11 Reasons for Hope In 2015

M.J.

10 years ago

2015 is a year with a lot of hope for Dolphins fans. I can’t remember feeling this good in a looooong time. Yes, there are warts – all teams, even the very best, have them – and there are things I hope to get fixed before the season starts.

When you look over the roster and focus on the positives there is a lot to be excited about. On top of that, there are some external things going Miami’s way: Brady will be forced to sit for a couple of games this year, Jets and Bills’ QB’s are influx. The pay per head services sites like AcePerHead.com. This is the best outlook for the Fins (at least on paper) in a decade-plus.

Here is a list (and by no means a complete one) of why I’m feeling such positive mojo and on the edge of my seat awaiting this coming season.

Trends speak volumes and coldly ignore the wishes of fans and vitriol of haters.
Tanny has improved every season. EXPECT him to rise to another level with his second year in the same system. 30 Tds plus 11 ints, along with his contribution on the ground, will go along to bringing the Fins back to prominence.
Jay Ajayi by ALL accounts is a gem – bottom line. IF Miami’s medical staff nailed this one we might have the steal of the draft by acquiring a back that fluidly alters pacing, uses multiple “soccer moves” to evade tacklers, for a tall guy drops his hips surprisingly well, and rips into the second level with the third gear with a 5^th round pick! See Seattle about what a running game does for a team.
Lamar Miller is still here with his 5.1 ypc. The only knock on him is his productivity drops after the 11^th carry (1-10 5.4 ypc, 11+ 2.5). Ajayi and Williams will remove this issue. A robust backfield roams Miami’s sideline in 2015.
(See Above #2 & #3) Tanny’s game will get an added and massive boost beyond his own improvements if the inside running game becomes effective. Sucking in MLB’s and SS’s will give huge benefits to crossing routes, drags, read-options, digs, and posts. It will also mask Tanny’s long game weakness.
Injury bug begone! If Jordan Cameron can beat his inability to stay healthy, Gronk won’t be the only TE doing work in the AFCE. Stressing the inside game both through runs and pass will allow Cameron the work the boundaries with outs and corners against one-on-one coverage and weak points in zone-coverage.
How many times do you remember Wake getting double and triple-teamed, fighting through a tackle, tight-end, and back? Not this this season! Suh will DEMAND his own double and triple teams and draw the Rb inside for Wake to attack at a flatter angle. Can you say ALOT more pressure and sacks!
(See Above) Vernon will now live on one-on-one competition unless teams are going to get to play with thirteen players. Say it again with me and say it loud and proud, “ALOT more pressure and sacks”!
Yes, we need help at guard, but Mike Pouncy is coming home to the center where he made the Pro-Bowl. He’s a HUGE upgrade over Satele at run blocking which means that the crucial aspect we missed last season – inside running – is looking ALOT better in 2015!
Ja’Wuan James is sliding back to RT with another year in the NFL strength program and the experience to match. To his credit, he played LT remarkably well, and given Philbin’s philosophy of ‘Tackles must block without help’, this is an incredible accomplishment. Ladies and gents, we have LT talent at RT – bonus round, baby!
(See above) We have another star residing at tackle – when he gets back healthy, of course. How good was Albert last season?! All the talk of him being overpaid was proved to be hog-wash and plenty of teams are regretting not “over-paying”. Thanks to sports medicine that’s pretty much ‘sci-fi’ these days, Albert will be back to form sooner rather than later. Can you say “stone-wall” bookends?! And for good measure, a fun bonus.

Mike Hull was actually a prayer answered. When he was still around in the 5^th round and Miami was out of picks the defensive staff threw out a prayer that they’d get a miracle and Hull would somehow go undrafted. He did. We needed MLB help. We got him. Hull is carrying a mountain-sized chip on his shoulder. Could he end up being the cherry on the top and be our second gem of this year’s draft?!

Sep 7, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins fans cheers on during the second half against the New England Patriots at Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins won 33-20. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports.

So, I’m not monkeying around!! Get your cheer on cause the arrow for 2015 is pointing up!!!

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