“A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.” Seneca
Many will say Bills and Jest…err I mean Jets, have no Qb’s and the Patriots Qb will be grounded for a portion of the season, so the Dolphins have a huge advantage. I beg to differ. I see this turning into a brutal, knockdown drag out fight for one, MAYBE two, playoff spots this season – and that’s a good thing for the “Phins”. For a top-flight franchise that’s winning year in and year out, an “easier” schedule is beneficial as you’ve already been galvanized by postseason play, and come playoffs, team health is more crucial than building confidence. But, for a young team seeking the character and chemistry needed to validate their legitimacy by not just making the postseason, but being a factor, getting your stripes in big wins and close games is essential.
This is where the Miami franchise is – the tip of the spear of this regime’s destiny. Everything is poised for this season. This is a good thing. I’m not saying it’s Superbowl or bust – by no means. But, this front office, this coaching staff, and this team are in a “put up or shut up” moment. Miami must compete for four Qtrs. Miami must compete in November and December. Miami must compete for sixteen games. Nothing less will do.
AFCE is a “D-centric” division. Jest…err, I mean Jets – sorry, old habits die hard – have lots of question marks. Will Geno Smith learn patience? Will he learn ball control? Jets’ O-line is getting old so will they have enough to carry the load? How will a rookie H.C. handle his first season? All of these questions will be backed by the exclamation mark of their very stout “D” – a strong possibility of ending up in the top 5. Jets’ formidable defense will give opposing offenses fits trying to deal will all their talent upfront which will be bolstered by their ability to go with man-to-man and mix and match coverages with the return of “Revis Island”.
Williams was an incredible pickup and his ability to play 3 and 5 technique alongside Richardson and Wilkerson, who are both stellar players, might have them running high-pressure fronts like the “Bear”. This will put intense demands on the Fins interior o-line. Tanny’s great athleticism will mitigate this with boots and options, as well as the quick pass, but the more the Fins center and guard play can control the Jets front, instead of scheming its way out, the better. Their first matchup on Oct. 4th might not make this as crucial a matter unless it rains. But, come Nov. 29th in the cold, windy Meadow Lands, this will prove crucial. A little known player could have a large contribution – T.J. Barnes. At 6’7” 364, Barnes runs a 5:30 40 and is a true monster at NT. If Barnes, who going into his third season, continues his development and comes in better shape, he will turn the Jets interior squad into a four-man rotation. The Fins will be hard-pressed to face the challenge.
Now the near mirror comment can be said of Miami’s front against the Jets line. The jets’ O-line might be their weakest unit – aside from QB. D’Brickashaw, Collins, and Mangold are long in the tooth and their best days are behind them. And while Miami doesn’t have the interior depth of the Jets, they have far more flanking talent at ends in Wake and Vernon and the most dominant interior player of both squads in Suh. This is why if Mitchell or Phillips can feed on one-on-one match-ups, slow the interior running game and force the action outside we will see two very long days for Geno. Last year, Geno showed one thing for certain – his play gets real ugly in the face of adversity. This would go a long way in tilting the scales Miami’s way in the tune of a sweep.
Based on last year, Geno was the weak point of the Jets. Based on last year, Miami’s weak point was their work in the 0-2 holes. To expose Geno the running game must be stymied – better even than last year’s crazy game up in the Meadow Lands. Last year, the games were split – with Miami losing big at home. This year, sweeping the Jets might be essential. Find the best pay per head services sites like www.AcePerHead.com With the second game in New York being their second to last divisional game – first place in the division will be a lot tougher if they lose. GO FINS!!!!
Yes, it will be a slugfest. Phins did get alot of talent this offseason, but the same question marks at OL, LB, and DB still remain. That is what concerns me – the weak spots on the team did not get much attention.
Was reading this article and was surprised about something that might bode well for one of our weakspots http://247sports.com/Bolt/Miami-Dolphins-UDFA-Spotlight-Outside-Linebacker-Mike-Hull-37650397 Not the Hull part but how Sheppard provided 20 tackles with his one start at middle. I always saw Misi better at holding the point of attack as SLB. His size helps there but at middle he’s alittle too slow. So maybe this FO is a great one and sees alot more than we think…let’s hope. Go Fins!!
I agree Curtis, and Sheppard has been playing well in OTA’s so far, so there is a chance that the coaching staff may experiment by putting Sheppard at Middle linebacker and Misi at outside LB
Division games are always difficult, and it is fair to say that on paper the Jets and Bills both improved this off-season, and the Pats are always going to be tough as long as Belichick and Brady are around
I believe the Jets will be a much better team come the second meeting with them. Even though we don’t technically play the Jets at home this year, we must take advantage during the trip over the pond to play the Jets. Must win the first match up, to take a little less pressure off the second game. Besides, November in Meadowlands can get decent weather, plus can be crazy weather as well. Bottom line need to win the first match up to take advantage of an easier schedule to start the season.
Agree…every year ever game is crucial. This year the early game will be even more crucial -if that makes sense. And a very good Defense can make a “game” of any game…and I expect the Jets D to be very good.
Yes, it will be a slugfest. Phins did get alot of talent this offseason, but the same question marks at OL, LB, and DB still remain. That is what concerns me – the weak spots on the team did not get much attention.
Was reading this article and was surprised about something that might bode well for one of our weakspots http://247sports.com/Bolt/Miami-Dolphins-UDFA-Spotlight-Outside-Linebacker-Mike-Hull-37650397 Not the Hull part but how Sheppard provided 20 tackles with his one start at middle. I always saw Misi better at holding the point of attack as SLB. His size helps there but at middle he’s alittle too slow. So maybe this FO is a great one and sees alot more than we think…let’s hope. Go Fins!!
I agree Curtis, and Sheppard has been playing well in OTA’s so far, so there is a chance that the coaching staff may experiment by putting Sheppard at Middle linebacker and Misi at outside LB
Division games are always difficult, and it is fair to say that on paper the Jets and Bills both improved this off-season, and the Pats are always going to be tough as long as Belichick and Brady are around
Yeah Jimmy, despite their cheating they are still tops of their craft…unfortunately.
I believe the Jets will be a much better team come the second meeting with them. Even though we don’t technically play the Jets at home this year, we must take advantage during the trip over the pond to play the Jets. Must win the first match up, to take a little less pressure off the second game. Besides, November in Meadowlands can get decent weather, plus can be crazy weather as well. Bottom line need to win the first match up to take advantage of an easier schedule to start the season.
Agree…every year ever game is crucial. This year the early game will be even more crucial -if that makes sense. And a very good Defense can make a “game” of any game…and I expect the Jets D to be very good.
Jets are always a tough matchup for us, and they have improved from last year, on both sides of the ball