Michael Lombardi breaks down the AFC - Dolphins SB contenders

[Pappy13]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8191ab4e/article/breaking-down-afc-picture-has-dolphins-making-big-jump

He rated them a blue-chipper which is a Super Bowl caliber team.  The only other AFC teams he ranked as blue chippers were the Colts and the Chargers.  I’d say he’s being a bit generous, but I do think there is lots of potential in Miami this year.  They had one of the toughest schedules last year and were hurt pretty bad by injuries losing several starters for half the year or more.  They added Brandon Marshall, the schedule this year is much easier and if they can avoid injuries, they will compete with the Patriots and Jets for the AFC East.  Beyond that much of it will depend on how Chad Henne does.  He looked like a rookie last year in his first year starting, sometimes good sometimes bad.  If he develops into a good QB like I think he will, they’ll have enough weapons on offense, their D just needs to be average and they will make the playoffs.

[Thundergod]

[Doc-phin]

^ agreed.

You can't really write an article like this in today's media until a team has demonstrated more than the Dolphins have in the last two years.  However, I have to give the guy credit for actually going with his beliefs rather than what popular perception is.  Maybe he is smoking or maybe he is a closet Dolphins fan, but he should probably do the same thing all the other "fake analysts" do and stay off the limb.

It is very safe to say that last years greats will be this years greats, but history shows that a few teams will always take leaps from year to year.  There is a lot of reason to draw comparisons between what we are doing and what the Saints and Cardinals have recently done.  Indeed, we are in a tougher division and we don't have the brand name quarterback like Brees or Warner, but overall talent and coaching is where it needs to be to be elite caliber this year.

The way I see it, we are going to make every game absolute misery for opponents this year.  There is nothing soft about this team.  We have the weapons for late game comebacks now and I agree with Lombardi that Nolan and our defensive progress will be enough to stop the ridiculous free scores from last year.  Except for the crappy opening to the season (with Pennington BTW) we were in every game and showed we could beat any of the top teams we played.  I feel like we have addressed the issues that made us come up short in those games.

[USO-ORLANDO]

I remember they had us at The Super Bowl when Cullpepper came aboard.........