Week 18 against NY Jets predictions (not really)

I suspect Ross is calling around talking to NFL types (hopefully not the ones he has been listening to in the past!!) asking if they think he needs to make changes?

This just may be due diligence by the owner, but Ross is a monumental dipshiite IMO, and there is no telling what he may do. Again, especially if the stinking Jets embarrass the Phins Sunday!

Right now, I suspect McD is really safe, and probably Grier too, but who knows? How much better off would the Phins be if Grier had drafted Zach Tom instead of no-show Tindall? I think Tom is the starting LT with David Baktiari out for GB, right? And has been since their winning streak started??

Now THAT is what should set DF316 off more than the whole Purdy or Skylar thing IMO!!



Yep, Grier goes out and ponies up moolah for a big time LT whose only fault is he is often injured and misses lots of playing time, but in Grier's mind, "THIS is the season when T Armstead will overcome his career long injury history!"



I guess if you are unable to DRAFT wisely, that is the only way you CAN acquire a LT who plays well enough to be a starter...even if it is only for times between injuries. A toe, a Pec, a calf too right?

I still think Grier ought to get the axe. But is anyone sanguine that Ross has even a scintilla of a speck of a smidge of tiny microbial level fragment of a clue when it comes to hiring a new GM?

As I have stated before, as long as Ross is the Captain of this ship, it is all arranging deck chairs on the Titanic until the iceberg hits! And then Ross raises the batter and drenched, mildewed wreck of the Dolphins ship and starts his next voyage into the iceberg laden seas!

(SIGH)

I don't disagree, not at all, but I think status quo is king for one more year for two reasons:

1) Ross does what needs to be done, hiring a new GM and giving that GM full control of all football decisions, means that McDaniel is fired after one year (doubtful that a new GM would want to do anything other than bring in his own guy), and Ross is paying off three big coaching contracts at once;

2) Ross has never figured out that that is the best way to run a FB organization and he has had 14 years to figure that out.  So why would the light bulb come on now?

McDaniel deserves a second year with a new staff, and no quality GM candidate is going to want this job with the draft stock depleted like this, so you might as well hope for the best with the status quo next year and wait for 2024 anyway.  It likely means that if we get very lucky, the best possible outcome is 10 or so wins and a second round playoff exit in 2023, but that's pretty much what we are looking at IMO.

JMP wrote:I guess the moral of the story is: either punt or go for it on 4th down instead of attempting a 50+ yard FG!

you might be onto something here. and if the Phins punt, the opposing team will have at least a 75 yard drive ahead of them assuming a touchback and an even longer drive with a down/fair catch inside the 25. Now, we all know the Dolphins' defense will then give up a long, time-consuming drive that results in points for the opposition. if the Phins go for it and get it, great, keep moving forward. if they don't get it, then the defense gives up a much shorter - i.e., less time off the clock - drive with the same result. but now the offense gets the ball back with more time left. that settles it, the offense should always go for it between the 50 and the opposition's 28 yard line (a 45 yard FG) assuming there is more than 2:00 minutes left on the clock with either team having a full compliment of timeouts.

the defense needs to be re-built with a front-seven first mentality - not the backend forward approach that Boyer prefers. there are some pieces already in place (Wilkins, Davis, Phillips), but another pass rushing DE and new LBers are needed. i'm just not sure the salary cap already committed to an injury depleted defensive backfield (need new younger, healthy corners) and lack of draft picks will allow it to happen prior to 2024.

I agree with you Hal.

I think even Ross... Even Ross... is smart enough to come to the same conclusion.

What we have to hope for is:
A) McD brings in someone to put some fire back in the defense. Who that is...
B) Grier or somebody, has an off season to make us all proud... Makes the correct decisions on the Phins players, deals a player or two for picks or other players, and FIXES at least ONE Problem position on the team..
C) Grier actually does something IMPACTFUL in the draft.

Of these, only the new DC is actually likely to happen. Unless Grier goes hog-wild again and trades every pick this year and most of next year for another player like Ty Hill!!

Which I think COULD BE LIKELY!!!



I just do not have any confidence in Grier...   and McD... I really hope he self-examines his play calling and game-planning this year and realizes maybe he needs an OC to help him?

Merc - I do think what this Defense has needed for a long, long time is a big mean nasty playmaking LB. This defense does not have an identity. When it was at it's best in that "bucket of minnows swimming around" blitz your eyeballs out from Flores, they got away with good LBs, but there was never the main guy. How they can get this playmaker LB I do not know? But they could sure use one. I do think it was a mistake to bring back essentially the same LBs as last year and that goes right along with keeping Boyer, so...