It's '89 All Over Again

Start off with a 7-4 record built on a lot of narrow wins, including a fluky one over the league's worst team? Check.

Never really looking like a playoff contender but getting people excited anyway because to that point it was the best they'd looked in years? Check.

Get clobbered in the 12th game by an AFC Central (now North) opponent who came in 6-5 and might have played their best game all season? Check.

Get stomped on the road by a team they were competing for a playoff spot with? Check.

Face a division foe having an awful season down the stretch? Check.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/tgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=game&year_min=1966&year_max=2016&game_type=R&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&temperature_gtlt=lt&team_id=mia&team_conf_id=All+Conferences&team_div_id=All+Divisions&opp_conf_id=All+Conferences&opp_div_id=All+Divisions&team_off_scheme=Any+Scheme&team_def_align=Any+Alignment&opp_off_scheme=Any+Scheme&opp_def_align=Any+Alignment&c1stat=points_diff&c1comp=lt&c1val=-30&c2stat=choose&c2comp=gt&c3stat=choose&c3comp=gt&c4stat=choose&c4comp=gt&c5comp=choose&c5gtlt=lt&c6mult=1.0&c6comp=choose&order_by=points_diff&order_by_asc=Y

I'm calling it now, this team goes from 7-4 to 8-8. Just like '89. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Next Sunday will tell the tale IMO.  If we lose to Arizona at home, I agree with you.

If, on the other hand, we see a much better effort this Sunday, shaking off the Baltimore disaster, then over .500 is a near-certainty IMO.

Cards have a great defense.  They're in the top five in yards per play against both the run and the pass.  It will be a challenge to put points on the board.

Offense is what has been the culprit in Arizona's slide.  Carson Palmer is finally showing his age, and they're 25th in yards per pass play on offense.  It will still be a challenge for Joseph, with two terrific playmakers in Johnson and Fitz, but it is doable at home.

That 1989 Miami team, looking at it, there was some wizardry involved with getting them to 8-8.  That defense was another lousy one during the 1985-89 run.  Next to last against the run (27th) on defense, dead llast (28th in yards per play) running the ball.  A horrible team to be facing Eric Dickerson and Christian Okoye twice with in the last four games.  Wasn't exactly as miraculous as the 1985 team getting 12 wins, but it was fairly impressive for them to be in the hunt for a playoff spot as long as they were.

Interestingly, it is the rushing defense that has been the Achilles heel statistically of this 2016 team: 30th out of 32 teams, giving up 4.7 per play.  But we're the fourth best rushing team in the league on offense.

I'm not expecting the playoffs, but I do expect nine wins, which would be progress, at least.

HalCHorn wrote:Offense is what has been the culprit in Arizona's slide.  Carson Palmer is finally showing his age, and they're 25th in yards per pass play on offense.  It will still be a challenge for Joseph, with two terrific playmakers in Johnson and Fitz, but it is doable at home.

Fair point, Hal, but Baltimore's offense is statistically worse than Arizona's...and Baltimore hung 38 points on us.

David Johnson will be the story of this game, IMO.  I can't imagine any possible way the Dolphins can stop him, as a runner or a receiver.  He already has over 1000 yards rushing, and he may top 1000 receiving as well (already over 700, averaging 11 yards a catch).  He has 15 total TDs (11 on the ground, 4 receiving).  He'll be running free all day.

I expect Johnson to have 200+ total yards in this game, and if Alonso doesn't play, it will be even worse.

Keep in mind, too, that TE Jermaine Gresham is starting to emerge for the Cards, with 10 catches over the past two games.  At 6'5", 260, he is a matchup nightmare for the Phins - especially in the middle of the field.

This one could make the Ravens game look good.