What does Cleveland have to do w/ anything? They are clearly inferior to us talent wise. In 3 years with us he won 10 and 9 games sandwiched by a terrible 2007 season. We didn't lose 4 of 5 to end the season b/c Mangini lost the players. If a coach at 8-3 playing for a 1st rd bye loses the players I have to question the desire of those players. I think mangini deserves blame for coaching decisions but losing the locker room? if he did that we never get to 8-3.
I was thrilled to get Favre because I felt we had to move on to get to the next level and knew Favre was either going to give us lightning in a bottle or make us get our future QB. I wouldn't wish for an injury but what's wrong with Dolphin fans feeling the team had to move on to get to the next level? Also having watched Miami play, I think they have a pretty good team. They have faced teams with a combined 7 & 2 record including facing 3 of the best QB's in the NFL. We have faced teams with a combined 3 & 6 record including a NE team that was beat up badly on both sides of the ball. I would be very careful about assuming that Miami is going to be an automatic 2 wins for the Jets this year or that we will have a substantially better record than they will at the end of the year. September is rarely the month that seperates elite teams from the pack. They took a big blow lossing Pennington but they have a viscous running attack and a very good run D. If Henne turns out to be a guy that opens up the deep passing game and doesn't make to many mistakes, they may well get the ship righted?
I think last year was another case of a healthy Pennington making a coach and team look better than they are. We all know his pros and cons, we see it again now, but look at his history. Herm, Mangini and Sporano all had their best results with a healthy Chad acting as a coach on the field and being smart and accurate with the ball. Take him away and look what happens. I expect now that the Dolphins with Henne will look like the Jets did with Bollinger or Clemens, but we'll see.
Last year was another case of Pennington managing games and not making mistakes to keep his team in position to beat average to below average teams. The last 4 games against better than average teams resulted in losses with Pennington at QB because he cannot attack defenses. The CS was afraid to even try.
Pennington hadn't played that well but to be fair the Dolphins faced Matt Ryan, Payton Manning and Rivers. Those are 3 pretty good NFL QB's who win their share of games against anyone.
Very true and fair enough, but these are the games that Penny has rarely won. The blame is always put on his teammates by Penny supporters but he is to blame too. He had a chance to put his foot on the Colts throat and finish them with a critical 3rd and 6 late in the game with the score tied and audibled into a draw play when there were 9 in the box instead of attacking them through the air for the first down. That could have essentially ended the game assuming they held onto the ball for a score while they ran the clock. He plays not to lose.
Chad delivered, Ginn couldn't catch a TD. Their D allowed manning to shred them in just 15 mins. The SD game was 3-3 when he left.
It never should have come down to desperation mode. He had the opportunity to finish them and took the Herm route of playing not to lose.
Chad played well enough to win, he's not on that good of a team. He made them look better than they are, the point I made earlier. They have no WRs and were 1-15 before he got there. Certainly Parcells improved them but mostly by getting Chad to run the show. Let's see how they do without him now.
Sure they do, it's a team game. Chad is a veteran guy, he has to know the situation with Peyton Manning sitting on the other sideline. He has to know there's too much time on the clock to give him an opportunity to take the lead against a defense that hasn't shown the ability to stop him (for the most part). He has to know that his offense isn't potent enough to strike quickly if Manning does score. He has to know that right there is the time to put the nail in the coffin. Why wouldn't he do everything in his power to keep control of the game in his offenses hands? Because he plays not to lose. He was scared of throwing an INT.
That's a cop out. Do you think that any other NFL QB checks out of pass to a run there? I doubt it. The Colts were literally giving up the first down hitch all game. Ginn was having a pretty good game until he didn't come down with the TD.
Did Ginn have the opporutnity to catch a TD pass late to win the game? was it a catchable ball? He led an O that kept Peyton off the field but their D couldn't stop Peyton in the limited amount of time they were on the field.
Once again, if he didn't play like such a pussy it never would have come down to desperation mode. Yes, Gin could have caught that ball.
You can always point to one play in a game to pin it on the QB if you want to. Chad didn't lose that game for them, their defense did. Their WRs also dropped some catchable balls in the end zone. Again, let's see how well they do without him now.
Poor Chad. Never gets any help from his team mates. He must be the most unlucky athlete in the history of sports. You guys will defend him to the death, but he has done the same thing throughout his career. Beat the average teams and lose to the good ones. It's always his team mates fault when he loses. He had the opportunity to put his foot on the throat and finish the Colts. He chose not to.
So you don't think the gameplan was to keep it out of manning's hands? I guess if Miami had a gunslinger like Brett favre they'd have won the game?
I guarantee you Favre wouldn't have pussed out and checked to a run play. He would want the ball in his hands with a chance to finish them.
