Things To Take Away From This Dolphins Season

I know that we just finished watching ANOTHER losing season,  but as I wrote in a previous article, I am a man who believes that we need to learn from our mistakes. I am not  focusing on the negatives of this season in this article, you can go to any NFL sponsored website to get that, but instead the positives that we saw throughout this season and explain in my opinion why we should feel somewhat accomplished if not a bit relieved.

The first thing as Miami Dolphins witnessed was a team full of young talent that refused to give up, even when staring an 0-8 season in the face. The Dolphins pulled together and realized that all of them were at fault, not one or two individuals. Sure it took a few ego clashing (*clears throat at Marshall and Davis) but this teamwork lead to a record setting turn around, where the Dolphins were just one of 3 teams to win 3 games in a row after starting 0-7. After how the Dolphins started the season, finishing 6-10 is not THAT bad.

Sparano is gone! Yes, I see this as a positive for a couple of reasons. I got sick and tired of watching our head coach jump for joy at the sight of a field goal, yet sit calm as can be when we scored a touchdown. Players ted to feed off of the emotion of their coach, and seeing Sparano jump for joy over 3 points I believe was a small part our aweful red zone percentage this season. Another reason I feel the firing of Sparano was a positive is because his play calling when we were in the lead was atrocious. I know it is not all his fault, but as HC you have veto power. If your defensive coordinator is going to allow 14 points in one quarter because he is playing Quarter defense, you can change the play calls. You see it all the time if you watch the sideline close enough. Conservative play calling does not win ball games, and neither did Sparano (besides the 11-5 season wich can be owed in large part to the Wildcat.)

The next positive that can be taken out of this season is of course the one thing that Miami’s front office did right this season in bringing in Reggie Bush as a running back.Reggie has shocked me for one! I thought for sure when he was brought in that we were going to end up using him the EXACT same way New Orleans did. But no, Reggie appeared to grow right before our eyes this season as we watched him go from a sideline to sideline runner, to a down hill runner. Bush has passed 1,000 yards for the first time in his career and will be a MAJOR beneficiary in the future of Miami.

Brandon Marshall believe it or not makes my list for things to be happy about. He went over 1,000 yards recieveing for the 5th time in his career. Wich is impressive considering the fact Marshall has only been in the league 6 seasons. For the first time in the history of the Miami Dolphins we have a 1,000 yard rusher and reciever. Marshall has had his ups and downs, mostly with off the field stuff, and has had an unforgivable amount of drops this season, but if he can continue to work hard and be a leader in the off season, I feel he could be a top 5 receiver in the NFL easily.

This is quit a list to be proud of considering our awful and dissapointing season. But not forget the  inevitable success Daniel Thomas will have,  Vontea Davis and Sean Smith finally showing up, and of course the break out season that Matt Moore has had which signifies the future cutting of Chad Henne. As I said before, Matt Moore will not be our future QB, but he will be an upgrade to Henne as whoever we draft slowly comes into the scheme and begins to grow. When we get RG3 (who I think we should draft) he will need time to mature, I feel that Moore will be a good temporary fix in Miami till RG3 is ready  to take the reigns.

Who do you think deserves to be on this list of positive ideas that are moving the Dolphins forward?

Till next time,

Go Fins.