Eleven days.
That’s how lengthy hope lasted this season.
Eleven stinkin’ days.
That’s the time from the Miami Dolphins’ embarrassing begin in Indianapolis on Sept. 7 to their third lack of the season Thursday night time in Buffalo.
Eleven mind-numbing, reality-biting, football-failing days.
That’s all you bought earlier than confidence was gone, considerations turned actuality and the one query left is what proprietor Steve Ross meant by unleashing studies he didn’t need to hearth coach Mike McDaniel, however may if followers demand it by not exhibiting as much as video games.
Nicely, there’s one other query:
What do they attempt to accomplish now?
The gamers will say, the media will write and also you’ll cheer how the season might be righted with a pair upcoming wins towards the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers. However information are information. Solely 4 of the earlier 164 groups beginning 0-3 since 1990 made the playoffs. Two of them received unhealthy divisions. Buffalo, at 3-0, isn’t giving up the AFC East.
So, once more, what’s to perform now?
1. Contemplate if South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier or another person is No. 1-pick worthy. Yep, the Dolphins might be quarterback procuring once more, and it’s tough to have normal supervisor Chris Grier’s entrance workplace ranking gamers when Grier appears to be like week-to-week proper now. However the thought isn’t to resolve on a quarterback. It’s to get a learn on the expertise degree of the highest couple to see in the event that they’re viable franchise changers. That’s as a result of …
2. Ross might provide McDaniel $100,000 for each loss within the method he did with former coach Brian Flores. He was joking with Flores, he advised league investigators. However when shouldn’t he joke about tanking? The place’s this season’s code crimson?
Let’s be clear: We’re not there at 0-3. However 0-4? Or 1-6? There’s no enjoying a sanctity-of-the-game card. This proprietor and entrance workplace embraced tanking to begin a season in a means no crew ever ought to (My 2019 mantra: Good organizations don’t must tank, and in case you’re not good don’t strive it).
But when a season is sunk, that’s one other matter. The Miami Warmth had been performed in 2008 after Shaquille O’Neal was traded and Dwyane Wade was injured. They tanked the final half of that 12 months and earned the second choose. They took Michael Beasley, who didn’t work out. So, once more, no ensures.
3. Demand younger gamers be developed. “This younger crew,” is how McDaniel framed this roster in his opening remarks Friday. They entered the season because the nineteenth youngest crew with a median age of simply over 27. However to McDaniel’s level they’re enjoying the children.
Buffalo began 16 homegrown gamers Thursday. The Dolphins began 11 and 4 of these had been rookies. Left deal with Patrick Paul, in his second 12 months, has impressed in a fashion confirmed by Professional Soccer Focus grading him tenth amongst offensive tackles proper now.
Rookie working again Ollie Gordon II confirmed an influence gear towards Buffalo that may demand extra play. Prime draft picks Kenneth Grant (154th amongst defensive tackles) and Jonah Savaiinaea (84th of 88 guards) need assistance to seek out their footing. Ditto for cornerback Dante Dealer Jr. (87th amongst safeties), Jordan Phillips (106th amongst defensive tackles), Jason Marshall Jr. (142nd of 143 cornerbacks, simply forward of former Dolphin Noah Igbinoghene).
4. No buying and selling draft picks. This doesn’t should be stated, does it? Nicely, it wasn’t stated when Dave Wannstedt and Rick Spielman traded future picks in an try to avoid wasting their final season so …
5. Discover out Tyreek Hill’s commerce price (and if he’s tradeable along with his contract and domestic-violence allegations). It is a couple losses away, too. But it surely’s time to know the sooner you’d commerce him, the extra worth he has. He stays an awesome receiver, however he’s not coming again in 2026. He’s not being utilized in a downfield passing sport. His $10 million wage is one thing most groups can take. A 3rd-round choose? Possibly?
6. Resolve on the very best interim coach you might promote, if mandatory. McDaniel, like Grier, is week-to-week. One of the best soccer choices Ross has made are hiring Todd Bowles and Dan Campbell as interim coaches. They’re head coaches now. None of Ross’s ex-head-coaching hires are head coaches. Anthony Weaver is the plain interim thought. However is there a hidden Bowles or Campbell?
7. No new contracts. Once more, does it should be stated? The difficulty right here is edge rusher Jaelan Phillips being within the last 12 months of his contract. He’s had two important accidents. He’s performed decently in his first few video games. If he performs properly throughout October, the Dolphins may need to revisit this.
8. Play linebacker Willie Homosexual Jr. extra. This isn’t concerning the future. It’s simply to see if his loud July and August meant one thing on a protection that wants assist.
9. Ross has to resolve who to hearken to this time. His daughter and son-in-law are extra concerned within the operation now. We’ll see what meaning. However going again to his possession begin, Ross has listened to a altering solid of Dolphins insiders — Mike Dee, Matt Higgins, Tom Garfinkle — in making hires and charting instructions. They will additionally begin …
10. Updating the checklist of the very best out there normal managers and coaches. That’s assuming Ross has such an inventory. He ought to have one contemplating he knew since final season large adjustments is likely to be wanted. From the expertise on that checklist, you may resolve what sort of a company you need. One like Philadelphia run by the GM (Howie Roseman)? Or like Kansas Metropolis run by coach (Andy Reid)? Or, properly, a collectively run one just like the Dolphins for the previous 15 years?
Hope lasted solely 11 days for this season. Now the tougher work begins.