Here It Is In A Nut-Shell

            The season for the Phins is now officially over, no more running the table talk and going into the playoffs. I was honestly one of the few members on here that honestly thought we can still have made the playoffs; I now realize I was thinking with my heart and not with my head. I guess that comes with age, fans start thinking with their heads. Oh well, now I can start focusing on our needs as a team without being blinded by false hope.

            I really want to make this about our most pressing needs and issues as a team.

Without question we need a quarterback and the good news is Matt Moore is a perfect bridge to a new young quarterback, unless we sign Matt Flynn or somebody like that.

So we got the first and most important issue out of the way.

            I know a lot of Dolphins fans what a new wide receiver or a better pass-catching Tight-end. I’m not being prisoner of the moment when I say that we are okay at those positions. I always liked Anthony Fasano and now we have Charles Clay who is a rookie but emerging. I also realize that Brandon Marshall dropped some several Touchdowns this season, especially early on which cost us a few games. At the same time he is not a pressing issue with me or any other receivers we have. I always like Brian Hartline and Davone Bess, I honestly believe that Clyde Gates can be a deep threat and he has gotten A LOT BETTER ON KICKOFF RETURNERS. Gates can be good. Remember not everybody can have a receiving core like Green Bay.

            I’m satisfied with our running-backs; Reggie is showing heart and not going down after first contact. Daniel Thomas can be really good for us, especially since he is getting better at blitz pick-up. Our Special-Teams has impressed me this year; I thought in my heart of hearts they would cost us some games like last year.   

            If there is one major problem I have with our Defense is the Pass-rush, plain and simple. Our secondary has gotten better, run stopping is better, and line-backing core got better. I know people was talking about why Mike Nolan been playing a lot of zone this year or zone blitz, simple we have no Pass-rush. In my opinion our corners are not that bad, especially since Sean Smith has gotten worked this year and is still getting absolutely abused week in and week out. I have been a big supporter of Will Allen but it can be argued that he cost us at least 2 or 3games this year; Cleveland, Denver, Giants, and Dallas; in all of those games he was either sent on a blitz the last drive of the game to win or stop the moment and the Quarterbacks faked him out OR he was picked apart in the last drive of the game.

            I believe Pass-rush is our second biggest problem behind the QB issue. Last year Cameron Wake teased us, he made us believe he can be a dominant pass rusher year in and year out. I honestly don’t know if Wake regressed or if nobody else is stepping up to help him out, but me I put the biggest weight on him because when I look at teams like Green Bay or Dallas that has only one legitimate Pass-rusher, the dominate Pass-rusher is effective on either side. Cameron Wake is always on the right of the Offensive formation and he is never effective on the left or when he’s doing twists and stunts on the Line like Clay Matthews or DeMarcus Ware. I’m a huge fan of Wake but I put a lot of the credit of the lack of pass rush on him and I don’t want too because I am a fan, so if anybody can give me a legit reason not too, I’m all ears.

Finally our O-Line is at least tied with the second problem behind our QB situation or is undoubtedly third behind the pass rush issue. I honestly think our Line could be easier to fix when compared to the other issues on the team. We have a good Left-Tackle and Center. We will need to address the Right-Tackle, Left and Right Guards. There will be some good Guards on the start of Free agency or Nate Garner and the rest of the Guards on our roster will have to step up. As far as Right-Tackle goes I believe Lydon Murtha can be pretty good RT.

I hope the Dolphins start to become a more Zone Blocking scheme when they run the ball next year, for no other reason than I believe that the Zone run blocking scheme is more effective than the Man to Man run blocking scheme Tony Sparano goes with.

I’m highly disappointed with our beloved Dolphins but it is what it is, I believe in letting the season take it natural course. If we win games I’ll be happy, if we lose games I’m okay with it because it helps with the draft position.

It sucks when you have no hope for the rest of the season…

What can I say ignorance was bliss at the time but when you gain some competence about the season, your world comes tumbling down…   

But still, I’m a Dolphin till the death of me

GO PHINS!!!