August, the month of hope and fear!

I was originally going to post this as a comment, but I figured I'd create a fanpost to help alleviate some concerns.

People can post anything, from showing Detroit's 4-0 record preceding their 0-16 season to how the Colts go 0-4 every preseason.  Yet no matter how much we post that it's just preseason, people keep reaching for the ejection handle and wonder exactly how pathetic this next season may be.  We rush to our conclusions and about how poor we may be, but we'll just as soon rush to the conclusion we may go all the way.  My how fast opinions can change with each preseason game.  We also have all the preseason heroes we think they we've uncovered.  Marlon Moore or Julius Pruitt may be the WR Miami needs and could be a threat across Marshall, insinuating they will somehow be the #2 WR?  It's rare to see it happen, but we talk about it every year (Brandon London anyone?).  A year later, we look back and wonder where are they now?  Where has Brandon London, a WR we thought had the right combination of size and speed to carry Miami for years?  Can anyone name who he is playing for?  The only preseason castoff I can recall even emerging as an average WR for another NFL team is Devin Aromashodu of the Chicago Bears. 

Rest assured, August is always the brightest and the darkest month in the world of a football fan.  Teams like the Bills are looking hopeful about their offense after seeing solid performances out of Trent Edwards and Roscoe Parrish.  Alas, Edwards is coming out of his shell and is no longer Captain Checkdown.  Roscoe Parrish only had to wait 6 years before he found a coach who could use him right.  Jake Delhomme has looked brilliant for the Cleveland Browns and it looks like this is an offense ready to explode thanks to their resurgent leader.  What bright times they are around the Great Lakes.  How many of those fans forget that the real storm clouds for their beloved teams come in the fall and winter, where again the players they thought had hope (as they do every August), had reverted back to their former selves.

I think it would be nice if we kept a collection of preseason posts year after year to let us know how silly some people were during the highs and lows of previous preseasons.  I scrounged through and tried to find some posts, but here are a few I came up with.

Here are some 2009 preseason posts from various blogs:

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thedailydolphin/2009/09/03/rookie-cornerback-sean-smith-miami-dolphins-talking-points/

Fact is, Miami's coverage unit played pretty well last year.  It's amazing how quickly a unit can improve when the bottom 25 players of the 75 man roster aren't playing special teams to try and earn a roster spot.  I also think Jake Long ended up playing pretty well...  Also of note was all the encorachment penalties by the DL and the poor tackling Miami endured throughout the preseason.

Oh, here is another one talking a lot about Miami's poor coverage units:

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2009/09/dolphins-beat-saints-107-to-finish-preseason-40.html

Remember when Henne went 2-8 with 55 yards and 1 INT against the Bucs last year?  Topped with Ronnie Brown running for only 12 yards and the washed up veteran Ricky Williams only running for 18.  Miami couldn't even score a TD until the 2nd half!  Their FG came at the end of the first half.  What a woeful time it was to be a Dolphins fan.  Henne wasn't developing, our running game was zapped, and just like every preseason, our special teams sucked.  Now we're stuck with Henne, a QB some thought should be traded because of the drafting of our savior... Pat White (yes, people suggested a trade), and our RBs just couldn't hack it.  Lex Hilliard was our leading rusher with 2.8 YPC.  What also happened to our supposed franchise LT, who suddenly struggled?!  Miami kept fumbling and turning the ball over.  Miami walked away averaging just over 3 YPC rushing as team and completed only 11-24 passes.  Man, was it time to panic...

Then something happened.  Maybe it was a miracle, maybe the sky opened up and the darkened clouds disappeared.  Soon enough, the regular season was under way.  Jake Long performed up to his All-Pro level.  The rushing game was solid.  Chad Henne developed throughout the year as a QB.  The special teams unit recovered.  The regular season was here and all of the opinions about Miami's preseason performance was forgotten.


Just to lighten the mood up.  Here is an expert opinion from an individual at the Phin Phinatic when evaluating Miami's QB situation in May 2009.  I told you someone suggested it...

http://phinphanatic.com/2009/05/02/should-the-dolphins-trade-chad-henne/