2009 Expectations for the Dolphins? File this one under the "We don't get no respect" category.

by LeftCoastFinFan on May 11, 2009 3:54 PM EDT Comment 19 comments

Well, here we go again. The Miami Dolphins are once again being labeled "posers" as AFC East Champs from 2008. Citing "soft schedule last year", "no Tom Brady", and "being able to sneak up on teams", SportingNews sports analyst (and I use that term loosely!) Mike Florio is picking the team and the #1 playoff team from last year to disappoint their fans this season.

According to his "expert analysis":

This season, chances are the Dolphins will be dealing with many more major and minor sprains and strains and snaps and cracks. And a harder schedule. And an improved Patriots team. And a bigger target on their backs.

And you know what? He's right! We were very fortunate in the injury department last year, and a tougher schedule likely comes with more injuries. Yes, we caught the Patriots at the right time last year, and yes, teams are not going to overlook us this year.

But the one thing that he is not giving them credit for is that they played hard and found a way to win last year, and (I believe) have already made significant improvements to the pass rush, pass defense, and offensive run and pass game. So we have the same solid coaching, PLUS 1 year of experience. The same rookies from last year (Merling, Langford, Bess, Long) PLUS 1 year of experience in the system. And an entire team that was basically starting from scratch in developing chemistry and learning *how* to win, now acting and thinking like a real football team.

So bring on the tougher schedule! I hope Tom Brady comes back at 100%! Let's see how much it helps for teams to see us coming! After what they accomplished last season, this is a team that believes in their coaches, their teammates, and themselves. Last season, the Dolphins did so much, with so little, for so long, they are now qualified to do anything with nothing!

This is a team that is used to being direspected...

and that's exactly how they like it!

This fanpost was written by one of The Phinsider's registered users.

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Good Post....

i saw earlier on Peter King’s “monday morning quarterback”, that we were 17 in his power rankings….And the funny part is that he rated the Jets 16!!!

I actually like Peter King and thinks that he actually knows what he is talking about ( for the most part), but i guess nobody is giving us any respect…

I can’t wait till the first week against Atlanta and let everyone in the NFL know that the dolphins mean business!!!!!!!

by scbrandon on May 11, 2009 4:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well said man!

-LCFF

by LeftCoastFinFan on May 11, 2009 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What I find hilarious

is how all these analysts keep talking like the Patriots are going to pick up at the same level of play as they were coming off the 16-0 season. You know, like they were supposed to do last season but then Tom Brady got hurt and they didn’t make the playoffs. It’s like they just assume that Brady is going to be 100% to the same level as he was pre-injury with absolutely nothing lost. The injury he had is a pretty big one, and there’s not that many people who don’t lose something coming off an injury like that. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him having lost a little bit of his mobility, not to mention that his knee could be a little more susceptible to another injury.

But like you said LCFF, we had some rookies and new coaches, and we still won the division. What that did was build chemistry on the team and give them a taste of victory, and I think it will just make them hunger for more. Like Joey Porter said, the next step for them is to defend the home field in the Super Bowl.

"Why don't you put that in a memo and entitle it 'Shit I Already Know'!" - Sarge from Red vs. Blue

by Chupathingy on May 11, 2009 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep! You got that right.

But i really don’t want to hear all the talking heads claim that the reason the Fins won the division this year is because Brady wasn’t 100%.

As far as the Pats being the “reigning kings” of the division, it’s probably fair. They have a tried and not-so-true, but effective, coach, and a pretty stable team.

And i remember when they were at the bottom of the barrel, and i was talking to a Pats fan, and I actually was trying to be encouraging to him, telling him to keep his chin up. These things go in cycles, and as Fin fans, we have been unusually blessed with better than average seasons. these past few years have been the worst I have had to endure as a fan, but that just makes the turnaround even sweeter.

What goes around comes around, and the Pats have had their turn, but if you want to be the best you gotta beat the best, and until we go out and beat them, they get the benefit of the being the “favorites”. ja-know?

-LCFF

by LeftCoastFinFan on May 11, 2009 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought Mike Florio

was with The Sporting News…o well, pretty sure we will prove him wrong and be in competition for the division crown once again…i think we will strive during this “tough” schedule and will bring our team closer together

-"No excuses, No explanations"
-RIP John "Fumbles" Beck, you will be missed
-Dolphins Bubble > all other bubbles

by MiamihastheDolphins.... on May 11, 2009 4:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

good call. thanks!

I read it on Yahoo and didn’t catch it.
=)

-LCFF

by LeftCoastFinFan on May 11, 2009 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

haha no problem

i read him all the time on The Sporting News, he makes things interesting, not sure if he right a lot though

-"No excuses, No explanations"
-RIP John "Fumbles" Beck, you will be missed
-Dolphins Bubble > all other bubbles

by MiamihastheDolphins.... on May 11, 2009 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i'm just bustin on him for this article...

i don’t read him enough to know if he is really good or not.
;-)

-LCFF

by LeftCoastFinFan on May 11, 2009 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not scared of anyone...

Tougher schedule doesn’t bother me. If we are consistantly a playoff team like we should be, we must get used to playing tougher competition.

by Phishenstein on May 11, 2009 5:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A-Flippin-MEN Brother!

-LCFF

by LeftCoastFinFan on May 11, 2009 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Last year it seemed like we played down to poor teams

and up to good teams. But we found ways to win.

Winner of All Movie Quote Challenges
Unofficial Leader of the Sign Matt Jones Bandwagon

by DolfinPhan on May 11, 2009 6:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

young team

we were pretty young last year and we may be even younger this year depending how many rooks make the team, so 1 year experience for those guys last year could mean quite a bit. It took them half the season for things to come together and I’m expecting even bigger things this year my friends…. 13-3. bigger stronger and faster!!!

Miami Dolphins 2008 AFC East Divison Champions
in Japan missing the 2009 NFL draft......

by Phintastic on May 11, 2009 7:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs