Originally Posted by KCJohnny (Post 5326690)

I think there is a duplicitous application of realistic expectations here.
On the one hand, the consensus was "rip it up by the roots and start all over again - go young, build with the draft." That consensus opinion was well-informed about the bad season(s) necessary to pursue that course of action. They seemed willing to accept the bad season(s) if it led to long term success.

Now the same consensus is complaining that the Chiefs aren't winning enough. That's hypocritical. Can't have it both ways. This team is exactly where they should be and clearly they have bottomed out and are climbing. Many times I have mentioned the '89 'Boys (1-15) and the '98 Colts (3-13) that both became dynasties after going young and suffering through a bad season or two. It takes time. The sheer amount of close games is a key indicator that this youngest of all NFL squads is right on pace. That's exactly what was happening to the 1-15 Dolphins last year. We'll be the '08 Dolphins next year.

Originally Posted by KCJohnny (Post 5326703)

I stand corrected about Taylor - but didn't they pick up 3 starters in the off season via FA?

The Dolphins are on a trajectory to win big. 1-15 followed by 11-5 followed by (possibly) 13-3. You can't always get it done in one season. The Cowboys had an 8-8 season between the 1-15 year and the playoff runs. DV was 9-23 with StL before that lightning-in-a-bottle 13-3 SB season. There were a LOT of close losses with the '98 Rams. Close losses can be indicators of a team's trajectory towards improvement or decline. Clearly the Chiefs have been in decline snce 2006. We bottomed out this year with the youth movement and losing a lot of close games. That can be an indicator of positive movement.

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins (Post 5326719)

Yeah, but here is the difference--

That Rams team had a ton of talent in place for that run. I think that if Chad Pennington has proven anything over his career its that he's not the kind of guy that can carry a team. Yeah, he can manage one, but that's about it. Joey Porter can't be expected to remain a good rusher for much longer, and their secondary is nothing to write home about that.

When you combine that with the very real possibility that they lack any kind of playmakers on the outside, and you have a team that is constructed almost tit for tat like the 1990's Chiefs. Ted Ginn seems more like Az Hakim than Steve Smith, and Davone Bess may be a good slot guy, but that's not a lot of talent to really work with.

That team is coached as well as any in the league, played the NFC West 4 times, as well as the Chiefs, Broncos, Raiders, Chargers, and Texans.

They aren't going to have 8 games against the two worst divisions in football next year, and they won't face the last place teams from the year before either. To assume that they are as good as their record is to seriously overrate the strength of their schedule and the quality of the veterans that they brought in (really a bunch of recycled Parcells guys).

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins (Post 5326699)

1) The Dolphins didn't snatch up Jason Taylor, they traded him. They traded for Jason Ferguson.
2) Why would you want to be the Dolphins? Their ceiling is basically 10-11 wins, and they are going to get annihilated in the playoffs. Haven't you seen this script enough to know how the movie ends?

Why do people want to relive the 90's? It was a freaking failure.

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins (Post 5326719)

Yeah, but here is the difference--

That Rams team had a ton of talent in place for that run. I think that if Chad Pennington has proven anything over his career its that he's not the kind of guy that can carry a team. Yeah, he can manage one, but that's about it. Joey Porter can't be expected to remain a good rusher for much longer, and their secondary is nothing to write home about that.

When you combine that with the very real possibility that they lack any kind of playmakers on the outside, and you have a team that is constructed almost tit for tat like the 1990's Chiefs. Ted Ginn seems more like Az Hakim than Steve Smith, and Davone Bess may be a good slot guy, but that's not a lot of talent to really work with.

That team is coached as well as any in the league, played the NFC West 4 times, as well as the Chiefs, Broncos, Raiders, Chargers, and Texans.

They aren't going to have 8 games against the two worst divisions in football next year, and they won't face the last place teams from the year before either. To assume that they are as good as their record is to seriously overrate the strength of their schedule and the quality of the veterans that they brought in (really a bunch of recycled Parcells guys).

Originally Posted by dj56dt58 (Post 5326677)

why can't people understand this?

Originally Posted by KCJohnny (Post 5326739)

The only reason I brought up Miami is that they were losing a lot of really close games last year, added some key FAs and here they are playing in January.

Originally Posted by FringeNC (Post 5326638)

Here's some sobering stats on league rankings for both point differentials and yardage differentials. These are appalling stats.

Year points yards
2005 9 1
2006 13 17
2007 26 24
2008 29 26

These are not the statistics of a team headed in the right direction. Sorry.

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins (Post 5326719)

Yeah, but here is the difference--

That Rams team had a ton of talent in place for that run. I think that if Chad Pennington has proven anything over his career its that he's not the kind of guy that can carry a team. Yeah, he can manage one, but that's about it. Joey Porter can't be expected to remain a good rusher for much longer, and their secondary is nothing to write home about that.

When you combine that with the very real possibility that they lack any kind of playmakers on the outside, and you have a team that is constructed almost tit for tat like the 1990's Chiefs. Ted Ginn seems more like Az Hakim than Steve Smith, and Davone Bess may be a good slot guy, but that's not a lot of talent to really work with.

That team is coached as well as any in the league, played the NFC West 4 times, as well as the Chiefs, Broncos, Raiders, Chargers, and Texans.

They aren't going to have 8 games against the two worst divisions in football next year, and they won't face the last place teams from the year before either. To assume that they are as good as their record is to seriously overrate the strength of their schedule and the quality of the veterans that they brought in (really a bunch of recycled Parcells guys).

Originally Posted by mikey23545 (Post 5327230)

So you're saying that the Dolphin's improvement from 1-15 to 11-5 is a sign they're on the wrong track?...

Goddam it, you're a moron.

Originally Posted by KCJohnny (Post 5326675)

We lost 8 games by 7 or less and won 2 so far. We only got beaten badly 2 or three times. Bills, Titans and Panthers games.

Youngest team in the NFL. 18 rookies. $32 mil under the cap.

'Nuff said.

Merry Christmas.
:arrow:

Originally Posted by dj56dt58 (Post 5326677)

why can't people understand this?

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy (Post 5326760)

Because they are STILL LOSSES. Losing close games tells me that this team has talent, but they have shitty coaching that can't finish the job.