AFC East Miami Dolphins
Finished 2004 season 4-12, last place in the AFC East
Key returning starters:
Chris Chambers - WR
A.J. Feeley - QB
Randy McMichael - TE
Jason Taylor - DE
Zach Thomas - LB
The Dolphins had a busy off-season, obviously a team that is looking to rebuild, first by bringing in successful LSU head coach Nick Saban and having a solid draft, with big pickup Ronnie Brown. Plus the re-addition of former All-Pro and current All-Pro Indo Smokin' Ricky Williams.
2004 Stats:
Ranked 29th overall in offense, #15 ranked in AFC
Ranked 8th overall in defense, #6 ranked in AFC
Your thoughts on the Miami Dolphins this upcoming 2005 season...strengths/weaknesses and your prediction on where they will finish in the division.
posted by Steve at 7:48 AM
14 Comments:
I think the big story from Miami is the returning status of Ricky "Indo" Williams - since he took a year off, he'll be punished with a 4-game suspension but Saban will have his services for 12 games of the season. The big question is, who will Saban go with - Brown or Williams? Ronnie Brown will probably get the start when the season gets underway, but how will he play. I think Brown is a solid RB and will have a nice career, but lets face it...Ricky is a damn good RB.
The Dolphins are in a rebuilding year again I think, new head coach looking to improve upon a bad year last season. At 4-12, it's hard to get any worse, though it is possible! I think their biggest concern right now is their QB situation. Since Marino left, Miami has had big problems in that department. AJ Feeley isn't getting it done, 1800 yards, 11 TD and 15 INT isn't going to lead your team anywhere unless you have a solid running attack - but that also failed the Dolphins last season when Williams up and retired before the season started. There leading rusher last season barely had 500 yards. No wonder the Dolphins ranked #29 in the NFL offensively.
Hopefully they can have a much better ground game (remember in 2003 they finished 10-6) which will take the pressure off Feeley and allow that defense much needed rest so they can get back to dominance.
The Dolphins are in a huge rebuilding stage right now and the main thing that Nick Saban needs to take care of is his QB situation I believe. He is already stocked at RB with Brown & Williams and he also has a great receiver in Chambers and not to mention a top notch defense. I am not too impressed with Feeley or any other QB they try to put back their. Williams will end up with a solid 500 yards and I think he will be able to pack back on the muscle he lost in the time he was in Jamaica smoking the Reef. I've never really liked the Dolphins but for their sake hopefully they can pick up a good QB sometime between now and week 4 otherwise they are going to be looking at another piss poor season. I do see improvement at the RB position so they will be better then last year but will still be below .500 at 6-10 for the season.
Puff Puff Pass Ricky, with no Indo Ricky will be irritable and pissed unable to mix any chemistry with his team this year. Let em Smoke! LEGALIZE IT!
I actually think the Dolphins should have made a pitch to get Bledsoe since he was a free agent or Kurt Warner. Again, both QB's aren't going to be a long term solution to your problem, but both can provide much more offensive help then Feeley. Then again, Feeley might be of some value if that team can become balanced. Remember, he does have two solid WR in Chambers and Marty Booker, perhaps this is the season injury-prone David Boston stays healthy. Plus with McMichael as his primary TE target, this could be a scary offense with the right QB.
Feeley didn't perform all that badly as a backup in Philly, which is one of the reasons he was highly sought after when he became a free agent. Perhaps last season was the fact this Dolphins offense had no balance or chemistry whatsoever - I really do think the RB situation has improved 10 fold and will take the pressure off of Feeley.
Remember, the Dolphins also have old school Gus Frerotte as another QB option and it's very much a possibility that Frerotte will beat out Feeley to get the starting nod
A.J. Feeley is a turd. The Dolphin's only hope of a successful season is in the hands (or feet) of Ricky Williams. Saban has yet to prove he can coach in the NFL, but as was evident last year, not even the best coaching could save that sinking ship.
Uhhh NN, you are right about Feeley being a turd, but your other comments are a bit off. Of course Saban has yet to prove anything, he hasn't had a chance yet. This is his rookie season coaching! As far as what was evident in 2004 that the "best coaching" couldn't save that sinking ship...you mean Dave Wannstedt? I seriously hope you don't consider him in the "best coaching" category.
Again I will restate my comments -Dolphins are in a rebuilding stage. Don't expect anything more. NN I don't get what you said? Reitterate please...
My prediction for the Dolphins this season is a dismal 6-10 season, still finishing last place in the tough AFC East.
But I think some players to watch out for fantasy wise are of course their defense. I think their defense will have a much better season now the offense has some sort of running attack. Chambers might make a good 3rd WR in fantasy leagues that allow that many. I don't see people drafting Boston right now, unless he can remain healthy. McMichael should be considered a top TE off the draft board, probably a mid-round pick. I think people will even draft Ricky Williams in higher rounds and I'm not sure why...I doubt he'll even start this season with Ronnie Brown on the roster. Brown though might make a good draft choice in the late rounds as a back-up RB or a mid-round pick in a keeper league.
It doesn’t matter how good the receiver is, if there’s no one to throw to him, he’s not gonna get many touches. In order for the ‘Fins to have any chance at all in getting to the playoffs, it’s going to be on the back of a workhorse RB—Mark my words, the only games the ‘Fins win will be when their RB is over 150 yards rushing or 30 attempts. Ricky Williams has done that in the past, and is the type of back who could give them that edge—even carry them surprisingly deep into the playoffs—if he’s back in top shape, of course. The O-line in Miami is not good enough to turn Brown into that kind of a back. All that being said, Miami’s lucky to hit .500 this year.
---One True Guru---
I agree guru, I'm just throwing the possibility that Feeley might be more of a system type QB, where he needs that additional support in order to perform well. For instance, we can discuss Brian Griese, who is a prime example of a system QB - if he has that balance of a solid running attack and a good defense, he can play like an All-Pro. Remember last season he looked great for the Bucs in many games. Feeley had that same brilliance in Philly when he came in - so if the Dolphins can provide that type of balance, who knows what Feeley is capable of? But that balanced attack will require a RB to gain atleast a 100 on the ground and yeah, I agree that if that RB gains 150 a game, the Dolphins will probably win.
Lets examine the Dolphins 2005 schedule a little bit, they play again the AFC East teams twice this season, the AFC West and NFC South divisons.
Patriots(6), Broncos(4), Chargers(3), Buffalo(7), Jets(5), Chiefs(12), Falcons (8) - all teams with solid run defenses. I figure that they have 10 games against the above teams, 3 of those defenses in the top 5...9 of those games are against defenses that ranked in the top 10 against the run overall last season in the NFL (rankings in the brackets).
It's going to be hard for the Dolphins this season with that kind of a schedule to produce anything on the ground, but if they do, I think they are playoff bound. I don't see that happening, so a 6-10 season is what I think will happen.
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---One True Guru---
Keep the Q from the "U" you'll need him soon! Suck in the meantime!
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