Does Philbin know what he's doing?

[Spider-Dan]

Starting to think there is only 2 possibilities for Philbin. He is going to clean house and build this the right way and in 2-3 years he will have praised heaped on him for turning this entire franchise around.

OR

He is Josh McDaniels 2.0 who will run everyone out in a year, alienate every player on the roster and the entire fanbase. Then be run out of town himself very quickly

Thank you.  This is exactly what I am saying.  Philbin/Ireland's actions have completely removed any middle ground; he will be either an amazing genius or a complete idiot.

For the first one to happen he is going to have to win a few games this year and have Tannehill play well so people (players/fans) have a reason to believe going forward.

Well, I think we can say from experience that he needs to win more than one game.  That being said, they need to get a win early (no more 0-fer circus like 2007 or 2011) and he probably needs to finish with at least 3 wins.

[MikeO]

Well, I think we can say from experience that he needs to win more than one game.  That being said, they need to get a win early (no more 0-fer circus like 2007 or 2011) and he probably needs to finish with at least 3 wins.

I have said from Day 1 I don't care if Miami goes 2-14 this year, as long as Tannehill plays well. A horrible year will do wonders for Miami long-term. Another high draft pick, hopefully they can trade down to a QB hungry team and stockpile more picks and then begin to load up on players. As long as Tannehill is in place and the QB position is accounted for, rebuilding the rest of the team is much easier. The biggest and most important chip needs to be out of the way though so Tannehill must play well. Nobody is expecting greatness, just play well.

[Phishfan]

I don't care if Miami goes 2-14 this year, as long as Tannehill plays well.

I think that would depend on your definition of playing well. I don't think I can recall any teams with similar records where I said the QB played "well".

[MikeO]

I think that would depend on your definition of playing well. I don't think I can recall any teams with similar records where I said the QB played "well".

I mean if the WR's are dropping balls left and right that ain't on Tanny. If the o-line is awful and he has no time, that ain't on him either. If he isn't a turnover machine that is a major plus. If we are losing because he has zero help the intelligent fan can see that.

[Brian Fein]

Too bad the vocal majority often doesn't consist of "intelligent fans."

[Spider-Dan]

I have said from Day 1 I don't care if Miami goes 2-14 this year, as long as Tannehill plays well. A horrible year will do wonders for Miami long-term.

Jeff Fisher could have went 1-15 or 2-14 and kept his job.  He has some coaching capital.

Joe Philbin does not.  This is basically Cam Cameron redux (not necessarily the results, just the scenario).  If MIA is without a win and it's week 11, Philbin and Ireland will be exploring exciting new employment opportunities.

And as Phishfan said, I'm not sure how Tannehill could be having a "good year" if the team has less than 3 wins and it's near the end of the season.

P.S. It goes without saying that if Tannehill plays horribly, the entire team will be blown up.

[Brian Fein]

^^ disagree.  Cam Cameron got fired because they brought in Parcells.  Had they not gone the Parcells route, Cameron would have likely been helped to season 2.

I don't see how you can endorse giving up on a rookie head coach after only 11 games.

[Spider-Dan]

^^ disagree.  Cam Cameron got fired because they brought in Parcells.  Had they not gone the Parcells route, Cameron would have likely been helped to season 2.

That is just as much cause as effect.  Do you think the ownership would have been calling Jon Gruden or Bill Cowher if Tony Sparano was 0-13 in 2008?  Of course not, because Sparano was Parcells' avatar, and Parcells could have went 0-16 and kept his job (in 2008, anyway).  I suppose you could argue that if Parcells turned down Miami, Cameron would have kept his job... but then again, if Harbaugh hadn't turned down Miami, Sparano would have been fired after the 2010 season.

This is actually a perfect segue into my next point: if we're in week 15 and Joe Philbin has one win, you don't think Bill Cowher's phone is going to be ringing?  What would you say then... Philbin only got fired because they brought in Cowher?

I don't see how you can endorse giving up on a rookie head coach after only 11 games.

Endorsing has nothing to do with it.  Like Cameron and The Ginn Family, Philbin has put a bullseye on his back with his brash moves.  If they pan out, great.  If they don't, well, Cam Cameron can tell you that being a coordinator isn't the worst gig in the world.

[hordman]

If MIA is without a win and it's week 11, Philbin and Ireland will be exploring exciting new employment opportunities.

+1 I laughed out loud in my cubicle. 

[Landshark]

^^ disagree.  Cam Cameron got fired because they brought in Parcells.  Had they not gone the Parcells route, Cameron would have likely been helped to season 2.

I disagree with this statement.  Cameron would've been fired, Parcells or no Parcells.  Cameron had to go, not because of the results of the season, but because he lost the locker room.

[MikeO]

This is actually a perfect segue into my next point: if we're in week 15 and Joe Philbin has one win, you don't think Bill Cowher's phone is going to be ringing?  What would you say then... Philbin only got fired because they brought in Cowher?

If Ross fires Philbin after 1 year, even if its only 1 or 2 wins, NOBODY the likes of Cowher, Gruden, Holmgen...etc will want to come to Miami. Ross would be committing owner suicide!

[bsfins]

I don't want to build a team to be mediocre 2013-2014,or a few years down the road.I want a team to win Superbowls,and be a dynasty again...be the Patriots...If means trading away Brandon Marshall,and Vontae Davis,whomever the player it is to to get us closer to it...Buh-bye.

[suck for luck]

If Ross fires Philbin after 1 year, even if its only 1 or 2 wins, NOBODY the likes of Cowher, Gruden, Holmgen...etc will want to come to Miami. Ross would be committing owner suicide!

Agree. Firing yet another coach after one year regardless of record is the worst possible scenario.

[Pappy13]

I don't think the '90s Cowboys team is a viable model for the Dolphins.

You asked for an example, I gave you one. Whether or not it will work for the Dolphins is up for debate.

1) Miami has no Herschel Walker to trade (this is one of the most important parts of the Cowboy model).

The most important parts of the Cowboys rise to glory was the additions of Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith, neither of which were acquired with draft picks from the Herschel Walker trade. In fact I think someone once showed that only 1 or 2 players that were even on the Super Bowl team came from the picks acquired through the Herschel Walker trade. Even so, Miami has already received 4 draft picks from trading Marshall and Davis. How those draft picks impact future Dolphins teams remains to be seen.

2) With the existence of a salary cap, even if Miami could acquire a bunch of outstanding players at once, they wouldn't be able to keep them.

That's possible. The Cowboys had to let quite a few of the players that helped them get to the superbowl go.

The irony is that of any team in the league, Miami is the MOST qualified to say that that particular Cowboy model will not work again.  Why?  The Dolphins hired the creator of that plan, and he was unable to replicate it in Miami.

I already said that it requires more than just the right guy, it requires a little bit of luck as well, but just because Jimmy couldn't repeat his success with the Dolphins doesn't mean that it can't be done.

[Phishfan]

Emmitt Smith, neither of which were acquired with draft picks from the Herschel Walker trade. In fact I think someone once showed that only 1 or 2 players that were even on the Super Bowl team came from the picks acquired through the Herschel Walker trade.

Incorrect. Emmitt Smith was indeed from one of the Vikings picks.