It’s 2008 again. Déjà vu.
Groundhog Day.
Pick your synonym; they all
work.
You’ve heard this story
before. Two years ago, the Miami Dolphins were 6-5 and needed to run off five
straight wins to qualify for the playoffs. They did it in grand style, not only
making the postseason tournament by stepping over the Jets in the Meadowlands, but
winning the AFC East with an 11-5 record and sending the Pats home for the
season. Even though the Dolphins were eliminated in the first round by the
Ravens, they achieved the greatest single season turnaround in NFL history and
wrote a new chapter in the franchise’s storied history.
Fast forward to the present
day, and the Dolphins are once again at 6-5 and needing to run off five
straight wins to achieve an 11-5 record and a possible playoff berth. Only this
time, the playoffs will be more difficult to achieve. Here’s why:
- Tiebreakers versus conference rivals are more
problematic right now than before, especially with losses to the Ravens
and Steelers.
- The 2008 Dolphins were 2-2 in the division at
this point in the season, with a win against the Pats already in hand. The
2010 Dolphins are currently 1-2 in the division and have yet to defeat the
Pats; that opportunity is scheduled for January 2 at Foxborough (1pm ET,
CBS). Games against the Jets in the Meadowlands (December 12) and the
Bills at Sun Life Stadium the following week round out the remaining
divisional match-ups.
- The 2008 Dolphins were quarterbacked by Chad
Pennington, a savvy veteran with no intellectual superior. An outstanding
team leader, he knew how to win big games down the stretch. Chad Henne,
the current starter, has been inconsistent and was benched for lack of
performance. His excellent rebound in the Oakland game was good to see, but will
it continue?
Difficulties and all, I
believe the Dolphins are capable of doing what their 2008 brothers did by
winning out. The reason for my optimism is simple: their resiliency. It’s an
intangible that should serve them well in December. Whether an 11-5 record is
good enough to qualify for the playoffs is out of their control, of course. But
a lot can, and usually does, happen over the final month of the regular season.
For the Dolphins to stir up
some of that 2008 magic, to be in position to take advantage, they need to
achieve the following five goals over the next five weeks:
- Productivity
from the passing game: Henne is
the key here. If he plays at the level he did against the Raiders, the
Dolphins will be fine. Actually, they’ll be more than fine because they’ll
have confirmed that Henne is indeed their QB of the future whether or not
they make the playoffs. That aside, the 2010 Dolphins just aren’t as
proficient running the ball the way their 2008 predecessors were. This
places greater emphasis on Henne and his receivers. Getting WR Brandon
Marshall back soon is important, but his hamstring needs to be close to
full strength for him to be a difference-maker (due to his style of play).
- Win
the line of scrimmage: The
Dolphins were built to win with a ball control philosophy. This means
running the ball efficiently and preventing the opposition from doing the
same. Against the Raiders, and really in all of their wins, the Dolphins
were successful in achieving this. In their losses, they weren’t. It won’t
be easy for them to do it consistently here on out, especially with LT
Jake Long and C Joe Berger at less than 100%, but it won’t be due to a
lack of effort. The return of the Wildcat has been a factor recently and
the Dolphins really need this to continue.
- Defensive
turnovers: In the mold of the
great Don Shula teams that built a great winning tradition in Miami, the 2008
Dolphins didn’t beat themselves. Today’s Dolphins have what it takes to
follow that formula, starting with the fact that they are the least
penalized team in the NFL (#1 in yards, #2 in flags). The next step is to
take the ball away from the other team. The defense made a great start in
that department versus the Raiders, with two interceptions and a fumble
recovery. For this thievery to continue, it is vital that the defensive
backs CATCH those wayward passes which will come their way!
- Improved
special teams play: It’s truly exasperating
watching the coverage teams allow long returns, touchdowns, and blocked
punts time and again. The problem, in my opinion, is a lack of talented
special teamers due to an overly weighted focus on front line position
skills. But this cannot be correct that this point in the season. The only
meaningful changes that can be made are to insert more starters into the
mix. Tony Sparano would prefer not to do this, but he doesn’t appear to have
a choice.
- Maintain
a “one week” focus: One of the
great challenges in sports is not looking ahead or taking anyone for
granted. That’s why the most important game is the next one. The 2008
Dolphins were very good about maintaining a one week, one game-at-a-time
laser focus. This week the Dolphins face the Browns, a 4-7 team that could
prove troublesome. Are the Dolphins mentally strong enough to stay on
task, or will players get careless and start thinking of the huge rivalry
game the following week at the NY Jets? The Dolphins have no more room for
error.