AFC East (1 Viewer)

[airbornemedik]

Does anyone think that Miami has a chance to dethrown the Pats next year? I mean if you look at some of the games they blew in the 4th ie...Atlanta, NE. And they did beat some NFL elites CAR,DEN,NE. I think with some good drafts to fine tune the team, they might even make it pass the wild-card round.

Im not a dolphins fan!!

 

[Finatic]

We seem to be the media sleeper team in 2006 all of a sudden.Honestly from a homer's viewpoint this team still has some work to do.We made some strides in 2005,but the areas below need to be addressed before we can begin to take the next step.

The LB position needs to be addressed.Zach and JR are on there last legs.Crowder looks like a steal and look for Saban to add another LB here via FA or in the draft.

The QB position is foremost on everyone's mind when you look at this team.Saban did wonders when you look at this position in 2005.This definitely needs to be addressed if this team is to go further in 2006.

Houck did wonders with the OL last year,but there is still work to be done.The inter changing of personel last year still suggests that Houck and Saban still have not found the right balance of players.They need to get stronger here as well.

Sam Madison is getting a bit long in the tooth.He will more than likely be gone this offseason.Travis Daniels was OK as a rookie and should cement one CB slot.Will Poole was looking good until the knee injury and hopefully he will come back healthy.This team sure could use Michael Huff at S,but he will be long gone by #16.

So the long and the short of it from a homer's view is this.I see us improving if some of the above changes are made this offseason.Enough to dethrone the Pats in 2006,I doubt it,but maybe by 2007 if Saban can keep adding talent to a team that is finally heading in the right direction after year's of poor coaching and misdirection by Dave Wannstedt and Rick Spielman........

 

[PMENFAN]

They're definitely on the improvement, but still a long ways off. Their vicoties against playoff teams Den and NE were opening day, when the Broncos clearly hadn't found themselves, as it was their worst game of the year. And the NE game featured NE's 3rd string rookie QB playing behind a line missing 2 starters and 2 dinged up RB's, and the 'fins won by 2 because this rookie missed a 2 point conversion at the end of the game.

The 'fins need QB help and line help. If they can get a McNair, or somebody like that, (does Favre move from gB for one last shot?) (CPepp for a 2nd?) they have a solid shot at 11-5. In ths short run, that type of guy could turn them. Catching NE is a different story. Miami has age concers on the line and D side of the ball that they have to addreass year in and out for 3-4 years. I do agree however that Wanstadt all but destroyed this team. The best thing that happened to the 'fins this offseason though is the same as the Pats. The hiring of **** Jauron in buffalo. He has done a great job w/ the Lions O over the recent past, so I can see why Buffalo would give him a shot. Also, the Jets have major concerns. So, the 'fins are no worse than second, by default.

 

[thayman]

sure the dolphins can take the division. Your Division is very going to be pretty weak right now, Pats really the only team to beat, and I belive they are on the decline anyway....

 

[Boston]

I don't see it happening in 2006. The overall talent gap is still pretty big on these teams. The Pats have far more young talent and should hopefully be far more healthy in 2006 than 2005's debacle. After the Pats get their injured players back, have another draft, make a few key signings they should be vastly improved over the wounded 2005 team that played with a bullseye on their back all year as a two time champ. Remember guys like Brady, Seymour, Branch, Wilfork, Samuel, Warren, Wilson, Watson and Koppen (and others) are just hitting their prime.

As for the Fins Saban absolutely has them on the right track. H's a stud. Yet, the Wanny years did a ton of damage. Last year pure coaching made a ton of difference. Yet, a closer look at the roster shows an aging defense, a subpar QB situation and a mediocre at best O line. Add in a salary cap situation that's not favorable and it will be tough to make huge strides in 05 although they will be a solid team. I think they need two more good drafts and some salary cap work to get closer to the Pats. I see them around .500 in 06 and if they draft well and sign some quality guys in their prime the next few offseasons (as well as settling the QB situation) to compliment/replace the guys getting older I look for them to be a potential playoff level team in 07. At that point I think you'll really see a Miami/NE rivarly heat up.

 

[Borat]

I don't see it happening in 2006. The overall talent gap is still pretty big on these teams. The Pats have far more young talent and should hopefully be far more healthy in 2006 than 2005's debacle. After the Pats get their injured players back, have another draft, make a few key signings they should be vastly improved over the wounded 2005 team that played with a bullseye on their back all year as a two time champ. Remember guys like Brady, Seymour, Branch, Wilfork, Samuel, Warren, Wilson, Watson and Koppen (and others) are just hitting their prime.

As for the Fins Saban absolutely has them on the right track. H's a stud. Yet, the Wanny years did a ton of damage. Last year pure coaching made a ton of difference. Yet, a closer look at the roster shows an aging defense, a subpar QB situation and a mediocre at best O line. Add in a salary cap situation that's not favorable and it will be tough to make huge strides in 05 although they will be a solid team. I think they need two more good drafts and some salary cap work to get closer to the Pats. I see them around .500 in 06 and if they draft well and sign some quality guys in their prime the next few offseasons (as well as settling the QB situation) to compliment/replace the guys getting older I look for them to be a potential playoff level team in 07. At that point I think you'll really see a Miami/NE rivarly heat up.

I agree with just about everything here. Miami is still at least one or two seasons away from seriously challenging New England.

 

[Kirby]

I think it's possible.. but they will need to get a decent qb(maybe trade for Brooks), sign some stud OLs( Backus, Bentley) and draft a stud OT in the first. I don't see them doing these things, so I am going with no. :(

 

[ooofffaaa]

Can we please stop with the Aaron brooks to Miami stuff. I'd rather have Fiedler back instead of that washed up loser.

Miami is a QB and CB away from the playoffs.

see me sig line . . . .

 

[DoctorDetroit]

Here is some sig material so be ready to this post:

Dolphins are EXTREMELY OVERRATED. They won what essentially were meaningless games vs the Pats, Titans, Jets, Bills, and Raiders. I'll give them the Chargers game which was an impressive victory on the road but that's the NFL. Anyone can beat anyone on any given day.

Now I'm not saying that the franchise isn't moving in the right direction and their fans should not be excited. They should be. But the Dolphins are always a team with high expectations that disappoint and I think it's unfair to expect a whole lot from an aging defense and a team that still has an unproven Qb and offensive line. Will the Dolphins be a better team than they were in 2005? Yes I think they will be better. Will they have a better record? I say no.

Their home schedule is far from easy. They will beat Buffalo, N.Y. Jets, GB, and the Titans. But unless they are playing NE in week 17 that's a loss. KC is going to be very good and I see this as a loss. Jacksonville and Minnesota are games they will need to win and I see a split.

Playing on the road in the NFL is a chance to be the upset minded dogs but I see trap games on this schedule. They are going to have to win at least four games and there is opportunity with Buffalo, N.Y. Jets, Houston, and Detroit. But I see Buffalo also being better next year and playing up there after Nov 15th is tough. Detroit is still a decent home team and they are headed in the right direction as well. The only gimmes to me are Houston and the Jets who should be two of the five worst teams in the NFL next year.

Pittsburgh, New England, Indianapolis, Chicago are losses unless they get the Bears early and they are coming off a loss.

So I see the Dolphins going 7-9 or 8-8. To me they overachieved by four wins this year and Saban did a terrific job. This franchise is definitely headed in the right direction but I think they are at least a year away in the very tight AFC. If they are going to make the playoffs they have to finish better than three of Cincy, Indy, Pittsburgh, Denver, SD, KC, NE, and JAX. Add an improved Buffalo and it gets even more commingled.

That's my and I'm not a Dolphins hater at all. I think for a change they should be an underdog and like that role because they have a solid coaching foundation that will get the max amount of wins out of what I consider a very average bunch at best. I've been wrong before, but not usually about the Dolphins.

EDIT to remove Browns.

 

[The Fletch]

Can we please stop with the Aaron brooks to Miami stuff. I'd rather have Fiedler back instead of that washed up loser.

Miami is a QB and CB away from the playoffs.

see me sig line . . . .