the year, lets give these fins all the credit they've played their asses off, no matter who the opponent is. Next year is next year we'll just have to wait and see. Please please don't include Saban in the same sentence as this years team, two totally different situations, he's a punk that went back to school and Sparano looks like he has balls.

My two cents are beat the Chiefs!!!! and move on! Plenty of teams wish they could be in our shoes right now..

I thought it was obvious that I knew the Jets and Pats had cake schedules too when I talked about how the Bills have done this season.

And again, I said you don't pick your schedule and a win is a win no matter how you slice it, but I feel like it is tough to determine what kind of team we really are right now.

If you look at that 6 game streak at the end of Saban's first year, then look at our record the following year, it is not hard to see how and why we took a fall that year.

I agree, though, with whoever said this is our year. If we can do it, now is certainly the time to do so. We need to start playing some smash-mouth football and get the ball into our RBs hands more. (Although it is my belief that Brown's limited carries is due to his injury...he has DEFINITELY looked good but if he is playing so well why are we not giving him 20+ carries a game?) The coaches know something we don't...

Well, if it is acknowledged that everyone else has the same schedule and same record what makes you think that we are a not for real. The saban era has nothing to do with what is going on now. This front office has an understanding of what it take to win in this league. When everyone wanted to run around and pick up big name FA and WR's in the draft they said no. Saban is nothing like the Tuna and Sparano

Acts of desperation are something New England has typically avoided. A true sign of their demise :-)

Maybe they will trade picks for someone that won't pan out. And maybe they will draft a few busts?

I'll take beating scrubbs this year vs losing to scrubbs last year.

I'll take beating scrubbs this year vs losing to scrubbs last year Phinkiss wrote. Perfectly said.

I don't know if you guys have noticed but Indianapolis hasn't exactly played the cream of the crop either.

I'm sure before the season started teams that had us on their schedule or Atlanta on their schedule thought hey this is a win. How quickly things change when you start winning some games.

Every year is the same thing, teams do better then what everyone thought and teams to worse than others thought, Jacksonville was one of the favorites to go to the big dance this year. I guess not!!

The reason for success this year?.....comes from within....and Pennington, of course.
Go phins.

dres9711 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Everyone here seems to concur with your points
> Futt BUT what everyone fails to recognize is this
> we have the SAME record as the other "top" two
> teams in our division.

And we have beat teams they lost to.

>
> So if you want to say that we picked up garbage
> wins well you have to say that about the Jets and
> Pats. Also of note, the JETs have lost to the
> Raiders, 9ers and broncos. Dont discredit this
> team, reguardless of schedule we have won 7 of the
> last 8 games! Go around the league/division and
> see how easy that is? We havent let up a touchdown
> in the past 3 games. This is why we are 9-5. The
> easy schedule does help but it isnt the main
> reason we are in the position that we are in.

Agreed 100 percent.

> As far as next year goes... i dont think we are
> going to take a step back. If this front office
> hits on all the free agents/ draft picks like they
> have done this past year we should be in
> ridiculously good shape in our future.

If the coaches keep on hitting on free agents and draftpicks like they did this year we should be a powerhouse for a longtime.

___________________________________________________________________

Another thing........i read somewhere someone said we should get rid of renaldo hill next year?

I have a better idea. How about getting rid of jason allen. Get rid of the scrubs not the good players.

Renaldo hill is playing really well. On one play against the bills he made a solo open field tackle on the loud mouth what was his name. (The one talking trash to porter.)

If he doesnt make that tackle its a sure score.