Post AFC/NFC Reactions and Dolphins Update

This is not the Monday I was expecting. If you look online or watch any sports channels, you would see many others agree. How about those AFC/NFC Championship games?! First off, both ended in overtime and both had horrific calls (and missed ones) by supposedly the top (elite) NFL refs. They were good games, but it would have been better if the outcomes were based solely on the better team winning and not questionable, reversed, and/or blatant missed penalties by the refs. With that being said, the LA Rams and the New England Patriots will meet in two weeks in Atlanta for the Super Bowl. How do you all feel about this one? I’m personally not looking forward to it, and will probably avoid most of downtown Atlanta next week and weekend.

AFC/NFC Championships Reactions

Let me go ahead and say I kinda feel like the Saints were cheated because of missed pass interference call. It’s pretty much all everyone discussed after that game. There were some other calls the refs missed against the Rams as well, but that last one basically sealed the win for the Rams. I have friends who are Saints fans and I feel bad for them this morning. This is the front page of their local paper.

The Rams have played well this season and did play a great game and that’s what makes it worse. I wish these games didn’t come down to someone winning/losing over a ref error. The NFL needs to change some things this off season to prevent something like that happening again. That being said, I was ok with either of those two teams winning

Now onto the the AFC game. That one stung a bit. I will go ahead and admit I’m a bit salty and that’s ok. I believe Brady was also kinda lucky. Yes, he is a very talented quarterback, and they played very well, but I still believe luck was on their side (along with ridiculous ref calls like always). Apparently I’m not the only who who believes it. Take a look at this clip from earlier today.

I have several Patriots’ friends and they always say to me, “You just don’t like us because we’re good.” Yes, I’m tired and, frankly, most people are tired of seeing you guys in the playoffs/Super Bowl, but it’s not because of how good Brady is. It’s his character and how he reacts when he wins and loses (also your sometimes obnoxious fan base). If you’ve been to a Dolphins’ home game when the Patriots lose you will know what I mean, because you don’t see Brady congratulating our quarterback. He storms off the field. He doesn’t take losing well, especially for a 41yr old player with multiple Super Bowl championships under his belt. So when Jeff Darlington tweeted this out, I couldn’t help but laugh.

If the Chiefs did win we all know that wouldn’t have happened. That being said, I’m excited for Mahomes. He is such a young talented quarterback and I’m looking forward to watching him grow and develop throughout the next year. Here was his post-game tweet to his fan base.

Honestly, Mahomes and Jared Goff both give me a bit of hope that maybe our Dolphins will be able to land a young talented quarterback in the next year or two. We can hope, right?

Team Updates: The Positives from the game and future of our team

Let’s look at the positives from the AFC championship game. I think as Dolphins’ fans, we can be a bit excited about our new head coach based on the Patriots’ defensive playing from last night. So many people weighed in on their thoughts about the the play calling. Here’s McDuffie’s tweet, which I agree with.

If it really came down to Flores running the Patriots’ defense, I’m looking forward to how he will be as our head coach. I have a feeling Patriots’ fans will miss him. The other good news to come out today, which I’m sure most of you already have read, is that we will have a new defensive coordinator.

Is it true? Does this mean Matt Burke will be gone from our team? Is it too early to cheers to the news? Oh I truly hope so. I also hope to hear that we retain Rizzi as our special teams coach. No word yet about him leaving, but I did read that sources are saying the Vikings have hired our assistant special teams coach Marwan Maalouf as thier new special teams coac. Maybe that means Rizzi will remain in Miami? I know many of us hope so and so do the players.

What are your thoughts on quarterback? I honestly am unsure. Do we keep Tannehill one more year and wait to draft a quarterback in 2020? Do the players/coaches even want Tannehill around anymore. Does our team want to tank for a season to get a better draft pick? I highly doubt it because we have some talented players. Do we try for Nick Foles, who may be at $20 million cost or draft picks, just to try and have one decent year? I mean, that’s if the Eagles do actually plan to let him go (which I believe is a mistake). How good do we think Kyler Murray will be? Many mock drafts have the Patriots picking him as their first pick. I’m on the fence about him, to be honest. I mean if we can get him, if he is available, and he turns out not so great will our team pick another quarterback in 2020?

So many questions that nobody knows the answers to. Nobody. Yes, you can write your mock draft and assume who will pick who, but nobody knows. That’s kinda what makes the NFL Draft fun. All I know, is I want to eventually have a winning franchise. I want to watch our team one day play in the AFC Championship game and then on to a Super Bowl. Yes, we have many times before but that was the 70-80’s. I was 3yrs old the last time the Miami Dolphins’ made a Super Bowl appearance. Speaking of Super Bowls, the Dolphins, Bills and now Patriots, are the only three teams to go to three consecutive Super Bowls.

How about that AFC East, eh? I want to see our team make it to one, or five, in my lifetime and I do believe it will happen for us. Just may take a few years. I’m a patient person. I can wait.

Final Thoughts

The ball from the Miami Miracle has been auctioned off.

I hope Kenyan Drake will eventually get it back. We shall see.

Look out for news on the Miami Dolphins announcing their plans to have a second interview with Flores.

I’m assuming it will be in the next day or two, but it’s exciting to finally see our team getting things going.

These next two weeks will drag out. Next weekend will be the first non-football weekend of 2019. What will you all do? I’m going to personally try to enjoy my weekend and get some adulting done, like my taxes.

Hope you all enjoy your week and see you back here next Monday!