Reality or Perception?

[Phintim Menace]

One of the things that has bothered me going into this season is the national perception that New England is the team to beat. I realize that part of that is based on being the defending champions. But in reality they are very lucky to be champs. We all know Lynch should have clinched the game for Seattle. In addition, a lot of the most powerful pieces to that team were allowed to depart in the off season without any real replacements. It seems more like as long as Belichick and Brady are on the NE payroll they are automatically installed as AFC favorites.

The facts are these, Brady and Ryan Tannehill were dead even in performance last year, period, undeniable.

Rnk Cmp Att % att GM Yds avg yds GM TD INT 1st 1st % lng 20+ 40+ sck Rated

10	Tom Brady	NE	QB	373	582	64.1	36.4	4,109	7.1	256.8	33	9	220	37.8	69T	44	8	21	97.4
11	Ryan Tannehill	MIA	QB	392	590	66.4	36.9	4,045	6.9	252.8	27	12	224	38.0	50	41	4	46	92.8

With the most obvious difference being Brady's line protected him better. So if they were equal last year, what should be the trend for the 38 year old Brady and the 27 year old Tannehill? Let's just say after already living through the end of an era of a HOF QB, I'd rather be where we are headed than where they are headed.

So if the QB situation is even, what about the rest of the roster? During the off season, NE slashed and burned. They went all in on last year and then cashed out. Meanwhile Miami added and improved on many groups. And returned some injured starters. We had a solid draft, did well in free agency and kept our key players from last year. Do we still have areas of need? Of course, so does every other team. Do we have areas with little depth? Yes we do, a few key injuries at the wrong positions could cost us 3 or 4 wins in the year. Have we improved? Absolutely! Have the Patriots declined? Absolutely! Has this been ignored by the national media? Absolutely!

Am I looking forward to the shock and back pedaling that the media will have to do? ABSOLUTELY!

We're not perfect yet, but we are trending in the right direction, and so is NE, for Dolphin fans.

[AquaXI]

Every year I say this and every year I get burned. I'll say it again that Brady is a year older and thus should decline in performance according to father time. Belicheck is a year older but unlike Brady he seems to get wiser and more crafty as time goes on. Maybe we need to figure out Bill and his game plan.

[FinFan in KC]

I like and agree with everything you said, but until some team, hopefully the Dolphins, prove otherwise, then they are the team to beat certainly in the division and probably in the AFC just like they have been since Belichick and Brady teamed up. We have had this conversation before and as recently as the beginning of last year. Brady is certainly on the decline but the Patriots still went 11-5 without him in 2008. So as much as I dislike the Patriots and Belichick i have to respect what they have done. Other than the cheating of course. They have built through the draft while adding select veterans and haven't overpaid for anyone. It's a winning formula but not an unbeatable formula. I like what Miami is doing and I think this year might be their best chance to take the AFC East throne from the Patriots.

[Phintim Menace]

Agreed that I did not account for the difference in coaching, and that is a factor, but it's not magic. Since the green dots showed up on the helmets, Belichick couldn't win a Superbowl until he loaded in some talent last year. I am not saying we have surpassed NE yet, because you aren't the champs until you beat the champs. We have been gaining on them (see game 1 last year) when healthy. Their stock should have fallen since last year, ours has surely risen. I think the Patriots dynasty in the AFC East is over starting this season. We will see, but I am looking forward to it.

[So Be]

IMO, we have a very legit shot on winning the division, and winning a home playoff game. As a realist, I'm not going past that quite yet.

[FinFan in KC]

IMO, we have a very legit shot on winning the division, and winning a home playoff game. As a realist, I'm not going past that quite yet.

I agree with that. If we have some luck and avoid some injuries I think this is very realistic.

[DolphinsFreak]

One of the most important things in your thread topic was this, "With the most obvious difference being Brady's line protected him better. So if they were equal last year, what should be the trend for the 38 year old Brady and the 27 year old Tannehill?"

On PAPER the Dolphins have the better team. However, when you take into account that the Patriots coaches are in a league of their own and the Dolphins offensive line may have gotten worse, THAT is the key ingredient. Since Brady came into his first NFL game until now he has ALWAYS had ALL DAY LONG to throw the football. The Patriots hidden secret for success was Dante Scarnecchia. He was their offensive line guru for all of Brady's career up until 2013. The Patriots hid him and wouldn't allow the cameras to get near him. If you knew about him you could see him FAR away from the cameras almost as if he was instructed to hide from the media. Belichick is a genius when it comes to defensive strategies but he got a great deal of help with the offensive side of the ball. Brady is actually really smart and actually teaches Belichick on how to run that offense. The Dolphins defense, the Bills defense and the Jets defense should ALL be able to finally penetrate that impenetrable wall that the Patriots have built and take down the Chumps.

If the Dolphins want this type of success they need a better coaching staff and they need to PROTECT the most important position on the field better. For YEARS they have had one of the worse offensive lines in the league. A team with one of the worst offensive lines in the league do not win Super Bowls. If Brady played in Miami for the last 8 years he would have no Super Bowl rings.

[Phintim Menace]

He only has one in the last 8 years anyway, and that was a gift from Wilson lol. But your point is well taken. The Dolphins are better on paper. That was the point of this thread. NE is unanimous AFC East champ by the entire national media, but is that "Perception or Reality". When you analyze the rosters I am not so sure it's a run away for NE.

[Daytona Dolfan]

Another thing in NE favor is where they play. ALL the big media are from the northeast. As stated; to be the champs you have to beat the champs. IF the Dolphins can keep Tannehill clean we should be able to take the division this year. We have the better Defense, I believe that we have the better WR's and probably a stronger running game. Now does Tanny have the leadership? and are the coaches no longer clueless..... those are the things that we need to see. Hopefully we start to see it tonight.

[FTLDOLFAN]

The only stat on that list that is glaringly different is the amount of times each was sacked. 46 for Tannehill and 21 for Brady. Most of that can be attributed to the Pats doing a better job of protecting Brady and also Brady's superior pocket awareness and his ability to move in the pocket and create that extra second or two to throw the ball, Tannehill has not learned how to do that yet. The Dolphins led the NFL in trips to the red zone last year but thats where our offense bogged down so a lot of the yardage that Tannehill racked up didn't have much meaning to it. Once inside the red zone is where Brady separated himself from Tanehill. Brady got better inside the red zone while Tannehill got worse. Also the Patriots were able to run the ball more effectively which in turn made Brady's job easier also Brady has the best TE in the NFL.

[ONole1]

Agree with what you are saying, but until one of the other teams steps up NE will always be the team to beat.

[Phintim Menace]

Agreed, as I said in post #4 above, you are not the champion until you beat the champions. We split with them last year. I think we will sweep them this year. I still tip my hat to them for the last time as they fade away this year. It's a new era in the AFC East!