Brian Daboll deserves another year.

[Pappy13]

Also, as far as your comment about Bush and not using him right for the first 6-7 weeks or so...  I happen to think it is a little mistaken.  After week six it isn't like they started using Bush in a totally different way.  They kept running him up the middle but it started working.  I agree that there were more plays designed to go outside, but it wasn't exactly overwhelmingly different.

You're absolutely correct Doc-phin.

Bush first half inside runs: 50 for 211 yards, 4.22 avg.
Bush first half outside runs: 39 for 223 yards 5.87 avg.
Bush second half inside runs: 61 for 381 yards 6.24 avg.
Bush second half outside runs: 66 for 280 yards 4.24 avg.

Conclusions: Bush did start running more to the outside in the 2nd half, but his average per attempt went down outside and he actually gained more yards with a better average inside the 2nd half of the year. The yards is a bit misleading because he only played in 7 games the second half of the year, but the averages don't back up the theory that Bush did better because they quit running him inside and only ran him to the outside. Actually he did better when there was a pretty even distribution of inside and outside runs. My conclusion is that Bush became more effective when the passing game started to open up the defense a bit. Safeties weren't getting up on the line of scrimmage quite so much. Play action was working a bit better etc. Amazing what a little passing threat will do for the running game and vice versa.

And before you discount his 76 yard gallop on the inside, keep in mind that he also had sevaral more runs of 20 or more yards both inside and outside. Even without that 76 yard run, his average for "shir" would have been 5.08 which was still better than he did outside during the same period.

[MikeO]

Your welcome!   

Seriously though, I apologize for specifying you in my rant (Mike too).  I am just frustrated with change for the sake of change.  I am also frustrated with short sighted perspectives, which I find your post earlier in this thread to be.  Not that all of your posts are short sighted.  But it did bug me a bit.  I don't want to get rid of a talented guy when I have no reason to believe his replacement would be any better. 

Also, as far as your comment about Bush and not using him right for the first 6-7 weeks or so...  I happen to think it is a little mistaken.  After week six it isn't like they started using Bush in a totally different way.  They kept running him up the middle but it started working.  I agree that there were more plays designed to go outside, but it wasn't exactly overwhelmingly different.  As far as I can tell, the main reason for the improvement was that the timing improved.

So, I do apologize for lumping you into a group of people I am frustrated with based on one post.  It was wrong to do so.  But I do disagree with your sentiment in this thread.

You don't need to apologize, but how does any one fan or any group of fans lose games? Blaming the fans is  cheap and easy. Blame the real culprits which have been the owners, GM's and crappy head coaches we have had recently.

And this isn't "change for the sake of change"....3 losing seasons in a row is total failure. 

[Doc-phin]

You don't need to apologize, but how does any one fan or any group of fans lose games? Blaming the fans is  cheap and easy. Blame the real culprits which have been the owners, GM's and crappy head coaches we have had recently.

And this isn't "change for the sake of change"....3 losing seasons in a row is total failure. 

Fans absolutely can destroy a team and franchise.  We would like to believe that owners/GMs/Head Coaches make all of their decisions based on what is best for the team moving forward but unfortunately that isn't the case.  If fans don't go to games, owners do whatever it takes to get fans there.  They often fire good coaches just to get big names.  GMs get big name free agents when the lesser name player is often the better fit.  Coaches change their play calling to avoid the booooos.  It is reality.  Luckily they realize that winning is number one but it doesn't override the natural tendency to give the fans what they want.  Sometimes the fans are right, but a large part of the time they are wrong.

Sparano wasn't the problem, Mike.  Ireland is actually doing a pretty solid job and lots of fans are pressuring for him to go.  The problem is that we had to rebuild the team from scratch in order to have a shot to compete with New England.  It takes a while to position yourself to compete with a perennial super bowl contender.  In the mean time, because of the fine line between winning and losing in this league, we have lost more games than fans want to see.  If you look at the big picture and the details that make it up, we are getting close to having a complete team.  By that, I mean a team with minimal weak spots/good in all three phases/and several major match up issues for other teams to deal with.

You are only as good as your weakest link.  We have a couple of those, but not many.  But we aren't setup to implode like the Jets, we are setup for long term success.  The fans are looking for another reboot and another philosophy.  It that happens, it is going to be a long time before we are truly competitive in this division.

Best case scenario is that we get a solid HC that is willing to work with the foundation in place.  That is why Ireland was retained.  Even Ross knows that getting rid of both Ireland and Sparano meant a major reset that would take years to overcome.  If we fill in our last few weaknesses, we will get where we want much much faster and not sacrifice long term success in the process.

[MikeO]

Sparano wasn't the problem, Mike. 

He was the Head Coach! He doesn't get absolved. It starts and stops with him. Period. This is a results oriented business, you don't get results you get fired. Talk to Todd Haley about that. One year AFC West Champs the next year Fired! Win or Else! Jim Caldwell was in the Super Bowl a couple years back and on the brink of a perfect season in Week 15 before he rested his starters, he might get axed any minute. The fact Sparano got 3 years to fail in this league is pretty amazing! Raheem Morris got 2 years, good-bye! And he had a team on the brink of the playoffs last year.

The Dolphins had 2 problems the past 3 years.
1) NO Quarterback
2) NO Head coach

All of the other small stuff like whining about playcalling or a weak right tackle pale in comparison to the 2 elephants in the room. A head coach who was in over his head and poor QB play.

Sparano was damn near half the problem he was the weak link!  You can't say Sparano wasn't the problem the man was the head coach who led 3 losing seasons! And how is Miami getting close to being a good team. They have been 7-9, 7-9, and 6-10 the last 3 years. That is regression. No improvement whatsoever.

P.S...any coach who changes his playcalling because of BOOOO's by fans isn't a coach worth much. Seriously. That's reality

[Spider-Dan]

Sparano wasn't the problem, Mike.  Ireland is actually doing a pretty solid job and lots of fans are pressuring for him to go.  The problem is that we had to rebuild the team from scratch in order to have a shot to compete with New England.

Miami has rebuilt the team from scratch more than once since the Trifecta arrived.  There's perpetual turnover across the board each year; look at the offensive line for the most egregious examples.

For a group that supposedly came in to rebuild, who has been acquired as long-term solutions?  Since the Trifecta arrived, Miami has only seen consistency at LT, K, P, and SS, and the latter two positions were filled when he got here.  Nearly every other position has been a revolving door, full of inconsistent play.  The two most solid veteran acquisitions (Marshall and Dansby) were lured here with record-setting contracts.

[Alwaysdullfan]

Dolphins keep changin QBs every freakin year almost,, let the guys develop some chemistry, they could of easily have had 10 wins this season, and once they got comfortable with eachother on the field they started winning games, so maybe Moore isnt bad, def add another QB to compete, but Moore played good considering he backed up Henne half of the year. Maybe ever bring Henne I dunno, but they will always be bad if they keep changing guys, whether its QB, head coach, OC, I mean c'mon....its like their 16th QB since Marino to start for them of course they'll struggle, that inconsistency with players/staff bothers me the most