Even though the Dolphins lost to the Texans in Week 6 by a point, their season is a considerable success at this point. With the bar set at one win in 2007, it didn’t take much effort to exceed it. True, with Brett Favre apparently still Brett Favre, the Jets and Bills appear to be the frontrunners for the AFC East title, the Dolphins won’t be in the postseason. But, to use a cliché, it’s progress not perfection.
Prior to the season, I don’t think anyone would’ve pegged the Miami Dolphins as exciting. Before the team even took a snap during preseason, their new marketing campaign seemed indicative of a team mailing it in. “A New Beginning.” That’s unoriginal, overused and the mother of clichés. Except, it now makes sense – and with that newness comes a couple important factors that have been missing in Miami for years --
1 -- They have a new identity.
Bill Parcells brings one important quality to the table, and something Nick Saban or Dave Wannstedt weren’t able to. Just five games removed from being the biggest joke in the NFL, the Dolphins have an identity and a growing reputation as a team no one wants to face. And, as you all know, from monarchy to capitalism, leadership starts at the top – don’t believe me? Two words: Al Davis.
To a degree the Dolphins are a team that grinds it out in a blue-collar way, with not more than three players you might have ever heard of on either side of the ball. Combine that with the fact that their playmakers are: a recovering addict, a back ready to prove to the world he is a premiere tailback, a QB given the Manny treatment in a major media market; then throw in a new coach – this team looks more like a remake of “The Replacements.”
Not only that, but it seems the Dolphins, who a year ago wouldn’t have been able to lure proven NFL players, much less the Maurice Claretts of the world, are now looking at adding pieces to their puzzle. Roy Williams has been rumored to be in the mix. This is a team that dumped their biggest receiving threat over the last six seasons when they traded Chris Chambers in midseason last year. (For the record: My only knock on Dolphins fans was when I attended the San Diego game, and they booed Chris Chambers).
This has to do in no small part with players’ respect for Parcells and the chance to work with a budding coach in Tony Sporano. Who wouldn’t want to jump on the way up? That’s the fun part. And it seems that the Dolphins are progressing at the right time, as the Patriots are on the decline defensively, the Jets are going to be in search of a quarterback in two years time, and the Bills might be in the QB hunt as well. So Miami, two years from now, might be asking themselves "Is this the year?"
2 -- Their offense is new, innovative, and even rubbing off on a few teams.
The 2007 Miami Dolphins seem to have influenced the Lions and Bengals at this point. But the beauty of a new beginning means the past is irrelevant. Sort of like being a Born Again Christian.
Plato wrote that, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” And Dolfans, you can call Tony Sporano mom. In reality, he is the stepmom; the Wildcat offense that the Dolphins run is really a variation of the Arkansas “Wild Hog” Offense. This offense is, for lack of better term, awesome. This is the same set that made Darren McFadden one of the most prolific RBs in the NCAA in 2007. It apparently peaked when Arkansas upset LSU in a triple overtime game last November, but has seen a resurgence in the NFL, and the Dolphins are now innovative, not incompetent. The Carolina Panthers’ DeAngelo Williams enjoyed a three TD performance in Week 5, stemming from some direct snaps.
It’s a confusing time in the NFL, but the Dolphins are living like alcoholics … afraid of slipping into the past, unable to rationalize the future, but making it enjoyable to live in the moment. And if anyone was curious, the Dolphins bandwagon is taking names. If you don’t have a team, I suggest you tune in and watch them … they have plenty of room on the bandwagon and you get a free fan pass. After all, it’s a new beginning in Miami.
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