RateItAll: The Opinion Network

this team will improve but not yet at least their quarterback wont get hit as much as last season.

Miami has been nothing since Marino. Welker was great ~ too bad for the trade, as was Taylor (pre-trade). This is my fiancees fav team ~ as shown in the "Marino Shrine" in our living room. I am OK with that (as the Bears and Dolphins only play every four years) ~ they are no ones competition!

miami has had its problems and it will, till they get another quarterback like Marino. I've been a fan since "84". I was young, but they were consistant team then and might not have been to the playoffs, or even a wild card in a long time, but they need to rebuild and stop paying lots of money and 2nd round draft picks for bum players that are hurt or drug addicts and start from scratch. If they do that then in a couple of years they will be the team to beat. Hey we wil always have our undefeated season and beat anybody who tries to take it away from us. Like the colts last year! That was a great game.

Well this team has had very illustrious history. The 1972 "Perfect Season" remains their biggest calling card. However, I think that this franchise has deteriorated somewhat since, especially, the retirement of Don Shula, who holds the record as the winningest coach in NFL history. Over the past 20 years, including Shula's last years with the team, the team has at times been good enough to be contenders, but never good enough. You had those years under Dan Marino that the offense was run very well, but the defense consistently underperformed. Then under Jimmy Johnson, the team started playing very good defense, but Johnson's focus on shoring up the running game arguably ruined Marino's best chance at going for the Super Bowl, by deemphasizing the passing game that he was very good at.

Since Marino's departure, the Dolphins have been lost, searching for solutions at quarterback. In the past two years, they have blown 2 2nd round draft picks and nearly $45 million dollars combined on deparation moves to find the next Dan Marino. The first time, in 2004, they believed that A.J. Feeley, a third string quarterback with the Eagles, was their Savior. They signed him for $20 million with promises that he will be the starting quarterback that year. Turned out that he couldn't even beat out the other quarterbacks on the team, all of whom had been backups with other teams. The team went 4-12 and the Head Coach lost his job that year.

Of course, history is always prelude, as the Dolphins probably made the same mistake again with recruiting Daunte Culpepper. But to fair, the problem seems to be more organizational. They believed, as admittedly I did and many of the fans have over the past few years, that you can have a playoff contender by signing moderately priced free agents and hoping that big playmakers like Jason Taylor on defense and Ricky Williams on offense can give you enough wins to get into the playoffs. However, that hasn't been the case. Indeed, Taylor is probably the only player on this team which I can say has always played consistently well. Ricky is one of the best RB's in the league, but his baggage has also hurt the team at times.

Lesson to take away: Teams that do well consistently also draft well, on offense, drafting a good nose tackle along with a good QB are really integral. On defense, cornerbacks and defensive backs are important, among other positions like Safeties. The Dolphins are an example of a team that has willfully neglected these positions in the draft because they believed that any free agent dropped by a top caliber team can fill in reasonably. And they have at times, but other times, they have blown major draft pick for such free agents, Ricky Williams being a prime example, who was worth two 1st rounders. The net result of all of this is an old defense that's slowing down, an offense which cannot score because their QB can't make plays. Missed tackles, too many turnovers, inconsistent use of the running game, bad blocking schemes are just part of the problem associated with this lack of talent. Hell, they lost to the Houston Texans on the road on the road this year! This year has been a disappointing year because so many people believed that the Dolphins had the coaching talent to make big things happen, even with mediocrity. New coach Nick Saban indeed is a very intelligent coach, but either you have talent or you don't: it's that simple. He can devise game winning plays; the key is whether your people can execute them. The best path for the Dolphins is to simply start re-building through the draft, which they will probably be in good position to do this year, as they will probably have a top 5 pick.

This has Disney Movie written all over it. A superstar Quarterback going into a potential super bowl season blowing out his knee and getting traded; an up and coming coach; and even a personal drama between a linebacker and a defensive end getting into it because the linebacker's sister is going through a nasty divorce with the defensive end (who just happens to also be his best friend).

Maybe not Disney. But like in all Disney movie's the hard assed coach will take his team to the brink of the Playoff's, only to have reality kick in. They're a year away still.

best team ever!

Dolphins suck! I can't wait til we clean the fish's clock next year!

Talk about a team on the rise! Sure, they barely missed the playoffs, but the way they played the end of the season and even some early in the season was impressive. This was a bad year to be in the AFC, though... The Chiefs went 10-6 and missed the playoffs... Pretty unfortunate for the 9-7 Dolphins as well. Everything looks like it's all heading in the right direction for this team, except maybe their defense. The defense played well, but they also are getting older. Nick Saban is a genius. Next year might be their year for a division championship...

The Dolphins arent too bad, but they definitely did have a bad year. I think that the loss of Ricky Williams really changed this ball club around a little. The Dolphins hold many records though. They are the only team to be undefeated and win a superbowl in the same year. They had the quarterback that used to hold the most single season touchdown record, which was Dan Marino. I'm sure that the Dolphins will have a better season next year.

Christ, if Steve Spurrier cain't take Washington nowhere, then don't expect Nick Saban to take this franchise nowhere either. He won't even last past his third year.

Are you kidding me?

Just another collapsing dynasty. Too bad.

IT's TIME TO PANIC DOLPHINS FANS!!!! this might actually become the worst team in the NFL this year.

Horrible team now that they have no one left.

Not to mention David Boston out for the year....almost makes ya feel bad for ol' Wannstadt....almost!

HAHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! oh my tooooo funny!!!! Ricky Reefer Williams retires to go hang out with Nate Newton on his retreat in the far east... TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FUNNY!! I hope the fish lose every game this year!

ricky is gone

Their wining percentage is unrivaled by any team, bu the dolphins become endangered in december.

This is the most overrated, underachieving team of the last decade. I don't care what the regular season schedule shows, have they won a playoff game since the 80's?

my fave since 1971

Always consistently good. Have the fewest losing seasons of any team since they were formed in the 60s.

If these guys didn't have Ricky Williams, they'd be screwed. Really. Jay Fiedler is not that good, and there is a reason why Denver let Griese go. Miami seems to always be solid on defense, but on offense they always seem to be inconsistent. They have no big-play receivers, and have not for a long time. Hell, even with one of the best quarterbacks ever in Dan Marino, they still couldn't win it all. Now teams are lining up their linebacks on the line and hammering Williams everytime he touches the ball. He should crack 1,000 yards on his talent alone, but don't expect Miami to do much if they luck out and limp into the playoffs.

THEY WILL GO ALL THE WAY WHY? BECAUSE I SAID SO !!! FLORIDA HAS IT GOING ON!!! WE HAVE TAMPA BUCANEERS,WORLD CHAMPIONS, MARLINS IN THE WORLD SERIES,AND ME!!! DONE DEAL AND SO BE IT...

Miami is definitely a team that in its current status will break your heart. Already, they have lost their home opener (very rare for the Dolphins to lose in September period). However, name recognition and satistic wise, they're can virtually become one of, if not, the best overall team this season. They can be Super Bowl contenders. They just have to get the historical monkeys off their back (Lose frequently at away games, lose against teams they should satistically beat, have more than a 1 game lead in their decision, sit down on a first-half lead too much that they'll blow the game, and so on).

Major QB issues. They got a good back in Williams, but somebody/anybody needs to replace Fiedler, even if it is Griese.

Probably the best defense of 2003 (this is pre season predicting) with seau and sammy knight.

this team has one weapon...ricky williams..which is not enough to compensate for the absence of marino...

Whine-ami? You gotta be kidding!!! As a true-blue Buffalo Bills fan, ANYTHING that smacks of south Florida is immediately suspect and not worthy of my respect. GO BILLS! Screw Miami!!!!!

Draft choices more or less take a year to mature. This year, the Fins won't have last year's first-rounder, nor this year's. If you're not constantly improving as much as everybody else, you're falling behind. 2002 was the Fins' year.

This team is just really good at what they do

Decent defense, power running with Ricky Williams, a general in Fiedler, all they lack is a killer instinct. If Coach Dave can teach them that, they could represent the AFC in the Super Bowl next year. I'm not a huge Dolphin fan, but they deserve props.

SUCK!!!!! but they are getting better...at least for now

what a bad team they are too bad

No decent head coach + no QB = CONTINUED MEDIOCRITY.

Go Dolphins!!

Miami Dolphins are the greatist sport franchise in the world!!!!!

The Dolphins are probably in the top 10 best teams right now, but I'm giving them a one to bump them down from 3rd.

At first this team looked like it was going to dominate. After getting Ricky Williams and watching him, I was thinking they were going to be superbowl contenders. But they crashed and didnt even make the playoffs. They pretty much folded when things got tough

They might not be the best team out there, but their the FINS.....GO DOLPHINS

If we could just get a quarterback

Too bad we can't give negative ratings. Dolphins fans: Get over Marino. He couldn't get a ring. Dolphins haters: Hold on to Marino. He couldn't get a ring.

Best team ever, and if you doubt, search which team has ever finished an undefeated season.

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED

Isn't it interesting how we become fans of the various athletic teams? For years, Arizona had no pro football team (still don't) so I had to pick a team. When I played high school football, our coach would not let us wear our hair long; said it was for team unity. Well, that was 1971-72 and the Dolphins were kicking butt. Kiick, Csonka, Scott, Morris, Swift all those guys had long hair, mustaches, etc. So, I adopted them as my team and have ever since! Go Dolphins!

These guys are great. You know they have to be to adapt and be just as good without Marino. And to think I thought they wouldn't be any good without Jimmy and Marino.

they r going to be #1 next year with a 13-3 season and a 21-16 aginst minnesto

Defense, Defense, Defense! What is it about the state of Florida. If only they had a running game. I think they have a great chance to win it all.

Miami has always been my favorite team and always will be. The defense is excellent this year. Tony Martin gives us a deep threat. OJ is one of the best possession receivers in the league.

Need a little help Jimmie?

I love the Dolphins and hope that Dan Marino will finally get a ring/Super Bowl bedause he's sucj an amazing player.

FIRE JIMMY & DRAFT A RUNNING BACK NEXT YEAR.

Cowboys whooped up on the Fish and shut Jimmy's team down on Thanksgiving. Hate to say it - but it might be time for Marino to hang 'em up. Watch out after that - here come the Dolphins with Damon Huward or whatever his name is.

This is Miamis year. Marino finally gets his superbowl ring.

Could have what it takes. Playing just fine without Marino - their defense should take them places.

The Dolphins are the best team in football!

The best team in the NFL, great chance to make playoffs and win the Super Bowl.

Miami will win it all this year.

Best ream in the NFL. With Jimmy Johnson we can show everyone how good the Dolphins are. Dan Marino will win before he retires. The Dolphins will win the Super Bowl this year.