Last game of the season. It turned out a lot different than what we all had hoped for a few short months ago. Even though it won’t matter, I hope they manage to somehow pull off a miracle and win this game. It would make this long off season ahead a little easier.
For those who are observant, you’ll notice the record is wrong, I set this up at the same time as last weeks game. It’s hard to whip up much enthusiasm so I thought I’d go ahead and get it out of the way. We probably lost last week anyway.
Let’s Go Dolphins.
Finsmob Unleashed 
That’s pretty funny that you wrote this last week Herd! Hopefully we can wreck the Patriots chances for home field advantage. If not we’ll cement our status for a higher draft pick. It’s a win-win!
It is kind of a win-win situation. I’d prefer the better draft position over beating the Patriots. I guess if we really beat up the Patriots, I’d enjoy that. I would just hate to see us eke out a crappy victory for nothing. I know that’s not how a lot of you feel, but I really want that high pick. I think we need it to get the talent we need, which of course, is going to be relying heavily on the right person to choose it. I hope we get that right.
If we were playing almost anyone else (except the Bills), I’d be ok with a loss. I just hate the arrogance of NE fans and Marcia and bellicheat so much that beating them would be worth it. I don’t think it will change our draft pick that much.
PS: I am also rooting for NJ to win as I hate rexxie more and it would deny Pitt which is a team of people and coaches that I don’t like much. I like Fitz and several others in NJ better than any team they have had there in a long time. (since early Pennington)
I am sad about Hickey, although he did not solve the OG problem for over two years. (Maybe he was not allowed to do any more than he did.)
You could say he stacked up too many WRs and not enough OTs or LBs (the depth issue), but you need a lot of WRs in the new NFL. Or maybe THAT is a fallacy.
You could say he relied too heavily on small school guys, but maybe we are just impatient as they need more development years usually. Some of them might turn out to be really good.
My thing with Hickey is he gave the HC what he wanted, and the stubbornness of Philbin betrayed him. Add in an OC who misunderstood situational football and tried to rely on gadget plays for his bread and butter and a DC who played soft cushions and also misplaced his men too often.
Not sure if Hickey is why we are 5-10, and not sure what his replacement could have done any better.
Tyler Morales @TylerMorales__ 7h7 hours ago
*NEW* Tennessee CB Cam Sutton vs. Alabama via @draftbreakdown : http://draftbreakdown.com/video/cameron-sutton-vs-alabama-2015-3/ …
I think we need to draft a real MLB. Just one NEW guy is all we need. But he needs to be a STAR.
A guy who can sometimes get an INT, maybe 2 a yr.
Keep Hull and Vigil and Hewitt for depth if there’s nothing better out there. Sheppard too … maybe. Jenkins and Misi are ok for now on the outside. Paysinger is ok on STs. Coples might be salvageable. Dion Jordan, C McCain, and Fede might be very good for rotational depth.
Resign Vernon and Wake??? If we lose both, we need another starting DE.
With a game plan designer at DC, we have everything else we need in the front seven.
Anyone here think Weddle might be a good 2 yr stopgap at Safety? He knows, he hits, he picks, he has a nice mean streak, especially after how they treated him recently. He would buy us time in the draft to fill other needs.
I’m kind of sad about Hickey too. He may have had a few misses but he got Landry. I can forgive a lot for that. 😉
So I see there was a small earthquake in the Ringwood, NJ area. I guess it was 1am on Saturday morning. What’s weird is later that morning my house had a rumble, very slight. You could hear the windows in the house shake a bit as if someone was using heavy machinery or something. I heard a helicopter nearby but it wasn’t that close to the house so it could not have been that but I didn’t know what was causing it either. I wonder if it was a small aftershock. It only lasted a few seconds a couple of times.
I don’t think Hickey was fired for his performance, it seems like it was a difference in philosophy as our management transitions into a new era.
I would much rather have kept Hickey over Tannenbaum. Our best draft in recent years is the lone draft Hickey ran
Tannenbaum isn’t going to be the GM or personnel guy but like last year he will have say in big moves though I’m not sure what big moves we’ll be able to make this year and I hope we don’t go crazy in FA.
Make no mustake Tannenbaum is running the show. Anyone we hire to be the is just going to be Tannenbaum’s errand boy. I think with Hickey’s firing that should be pretty clear.
Underdog Sunday:
Option 1: cheer for the underdog Dolphins against the Evil Empire
Option 2: cheer for SF over Rams, Clev over Pitts, SD over Denver, Balt over Cincy, Dallas over Wash, Jax over Houston… all of which helps draft order if Miami loses to NE
I’ll be cheering for the Dolphins… could a spirited upset convince a good coach that “hey, there’s talent there.. they beast NE with nothing to gain”. Or the opposite, we are a coaching dungeon.
Ken, I think you’re downgrading Grier’s position as a personnel guy. I think it’s no different than what it was with Hickey. He’s the lead personnel guy and Mr. T oversees all things football. I’m not saying Mr. T isn’t running the show but calling Grier an errand boy is over the top. There’s a lot of work that goes into compiling information on FAs and draft prospects. Grier already was Director of College Scouting for us. I think he did more than bring people coffee. LOL
Tannenbaum has effectively eliminated the GM position. Yes we still have a scouting department but personnel is now squarely in Tannenbaum’s hands.
There was a report the other day that said Mr. T would not name himself the GM and the rumors are Grier will be the GM. Mr. T is involved in too much to be GM, he oversees the entire football program, not just the personnel dept.
Let’s see if Ross has the right guy or not. I think someone already posted this but http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/which-nfl-teams-will-be-looking-for-a-new-coach-after-week-17/ar-BBo8f5R?li=BBnb7Kz
The cons are quite accurate and I hope we start to actually keep our draft picks instead of dumping them off. You can’t build through FA. It should be common sense by now.
I can’t grade Hickey from so little time here and the TBaum addition. The last two drafts have been really solid though so I’ll probably miss having another talented evaluator here.
“Mr. T”. lol time to get piggy to make a Tannenbaum pic with a mohawk. 🙂
LOL
Tim:
Tannenbaum is in control everyone are just his errand boys or girls in Aponte’s case
Okay, if that’s how you view it. He oversees the entire football operation. That is clear and I’m not disputing that. I also have no problem with it. But he oversees the personnel dept., the medical staff, the sports science dept., the financial dept. etc. He’s not staying up late evaluating 3rd and 4th rd CBs, know what I mean? He’s Ross’ right hand man and Aponte is his errr… woman. LOL
The only thing that has changed from last year is Grier replaces Hickey’s role.
Grier knows how to say yes sir better than Hickey
Ken and Tim sound like Laurel and Hardy.
Not sure how, all I’m doing is explaining the information I’ve read. I’m not confused by the power structure, it’s no different than last year with the exception of Grier replaces Hickey.
Tim still thinks are front office is well organized. I think it has been and continues to be a horror show of dysfunction
I don’t see what’s so confusing about it. Every team has presidents and VPs. The only difference is we don’t have the all mighty GM like in the George Young days. I think we’re all tripping on titles.
Didn’t everyone say before we hired Hickey that you should have management in place first then choose the HC, not hire management around the HC? Well now we have that as we search for the HC with everything else in place, yet now that’s dysfunctional. I don’t get it.
I understand if you don’t like Tannenbaum, but that’s not what I’m discussing. It is what it is.
No doubt that Tannenbaum is in control, he’s doing all the hiring and firing of everyone until he names the Head Coach, who will then be allowed to fill out their staff of coordinators and assistants. It’s not really important who the GM is if we get the right HC in here.
Ding!
Yet Armando wrote a piece a few days ago and he does have good sources inside the building, that Aponte is Mr. T’s right hand woman and he’s her biggest supporter.
http://www.thephinsider.com/2015/12/29/10684068/the-mystery-and-intrigue-behind-dawn-aponte-the-miami-dolphins
I’ve seen the ‘list’ of coaching prospects on different sites. Just not a lot to get excited about. However, it’d be nice to find someone who can “end the circus” like Todd Bowles did in NY.
Not sure who out there is the ‘right guy’ and not sure our F.O. would know how to FIND that right guy.
I also understand some of you liked Hickey, but his hiring was really a screw-up in my opinion. We hired him as a lackey for Philbin, because Philbin approved of him and thought they could work together. I think Hickey was a puppet here all along. He was about to be fired in TB, he really had no choice but to take the job in MIA.
That’s why I posted this earlier.
“Tim Knight says:
January 3, 2016 at 11:26 am
I don’t see what’s so confusing about it. Every team has presidents and VPs. The only difference is we don’t have the all mighty GM like in the George Young days. I think we’re all tripping on titles.
Didn’t everyone say before we hired Hickey that you should have management in place first then choose the HC, not hire management around the HC? Well now we have that as we search for the HC with everything else in place, yet now that’s dysfunctional. I don’t get it.
I understand if you don’t like Tannenbaum, but that’s not what I’m discussing. It is what it is.”
Tim says that Who is on first and Ken doesn’t comprehend that Who is the guy’s name. Most of the page has been that back and forth.
Ground Hog Day! 😉
Another lost season, another mishandled attempt at blowing it up by Ross. Tannenbaum’s survival indicates the blast impact radius was not large enough. A true purge would have included Mr. T. Instead he remains and becomes head puppet master. .. We never learn ..Wash, rinse repeat …SMH
It’s not unusual. I think it’s more about fans not liking Tannenbaum being the guy in charge than anything being dysfunctional. So if they hired someone else with the same title what’s the problem? Isn’t this how it’s suppose to be done, have management in place then hire the HC?
Ross has to keep one safety blanket… or else he’d be out there ‘naked and alone’ with no one to fire. 🙂
As for today’s bout of going through the motions for most of our cancerous roster, who cares? …Does it really matter if we get pick 5 or pick 8? ..I’m certain there will be plenty of pre-injured players available for us to choose from ..
I’m not sure this draft has a big drop off from say #4 through 10. I don’t think it really matters. What does matter is we land a player who makes an impact on the team and helps us get better.
I know the team on the field is worse than other teams
And has at best average for years
But I don’t know that the FO is any different
I feel like people look to the FO when they can’t explain anything else
Greg Likens @GregLikens 2m2 minutes ago
#Dolphins rookies Jamil Douglas (C), Neville Hewitt (LB), DeVante Parker (WR), Jordan Phillips (DT), & Zach Vigil (LB) will start today
Tim …No ..”blowing it up” means EVERYBODY significantly involved in the previous failure goes ..Anything else is self defeating …IMO
Ross wasn’t looking to fire everyone though, and Tannenbaum just got here. I really don’t care who holds what title if the product on the field gets better.
Pouncey and James are our
Expect the OL to. E horrible again
Jaylon Smith injury considered “significant” but…..:
“Should Smith’s injury result in him slipping in the 2016 NFL draft, he could be compensated. Sources told ESPN’s Darren Rovell that Smith financed a $50,000 premium to set up a $5 million loss of value policy that would result in at least some payment if he fell out of the first round. Chris Larcheveque of International Specialty Insurance did confirm to ESPN that Smith’s policy was written by his company”.-Assoc.Press
Good for him
Let’s hope he falls into the 2nd
And we draft a DB in the first and jaylon smith in the 2nd
QB class looks dismal this year, but we’re pretty much cursed with another year of Tannefail, so I guess that’s a positive. Maybe next years draft will present better options at the position …or maybe Tanny will pull his head out of his ass and finally grasp the nuances of playing QB.
I actually like goff and lynch and cook too
But drafting a guy like that means we are a few years away
I mean it means we admit we are a few years away….lol
As opposed to sucking without the intent too
Piggy, CB in 1st and Smith in 2nd would be a dream scenario. Probably 31 other teams thinking the same thing. lol and 😦
But 31 other teams are assholes
So there is that
Bat
Even losing teams get good players bc they draft so high that can’t help it
It doesn’t mean we draft a player that leads to winning
But the higher you pick the more likely you are to get elite talent
Sometimes very good players end up playing on very bad teams for years
So draft position and who you draft matters IMO even when we suck
IF, and I mean IF.. Bosa somehow slipped to us (maybe we are picking 4th)… do we take him and let Vernon go? The entire timing of FA and the draft is gonna be so important again.
I’m thinking bosa is the first overall pick
“Ross wasn’t looking to fire everyone though”
Tim … This has been the problem all along … Ross doesn’t have the ruthlessness to really clean house .. The results of his reluctance are evident.
He actually just did that. It’s just that it started last year with Tannenbaum.
Piggy .. That is true, but I have no expectations that we will choose well .. It is known …lol
Piggy … I’d take a flyer on Goff in the right round, but Lynch looked more clueless than Tannehill in his bowl game. He and Cook both folded on the big stage. I’d be happy to let them be someone else’s mistake.
I’ve seem a lunch look pretty good about top competition
I don’t know what happened in the bowl game
Winston and Mariotta looked bad in the post season last year too
The thing with lunch is he is probably not ready on day 1
Tim .. Tannenbaum is part of the problem. Retaining him just provides us with a conduit to the failure that Ross has apparently grown comfortable with ..IMO
Bat, whether you like Tannenbaum or not and I’m indifferent about him, he’s only been here one year. The house cleaning started this past year, you just don’t like the guy Ross hired to do it. But the HC, DC, OC and now GM are all gone. The new structure will start when we name Grier or whomever the GM of personnel and then we go on the HC search. That’s how it’s suppose to be done right?
Tannenbaum is here. Everything is better now.
“The thing with lunch is he is probably not ready on day 1”
Piggy … I guess that’s not such a bad thing … Tannefail isn’t ready going into year 5 …lol
If we drafted lynch
He would probably not play in 2016
And Tanny would have the season to prove himself
Let’s go bills
I feel gross now
bills vs jets, for me, is Ryan vs Bowles. I’d rather see Bowles win regardless of the color of the uniforms.
If the bills win they can keep the jests out of the playoffs
Rooting for the Bills and Steelers today. Cannot abide happiness for obnoxious sub human Jest fans and the smugness of the Jest cheerleader biased media.
By the way, Tannehill’s contract was extended under Tannenbaum so I wouldn’t even focus on QB in the 1st rd, it’s not going to happen.
This year’s QB class:
Goff: great skills, mediocre physical talent
Lynch: Great athletic skills, very raw position skills
Cook: Good physical skills and talent, serious leadership questions
Hackenberg: Great physical skills but 3 years of declining on field performance
Tim .. How is that house cleaning when you promote from within the filthy, dilapidated house? ..Nobody currently working for this dismal failure of an organization should be considered for anything other than a pink slip.
Okay, well that’s not what happened. Not sure what firing Tom Garfinkel or Dawn Aponte was going to accomplish? Do you even know much about what they do or what Chris Grier’s credentials are?
Personnel and coaching is all that really matters at the end of the day for us fans. Not who promotes the brand, crunches the contract numbers and advises Ross.
I’d focus on pass rusher, LB, DB and possibly OT with our 1st rd pick. It’s not going to be a QB.
What I am rooting for today is an end to Brady’s career. The w or l is meaningless
“By the way, Tannehill’s contract was extended under Tannenbaum”
Let me jot that down on my “Reasons to hate Tannenbaum” list …lol
That’s fine, I’m just pointing it out. Until we see a good team on the field all the people who will be in charge at every level are just names to me including the new coaching staff.
We won’t take QB with high pick. It will be middle rounds as a back up.
We can’t afford Matt any-moore.
Ramsey or Hargreaves with the 5th to 6th pick?? Seems like our decision right now.
Bosa and Smith (injured) seemed to be only two top-10 locks on the defensive side. The CB’s could go top 10 but are either of them the kind of guy that can elevate those around him?
From what I’ve heard Ramsey is considered a good CB prospect but a potentially great safety.
Let me jot that down on my “Reasons to hate Tannenbaum” list …lol
————-
For me that list begins and ends with “Resigned Mark Sanchez with one of the dumbest contract extensions in NFL history”
Funnily enough, at the time, he was my favorite GM in the league for the exact same reason, lol.
And now he signed Suh to one of the dumbest contracts in the league
Piggy:
I don’t see us drafting a QB early just to sit him this coming year. If we draft Lynch in round 1 and he will play. Otherwise we are wasting a prime opportunity that we can get a player with an immediate impact. Which is again why I don’t see us going QB early this year.
I think that’s just as pointless a discussion as wishing Tannenbaum wasn’t here.
I don’t really see it either
But I consider it a possibility bc we are changing coaches
I would not rule it out
Kong ..LOL ..Yes, at the time I was thrilled with T’s confidence in Sanchito …
Ken says:
January 3, 2016 at 12:13 pm
What I am rooting for today is an end to Brady’s career. The w or l is meaningless
——————————————
LMAO this is what I cheer for every time we play the pats. When Brady is gone, Belicheat will have the curtain pulled back for all to see.
what are the chances the Phins take Ronnie Stanley OT ? We know there are defensive needs, but FO might be thinking of continuing to surround Tannehill with first rounders on the o-line. Play him at guard, move him to OT when Alberts eventually gets injured (LOL).
Ken,
OV has gone low a few times this year. Maybe he can get one last good lick in as a Dolphin, and he’ll put Brady down for the count.
This team is not going to contend next season anyway, so giving Tannefail one last opportunity to figure it out is the best option. Let him either finally step up or play himself to the bench ..IMO
Tim,
I agree with you about QB in the first. I think the organization is committed to Tanny for another year. IMO it has to be defense or Tackle. We pretty much need an entire defense so my money is on the best defender on the board when we pick.
I agree except I don’t think we need an entire defense, we need some upgrades. It’s not like we have no good players. We could use some special and some better depth.
The same throughout the team, I mean is it really hard to upgrade guys like Fox, D. Thomas, Shepperd, Taylor, M. Thomas, Aikens etc. You don’t even have to look for top tier talent to upgrade those positions.
read article this a.m. that Jaylon Smith will consider going back to ND for senior year if he thinks the injury drops him too much. Won’t make decision until he gets rehab underway.
Booooooo
The dolphins have an out of Tanny’s contract in 2017
So they can draft a qb high with a vision of parting ways in 2017
It’s a problem bc we have so many other needs
But I think these are generally better than Tanny was
So yes there are weaknesses
But franchises are usually prepared to work through it if they think they found their guy
Pig:
I think it is possible because of the coaching change but I think we are unlikely to have QB change this year. Next year if Tannehill does not progress may be different
“Do you even know much about what they do or what Chris Grier’s credentials are?”
Tim … I know that he’s part of a pathetic organization that falls all over itself in their comical failures and misadventures.
New coaches don’t usually draft for an immediate impact
They draft for building blocks
I know the coach won’t bring doing the drafting but Tannebaum has only been here 1 year
And this is now his project
I don’t know if you can make a blanket statement like that. Every new coaching situation is different with many variables
If I can’t make a blanket statement like that
No one can say anything about anything
New coaches are often laying a foundation to their vision
We just don’t know what that vision will Be
CavKong:
That would be a great gift from OV
Parting gift^
I think Tannehill and Suh will be reasons a HC will be interested in coming here. How about that? LOL
I think Suh’s contract is a detriment
I know, I don’t. Coaches want players.
Suh’s contract prevents us from getting more players. You don’t build a team around a DT
With T-baum making the picks and the CAP HELL he’s managed in his 1st year I am affraid Romeo Kernell will not have much to work with in 2016
We’re not in cap hell. There are contracts coming off the books, the cap increases and there are ways to cook the books.
I think Tannefail’s obtuseness at the QB position will be a detriment
“You don’t build a team around a DT”
Especially one that “Randy Mosses” a good percentage of plays.
My main thought right now
Aside from that…..what time is the Dolphins’ game? 🙂
Tim,
By needing an entire D I mean we need players at every level of the D. I think Jones is the best, or at worst one of the best, safeties in the league, we have Suh and a couple players on the dline, and we can work with a couple of other players, but we still need linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs.
We have the ‘flexibility’ to go with the best player on D regardless of which position
he plays at with the exception of maybe DT.
That I agree with. But they don’t all have to be top picks and FAs to get better. There was some bad play in our back end of the defense this year. 3-4 players can change that. Not saying we become elite all of a sudden, just better. Improve a bit everywhere and you’re better overall. Remember the Jets went from 4-12 to 10-5 in one year. I think trading for Fitzpatrick and Marshall, and re-signing Revis made a huge impact. That’s just 3 players on both sides of the ball. Now they have to pay Fitzpatrick.
I think Tanny’s contract is worse. Who will come here knowing they are stuck with a really bad QB whose contract makes it impossible for him not to be our starter for a long-long time
Tanny’s contract is pretty team friendly. It has an out after next season. It really isn’t a detriment at all
Agreed — it was really only a two-year deal no matter what the numbers in total.
And I am thinking that was the one person who doesn’t play on the field I really like — Aponte.
They can get out of it in 2017
It’s not a huge detriment to a hc
If he sees a franchise qb in the draft he can take him
With a vision to get away for tanny in 2017
My concern with Tannenbaum is if he really is just Ireland 2.0.
Meaning he drafts and signs shiny toys but does not really grasp the concept of building a team.
Just finished the loneliest job in the world….taking down/putting away Christmas decorations. The young people who were chomping at the bit to put them up Thanksgiving weekend are nowhere to be found. I’m sure I’ll be finding forgotten things here and there for weeks to come.
Did that yesterday. I know the feeling
Almost game time. Does everyone have a sharp pointy stick ready to poke your eyes out in case it gets really bad?
Herd caught We Are Marshall for the fourth of fifth time the other night……couldn’t help but think of you.
There’s a lot of misinformation being thrown around here. But I get it because it’s coming from the dark cloud that is and soon to be was our season.
Wyoming, I loved the Miko Shutup pic you posted. Shutup & buh bye!
MLB, CB, OL …. those are our most compelling needs. We need a star at CB and a star at MLB.
We must be able to get off the field on 3rd and long. It has become ridiculous.
Our high picks should be those positions. OL depending on FA.
Other spots on D are not why we are 5-10. On offense the OL is the problem. Drafting a TE or RB for example will not change us from 5-10 if we lead the league in sacks again.
However, I am not high on Damien. I wanted to keep Gillislee or even Darkwa instead.
I think you need to add DE to that list
I think OLB and safety and maybe de are big needs too
And we might be more likely to draft one than a mlb
I don’t see any top 10 mlbs available
Tanny’s contract is fine
It’s not much higher than other qbs in the nfl
It’s the player that might present an issue for a new coach
Head coach prospects are going to look at the qb more than any other player
I don’t think they will look at our cap situation as much as the players on the roster
Either a new hc wants to work with Tanny, he wants to move on from Tanny but take the job or he doesn’t want to take the job bc of Tanny
Sorry but no one knows that yet
I think any HC will look seriously at the cap because it affects their ability to change and shape the roster the way they want
DT has always been a primary position in both FA and the draft.
Here we go. Last game of the year. Go Phins!!!
Herd,
‘In case’ it goes bad? I’d say at this point it’s a complete metaphysical certitude. Pointed stick is ready and prepared, lol.
WTF with the uniform?
Sharp pointy stick…ugh
i dont need to watch the game to need to poke my eyes out, those god awful fucking uniforms will do it. what the fuck are they, a bunch of easter eggs
I do not like these announcers, the play by play guy is very pro NE.
Matt Dar team MVP
GO PHINS!!! Oh, who am I kidding. Go getting the best draft pick possible.
Darr for MVP!
We average 8 to go on third down? WOW I knew it was bad but we AVERAGE 8 to go?? SMH
Scree pass and run from the shotgun = 3rd and long a lot
We only need to draft DE if we cannot re sign both Wake and Vernon, which I think maybe we will.
Wake is under contract
He might be cut to save cap room
I meant that ..as in force him to take a paycut.
Wake is under contract but going to be coming back from injury and I doubt we re-sign OV
Man, I Cannot believe the season is over again….It always seems to fly by much faster than the rest of the year. It always seems to be disappointing too….
But why not throw for 10 then on 3rd and 8? Why go for 30 and guarantee a 3 and out?
Our run defense usually okays well early
And then….
Hewitt is a keeper.
way to go D — !!!!
Nice run from Miller!
wtf is miller doing, doesnt he know runs like that will get him benched
Okay miller
That’s it for you today….lol
Miller is a must resign. His vision has become elite in his 4th year.
Even on play action we have pressure