Miami Dolphins Top 5 Excuses That Need To End

The Miami Dolphins are entering the 2015 season with high hopes of a playoff birth. With three weeks remaining until the start of training camp, the Dolphins are hopefully ready to get off to a good start in camp in the hopes of transferring that momentum to the start of the season.

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Some teams start off strong while others finish strong. Very few run the season from start to finish with no hiccups. For the 2015 Dolphins, running from start to finish will have a huge impact on their seasons success. Miami has been doing well of late to start fast but they have yet to finish a season as strong as they start and that has cost them at least two playoff appearances. There are a myriad of excuses as to why that is but no more.

The time for excuses are over and the next step must be taken in order to make the spending and personnel changes mean something. With that being said, here are five previous excuses that simply don’t wash anymore.

Ryan Tannehill

The excuse – still learning the position.

It’s over with. Tannehill signed a franchise contract that will keep in Miami for the foreseeable future and anything less than a top 10 to top 15 quarterback rating will be inexcusable. Tannehill has grown each of the past three seasons and his growth needs to now elevate closer to elite. He is the team leader and on the field needs to elevate the team around him. He is poised and has taken on that leadership role this off-season and now needs to transfer it to game days. This will be the 2nd season in the Bill Lazor offense. A system in which he did very well in last season. With the wide-receivers now revamped and Mike Wallace the problem child gone, Tannehill is surrounded by his best supporting cast since joining the NFL. There are no more excuses.

Joe Philbin

The excuse – is still learning how to be a head coach

Untimely time outs have been one of his major problems and it’s clear on game day that he tends to put his fingers into both sides of the ball at the wrong time. Philbin received a one year extension but if he can’t lead this team, actually lead it, he won’t be around in 2016. Philbin could potentially miss the playoffs and keep his job but it’s likely going to take a 10-6 record and how the team finishes will be the catalyst in knowing where he is at with Stephen Ross. Philbin has endured ridicule for his attention to shoelaces and gum wrappers, for his alignment with Dawn Apoonte against Jeff Ireland, he has been ridiculed in the media for his use of timeouts and we can’t forget his inability to control the locker room. As much as anyone on this team, Joe Philbin needs to show he can coach this franchise. There are no more excuses.

Offensive line

The excuse – still too young

Hogwash! The Dolphins, specifically Joe Philbin and his staff have tried in vane to fix the offensive line but their stubbornness over believing in fringe players and the lack of ability to develop said players has left Ryan Tannehill on his back and the offense falling short of their goals. While Mike Pouncey’s return to center is a good thing, questions remain at both guard positions where Philbin and his staff are reluctant to make real change. Billy Turner is an unknown and Jamil Douglas is a rookie but it’s really Dallas Thomas who the coaching staff still believes in and apparently they do not see what everyone else does. The offensive line must perform at the same level as the rest of the team or it won’t matter how well everyone else on that side of the ball performs. There are no more excuses.

Koa Misi

The excuse – haven’t found the right fit for him yet

Misi enters the 2015 season back at middle linebacker for the 2nd season in a row and frankly he needs to step up. He played better than average last season but average isn’t going to cut it. Misi has all the talent to play at this level but his inconsistencies is detrimental to the run defense and to his own development. Last season his excuse was a new position, that won’t be the case this year. Misi needs to take advantage of the additions of Ndamukong Suh and rookie Jordan Phillips. Both along with Earl Mitchell should open blitzing lanes and attack lanes for Misi. There are no more excuses.

Jamar Taylor

The excuse – too raw and injury prone

Taylor was a 2nd round pick and enters his third season in the NFL. His first season was marred by injury that kept him off the field most of the season and hindering his development. In 2015 Taylor finally got a chance to show he can play at this level and again was injured. While the injuries were not connected the fact is Taylor was playing well and Miami needs to rely on their players to stay on the field. Taylor is ready to take the position opposite Brent Grimes but this is the year he has to put it all together and assume the starting role. With the defensive front being one of the “on paper” strongest in the NFL, the corners will need to be explosive in stopping quick passes and getting turnovers. Taylor has that potential but the window for his career with the Dolphins is starting to dip if he doesn’t prove it on the field. No more excuses.

BONUS

Caleb Sturgis

The excuse – there is none

Sturgis was a 5th round draft pick and has come nowhere near meeting the expectations of that selection. Mystifying is the fact that he is unable to consistently kick the ball out of the end zone on kick-offs. Making matters worse is that Sturgis has yet to show he is a clutch kicker and last season he missed several game changing kicks that could have won games for the Dolphins or made them not as close. As of now the Dolphins have only a rookie competing with him, an undrafted rookie at that. Sturgis is injured once again from a freak accident in a kick-ball game but that injury will not and should not secure him his job. Sturgis needs to settle down and just kick the football and should he make the roster this  year his leg could be the difference between a playoff appearance and sitting at home. Close games are won because a kicker can put points on the board when drives stall, so far Sturgis hasn’t done that with any regularity. No more excuses.