It's amazing how one win changes everything

the team looked so remarkably different from the horrible AZ game to the blowout in NE, and everybody that we criticized here, from Sparano and Henning, all the way through the roster to Pennington, the OL, and everything else, performed SO MUCH better. We talked about how Pennington couldn’t lead the offense, and all he does is play what I believe is the most efficient game by a QB all season. We criticize Sparano and Henning, and they put together an incredible gameplan. We talk about the OL playing poorly, and they dominate a very good Patriots front 7. Even Ted Ginn showed up, albeit not any huge plays, but he was involved and the defense had to account for the threat of the big play.

So it’s natural that the expectations will become greater after a game like that, but I can’t see us playing THAT well every game this year. With a team like this, the performance will ebb and flow with each game, and a guy like Long could follow a flawless game with a stinker or two, because lets face it, he’s still a rookie. This is a 5-7 win team, anything more than that is a bonus, and 8-8 deserves a parade. Most of us are looking ahead slightly because we’re all excited about this FO having another offseason to turn this team into a true contender.

Saying all this, it’s still great to see wins like that, and we can now cheer our team on with the feeling that we can win any game.

Super Bowl Champs.

Might as well buckle up and enjoy the ride, I have a feeling our season might look like a really bad heartbeat. Lots of ups and downs. But, at least its beating and looks to be getting stronger.
Great post as always.
you too Nicky.

we still have our weakness and many areas still need to be adressed, like Nicky said, we are a 5-7 team and thats what we should expect.

and yes he played well. But let’s see how he looks throughout the season before drawing any conclusions.

Other than that, I don’t think my expectations have changed much more than to say that I expect us to do better than last year. At least my expectation since watching the first regular season game. :)

He talked shit and back it up with 3 sacks this week

But how many times has he talked shit and came up short

If he can have that type of game consistently, I will take a step back. Until then…

and though i agree, ‘expectations’ can/will poison things, there is no reason not to hope…. yes, we have had a miserable time of it in recent yrs, and yes our team is quite young… but that youthful outlook is exactly the kind of thing that could catch fire and make this or any season a stellar 1…and w/ the poise and leadership of vets like penny … ok yeah, its not the ‘probable’ course, but then again, how many of you had us defeating the pats in your predictions? yes, keep expectations tempered, but let hope spring eternal…. without it, we would be… oh i dunno…. jetsfans? lol

Personally, I was just happy to get the win. For the record I was for benching Pennington in favor of Henne and I still am. Pennington had a good game and he played well. However, I just don’t see him leading us to the playoffs and thats the point for me. I would just rather have Henne in there learning the job instead of on the sidelines, no matter what some of the others say. Pennington was good, the o/line kicked azz, and Ronnie was awesome.

Was it that the Dolphins were talked about so much because of the overwhelming win or was it because of the Patriots overwhelming loss?

I think it was the later - Oooo look; the favorite Goliath just fell to the little David.

Great post by all, especially Matty 1 - but I think, every team we play now better be aware of the stone in our sling. If they’re not careful, it could hit them right between the eyes.

I know the offense should get its recognition, but the defense (oh baby) could hurt somebody this year. It’s gonna be fun watching….

thats what I look for. For years we vacillated with great play and horrible play. One of the things I have looked forward to from the Trifecta is more of a solid core of play. Spectacular wins followed by spectacular losses really seems to be the only thing that makes me sick as a Fins fan. With just the proven talent that we ALREADY have on this team (i.e. Ronnie/Ricky/Carey/Penne/Ferguson/Holliday) as well as the upcomming or unknown talent (Long/Fasano/Bess/Camarillo/Merling/Langford) we should always be contenders. I dont think any true fan can look at this rebuilding year(s) and honestly believe that we can be world beaters every single week. I like every other true fan HOPES that is the case.
 I for one can appreciate being beaten as long as we dont lose. Shooting ourselves in the foot week in and week out…giving up fantastic defensive stops because of assinine penalties or blowing a momentum changing drive beacuse of false starts or improper formations is a killer. Funamentally strong football changes most of that and allows for compitition on every snap. Thats really what we saw against the patsies, we beat them at every phase of the game (except speical teams) and it showed. If after that you get beaten by better talent (i.e. Bouldin/ TO over any of our secondary) so be it…just dont make the mistakes of blowing the coverage or allowing them to consistantly make the YAC.

We should see improvement every single game this year. We should see games after this fantastic win that prove we have the heart and soul to compete every snap of every game. We should see confidence that leads to competence and allows for the changes that need to be made (secondary I am talking to you!) to give ourselves the chance to become dominant again!

THATwas a great blog u r exactly right in the way i feel ive said all a long if we win 6 games i will be very happy i know itll take 3 years for us and we should be in the playoffs and with a little luck fighting in the afc championship game once again great article GO PHINS…

I know Philly fans are the worst, and Jets fans aren’t much better, but you HAVE to admit, Dolphans are the absolute WORST when it comes to realistic expectations. We get a great win last weekend, and all of a sudden it’s PLAYOFFS BABY!!!

…give me a break. I like to think of myself as a realistic fan, and by that I mean 5-11 or 6-10, at most. Anything more is a bonus. And NO it’s not that I don’t have faith or I’m not a true fan, because I go watch every single game dressed in my #13 jersey, and no matter how painful it is I see it through the end. It’s because I stay grounded, and I look for the silver lining in everything. And the painful payments that we’re paying in these digusting losses are teaching the Dolphins a lesson in their needs, which will be addressed in the coming year or two. If they keep making the intelligent decisions that they “seem” to have made, then this team is in good hands, and soon we all will be screaming SUPER BOWL BABY!!!