The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

I am aching for some real football, so I figure most of you are too.  Even if you think we are going to get blown out in our opener, I am sure there are some aspects of the game you are looking for or have predictions about.

Show your smarts and throw out those thoughts before the game.  Saying "I knew that would happen" after the fact is just gutless.

Me personally...

I think there is only one way to beat the Pats.  You have to get hits on Brady without blitzing.  Beyond that you have to take away their over the top stuff which they run every 7-10 plays and be ready for their speed underneath.  Brady will try to expose our safeties if they continuously move up in underneath support.

The Pats get away with more illegal WR picks than any team in history, so you have to come up with a scheme that allows you to deal with that B.S.  You also have to be ready for Woodhead who is great at getting into the flat quickly on delays.

As far as their defense is concerned.  They are going to take away the run and really disguise their blitzes.  They usually show blitz and back off into zone coverage which is where they get their INTs.  They are very good at going for the strip so ball security should be emphasized particularly when running in space.

As far as the phins offense goes, we need to have a day of prayer for our o-line (particularly Pouncey).  I would audible all runs away from Wilfork and some of them from the other asshole they got this year to back him up.  Don't screen to Mayo's side.  Throw in a trick play or two.  Nickel and dime them to death in the first half to wear them down and open it up in the second half.

Last year on Monday night our guys were way too hyped up pregame and they wore themselves out in the first quarter.  Take the smelling sauce away from anyone who isn't primarily a special teams player and emphasize keeping their energy in check before and between plays.

I can't believe I am saying this given the new offense and all, but I actually think we surprise the Pats with our offense and make life tough on them with our defense and manage to pull out a shocking win.  I think our linebackers are better suited to handle receiving tight ends and our corners are very physical which gives our D-line enough time to get to Brady.  But we need to be up by 10 or more mid way into the 4th quarter to win.  Brady is just too good at the end of a game with the chance to tie or go ahead. 

I do not feel confident in any prediction whatsoever with this game.  I'm not sure what kind of team we've got here.  I don't even think they know.

All I know is I'm psyched actual football is about to start, and I'm scared shitless of our kick coverage teams allowing the Pats to score easy points like they did in the last Monday Night affair.

That right there sums it up.  Thing is that is a lot easier said than done. 

New England   35
Miami             13

Another prediction I forgot to mention is that I suspect New England will try to use the hurry up offense against us early in the game.

Hopefully we can defuse it enough to use it in our favor and let them wear down a bit.  That is a big hope though considering I suspect our defense hasn't practiced against much hurry up this offseason.

This is going to be a "wake-up call" game for the Dolphins.

There is a LOT of local chatter on this board and elsewhere like the Sun-Sentinel that the Dolphins are going to surprise a lot of people and come out guns blazing with an unstoppable defense

Let's not forget that this New England Patriots team with Tom Brady as the QB and Bill Belichick as the head coach is elite.

I don't think this game will be a 42-7 blowout, but the Patriots will win this game and sit on the ball in the fourth quarter. The Patriots are going to show to the Dolphins that they still have a lot of work left to do on the offensive line (you can't tell the world you're going to shock them and then state you have concerns about your offensive line...you kind of need a solid offensive line in order to shock the world).

I expect to see Henne get knocked around a lot and throw some bad passes along the way.

You have no freaking idea what you are talking about Joe!!!!  When has the Patriots ever sat on a lead against us?  ;D

uh, jets have no conventional pass rush and sent the pats home crying in the playoffs last year. ryan's blitz schemes totally confused brady last year...

hope the pats don't think that this is just going to be a tune up to the rest of the season. dolphins could give them some trouble this game and actually pull off a win.

corrected. 

IMO, the Pats receiving core is suspect- Welker was never the same after they got rid of Moss, and he's hurt. Ocho is still learning, and looked bad against starters in the preseason. We finally have some ILB to help with their two tight ends (Burnett was an underrated pick-up), and Detroit showed that the O-line is not capable of handling multiple blitzes against Brady. On the flip side, Henne looked better in the preseason. I smell an upset. -EK

I can see the Fins winning this game, because we usually play the Pats tough.  As good as they've been, and as bad as we've been, we've found ways to beat them sometimes in the last few years.  On top of that, I think we've looked much improved from where we thought we'd be, and they don't look as good as we thought they would.

All that said, I think you gotta be nuts to pick the Fins.  The Pats are the better team.  They should win. 

Why are they a better team? Because they won a super bowl how many years ago? Because they love to run up the score against teams? They didn't upgrade in the offseason at any position. Ocho wasn't even the best receiver on his team, so I'm not convinced how much of an upgrade he is. A DL that hasn't played a down yet? Not sure there either. Miami did up upgrade at several spots- receiver, running back, linebacker, offensive coordinator. Detroit absolutely punched the Pats in the mouth and showed some of their flaws. No, I don't think NE is a 4-12 team any more than I think Miami is a 14-2 team, but I also don't think it's nuts to pick them for the aforementioned reasons. If Miami loses I will happily eat crow and say I'm wrong, but this patriot mystique is lost on me this season. -EK

No, the NEP winning of the SB 3 time in the past 10 years is not the reason to pick NE over Dolphins.

1) Your claim that NE has not upgraded in any position is false. 

2) Even if your claim is true NEP was a better team than the Dolphins last year.  Brady is still a better QB than Henne.  BB is still a better coach than Saprono.  This hasn't changed from last year when the Patriots beat the Dolphins twice. 

While it is possible that the fins could win (any given sunday) thinking it is the more likely outcome is foolish. 

You spelled both Sparano & Saprano wrong but at least you didn't say Saporno.

"any given sunday" is a bit of an exaggeration in this case.

pats right now are not 14-2 good (will probably be closer to that later in the year), and the fins aren't 7-9 bad right now. this is in no way a david and golliath matchup.

pats haven't won a playoff game in what 5 years? the mystique left that team when plax scored that touchdown to ruin their perfect season with a big fat super bowl loss.

It would not surprise me to see the Dolphins win this game.  If they play 5 times, I think the Dolphins win 2 of them, at least.

I think ("hope") the Dolphins come out on offense and shut them down.  Remember last year - the Dolphins were LEADING 7-0 at the half against the Pats.  And then they completely collapsed in the 2nd half.  I think the Patriots are over-confident and the Dolphins are underrated and have something to prove.

Stay tuned for this one, its gonna be a barnburner!

Funny!

And yes the Pats are a better team, but I am of the opinion that the gap is closing.  I am not all into blowing kisses Tom Brady's way but he is much better than Henne and until Henne proves he (on an individual level) is closing the gap the Pats will remain the better team.  If you take away the QB position, I could make a solid argument that our team is the better of the two but the QB position is by far the most important as it relates to winning.

3 in ten years... Last of which was seven years ago. Neither of these teams is the same as they were seven years ago. This is exactly what I meant about the "mystique." It's been nearly a decade; get over it already. What positions did the Pats upgrade? I still don't see any. Finally, it has nothing to do with Brady vs Henne. Or Bill vs Tony. I will take miami's pass rush attacking an immobile Brady over the New England pass rush (cough, cough... Non-existent) going after Henne. -EK

This is going to be a wake up call for all the people who think chad henne is going to be a lot better this year because he did well against a bunch of scrubs playing a vanilla defense.  Having a defense actually gameplan against you and actually attempt to hide their coverage will make chad look as stupid as ever.

^^ And I'm sure you'll be here to highlight every single blade of grass that folded the wrong way under his feet. ::)

In the 4th quarter at the end of last season.  They called off the dogs.

No because they were 14-2 last year.

And they didn't upgrade anywhere, but Miami did. That's why we are talking about THIS year. Not last. -EK

last year wasn't that long ago. Looks like they upgraded at WR and D-Line to most people.

Not sure why the playoff records are relevant.  This is an regular game.  NE has lost a week 1 game since 2003.  But if you want to compare playoff records the Dolphins haven't won one this decade and have only played in one this decade. 

No one should expect the NEP offense to be as powerful as it was in 2007, but the defense is better this year than it was that year. 


Unless Henne has had an incredible metamorphosis during the off-season, it is. 

Any given Sunday is very applicable. 

The team had the single best regular season record last year and didn't lose anyone of note.  The DL, WR, secondary are all better this year than it was at the end of last year.  The last one not because of the addition of players but the return of injured players. 

Could the Dolphins win?  Yes.  Smart bet?  No. 

WR? Really? Who? Ocho looked AWFUL in the preseason- he just hasn't learned the system yet. D-line? Seriously? You can't seriously mean Haynesworth. 16 tackles and 2.5 sacks last year and he's an upgrade? And didn't he sit out the entire preseason? Not sure who "most people" are, but I don't find those as upgrades, and the general media isn't touting their offseason as spectacular. -EK

He may very well be as big of an upgrade to the NE pats Dline as adding Moss was to the WR core was in 2007. 

Haynesworth is a gifted athlete with an attitude problem, who plays when he wants to.  All indications are this year he wants to make a loud and clear statement. 

Moss's stats for 2006:  553 yards, 3 TDs.

They call it PRESEASON for a reason son

I didn't say the moves were spectacular but they improved their team

when all the marbles were on the table last game for the pats last year, they got knocked in the mouth by an average jets team. no one is scared of them anymore...

the pats have come down from their elite perch in the nfl,  alot closer to the regular nfl teams than they want to admit. 5 years of futility in the playoffs against the true elite teams is proof of that.

No, when all the marbles were on the table they lost to an 11-5  playoff caliber team that went to the AFCCG for the second year in a row. 

If you want to use anything to point out NE weaknesses last year is they did lose to a game to an 5-11 team.  Hence "Any given Sunday"


NE is one of the elite teams of the NFL.  Dolphins are one of the subpar teams of the NFL. 

NE is not playing the Packers, Steelers, Saints or Jets this week  so your argument that they sometimes lose to elite teams is irrelevant. 

what NFL do you people watch? They were 14-2 and had a first round bye. Sure, they lost in the playoffs. At least they were there! 5 years of futility....are you kidding me?

Sometimes I wonder myself...

Well, we can see what happens Monday night- that's the fun in watching. And Mike- please don't refer to me as "son." In addition to it being condescending as hell, it wouldn't surprise me if I was older than you. Thanks! -EK

Smelling an upset here...we will get to Brady and defensively win the game.

Fins 31 Pats 27...with 2 defensive scores.

Wishful thinking...probably, but we can't go 1-7 at home again?  Can we?

you got it sport

I see it more low scoring. Around 21-20 or so. If we can have a field goal game late, I will take it. Keep it close till the 4th quarter and then we just gotta make a play or two to win it. That isn't asking too much out of this squad. I don't expect us to win in a blowout. I don't expect us to get blown out. Keep it close and make a play late to win it.

I think it will be a blowout in the Dolphins favor.  Do you disagree, boy?

ha ha!

What better way to kick off the season for the Pats and Miami to play each other!!

Doesn't matter who is the better team, when ever these 2 play its a good game!! Cant wait to see the game on Monday night!!

In order for Miami to win this game the defense has to grab a couple interceptions, and the O-Line has to have an above par performance.  NE is going to blitz the hell out of that O-Line and Henne.  The O-line is going to have to pick up the blitzers, and Henne is going to be dumping off to Bess and Fasano the whole 1st half.

NE  20
Miami 17

i said 5 years of futility in the playoffs. key words you conveniently leave out of your response. are we now handing out championships for the regular season too? i have been watching the nfl just like everyone else, and have seen for the past 5 years ne exit stage left after the first game in the tournament.

remarkable how many teams with 9-7 records are advancing deep in the playoffs or winning the whole thing in today's nfl. the nfl that people don't watch, and don't comprehend, is that it's a parity league. shocked that you have so much turnover at the top of the league. shocked when teams "back in" to the tournament and actually win. shocked at all the 2010 division winners that lost yesterday...

welcome to the 2011 season ne where all 14-2 gets you is over-hyped expectations.

But you keep missing this ain't a playoff game.  And the Dolphins aren't a playoff caliber team. 

not sure what playoff caliber means? are we automatically giving away playoff spots based on 2010 regular season records?

we're talking 2011, not the past... not sure anyone can predict with any accuracy who will go at least 9-7 this year to make the playoffs.

I think the world is going to end...I think there will be a bunch of fans calling for the back up QB,firing the everyone...We Suck,We suck...errr Wait they already are doing that and we haven't even taken a real snap yet...Never mind....

Patriots 38
Dolphin 20

I'm with dolfan13 on this one--how can you say, with all of your *clairvoyance*, that the Dolphins aren't a "playoff caliber team", Hoodie?  Based off the last two seasons?  Okay, obviously not, but who in the hell would have thought that either the Chiefs or the Bucs (I know TB *missed* the playoffs last season, but they were one of like 6 or 7 teams in the 12 team playoff field era [starting in 1990] that have missed the playoffs with a 10-6 record, along with the New York football Giants last season as well, so they were right there at the cusp), would have made the playoffs/played as well as they did over the course of a season, based off of their 2008 or 2009 seasons?  I don't think many.  Don't get me wrong, I was kinda high on the Chiefs after their first game against SD last season, just because I knew they had a lot of youth and explosiveness (a lot of SEC players as well), and thought Charlie Weiss might be able to help that offense a lot as well, but in general, I don't think many people were calling for them to be too hot based off of their previous couple of seasons...and I sure as hell know people weren't about the Bucs, who didn't win their first game 'till like the 9th or 10th game of the previous season, it seemed.

Why am I saying all of this?  Just because I think you know better.  Yes, the Pats, like the Colts, Eagles and Steelers and, at one point in time, the Titans, have been pretty consistent forces throughout the 2000's, and they've definitely been the better team year in and year out than the 'Phins most of those seasons (still think we were actually a better team than y'all in 2001 and 2002 and just collapsed while y'all excelled at the perfect time in 2001), but that doesn't mean it has to stay that way.  I don't recall if it was in this thread or another one, but I'm with Doc-phin or dolfan13 or whomever it was that said they weren't particularly impressed with your offseason pickups.  Most certainly I was not. 

All of this to say, I'm not certain that the Dolphins are a playoff caliber team this season, either.  As a matter of fact, though I won't predict on this season with an actual win total nor this game's outcome/score (sorry, just pretty superstitious with my team!), I think we'll probably miss them again, though I think we'll be a borderline team this season and finish closer towards them than we have the previous two seasons.  However, just because we've been fairly middle of the road the past two seasons, I know we've shown flashes throughout both of those times, and IF (quite the big 'if', I'll give you that) Henne can actually turn things around this season and be at least average to just above-, I think we have a really good shot at going somewhere in the next few seasons. 

That's about all I got, though.  Would I be surprised if y'all beat us tonight?  Not at all.  I still think y'all are a good, maybe even a great, team.  But would I be surprised if we beat y'all tonight, either?  Ecstatic, yes.  But surprised?  No.  For whatever reason, we usually play y'all really tough, even with all of your success this past decade, except for the 2007 season, of course (when y'all were great and we were...well, you know.   :D ), and we all know how that special teams debacle played into things in the first game last season.  As for the 2nd meeting, not just to offer it up as an excuse, since y'all already clinched homefield as well, but we were done with our season after the home losses to the Bills and the Lions, even if it was depressing that y'all kept scoring on us with Hoyer in there the last game of the season.

So, we shall see.  I'm hoping (but not necessarily banking on it!) for an exciting and fairly successful season out of the Dolphins this year!

In a nutshell.  Yes.  Based on the past few years.  Isn't that all we have to go with?

Other than that you have nothing to your analysis.  In this thread the Jets have been called an average team that beat NE.  Based on what?  Average teams don't to the the AFCCG two years in a row. 

NE hasn't lost any significant players.  Dolphins haven't gone crazy in FA or trades.  You can hope the Dolphins are better this year than last year or that NE has magically declined but there is nothing solid to support such a supposition.  NE isn't the Colts who lost their best player and the Dolphins aren't the Eagles who went crazy in the off season, so there isn't much reason to EXPECT much changing in the pecking order.  Could it happen? Yes,  absolutely, any given Sunday.  Any reason to think it is probably going to occur?  None whatsoever. 

F' Yeah it does! THEY WERE 14-2!! IF expectations arent super high when you are coming off 14-2 then when are they high?  ::) Jesus Christ!

Cause its silly. It's cherry picking a debate. It's like saying the Houston Texans are the best Week 6 team in NFL history cause they always win in Week 6. It's a dopey argument. To only point out "part" of the Pats season and ignore the vast majority of it where they dominate everyone is just as silly.

Yeah they lost in the playoffs, OK. Team has also been to 4 Super Bowl in the last 10 years and won 3 of them.  And they keep churning out double digit win seasons...to use the word futility in any way, shape, or form when it comes to them is just plan stupid!