Looking ahead after the bye

[dolphins4life]

Miami is currently 5-4

Four of their remaining games are against weak teams.  (Buffalo twice, Jaxsonville, Indianapolis)

The most likely path to the playoffs is this.

The Bengals win the North.

Miami overtakes the Steelers for the second wild card. 

The Steelers play the Saints, the Patriots, the Chargers, and the Bengals.

It's not totally out of the question to make the playoffs this year. 

[stinkfish]

The Dolphins aren’t playoff worthy or playoff ready. I really don’t think, given the way that they’ve played recently, that they’ll be in the post season. I’d actually rather not see them in the playoffs than to kind of stumble in ass backwards, and get embarrassed in the first round.

[Tenshot13]

The Dolphins aren’t playoff worthy or playoff ready. I really don’t think, given the way that they’ve played recently, that they’ll be in the post season. I’d actually rather not see them in the playoffs than to kind of stumble in ass backwards, and get embarrassed in the first round.

Why does anyone say this? I would much rather still have a chance to win a Superbowl and risk getting blown out then not being in the playoffs at all.

[Cathal]

Why does anyone say this? I would much rather still have a chance to win a Superbowl and risk getting blown out then not being in the playoffs at all.

Because it's pointless. Yeah, you get one more game out of them in the year, but they'll lose, horribly. Better to lose and get picks.

[Sunstroke]

Why does anyone say this? I would much rather still have a chance to win a Superbowl and risk getting blown out then not being in the playoffs at all.

Amen to this...

If it comes down to a puncher's shot in the playoffs or a middle of the first round pick...lace up the fucking gloves, baby! The only exception to this would be if it was the final week of the regular season, and your team is vying for the #1 overall pick, in a draft class that has a "clear no-doubt future superstar" at the top.

In that case, I hope we lose gracefully...without injury, and that the Sports Gods forgive me for my blasphemy.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Why does anyone say this? I would much rather still have a chance to win a Superbowl and risk getting blown out then not being in the playoffs at all.

There are some people who consider the absolute worst outcome of a season losing the superbowl and the second best outcome getting the first pick the following season. 

Examples of this.  Nobody talks about the fact that only one team in the history of the NFL has ever managed to win their conference four consecutive years.  That is a pretty amazing feat.  But rather it is always framed as they lost the sb four times.  Or this board in 2007 and comparative situation of a team that went 1-15 to one that went 16-0 but lost in the SB.

I would rather have my team lose in the playoffs than have a low pick for next year.

[Tenshot13]

Because it's pointless. Yeah, you get one more game out of them in the year, but they'll lose, horribly. Better to lose and get picks.

Your negative attitude is pointless.  You don't know they'll lose horribly, you don't know if it is just one more game they play at the end of the year or more.  It's always brought up:  The 9-7 Giants beat the 13-3 Patriots to win a Superbowl.  There is always a chance if you're at the dance, but none if you don't even go.

[Spider-Dan]

Hoodie, it's unfair to poll Miami Dolphins fans on their feelings about a team losing the Super Bowl after an undefeated regular season, for one particularly obvious reason.  I mean, how many of us did you see cheering when the 15-1 Packers lost in the playoffs?

That said, I agree with your basic premise... losing guarantees nothing.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Hoodie, it's unfair to poll Miami Dolphins fans on their feelings

I get that.  And I doubt there is much love for the Bills either.  But there does seem to a portion of the population that would be much more likely to rag on a 2016 Falcons fan for losing to NE 34-28 in a close game than a Browns fan for losing to NE 33-13.  By any objective measure the 2016 Falcons had a better season than the 2016 Browns, but many people act as if the opposite.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Considering the injuries, is 9-7 really that bad of a year? Certainly disappointing after our 3-0 start, but 2 out of 3 years with winning records and maybe playoffs? That can be the start of something. Even more so since the middle year was Jay Cutler being awful. We are already in that draft purgatory slot and we won't get out of it until we hit a Homerun in every round. So, might as well cheer for the playoffs and a first round blowout than 6-10.

Fix the cap situation as best as possible and try to make it 10 wins next year.

[Tenshot13]

^Naw fam, Tannehill comes back and we win out...we good