Remember the Titans

[Dave Gray]

This loss is a potential franchise crippler.

It's not just another game.  The Titans are a bad team.  We were at home.  We played very poorly.

I'm afraid of this loss.  I think that is cements the impossibility of filling up the stadium for the remainder of the season.  Any semblance of home-field advantage or excitement is dead.  Though still a possibility that we could make the playoffs, it would have to happen so late in the season that it's too late.

I'm also afraid of what it means for both Tannehill and Bush.  I was concerned at how the entire team (including the lines) seemed to fold when things got bad.  Now, since things are bad, I'm worried about Tanny's future.  I'm concerned that Bush's time here may be done, as well.

It seems like this season is a ball of twine.  And we just pulled the string, so wait for everything to unravel.

[Landshark]

Doomsday Dave

[Dolphin-UK]

I'm more inclined to think this was overconfidence from a young team that started to believe the playoff hype and decided that all they had to do was turn up against a weak team at home, with a division rival just 5 days later.

If anything, these 5 days are now what defines Joe Philbin as a head coach, and Ryan Tannehill as a leader. JP has to get his team up for this game. We don't even need to win as long as the team turns up and plays all out till the final whistle we'll see the type of head coach and QB we've got.

If they come out flat....well, then I'll start to have concerns.

[BigDaddyFin]

It's WAY early to start with the doomsday stuff.  First off, Tanny played a bad game.  We knew coming into the season, you play a rookie, he's gonna have a couple shit games.  The whole team looked bad for whatever reason.  It's not the first time a team played like that and won't be the last.  Even Lombardi's Packers played a poor game against a bad team now and then.  Also let's not forget, that team was .500 going in (not exactly a dynasty) and 1 game under .500 coming out. 

It may indeed be the turning point in our season, but what turning point?  What if the Dolphins lose their last 6 games.  What if they win 5 of 6, get a split with the Pats and slip into the playoffs at 10-6?  There's entirely too much football to be played this year to even be thinking of pulling the plug.

As far as next year, let's say we lose Reggie Bush.  Is he a good football player yeah.  Is he a GREAT football player?  No.  I'm willing to bet right now if you replace him with Lamar Miller and Thomas learns to hang onto the ball, we'll be alright without him.  This is the pass-happy NFL now.  So we save the money from Reggie, re-sign Jake Long and Randy Starks, I'd even let Sean Smith walk as long as we draft some new secondary and get a reciever or two.  All of a sudden with a young quarterback we're a contender.  So I must disagree with the doomsday assessment.

[Dave Gray]

I'm just really concerned about our fanbase.  Who wants to go watch this team live?  If we were in some kind of playoff hunt, I'd understand.  But losing at Indianapolis was bad.  The Titans game had a ton of empty seats and on top of that, the team has been "buying out" blackouts.  With not just a loss, but an embarrassing non-game to the Titans, there's no way we sell out games, unless it's to fans of the Patriots.

Then, the games will have to be blacked-out, further disconnecting the city to its team.  It's a dangerous spiral.

[Phishfan]

Dave, is this some new revelation for you? This team has had trouble seeling tickets for years.

[Dave Gray]

Dave, is this some new revelation for you? This team has had trouble seeling tickets for years.

Of course they have, but this year started differently.  To credit the front office, after all the bullcrap they were accused of, they brought in focus groups, heard the criticism, and made changes.  The orange carpet stuff is gone, the fight song is back, and there is a genuine football atmosphere in the stadium.  All of the Club Liv stuff still exists, but is way played down.

And it showed in the opening games.  The crowd was pumped and it was a great time.

I believe that had we been able to be in the hunt, games would start to fill up, you could pull the blackout restriction and force the games to sell out legitimately.  Then, the crowd noise would be great and we'd re-build that pride that we used to have. 

This loss kills that hope, I'm afraid.

[Pappy13]

But losing at Indianapolis was bad.

No it wasn't. The game was close. Miami actually played pretty well except for way too many completions on third down, but Miami had chances to win the game despite that. It wasn't a bad loss.

The Titans game had a ton of empty seats

No it didn't, not to start the game anyway. There were a lot of empty seats in the upper deck in each endzone, but other than that it was probably 90% of capacity everywhere else. By halftime however many people had already left their seats and either headed home or to the bar.

and on top of that, the team has been "buying out" blackouts.

That's not completely true either. What they have said is that they would guarantee they sold enough seats. It's not clear if or how many seats they have had to purchase to guarantee it.

With not just a loss, but an embarrassing non-game to the Titans, there's no way we sell out games, unless it's to fans of the Patriots. Then, the games will have to be blacked-out, further disconnecting the city to its team.  It's a dangerous spiral.

If they win tonight and get back to .500 there will be plenty of people in the seats for Seattle at home.

[Dave Gray]

No it wasn't. The game was close. Miami actually played pretty well except for way too many completions on third down, but Miami had chances to win the game despite that. It wasn't a bad loss.

I think we just have to disagree here.  I don't think you can give up record passing yards and 3rd and long after 3rd and long ALL GAME LONG and be happy with the performance.  In my opinion, that game was very important.  But Tennessee was the big one.

No it didn't, not to start the game anyway. There were a lot of empty seats in the upper deck in each endzone, but other than that it was probably 90% of capacity everywhere else. By halftime however many people had already left their seats and either headed home or to the bar.

Again, we disagree.  The lower sidelines had people, but there were tens of thousands of empty seats.  I was there.  It was embarrassingly empty for a team with playoff hopes.

That's not completely true either. What they have said is that they would guarantee they sold enough seats. It's not clear if or how many seats they have had to purchase to guarantee it.

It is true.  I personally talked to Mike Dee about it on Saturday night.  They made the decision to buy out the games because Tannehill is a young QB and they want the community to get to know him.  They think it was a better long term investment.

If they win tonight and get back to .500 there will be plenty of people in the seats for Seattle at home.

I'll have to make it a perfect 4-4 in disagreement.  I don't think there's a chance in hell that we sell out the Seattle game.  I hope I'm wrong.

[Dolphin-UK]

I'd love to come and see a game but unless Ross is willing to pay my flights or send the Dolphins to Wembley again it's unlikely to happen 

[EKnight]

Again, we disagree.  The lower sidelines had people, but there were tens of thousands of empty seats.  I was there.  It was embarrassingly empty for a team with playoff hopes.

Truthfully, though, did they really have playoff hopes? Coming off of 6-10, with a rookie QB and HC, I would think the hoghest hopes they have this year are finishing .500. -EK

[Pappy13]

Again, we disagree.  The lower sidelines had people, but there were tens of thousands of empty seats.  I was there.  It was embarrassingly empty for a team with playoff hopes.

I was there too. Yes, I picked the worst home loss practically in franchise history to go see the Dolphins play in Miami. I thought the stands were pretty full right before kickoff and there were quite a few people standing along the sidelines. Do they always allow you to stand along the sidelines like that?

It is true.  I personally talked to Mike Dee about it on Saturday night.  They made the decision to buy out the games because Tannehill is a young QB and they want the community to get to know him.  They think it was a better long term investment.

I'm not denying they made the decision to buy out the remaining unsold seats to televise the game locally, what I'm saying is that I don't know how many they have actually had to buy. I'll bet it's not nearly as many as you might think.

I'll have to make it a perfect 4-4 in disagreement.  I don't think there's a chance in hell that we sell out the Seattle game.  I hope I'm wrong.

Who said anything about a sellout? I said there will be people in the seats. I don't think the Dolphins have sold out a game in a long long time, but they have sold enough seats to keep the games televised.

[Pappy13]

Again, we disagree.  The lower sidelines had people, but there were tens of thousands of empty seats.  I was there.  It was embarrassingly empty for a team with playoff hopes.

I was there too. Yes, I picked the worst home loss practically in franchise history to go see the Dolphins play in Miami. I thought the stands were pretty full right before kickoff and there were quite a few people standing along the sidelines.

I just found out that the official attendance of the game against Tennessee was 60,165. The stadium holds 75,000 which means the stadium was 80% filled to capacity. Not as good as the Dolphins would like, but not nearly as bad as you made it seem.

I'm not denying they made the decision to buy out the remaining unsold seats to televise the game locally, what I'm saying is that I don't know how many they have actually had to buy. I'll bet it's not nearly as many as you might think.

The revised blackout policy adopted this season requires that 85 percent of non-premium tickets be sold 72 hours before kickoff, which is just over 51,000 seats in the 100 and 400 levels of Sun Life stadium. Miami can comply with the blackout policy by guaranteeing to make up the diffference by paying 34% of the face value on seats needed to meet the minimum. Miami has not released any information on whether or not they have had to do that for any games this year as far as I know.

Who said anything about a sellout? I said there will be people in the seats. I don't think the Dolphins have sold out a game in a long long time, but they have sold enough seats to keep the games televised.

It was just reported that Miami has met the requirements to have the Seattle game televised locally.

[Dave Gray]

I just found out that the official attendance of the game against Tennessee was 60,165.

Is there any way to find out whether that's paid attendance or actual bodies at the gate?