On this week's edition of PhinManiacs LIVE, we talk head coaching candidates, draft picks and the recent controversy surrounding the wife of CB Brent Grimes.

You can listen to the show via our YouTube below, or you can download the show for free via our SoundCloud and listen to it on the go.

Analysts:

Luis Sung - @FLSportDebater
Chad Ronnebaum - @Gofins4SB
Keith Beebe - @kmb8488
Max Himmelrich - @thedeependmiami

It's easy to point fingers after a loss. The quarterback didn't make a particular throw, the defense allowed the opposing offense to make a game-changing play, or the coaching staff didn't manage the clock properly. The list goes on and on.

But in this case, one particular player is pointing the finger at himself, and after the game was over, it was clear he was demoralized and depressed over what he'd done. That player was offensive lineman Jamil Douglas.

“I can’t say it wasn’t my fault, I mean it (was) my fault," he said after the game. "I should have been locked in on that play, but like I said, bad play by me.”

The play in question was the final offensive play of the game and sealed the fate for the Miami Dolphins in that game. They had managed to get into the redzone and had failed to score a touchdown on the previous three plays. But on fourth down, Douglas - who was filling in for Pro Bowl Center Mike Pouncey - had a mental lapse and snapped the ball before he was supposed to.

The ending result was complete chaos, as the line was caught off guard and at least three Colts got a free pass to quarterback Ryan Tannehill for the sixth - and in this case, game ending - sack.

In the locker room after the game, it was clear that Douglas blamed himself for the team losing. They still had a chance and it was thrown away because he messed up the double cadence the offense was trying to pull off.

"We give them a hard cadence to try to get them either to jump," quarterback Ryan Tannehill explained. "See what they’re in, and make adjustments and go from there.”

Unfortunately, the one who jumped was Douglas, and it led to Tannehill - once again - hitting the ground hard. It was reported earlier this week that Tannehill had found blood in his urine. Whether that was due to the sheer amount of hits he's taken over his four years or an infection, it surely doesn't help when nearly every play you're picking yourself up off the ground.

This time it just happened to sting for more than one player.

"I feel for him." Tannehill said of the rookie lineman. "I’ve been there. I’ve been that guy numerous times in my career, so … I can relate to him and I feel for him and he’ll be a better player because of it.”

It's often said that players - and humans in general - learn more from adversity than success, and this is something that Douglas will have to overcome.

“Pay more attention to detail and get it fixed.” he said.

But interim head coach Dan Campbell doesn't feel the loss was solely on Douglas, or any other player for that matter. He made that very clear during his post-game press conference.

"He feels like it’s on his shoulders, and it’s not." he said. "I mean this is not one person. Now he gets put in the spotlight, ultimately, because of where we were at, but ultimately we are all responsible for that. There were enough mistakes to go around offensively and defensively.

"It’s never one man’s fault.”

Douglas obviously can't help feeling what he feels, but now it's up to him to overcome this situation and get ready for the final week of the season. Next year is a new year, and he'll have plenty of time to work on his game.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

There was some questions as to whether or not the Dolphins current Executive VP of Football Operations would be retained after a year where it seemed like the only solution going forward was to do a complete reset from top to bottom.

Well according to a report by the Miami Herald's Armando Salguero, Mike Tannenbaum will in fact be the man "on point" in searching for the new head coach.

Furthermore, there will be no front office reset, as GM Dennis Hickey, Vice Chairman Matt Higgins, Executive VP of Football Administration Dawn Aponte, President/CEO Tom Garfinkel and of course Owner Stephen Ross will also be sitting on meetings to decide who will be the next head coach.

This will no doubt come as a huge disappointment for Dolphins fans, as they were looking forward to seeing everyone in the building lose their jobs and turn the facility in Davie into a ghost town...I for one have come to see the more human side of these people and I would feel bad for them if they were fired, but I know it's business and things need to be done.

But this year does not seem to be the year that a total reset happens. Tannenbaum will be in charge (you can read more about what to expect from him here), Hickey will likely continue to be the man in charge of scouting out the next potential star player, and Aponte will continue to manage the cap. As for Garfinkel, he'll keep working on trying to make the Dolphins experience better for fans.

Personally, I think he's done well in that regard.

Even if everyone in the building decides to stay, they will merely be putting in their input on decisions, and I will not begrudge owner Steve Ross for wanting to keep familiar faces in the building, for better or worse. Everyone knows - including himself - that he's not a football guy, and that's why he's decided to hand the keys to Tannenbaum in the first place. The 2016 Dolphins will be the true beginning of the Tannenbaum regime, again, for better or worse.

Also according to Salguero, the man who helped Ross pick out Joe Philbin -  former Kansas City Chiefs President Carl Peterson - will not be involved in the coaching search this time around.

Mike Tannenbaum is not perfect and he made mistakes in New York...most of the ones Dolphins fans see are directly related to his woes picking out a quarterback in Mark Sanchez...the QB position makes fans upset, so what else is new?

But like it or not, Tannenbaum is the most qualified individual the Dolphins have to do this coaching search. He has connections all over the league, he has previous experience doing this, and - however brief it was - his teams did have success and won.

He's a salesman, which Miami needs, since right now there really isn't a lot attracting potential coaching candidates, and Tannenbaum will really need to sell it this time. Yes, voice will be heard and input will be given, but in the end, the 2016 Miami Dolphins will have the Tannenbaum's mark on them. We'll see how that goes.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

It’s surprising that Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill can even walk at all.

Tannehill has been sacked more than any other quarterback in the league in the past four years, 183 times in 63 games to be specific, so it’s expected that he’d have a few bumps and bruises. But according to the Miami Heralds’ Adam Beasley, Tannehill found blood in his urine last week in the days after absorbing three sacks against the San Diego Chargers.

So what does Tannehill do? 

What he’s always done. He suits up. He plays. Every game. Every week.

Yeah, he’s tough.

And the game rewards tough guys with, well, more beatings it would seem. Tannehill was sacked another six times Sunday by the Indianapolis Colts, including one that resulted in a safety, plus was hit hard on another play. And that doesn’t count being on the receiving end of a leg whip by Colts defensive end Erik Walden that had Tannehill icing his thigh during the game and limping painfully afterwards. 

“I’ve been fortunate not to have any major injuries,” said Tannehill. “I pride myself on being tough, and getting up when I can if at all possible. I think I’ve done that up to this start. I’ve also been fortunate not to have a major injury that you can’t tough out.”

The Dolphins will have their work cut out for them this offseason, not only possibly replacing their entire coaching staff, but finding ways (and bodies) to protect their franchise quarterback. Tannehill completed 26 of 38 passes for 329 yards and an interception Sunday, and added a 28-yard run on the final drive, putting the Dolphins in position to win at the end. An early snap on the game’s final play ruined that plan, leading to that sixth and final sack.

When asked if he’s concerned about the number of and kinds of hits he’s taken in his young career, Tannehill deflected in his usual manner. 

“That's where we're at right now,” he said. “We'll have to find a way to protect and get the ball out."

But is he concerned?

"Well, I don't like it.”

Naturally, a lot of Twitter tough guys have come out making terrible jokes about Tannehill being on his period and mocking him for being soft. All I would say to those guys is simply this:

If you saw blood in your urine, can you honestly say you wouldn't be calling 911?

If I were Ryan Tannehill, I would be asking the coach to let Matt Moore or Logan Thomas play the final game against the New England Patriots...but I'm not Ryan Tannehill.

He'll be going back out there, fighting for a win with a line consisting mainly of backup caliber players and an offensive scheme that has been charted over and over again as flawed in its very concept. You can say whatever you want about his record, but if you question Tannehill's toughness, then you must seriously hate him for reasons beyond football.

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball

We all know that the Pro Bowl has lost credibility over the years, and it's quickly become more of a popularity contest than anything else.

But that doesn't mean it's any less angering when a player who so rightfully deserves the annual trip to Hawaii gets snubbed for arbitrary reasons.

On Tuesday night, the Pro Bowl rosters were announced, and center Mike Pouncey wound up on the roster.

The two best players on the team - Reshad Jones and Ndamukong Suh - were left off of the rosters.

In Jones's case, he had spent the past several weeks essentially campaigning for him to get sent to the Pro Bowl, and his numbers would indicate that he's worthy of the nod. He currently leads the NFL in tackles for all defensive backs

“I feel so bad for Reshad,” Pouncey said after the announcement was made. “I know he’s the best safety in the NFL. Him not making it is very disappointing. [When I spoke with him] … I told him I wish I could give him my Pro Bowl nod. He’s an impact player on the football team. He’s really grown as a football player, and I’m really sad he didn’t make it.”

In Suh's case, he spoke with the media on Wednesday, and each time he was asked about his four-year Pro Bowl streak being snapped, Suh responded with a very simple, "Next question."

But for Jones, not making the Pro Bowl roster stings a lot more, as he's been pushing all season long for him to make his first ever appearance.

"It's obviously a popularity contest," he said Wednesday. "They just picked the popular guy or whoever made it last year or however it goes. We can't be going off play and production because my numbers double all those guys numbers."

It's a little exaggerated with the numbers, but Jones' numbers do scream that he's worthy of a Pro Bowl nod over the likes of an Eric Berry, who was given the nod for the Kansas City Chiefs one year after defeating lymphoma, which is a very feel good story and excellent PR for the NFL.

The way the Pro Bowl works, is that one-third of the votes come from fans, and the rest come from NFL players and coaches, but a tweet by Dolphins linebacker Spencer Paysinger creates the suggestion that players don't vote the same way as fans do.

Wednesday in the locker room, every single player available to talk to voiced their disappointment over the fact their teammate didn't make the Pro Bowl, but Jones could play as an alternate, as players drop out due to the playoffs or Super Bowl.

At first, Jones was very adamant that he didn't want to play as an alternate.

"It would be a cool compliment but I won't play in the game," he said. "I'm going to continue to work my butt off and do everything that I can and help the Miami Dolphins win."

Jones later conceded that he would probably play after he got some time to cool off, but it's very clear that Jones is upset over getting snubbed, and rightfully so. Part of the reason Jones got the snub is because of the overall lack of success for the Dolphins overall, and Jones says it shouldn't have.

"I thought the Pro Bowl was for individual play, each player," he said. "Like I said, my play and my numbers speak for itself. I don't want to continue to let it linger."

Jones is the first defensive back to have more than 100 tackles, two sacks and four interceptions in over a decade, and he's the only safety in the league to run back two interceptions for touchdowns this year.

It's clear that if Jones wants to make the Pro Bowl next year, he's not only going to have to continue to play at the level he is now, but the Dolphins will have to find a way to start winning again.

In the end, that's really what it all boils down to. Winning. But until then, Jones wants it to be made perfectly clear that he refuses to let himself be unmotivated.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

With all the criticisms fans come up with to use against quarterback Ryan Tannehill, one that is certainly becoming more and more frequent is the idea that the Dolphins QB doesn't show enough emotion on the field, indicating that maybe he doesn't care about what's happening.

Well after the loss against the San Diego Chargers, it was made very clear that Tannehill does in fact care about what's happening, as he even lost his cool during the game when he shouted at his teammates in apparent anger over the failures on offense.

"To come out and play like that on both sides of the ball is unacceptable in every sense of the word." Tannehill said after the game. "I know we have the talent and the guys that can do it so we have to find a way to come out and finish strong these next two weeks.”

​But this has been a regular occurrence all season long. The Dolphins would lose, they'd explain what happened, and then they'd go into the next game and repeat the exact same process, and it looks like emotions are finally starting to spill over. 

“Tough, disappointed, frustrated, upset, mad, angry. Any adjective you can think of right now." Tannehill said of the feeling around the team.

Ironically, Dolphins fans want Ryan Tannehill to start getting angry more, to prove he cares about football. In the same breath, they'll call Patriots QB Tom Brady a diva for doing the exact same thing.

So which one do they want exactly?

Tannehill has never given good sound bites, he's never been a particularly exciting interview, and he's very good at making sure he stays out of trouble and staying classy at all times. So when he does lose control, it makes a statement that he's really upset.

Nothing has really gone right for Miami this season, whether it's Tannehill and the offense's third down woes, the defense's inability to stop offenses from scoring, special teams miscues or just foolish mistakes that had no business being made. But, even through all of this, Tannehill refuses to give up.

“I’m still out there to play to win." he said. "You only get sixteen regular season games a year and you want to take advantage of every single one. You want to build off of the things we’ve done well and correct the things we haven’t done well. Obviously we know it’s our last two games but I think we need to find a way to play well and build off of that for next year.”

Next year will prove to be very interesting for Tannehill and the entire organization. A new coach will be coming from somewhere, and he will have at least one year to see if he can work with Tannehill and the pieces currently on the Dolphins offense.

Whether you believe Tannehill is the answer or not, the way his contract is done guarantees he'll be with the team in 2016, and so next year is more than likely his last chance to make a good impression. Hopefully, he'll be able to prove that he has what it takes, assuming the new coach is someone who knows what he's doing.

Until then, Tannehill will soldier on, doing the best he can with what little he's got going for him. He may not externally show his passion, some people just aren't like that, but there's no doubting that Tannehill is tired of losing.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

Every man has their breaking point, and it appears that Miami Dolphins running back Lamar Miller has just about reached his.

All year long, the Dolphins have seemed unwilling to utilize Miller for one reason or another, whether the excuse is because they're playing from behind, or the gameplan was different, or sometimes there's simply no excuse at all and they just say they didn't run the ball enough.

Then they proceed to continue doing the exact same thing.

But it really came to a head following Sunday's loss against the San Diego Chargers, who the Dolphins blew out at home by a score of 37-0. This time, on the Chargers home field, the blowout went in the opposite direction, and Miller only got to play 18 snaps from scrimmage total.

Rookie Jay Ajayi got 31.

"I don't know," Miller said after several moments of just shaking his head. "I mean, I got hit in the quad in the second quarter, but after that I really don't know."

The injury was minor and Miller said that he was good to go soon after, but the Dolphins instead opted to go with Jay Ajayi and Damien Williams instead of putting Miller back in.

Needless to say, Miller appears to be getting tired of not getting a decent number of carries.

"Yeah, because I feel like I can help this team win," he said when asked if not getting to play more was frustrating. "I'm pretty sure everybody wants to be on the field competing with their teammates ... I don't know."

Granted, the coaching staff did inform Miller that they planned to play Ajayi near the third quarter, and Miller stated that he didn't ask why, citing that Ajayi was doing a great job running downhill and making plays.

But while Miller was of few words, it was clear just by his body language and the continual shaking of his head that he was doing his absolute best to bite his tongue and keep what he's feeling in his heart bottled up.

"I won't say frustrated," he said. "I don't know, I have no words to say."

Miller has averaged 4.9 yards a carry this season, and it would seem that the Dolphins success (or lack thereof) can be directly correlated to how often the running back gets to carry the football. When he gets 13 or more carries, the Dolphins are 5-0, and when he gets less, well, they've lost every game. 0-9.

It's clear that this offense needs Miller to be getting the ball in some way for it to function, and the Dolphins coaching staff seems almost determined to deny Miller the ball. Much of what happened Sunday was likely because the coaches wanted to let the younger players get some snaps, but it doesn't seem wise for it to be at the expense of one of the team's best weapons, who is already frustrated - and rightfully so - that he hasn't been utilized.

After the season is over, Miller will hit free agency for the first time in his career, and there will likely be several teams looking to sign him on the open market, especially since he's still relatively fresh by RB standards. A team to watch for is the Dallas Cowboys, who have consistently been a name thrown out there when it comes to potential landing spots for the pending free agent.

The Dolphins have expressed interest in bringing him back, and certain reports are out saying they're negotiating a deal, but at this point in time, no one would blame Miller for wanting to leave Miami to go elsewhere. He just isn't getting a real chance to show what he's capable of, despite his success with below average resources.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

PhinManiacs Live returned last night, and there was lots to talk about.

We talked a lot about Dolphins running back Lamar Miller, and what his worth is to the Dolphins and whether or not he's worth retaining.

And then we had Matt Barbato (@RealMattBarbato) from New York Jet Fuel on to discuss what we can expect with Mike Tannenbaum at the helm. Is there any reason to be optimistic, or are the Dolphins simply falling into another pitfall?

All this and more on this week's edition on PhinManiacs Live.

Analysts for this show:

Luis Sung - @FLSportDebater
Chad Ronnebaum - @Gofins4SB
Matthew Cannata - @FinsInsider
Matt Barbato - @RealMattBarbato

You can download the show HERE off our Soundcloud or you can watch the recorded stream below.

For years, fans of the Miami Dolphins have begged for Stephen Ross to stop making bad decisions, for him to stay out of all things football and just find someone who could become the football czar, akin to what John Elway is to the Denver Broncos.

They've wanted someone to take full control of football operations and stop the madness that is this conglomerate of different ideas and visions all meshing together to make this one disgusting soup that is in desperate need of throwing away.

Well in 2016, Ross will more than likely be handing over the keys to Mike Tannenbaum, and the Dolphins will begin their transformation into whatever the former New York Jets GM has in mind.

And absolutely no one is happy about this.

Now I could go on another tangent as to how Dolphins fans are constantly complaining, even when the team does exactly what they want...but that can be done another time. Right now, what I want to do is try to go in-depth as to what we should expect from Mike Tannenbaum with him in full command of what happens football wise.

Since the draft is already a huge discussion topic, let's analyze the past picks made by Tannenbaum during his time as the GM for the Jets, dating back all the way to 2006.

In his first year as the GM for the Jets, Tannenbaum had the pleasure of being able to pick in the first round two times, and he succeeded as those picks are even now, staples of the New York Jets offense. With the fourth overall pick, Tannenbaum selected left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson out of Virginia, and then selected center Nick Mangold out of Ohio State with the 29th pick.

Today, Ferguson and Mangold are key components on the Jets offensive line.

Of course, as it's to be expected, not all of Tannenbaum's draft picks were that great. Vernon Gholston turned into a huge draft bust, and of course there was the debacle that was drafting QB Mark Sanchez (otherwise known as Butt Fumble) with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft.

But the specialty of the Jets over the past decade or so has been ground and pound football with an awesome defense, and a lot of their success has been thanks to picks made by Tannenbaum. In the seven years that he was the GM for the Jets, he only picked offense in the first round twice.

Just looking back on the picks made by Tannenbaum, a lot of them are quality NFL players even today. Ferguson and Mangold, All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis, ILB David Harris is a solid player who has been starting for the Jets for nearly nine years.

Considering the needs of the Dolphins going forward, someone with a knack for drafting defensive players should be very beneficial. He has already begun by making sure the Dolphins drafted Jordan Phillips out of Oklahoma to shore up the defensive line, and so far it appears that move will be a good one, as Phillips has shown excellent promise in limited time.

But there's more to Tannenbaum than just his draft picks. According to several Jets fans, one of the biggest issues that Tannenbaum created was his inability to sufficiently manage the salary cap, and he often went for the flashiest move rather than what would be considered the "smart" move.

So far, Tannenbaum has not gotten on the good side of fans to start with, as he immediately came in and led the charge to the Dolphins signing defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to a record breaking contract (for defensive players anyway) of $114 million dollars over the course of six years. A contract that - in the eyes of fans - would never be lived up to.

But here's something that really needs to be remembered. Rarely ever does someone considered "the best" hit the open market, the Lions were the ones who drafted Suh second overall in the 2010 draft, and they did try to make one final push to re-sign him, but Tannenbaum and his many connections convinced him to come to Miami.

Suh would've been paid regardless of where he ended up, he is still the best in the league and his ability is now being completely overshadowed due to the ineptitude of the rest of the Dolphins defense, with the exception of safety Reshad Jones and possibly cornerback Brent Grimes. 

Now if you're one of the ones who thought that the Dolphins shouldn't have gone after Suh to begin with, then that's your way of looking at things, but it cannot be denied that despite the lack of overall execution by the entire defense, Suh has been the best player on that unit, and if the rest of the defense (sans Jones) had any idea what they were doing, then Suh would look like the superstar he was in Detroit.

Jon Gruden recently called out Suh for not doing enough and needing to make more plays on Monday Night Football against the New York Giants...he said that when Suh went to the sidelines for one play to catch his breath and then he went back in.

I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that being human and requiring oxygen wasn't allowed once you're making a lot of money.

The other thing that happened during Tannenbaum's very short and still shared tenure with Miami, is that the Dolphins gave QB Ryan Tannehill a contract extension which handed him $96 million dollars. Fans see that number and rage, because the Dolphins have not done anything significant since Tannehill became the quarterback.

But what's completely ignored is that six-year, $96 million dollar deal has the usual Dawn Aponte escape plan added into it, a stroke of genius nobody cares about because all they see is that gigantic number. If a new coach or the front office decides that Tannehill hasn't done enough to earn his contract, they can move on from him after the 2016 season and start anew with a relatively low cap hit.

I think Tannehill would benefit more than Miami from him leaving, but that's just me. 

There's no denying that Tannenbaum has made mistakes, he didn't always hit on his draft picks, he had a bad tendency to trade away draft picks to other teams (he traded up to draft Mark Sanchez), and sometimes he makes trades that could be considered head scratchers, such as trading a fifth round pick for wide receiver Santonio Holmes or just trading undisclosed draft picks for players who ultimately didn't do much in the league.

He also traded for a lot of draft picks by trading away players who ultimately didn't do much in the NFL, but really, his biggest sins regarding trades and salary problems are directly related to his mistakes with Mark Sanchez.

Funny how it always comes back to the quarterback, it's the one position fans obsess over more than anything else. Mess up there, you're ruined forever.

I talked to someone I respect who covers the Jets, and his biggest issue with Tannenbaum was his drafting woes. But looking over some of the hits he made, Tannenbaum's specialty (or at least his luck) was in drafting players who are in the trenches and in the secondary. Just for the record, Miami's greatest needs are in the trenches and in the secondary.

Now there's the coaching search that will go on. Obviously, the name everyone immediately jumps to with Tannenbaum is that he'll hire Eric Mangini, who is currently acting as the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, to be the next head coach. Tannenbaum hired Mangini to be the Jets head coach when he became the GM in 2006. Mangini went 23-25.

Tannenbaum was then responsible for the hiring of Rex Ryan, who proceeded to gain an overall record of 46-50 from 2009 to 2014, and in that time, the Jets went to two AFC Championship games with Mark Sanchez as their QB.

For the record, that's more than Miami has done with their various front office members since 2008, and even then, it was a first round exit in blowout fashion with Chad Pennington as the QB.

With all the bad things you can say about Mike Tannenbaum, he will be a valuable asset in the coaching search for 2016. The former Jets GM has connections coming out of his ears, including a connection to one Sean Payton, as they both come from the Bill Parcells tree.

​I already wrote about how I wouldn't want Sean Payton here, but seeing as Tannenbaum loves to go for the big splash, and Payton is very high on the Dolphins short list for coaches, it's a very real possibility that Tannenbaum could give up a first round draft pick to New Orleans to get him.

As much as I don't like that idea, the last time the Dolphins traded for a coach (technically anyway) was after 1969, when Don Shula came from the Baltimore Colts. Could this be the key? I don't see it, but maybe history can repeat itself.

I'm not here to tell you that Mike Tannenbaum is the savior for the Miami Dolphins. He has his faults, he's not perfect, and it will be a few years before the Dolphins can be reshaped into the what he envisions them to be. If his draft picks are any indication, he wants a team that can play with power and dominate in the trenches, as well as cover well in the secondary. That's the type of team I want too.

I for one am glad that we finally have one vision in the front office, one person who will be in charge of everything football, instead of having three different voices all warring over one football team, creating a tangled mess of players that don't mesh in any way.

Will Tannenbaum bring the right vision though? In all honesty, who is to say? As of right now, the Dolphins have hit rock bottom and it's hard to imagine how things could get any worse. This is the result of three (four if you count Ross) different people trying to enforce what they want on the team. Now it's just one voice, one vision, one man in charge. Let's at least give him the chance to do what he wants before condemning him for past mistakes.

This column was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

If there's one thing that can be universally agreed upon when it comes to Christmas, it's that there's a spirit of giving and good will that envelops the world and makes everyone suddenly feel more charitable than usual.

But not every kid in South Florida gets the opportunity to share in the blessings that other families receive, so the Miami Dolphins have found a way to change that.

This past Tuesday, the Miami Dolphins hosted a Holiday Toy Event inside the practice bubble at their training facility in Davie, Florida, bringing in 125 kids from Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach county partner schools to give them a Christmas experience unlike any other.

Gifts were lined up all across the endzone, all waiting for their respective recipients to come and claim them, ranging from electronics to Storm Troopers and bicycles, and it was all provided for by the players and the organization.

But it wouldn't be a true Dolphins experience if the kids just took their presents and left, so the organization took it one step further and put together an entire party for the kids to enjoy, including bounce houses, obstacle courses and stuffing stockings and writing letters to Santa, who also arrived to enjoy the party with the kids.

However, even all this didn't really cut it in their minds, so some players decided to go out of their way to make an appearance that evening, and make sure that this Christmas would be one that the kids never forgot.

Walt Aikens, John Denney, Jamil Douglas, Jason Fox, Shamiel Gary, Mike Hull, Tony Lippett, Olivier Vernon, Zach Vigil, and even Ryan Tannehill all took some time out of their days and came to interact with the excited kids, having dance contests, playing football and even racing through the inflatable obstacle course with them.

“It’s a blessing to be in this position and to have an impact. To be able to come out today and spend some time with these kids, hand out some gifts and enjoy a dance contest and some time with them is great,” Tannehill said. “Going through the things that you go through on the football field, you lose sight of some things in life. So to be able to take a step back and realize what’s important – to be able to share time and the true spirit of the holidays with these kids, it really put things in perspective.”

Christmas is about spending time with family and enjoying some much needed time off with those you love, and it's also about the joy that comes with giving someone something special and seeing the excitement on their faces when they see what they received.

Eric Rocha, a fourth grader from Fairlawn Elementary was reveling in his Storm Trooper that he received at the end of the night: “Today was amazing. I am a big fan of the Miami Dolphins. It was epic to meet the players today, I even got some signatures.”

It was clear by the looks on the children's faces that the Miami Dolphins organization accomplished what they set out to do. They took 125 kids who have very little, and gave them something they'll be able to enjoy for years to come, and memories that will last a lifetime.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

There are hundreds of reasons to love Miami Dolphins running back Lamar Miller from his Miami roots to his electric play on the field.  I have gotten much joy in watching him play for the Dolphins these past four years, and in his final year of his contract, he has a paramount decision to make at the end of the season.
 
It has been speculated that Miller’s camp would command a yearly salary similar to that of Demarco Murray, Matt Forte, and LeSean McCoy, roughly $8,000,000 per year. It’s a high price tag, but if I were the Dolphins’ front office, I would bite the bullet and take that deal. Lamar Miller has been an outstanding running back for the Dolphins and has shown in back to back years that he can be the lead dog in an NFL offense.
 
One road block in retaining Miller would be his displeasure with his usage over the past few seasons. The Dolphins have rolled out an unbalanced offense in the past few seasons which saw a high volume passing attack, with minimal action in the run-game.

Miller is going to want to be featured if he were to stay in Miami, and if the offense remains unbalanced, he will not be getting what he wants.

“…that’s part of coming with the zone-read.” Said offensive coordinator Zac Taylor when asked about the lack of running plays. “You get some runs called where he may have an opportunity to carry the ball, but Ryan (Tannehill) either keeps it or he throws a bubble outside and all of a sudden that’s a missed opportunity for Lamar (Miller).”
 
Even with Taylor’s explanation, the team needs to figure out ways to get Miller the ball. It was a theme last year and again now. The Dolphins possess one of the most talented running backs in the NFL, and they must do what it takes to keep him satisfied.
 
Not only is Lamar Miller one of the best backs in the NFL, but he ranks highly among the all-time Dolphins running backs.






​
 



​​The Dolphins have had the benefit of carrying some of the most dynamic and productive running backs this game has seen, and Lamar Miller fits in nicely with likes of Ricky Williams, Ronnie Brown, Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris.

​Although he may not see the career success that some of those running backs attained, Miller is next in line to be mentioned with those all-time greats, unless the Miami Dolphins make the mistake of letting him play for another team during the 2016-2017 NFL season.
 
This story was written by Efrain Ramos. Follow him on Twitter @EfrainRamos

Nip It?

Zip It?

The question begs: what will we call number 36, the rookie cornerback for the Miami Dolphins if he makes a name for himself in what could be his first NFL start this weekend?

But before we get to that point, let’s find out a little bit about Tony Lippett. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft, Lippett was projected as a project, a guy that would take time to develop as an NFL player.

But not for lack of talent.

Lippett was a two-way player for Crockett High School in the suburbs of Detroit, earning All-State honors as a defensive back in his senior year, while also nabbing All-Metro Detroit honors as a quarterback, for the Rockets. Yep, that’s right, quarterback.

Recruited to Michigan State as a cornerback, he played well in that role, but was also used sparingly as a wide receiver (4 catches for 44 yards). After his freshman year, he was converted to wide receiver full time, where he flourished over the next three years, earning All Big Ten honors as a senior.

And then the Dolphins drafted him as a cornerback, putting Lippett back on the defensive side of the ball. At 6’2” and 192 pounds, Lippett offers size at a position where the Dolphins have been lacking. With the Dolphins season winding down, interim defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo thinks it’s time to see what the kid can do.

"I think Tony has a bright future, I really do,” said Anarumo. “I like everything about him. He's picked it up faster than I thought he would, and is doing some good things. We're pleased where he's at."

“He brings a unique skillset to us,” Anarumo continued. “He's long. He's got some length to him in both height and arm length. He led the Big Ten in receptions last year. He obviously has good hands, and he can play the ball when it's in the air, which is one of the key things these days being a (defensive back) in the NFL. It's just a matter of getting comfortable at the position, and doing (it) at the highest level. He's coming along and he's taking great strides.
 
“He’s going to be fine."
 
Anarumo acknowledges that cornerback is a tough position to master, especially for a rookie transitioning from wide receiver. But he’s done well in a reserve role and on special teams, and if current starter Bobby McCain isn’t able to pass the concussion protocol by this weekend, Lippett could get his first NFL start against the San Diego Chargers.

"It's going to be exciting," said Lippett. "I've been playing ball for a long time, so I'm not going to make … the moment so big that I can't compete. I'm just going to go out there and compete and play my game, and just try to make something happen."
 
Although the Chargers are having an awful year, quarterback Philip Rivers is as dangerous as ever, closing in on another 4,000 yard season. And like all veteran quarterbacks, Rivers knows how to pick on the weak spot in secondaries. And a rookie making his first start is going to have a huge target on his back.

​Lippett admits it’s going to be challenging, but he’ll rely on the skillset that made him an All-State star in high school, and the knowledge of the quarterback position from having played that position as well.

"Just play ball," Lippett said when asked his mindset if he gets the start. "If (Rivers is) throwing the ball your way, make a play on the ball. He's a great player, great quarterback … so I'm just trying to go out there, take it one play at a time, and just make something happen."
 
This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

The Miami Dolphins as part of the franchise’s 50th season celebration presented by Pepsi today announced voting for the greatest game in Dolphins history. Beginning today through Dec. 29 on Dolphins.com, fans have an opportunity to help select the all-time 50th season greatest game.

​The seven games below were selected based on a number of factors, including the team’s performance, the impact of their outcome and their historical significance. The game will be announced at the last regular season home game against the New England Patriots on Jan. 3, 2016. Below are the nominees:

​1971 AFC Playoff Game at Kansas City Chiefs -- The Dolphins defeated the Chiefs 27-24 in Kansas City when Garo Yepremian kicked a 37-yard field goal with 7:40 elapsed in the second overtime on Christmas Day in 1971. At 82 minutes and 40 seconds, it remains the longest game in NFL history. The Dolphins battled back three different times to tie the game in regulation, including a touchdown pass from Bob Griese to Marv Fleming with 96 seconds left to send the game into overtime.

Super Bowl VII vs. Washington Redskins -- The Dolphins defeated the Washington Redskins 14-7 on January 14, 1973 at the Coliseum in Los Angeles to finish 17-0, the only perfect season in NFL history. Miami’s 14-0 halftime lead held up behind Manny Fernandez’ 17 tackles and three interceptions by the defense, including two by game MVP Jake Scott. Washington’s only touchdown came off a return of a blocked field goal and attempted pass by Garo Yepremian.

Super Bowl VIII vs. Minnesota Vikings -- The Dolphins won their second successive Super Bowl by defeating the Vikings 24-7 on January 13, 1974 at Rice Stadium in Houston. In a dominant performance, Miami took a 17-0 lead before the Vikings even crossed their 40-yard line and scored all of their 24 points before Minnesota got on the scoreboard. Larry Csonka rushed for a then-Super Bowl record 145 yards and was named as the game’s MVP. 

1982 AFC Championship Game vs. New York Jets -- On Dec. 23, 1983 in a rainy Orange Bowl the Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 14-0 to win the AFC championship and advanced to Super Bowl XVII. Miami  set an AFC Championship Game record by holding the Jets to 139 total yards and A.J. Duhe set an AFC playoff record with three interceptions of Jets QB Richard Todd, one of which he returned 35 yards for a touchdown.

1985 Regular Season Game vs. Chicago Bears -- On Dec. 2, 1985 in a game at the Orange Bowl shown on Monday Night Football, the Dolphins defeated the Chicago Bears 38-24. With Chicago 12-0 at the time, members of the 1972 Dolphins were on the sidelines to urge that current Dolphins team to protect their unique legacy. Miami built a 31-10 halftime lead and Don Shula called it “The best half of offensive football I’ve ever been associated with.” It was Chicago’s only loss that year.

1993 Regular Season Game vs. Philadelphia Eagles -- On Nov. 14, 1993 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, the Dolphins defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 19-14. The win was Don Shula’s 325th career victory, surpassing George Halas as the winningest coach in NFL history. Trailing 14-13 in the third quarter, Doug Pederson replaced an injured Scott Mitchell at quarterback and guided the Dolphins to a pair of field goals while the defense held the Eagles scoreless the rest of the game, giving the Dolphins the win.

2008 Regular Season game vs. New York Jets -- On Dec. 28, 2008 in the Meadowlands, the Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 24-17 in the regular season finale to win the AFC East and earn a playoff berth. The victory capped Miami’s 11-5 regular season and a ten-win improvement from their 1-15 mark a year earlier. Chad Pennington threw two touchdown passes against his former team while Miami’s defense intercepted Jets QB Brett Favre three times.

The Miami Dolphins recently elevated quarterback Logan Thomas to the 53-man roster after an attempt by the Cincinnati Bengals to claim him off their practice squad. Offensive lineman Jeff Linkenbach was sent packing to make room for the former Arizona Cardinals QB.

Thomas, who was drafted by the Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft, has spent the year being developed in Miami and the Dolphins did not want to lose him, which prompted the call up.

But Thomas did have some choice in the matter, and the former Virginia Tech QB decided after much deliberation, that his best opportunity for success would be to stay in Miami.

“We went back and forth and decided this was the best place for me to be at this current moment,” Thomas said.

Now one might wonder why Thomas would prefer to stay in Miami - which will soon be going through a complete overhaul - instead of getting the opportunity to be on the Bengals, who are currently bound for the playoffs and are in need of quarterback help due to the recent injury to their starting QB Andy Dalton.

To put it simply, Thomas believes he can push Ryan Tannehill.

“I think I have the opportunity," Thomas said. "If I do what I know I can do and how I play, that I can be the number two behind Ryan (Tannehill) and push him as much as possible. I have a good rapport with him already and a lot of other guys in this locker room.”

The current backup for the Dolphins is veteran Matt Moore, whose contract will be up after this season. Moore struggled in the preseason and could be moved on from if Thomas develops into a viable backup.

Thomas has all the physical tools to be an excellent quarterback in the NFL, but his inconsistency at Virginia Tech frustrated teams and draft experts alike.

"When I first saw him, I thought this is a potential first kid picked in the draft. But he's been very inconsistent. I keep saying somebody is going to want to put Humpty Dumpty back together again because his skill set is amazing." said NFL Network's Mike Mayock.

The next coach of the Miami Dolphins - whoever he may be - will have the opportunity to try and put Humpty Dumpty back together again, but he may have two projects on his hands, as starter Ryan Tannehill has also been the victim of extremely poor coaching all throughout his career.

There's no doubt that the 24-year old Thomas has the physical tools to be a good quarterback, but it ultimately boils down to if he can his technique in order. If that happens, then he should be a shoo-in to be the backup QB next season, and perhaps even push Tannehill in ways Matt Moore never could.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

The 2015 season was supposed to be a celebration of the Miami Dolphins 50th season, the hype that came from the results of the offseason was at an all-time high. But now, once again, the Dolphins find themselves eliminated from playoff contention after their loss to the New York Giants on Monday.

​“I hate to be in this situation again but it seems like it’s the same thing every year." Dolphins center Mike Pouncey said after the eliminating loss.

The Pro Bowl center seemed frustrated after the game, and rightfully so. Ever since he was drafted by the Dolphins in 2011, the team has not only failed to make the playoffs, they have yet to even put together a winning season, as the best they have ever been able to accomplish since his arrival has been consecutive 8-8 seasons in 2013 and 2014.

The last time the Dolphins had any real success was back in 2008, when they won the division with a record of 10-6, led by Chad Pennington at QB, Tony Sparano as the head coach, and the ingenuity of the Wildcat and the one-two RB punch that was Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Not to mention an incredible defense.

But since then, it's been a long rough road for the Dolphins, and now 2015 is officially over and done with, with three games left to play in the regular season.

So now is the time of year when young players get their chance to show what they're made of, and the time of year where players get to prove just how much they love football, according to Pouncey.

"We’ll see what kind of character we got on this football team." he said. "We’ll see what guys really like football and find the ones that don’t and we’ll get them out of here.”

It may sound cliche, but there is merit to what the Pro Bowl center has said. There have been several instances - especially in the past few years alone - where players' love for the game has come into question. Talented individuals come into the league and then throw away promising careers because they either don't care or they would rather be doing something else.

Next season, the Dolphins organization will very likely face massive changes, possibly a complete and total overhaul, and lots of players on the roster will either be out of the league or playing elsewhere.

Now is when they'll have a chance to prove that they love football and want to be the best they can be no matter what. Those who start dogging it are the ones who don't really care about what they're doing, and Pouncey says the next three games will expose them.

"When you have nothing else to play for and you got three games left and you’re not making the playoffs, you’ll see if they really like football." he said. "When you go out there and you’re not making the playoffs you’ll see if guys play hard or they don’t.”

Miami is facing another long road, and Pouncey will be there for the journey. If there is a good place to start, it would be to find out who genuinely loves football and who doesn't, because those who do will dedicate themselves to playing hard even when there's nothing left to lose.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

After taking a week off to get some rest and recover from a rather sudden illness, I've returned to bring you all some brand new content. Everywhere I look, all I see is talk that the Miami Dolphins should "swing for the fences" and bring in New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, and immediately the Dolphins will be on the road to glory again.

But things are not as they seem ladies and gentlemen, it isn't as simple as just getting Sean Payton. There are several reasons why, but I'm going to bring up just three of them. I understand why fans want the Super Bowl winning coach, but let's not be so enamored that we lose sight of reality.
​

The first issue with Sean Payton - one that conveniently gets overlooked a lot - is that his New Orleans Saints teams have had issues maintaining sustained success. In fact, ever since he took charge in 2006, they have had just as many losing records as winning records. That sort of fluctuation is an issue.


"But at least they've had winning seasons!"

Yes, that is a fair point. The Dolphins haven't had a winning season since 2008 when Chad Pennington was the quarterback and Tony Sparano was the head coach.

More went into that season than just Pennington mind you, but that's a story for another time.

You could also make an argument that the 2012 losing season for the Saints shouldn't count because Payton was suspended for the year due to the BountyGate scandal...I would reply that that's even worse, since there was a scandal like this to begin with. BullyGate was only a thing because bullying is a hot button topic, BountyGate could've potentially ended careers and ruined lives.

Whether you believe Payton had anything to do with it or not, it did happen and it's on his record. It isn't relevant to the situation at hand as far as his coaching credentials go, but the fact remains, the Saints were not a winning team that season, and even now they are currently on the fast track to yet another losing season.

So this is problem number one for Sean Payton. His teams did have success, but their success was not sustainable over the course of several years. Payton's Saints have been on a rollercoaster year in and year out, and knowing Dolphins fans, they do not have the patience or the durability to have a rollercoaster type of coach.

Payton won a Super Bowl in 2009. He has not done much else since then. Problem number one.

Let's be honest here folks, the Dolphins have a lot of holes that need to be filled and not a whole lot of resources with which to fill them. I'm not even talking about the salary cap, I'm referring to the draft and the young players who are supposed to become the core of the team.

There is a reason draft picks are so coveted, it's because you only get so many a year and teams are seldom willing to give them up when they can be used to draft young players. Usually, the only time teams give up picks are when they know they're getting a good player in return.

But in this case, the Dolphins wouldn't be getting a proven veteran, they would be getting a coach. Sean Payton is still under contract in New Orleans, and the Saints have been adamant in saying over the past few weeks that they would not give up Payton without some major compensation.

This is understandable. Despite the above reason I gave, Payton is still one of the best coaches the Saints have ever had, and for them to just fire him and let him go out on the open market when he's a coveted coach would be bad business. Guess what the Dolphins would have to give up to get Payton?

Most likely, a high draft pick.

Coaches like Payton don't come cheap, and who knows what the asking price would be for someone like Payton? A second-rounder, a first-rounder even? I'm not willing to give that up, not when there's so many holes that need filling with more on the way due to salary cuts. We need all the young talent we can get, there are other coaching candidates out there that won't require giving up picks.

This and the above reasons are probably the biggest reasons why I don't like the idea of Sean Payton in Miami. The New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl in 2009, this is true. But they did it with an elite quarterback leading the charge and a rushing attack that had them ranked sixth overall in the NFL.


Amazing what happens when there's balance on a team, isn't it?

But I digress. Payton's success can be largely attributed to the development and emergence of Drew Brees as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and it should raise some major concerns that despite Brees being in that list - or at least was in the list - the Saints have not been able to maintain their success rate.

If even now, Payton can't find a way to coach his team into winning consistently with Drew Brees, who was already pretty good when he came to New Orleans and simply took that "next step" towards stardom, what does anyone expect Payton to do when he doesn't have an elite quarterback to rely on?

I've grown tired of trying to explain why balance and good coaching is important, all anyone wants to know is when the next Dan Marino will come in and save the day. Well fine, Ryan Tannehill will never be an elite quarterback, guess we'll just have to keep looking for another decade and a half to find one.

Until then, the Dolphins are "stuck" with Tannehill for at least another year, and Sean Payton would have to find a way to win with someone other than Drew Brees commanding the huddle. I don't have confidence that he can do that, and he hasn't shown any signs that he can.

Now, granted, Payton does have some experience coaching other QBs. He was an assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach for the Dallas Cowboys in 2003 under Bill Parcells, and helped coach the likes of Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde and the aged Drew Bledsoe to over 3,000 yard passing seasons...of course, it was a revolving door from 2003-2005, so make of that what you will.

Payton's success was greatly predicated on Brees becoming elite and a good rushing attack, that was what led to their 2009 Super Bowl. Since then, the Saints have been an up and down franchise over the years and as Brees continues to age, their level of success has dropped.

Those are just my reasons for not wanting Sean Payton. Obviously some of you will simply say that Payton's bad years are still better than the good years Miami has had since 2008. You'd be right, but there have been quite a few bad years under Sean Payton, with an elite QB leading the charge most of the way.

What happens when you take away Payton's elite QB? What happens when you put him with a roster that has so many leaks in the boat it's a miracle it hasn't sunk? Also on a minor note, Payton supposedly would want full control over the roster as well, and does anyone trust his ability to be a GM? Personally, given the past few experiences will full-control coaches, I don't like it.

I won't sit here and say that Payton wouldn't be a better option than what we have now, he's obviously an experienced coach, and yes, he has won a Super Bowl, I can't take that away from him. But his circumstances were almost perfect. A top ten rushing attack and an elite QB? That's the kind of offense dreams are made of. The dream hasn't been recaptured since.

Let's also add as a bonus fourth reason, the Saints have not been able to consistently hold their own on defense in Payton's career. Since their 2009 championship, the Saints defenses have ranked 7th, 13th, 31st, 4th, and 28th. Payton's first four years? 13th, 25th, 26th, 20th. Defense is not Payton's strong suit.

If Payton had consistently been winning year in and year out, if he'd continued to be successful even without an elite QB there to keep him going, if he was merely on the open market and the Dolphins wouldn't have to pay big time to get him, I'd be all over him. But as of this moment, there's too much investment needed and not enough potential for payoff. If I were Miami, I'd look elsewhere.

This column was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

My day job is a teacher, I tell you this because it is important to the opener of this film review. At the beginning of the school year, and the beginning of the football season, one of my new students asked me who my favorite Miami Dolphins players are.

I told him I have two, Reshad Jones and Cameron Wake. My student asked me who is Reshad Jones. After I gave that student an instant F in the gradebook, just kidding guys, I pondered to myself why does Jones not get the recognition he deserves. Then I thought it’s because he doesn’t have a cool nickname. So I thought of some.

Dr. Who: Yes I am a nerd, but Jones is a bit of an unknown, yet that still doesn’t stop him from being unworldly. He seems to be everywhere at once and one explanation could be a T.A.R.D.I.S-like time machine. Plus his nemesis, Tom Brady/Bill Belichick, are as evil as Daleks.

Quick, someone check if Jones’ hometown is Gallefrey. Reading that nerdiest of nerdy paragraph makes me wonder how I was able to find a wife.

Shamu: Sun Life stadium needs to install a splash zone for the amount of splash plays Reshad Jones makes per game.

LOS: No, his middle name isn’t Carlos (quick, someone check Jones' middle name), but Jones is a demon who destroys plays around the line of scrimmage. His quickness and instincts make him diagnose plays and avoid blocks. In fact I think he would absolutely thrive as a linebacker. He is a perfect fit for the Nicklebacker/safety position that is in vogue right now in the NFL.

Jones’ passion, versatility, athleticism, and awareness makes him an enticing player to future head coaches. A defensive coordinator can put Jones at all 4-3 linebacker positions, both safety positions and at nickel back without Jones being a liability.

I know that Jones will get his due one day. I can even see the NFL having a Reshad Jones award for the most unheralded player of the year. Huh? Quick someone check my math on that one.

His numbers are certainly impressive this season, but not everyone likes cold numbers. That's why we decided to check the film.

Fans of Star Trek will know that Captain James T. Kirk of the U.S.S. Enterprise made it a point to say over and over again that he didn't believe in no-win situations. He would cheat the system in order to avoid them and come out on top. Unfortunately for the Miami Dolphins, Captain Kirk isn't in charge of the organization.

The Miami Dolphins fanbase is a very fickle bunch, and there's very little the organization can do to please them. I wrote about this in a previous column weeks ago, but at this point there's nothing the Dolphins can do to please the disgruntled Dolphins fan.

Now though, the anger and vitriol is a little more justified. But only a little. The season isn't looking promising, there's only a small remaining chance that the Dolphins will make the playoffs in 2015, and with the way the team is playing, that seems unlikely.

So now we run into that dreaded time of year where it really doesn't matter what the Dolphins do from here on out, there will be a lot of angry fans screaming out their displeasure through social media and as callers-in on radio shows regardless of the outcomes of the next several games.

One option for the Dolphins would be to bench all of their veteran starters and let the young rookies play to evaluate their talent level for 2016, this is what is known as "tanking" and it usually leads to much anger among the fanbase...oh wait, so does everything else.

The Dolphins narrowly got past the injury-plagued Baltimore Ravens, who were without a very large chunk of their starting players. Essentially, the Dolphins starters nearly got beaten by a team filled with rookies, backups and fringe players. Pretty sad, but a win is a win.

Except when it's not.

Because of the meaningless victory, the Dolphins fell from the sixth overall pick in the 2016 draft all the way to the fourteenth pick. So instead of potentially getting a top five player who could be elite right away, they'll get a middle of the road first-rounder who may take longer to develop.

Now obviously, draft position isn't the end all be all, there have been several top five picks who have been enormous draft busts. Unfortunately, Dion Jordan has turned out to be one of them due to his lack of passion for football and his unwillingness to focus on improving his skills. He has all the physical tools, but his mind is elsewhere.

Reasons don't matter in the mind of most fans however. The point is, he busted. The Dolphins should have gone with someone else. Fine, hindsight is twenty-twenty. But at the time, there were lots of people excited about Dion Jordan coming to Miami, and those same people are now the ones berating Miami for picking him. Disgruntled Dolphins fans.

Now the people who either silently or vocally root for the team to lose for the sake of draft position have a valid point. Generally, if the scouting is done properly, the best and most talented players out of the draft usually are the ones drafted in the top five. This isn't always the case, but it is the general consensus.

But these fans get accused of being fake fans, because they dare imply that the team should lose and that creates a losing atmosphere, the very atmosphere fans have been wanting to remove from Miami ever since Dan Marino retired.

These fans are the ones who say the Dolphins should fight to the bitter end, regardless of whether their playoff hopes are destroyed or there's a chance for a better draft spot. Win out, because winning is a great feeling and it doesn't matter how they won as long as they won.

They too have a valid point. Winning should always be the goal, it breeds the proper culture. Part of what makes the Miami Heat basketball team so potent is that they never allow themselves to believe that they can't win. They go out and give it everything they've got regardless of the odds and regardless of the potential strategic circumstances. The only goal is winning.

It's a good point. The Dolphins culture right now doesn't emulate what the Miami Heat have, which is what every successful sports team has. Culture is important in football, and the idea that the Dolphins should lose for the sake of a better draft spot pollutes that culture. So the ones who want a draft spot are fake fans.

But those fake fans call those fans homers, which means they can see no wrong in their football team and they can't get past the simple emotional feeling of winning, they can't see the complexity of strategy and how the Dolphins losing instead of winning now that the playoffs are hopeless will in reality help the Dolphins in the long term. Football is a marathon, not a sprint.

"Stupid fake fans!"

"Stupid homers!"

I'm not here to advocate for one side or another. I'm here to point out how sad it's become that there is literally nothing the Dolphins can do that would even remotely make the fanbase happy. There was a study done near the beginning of the season regarding which NFL team had the worst fans. The Dolphins were named the team with the absolute worst. At the time I scoffed.

Now I see they were right.

If the Dolphins lose games, the angry people who want the team to win out and breed the proper culture scream and holler because the Dolphins are giving up on the season and that just means they'll spend the next few years trying to fight past an internal disease that teaches that losing is acceptable. They have a valid point.

If the Dolphins win games, the angry people who want the team to tank and ensure a top five draft pick for next year and attract a new head coach scream and holler because the Dolphins not only ruined their hopes for the playoffs, but now they can't even lose properly so they're better prepared for next season. They too have a valid point.

We face a painfully ironic and contradictory situation at this point in time, and in the end all it means is that watching Dolphins football will be a painful experience for the rest of the year no matter whose side you're on. If the Dolphins lose, they lose...and if the Dolphins win, they lose. The ultimate no-win situation.

Now just speaking from the perspective of interim head coach Dan Campbell, if he wants to keep his job, he'll need to tap into his inner Captain Kirk and turn death into a fighting chance to win. There's still a tiny chance the team could pull this thing out of the fire, and if Campbell wants to keep his job, he'll need to beat the no-win situation.

Whether that's the best thing for the team long term? All depends on your perspective.

This column was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

We always hear how teams need to let their young rookies develop behind the veteran players, get accustomed to the speed of the game while the pressure is off. But in some cases, the better option is to let the young rookies play, especially in situations where they may actually already be better than the veteran players.

In this case, it's a combination of both for the Miami Dolphins, as the season appears to already be over as the playoffs seem to be out of reach with the team's record of 4-7. There are several young players on the squad with lots of potential, and the time has come to see if they can play when called upon.

Perhaps the most notable of these names is rookie wide receiver DeVante Parker, who is expected to get much more playing time thanks to the injury suffered by veteran Rishard Matthews.

The standout receiver out of Louisville hadn't been able to see the field much prior to the Jets game at MetLife Stadium, but in that game he showed a small glimpse of what he could be, as he was able to juke veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie on his way to the endzone for his first ever career touchdown.

"I just remember running an out route," Parker said in an interview with TheFinsiders' Greg Likens. "In this case I saw Cromartie behind me, just tried to juke him, and then I saw the other corner come over, so I made a move on him and I just knew I had to go to the endzone, I had to score."

Parker was drafted for his big play ability and the mismatches he could create on the field with his unique blend of size and speed, and presumably the reason he's been kept out was a mixture of the play by Rishard Matthews, and his own unwillingness to trust his surgically repaired foot.

Now though, Parker is getting a chance to play and get his head in the game, as Matthews is slated to be out for several weeks with fractured ribs. But he isn't the only wide receiver slated to get some playing time, as he's slated to finally make his NFL debut against the Ravens on Sunday.

Hazel, who was drafted out of Coastal Carolina in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL draft, has been waiting for a long time for this opportunity, and says he hasn't been demoralized by the wait.

“Nah,” he said in an interview with the Palm Beach Post. “It’s just motivation. That’s all it is, is motivation. And just keep building, understand you’ve got to be patient. Sometimes you’ve got to pay your dues. That’s how I look at it. And time finally came.”

Also expected to step up and play is rookie cornerback Bobby McCain, who was announced as the starter opposite Brent Grimes, effectively benching a rather annoyed Jamar Taylor, who wasn't thrilled by the move and stated as such when approached by the media.

But like it or not, this is a results driven league, and Taylor hasn't played well despite receiving chance after chance to prove himself. Now, McCain has clawed his way up the depth chart with his tenacity and ball-hawking tendencies, and he's spent the week preparing himself to be the starter.

Then there's yet another rookie on the defensive side of the ball, defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who the Dolphins drafted in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft despite needs elsewhere.

So far, Phillips has paid dividends despite his limited play time, as he's already racked up 10 tackles, 2 sacks and has batted down a couple of balls at the line of scrimmage, something he's quickly found a knack for.

​With C.J. Mosley now off the team due to injury, Phillips will have to spend most of his time lining up next to Ndamukong Suh. Think of it as a preview for what's to come for the next few years to come.

No one knows how 2016 will pan out, with a likely coaching search just over the horizon and several players soon to be removed due to salary, injury or other reasons, the importance for the Dolphins to see what they have in their young players skyrockets.

All of these players have talent, and could potentially take the roster spots of some expensive veterans or players who will probably depart in the offseason. If there was ever a time to get these young players some game experience, it's right now while the pressure is low.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

With new offensive coordinator Zac Taylor calling the shots, Ryan Tannehill will have more freedom on the field than he has had since the Mike Sherman era. Tannehill will have the ability to not only call audibles and make changes on the fly, but he will also have input in the playcalling of the offense.
 
“I’m excited about some new things that we’ll be doing on offense and having Zac at the helm.” Said Tannehill on Wednesday after practice. It sounds like they will be adding a few new wrinkles to the offense, perhaps giving Tannehill the ability to improvise, and in turn, we will have an opportunity to watch Tannehill in his element. He will be working with receivers that he has chemistry with, while being able to make his own decisions.
 
While former OC Bill Lazor was calling the shots, Tannehill was only able to switch into a couple of different plays, without ever truly changing the foundation of the play. This new approach will show us some of Tannehill’s true colors.

Over the past few weeks, the number of Dolphins fans who are anti-Tannehill has grown, and many believe that he does not have what it takes to make it in this league. I for one disagree, but these next five weeks will serve as an audition for him, and a chance to change minds.
 
Head coach Dan Campbell has made it known that Tannehill will be given the ability to audible starting this Sunday. “…We have a few plays where Ryan’s going to have the luxury to get us to the best option available.” Said Campbell. “I think it’s like anything else. If you have an idea and you’re willing to step up on a table for it, you’re going to do everything it takes to make it work.”
 
Last week I compared Tannehill to the kid you see at the mall who is way too big to be in a stroller, and his over-protective mother would just push him along, with the security and well-being of her child as her number one priority. Well now Mom’s not around, and Tannehill is going to be walking on his own, and we will see just how much he has grown.
 
The Baltimore Ravens, who play the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday, are dead last in the NFL in interception rate, and 24th in passing yards allowed per game, but they boast a top five run defense. We could assume that Tannehill should be able to spread the ball freely and post gaudy passing numbers in Zac Taylor's playcalling debut, but the running game is not expected to flourish, as stopping the run is just about the only thing the Ravens do well.

If he can’t shine against a porous Ravens secondary, then maybe Ryan Tannehill is better suited as a game manager quarterback who needs direction and micro-management in order to succeed.
 
The Dolphins’ hopes of the post season are just about over, and now it is time to put this team under a microscope and see what works, and what doesn’t. Major changes are on the way, and Tannehill, just like every other player on the roster, is being heavily critiqued moving forward.
 
This story was written by Efrain Ramos. Follow him on Twitter @EfrainRamos

Dick Enberg, one of the most renowned and versatile sportscasters in America, and Grammy award winning country music artist Darius Rucker will serve as the master of ceremonies and entertainment respectively at the Dolphins Fifty Seasons Gala presented by Allegiance Crane & Equipment, Friday, Dec. 11 at the Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Fla.

The once-in-a-generation event will highlight the Dolphins top 50 players and celebrate great moments in team history. All proceeds from the event benefit the Miami Dolphins Foundation. The gala will air on Monday, December 14 from 7-8 p.m. on CBS4.

Enberg’s broadcast career spans six decades and includes 14 Emmy Awards. He has established himself as one of sports’ top play-by-play announcers, first for NBC and then for CBS. During his 41 years broadcasting NFL games, Enberg called more Dolphins contests on network television than any other sportscaster.

Rucker first attained multi-platinum status in the music industry as former lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the Grammy Award-winning group Hootie & the Blowfish. Since reintroducing himself to the world as a country artist, he has released four consecutive albums to top the Billboard Country Albums Chart.

The Fifty Seasons Gala will begin with a red carpet entrance, followed by a cocktail reception, where attendees can take part in a silent auction presented by Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Guests will enjoy live music and mix and mingle with Dolphins players and alumni.

That will be followed by a ceremonial introduction of the top 50 players in Dolphins history, dinner and program celebrating 50 seasons of Dolphins football. All guests will receive a customized gift to commemorate the evening.

A limited number of tables are available for purchase. In addition, the team will host a Fifty Seasons golf tournament presented by Waste Management, Saturday, December 12 at the Diplomat Resort & Spa. At the golf tournament, South Florida Ford will give away a car if a participant makes a hole in one.

​The Fifty Seasons celebration will conclude with the Miami Dolphins – New York Giants game presented by Bergeron Family of Companies at 8:30 p.m., Monday, December 14 at Sun Life Stadium. For more information on reserving a table at the gala or purchasing a foursome at the golf tournament, call (305) 943-1501.

When the Miami Dolphins claimed defensive end Quinton Coples off of waivers, the general consensus was that he was merely a rental for the remainder of the 2015 season. But now it seems that the former first-round draft pick is actually in the plans for next season as well.

Though he played limited snaps against his former team, Coples apparently caught the attention of the Dolphins coaching staff, and interim head coach Dan Campbell had some nice things to say about the pass-rusher's performance.

“He did a solid job; went in there and helped us." Campbell said. "He had some production, I think he had 19 plays and he had solid production for those 19. He had a couple of tackles, he caused a penalty and he did a nice job.”

A big part of Coples' game is his ability to rush the passer with his hand in the dirt, which is what he did best as a member of the North Carolina Tar Heels back in college. With the Jets, he was shoehorned into a standing outside linebacker position. Now with the Dolphins, Coples feels he's a better fit in the scheme and will be able to perform more efficiently.

"I think this is a great opportunity for me as far as my skill set and be able to produce and be an impact with this team in this league." he said. "I’m excited about the future."

The thing about the future however, is that it's something of an unknown when it comes to Quinton Coples. He has a $7,751,000 price tag on him next season according to Spotrac, and that money is guaranteed if he's on the roster by the start of the new league year.

Yet according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the former first-rounder has said that the Dolphins indicated to him that he is in the team's plans for 2016. This begs the question: where are they going to get that money?

It's basically a foregone conclusion at this point that the Dolphins are going to restructure the contract of Al-Pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who at present will count for over $28 million against the cap in 2016. They will likely find a way to spread the cap hit out a bit and make some room, but that in itself won't be enough.

This suggests that the Dolphins might be willing to part with Olivier Vernon - who will be hitting the free agent market for the first time, or veteran pass-rusher Cameron Wake, who will be 34 years old in 2016 and will count as a $9.8 million dollar cap hit if he stays.

Coples has talent, of that there is no doubt. Being allowed to put his hand back in the dirt like he did in his heyday in college will help. But if he really is in the Dolphins' future, that means that either Vernon and/or Wake will have played their last snap in aqua and orange after 2015 is over. Bittersweet to say the least.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

Changes on the offensive side of the ball aren’t the only thing that could look different this week for the Miami Dolphins.

Interim head coach Dan Campbell said that if rookie cornerback Bobby McCain does well in practice this week, he will start over incumbent Jamar Taylor, who has struggled in coverage this season.

"Right now Bobby McCain is competing opposite of Brent Grimes at corner,” confirmed Campbell.

Taylor isn’t the only one struggling, as Pro Bowl CB Brent Grimes has had two terrible games in a row. Grimes was repeatedly burned by Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins, but was generally given a pass for that game because he was suffering through a bout of food poisoning from the night before. Last week, Grimes was abused by former Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall, and there was no denying that Grimes simply could not keep pace with the much larger and stronger Marshall.

Grimes, 32, may be reaching the age where cornerback play drops off, especially for a guy that relies on quickness and leaping ability when reacting to passes downfield.

Thus McCain may also find himself shadowing the opposing team’s best wide receiver at times going forward. McCain is listed as an inch shorter than Grimes, raising the question if the Dolphins are concerned that the team might have two relatively short cornerbacks in coverage.

"No,” said Campbell. “I mean certainly size would always bother you a little bit, or at least just make you think about it. But I'll say this, Grimes has been a really good corner for us for a long time. And he still is. Brice McCain and Bobby McCain are both pretty gritty guys, that's what gives me encouragement, makes me feel good … I think they'll go in there and compete. I don't care if they're big guys or not.”

Hopefully that grittiness translates to tighter play in the secondary, especially close to the line of scrimmage, as the Dolphins have been notorious for playing off the line and being susceptible to short, quick passes. Campbell alluded to that hope in his comments as well.

“I think they're going to work them a little bit at the line, which is what we're looking for."

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball

In conjunction with the Dolphins 50th season celebration presented by Pepsi, voting took place to select the top 50 players in team history. Four different groups voted on the composition of the team, including fans, Dolphins alumni, South Florida media and a select blue ribbon panel. Each group’s selections counted for 25 percent of the overall vote.

Five players on the team were announced each week leading up to home game vs. the New York Giants on Dec. 14 when the entire 50th team will be honored as part of a tribute to the 50 seasons of Dolphins football.

​The latest five members of the team introduced are Kim Bokamper, Earl Morrall, Louis Oliver, Keith Sims and Cameron Wake. These five players now complete the roster for the 50th Season All Time Team. Further information about each player as well as quotes are below:
​

Kim Bokamper played nine years (1977-85) with the Dolphins at linebacker and defensive end as a member of the “Killer B’s” defense that helped the Dolphins make two Super Bowls in the 1980s. Bokamper is tied for eighth among the Dolphins’ all-time sack leaders with 39.5 career sacks, leading the team in sacks in 1980. He was named to the 1979 Pro Bowl team.

“I became a Dolphins fan on Christmas Day in 1971 when the Dolphins beat the Chiefs en route to their first Super Bowl. Five years later I was proud to be drafted by Miami. I walked into the locker room and saw many of the guys who played in that game, and eventually I wound up being their teammate. That in itself was a dream come true,” Bokamper said.

“For ten years I played for the greatest coach in the history of the NFL, Don Shula, and under two outstanding assistant coaches, Bill Arnsparger and Mo Scarry. And I was fortunate enough to play with guys like A.J. Duhe, Bob Baumhower, Doug Betters, Bob Brudzinski, Glenn and Lyle Blackwood, Don McNeal, and the rest of the “Killer B’s” – all things I never imagined. But being selected as one of the top 50 players of all time in Dolphins history is by far the most surprising and meaningful honor that I could ever receive. I want to thank all the fans, alumni and media that voted for me. To be named to that team is something truly special.”

Earl Morrall played five seasons with the Dolphins (1972-76) at quarterback, with a solid career as a starter in the NFL before joining the Dolphins in 1972. He became Miami’s starter in 1972 when Bob Griese was injured in the fifth game that year and started the next 11 games. The Dolphins won every one of them en route to their 17-0 perfect season. Morrall was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year that season. He passed away in 2014.

​“Earl never sought recognition but I’m sure he would be honored to be part of this great team, which consists of so many of his former teammates and friends,” Earl’s widow Jane Morrall said. “Earl was the ultimate team player.”

Louis Oliver played seven seasons (1989-93, 1995-96) with the Dolphins at safety, starting all but three games his first four years with the team. His 24 interceptions ranks tied for sixth in Dolphins history and he led the Dolphins in interceptions four straight seasons (1989-92). On Oct. 4, 1992 at Buffalo he had three interceptions, including a 103-yard TD return, which at the time tied the NFL record for the longest interception return in league history.

​“I’m honored and privileged that the people I played with, the fans who came out to support the team, the organization itself – all the people who felt that I deserved to be among the Dolphins’ 50 greatest players. I played my career for those people – people that I played alongside of, the organization that drafted me coming out of college, the fans that paid their hard-earned money to see the games each and every Sunday and Monday night. I feel honored that my play was something they appreciated and voted me as one of the Dolphins 50 greatest players,” Oliver said.    

Keith Sims played eight years (1990-97) at guard with the Dolphins. He was a second round draft pick by Miami in 1990, and immediately started alongside offensive tackle Richmond Webb, the club’s first-round selection that year, to anchor the left side of the Dolphins line for the next eight seasons. Sims was named to three consecutive Pro Bowl teams (1993-95).

​“I want to thank the organization, Coach Shula – who drafted me – John Sandusky, my first line coach when I played there, and of course my linemate, Richmond Webb. None of this would have been possible without those people. It was great to play next to Richmond all those years. He inspired me to be a great player. And I can’t forget Dan Marino. Protecting Dan was a thrill and a tremendous opportunity,” Sims said.

“I am just thrilled to be a part of a tremendous group of guys – the top 50 all-time great players who sweated, bled and lived for the Miami Dolphins. It’s an incredible honor and I’m just so thankful to be part of that group.”

Cameron Wake is in his seventh year (2009-15) with the Dolphins at linebacker and defensive end and has recorded 70 sacks as a member of the Dolphins, which ranks second among the team’s all-time sack leaders, behind Jason Taylor. He has led the Dolphins in sacks four times and has registered double figure sack totals in three different seasons. Wake’s 15 sacks in 2012 is tied for the sixth-highest single-season total in Dolphins history. He was named to four Pro Bowls.

“When I look at the names of the men that have been included in this group, I'm beyond honored and privileged. The Dolphins have a storied history and I'm proud to be part of it,” Wake said. “My path was an unusual one, but the journey wouldn't be a success without the support and encouragement from my teammates, my family and the fans. I'm so grateful to all of them.”

Here is the list of players so far.

• Dick Anderson
• Bob Baumhower
• Doug Betters
• Glenn Blackwood
• Kim Bokamper
• Tim Bowens
• Bob Brudzinski
• Nick Buoniconti
• Mark Clayton
• Bryan Cox
• Larry Csonka
• A.J. Duhe 
• Bruce Hardy
• Vern Den Herder
• Mark Duper
• Norm Evans
• Manny Fernandez
• Bob Griese
• Brent Grimes
• Keith Jackson
• Jim Jensen
• Jim Kiick
• Bob Kuechenberg
• Jim Langer
• Larry Little
• Sam Madison 
• Jim Mandich
• Dan Marino
• O.J. McDuffie
• Nat Moore
• Earl Morrall
• Mercury Morris
• Tony Nathan
• Ed Newman
• John Offerdahl
• Louis Oliver
• Mike Pouncey
• Reggie Roby
• Jake Scott
• Keith Sims
• Bill Stanfill
• Dwight Stephenson 
• Patrick Surtain
• Jason Taylor
• Zach Thomas 
• Cameron Wake
• Paul Warfield
• Richmond Webb
• Ricky Williams
• Garo Yepremian 
  

Stay tuned here to find out who makes the list next week.

Header Image Credit: Miami Dolphins

Before Bill Lazor came to Miami, the Dolphins had an offensive coordinator who had great success as the head coach for the Green Bay Packers, and was the head coach at Texas A&M while Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill was still there playing, that man's name is Mike Sherman.

Sherman followed Tannehill to Miami and was one of the primary reasons he was drafted in the first-round, as then head coach Joe Philbin had actually worked under Sherman in Green Bay. Unfortunately, as an offensive coordinator, Sherman didn't last long as his offenses ranked 27th and 26th overall in 2012-13, and the fans screamed for his head.

Then when Bill Lazor came along from Philadelphia, fans got excited as they were under the impression that Lazor was going to bring Chip Kelly's offense with him, an offense that was about as un-Sherman as could be. No more "go!" or "go go!" No more vanilla play-calling. The offense was about to be a juggernaut.

Now though, fans are starting to realize that Lazor might've actually been the worse of the two, and that Sherman actually had a better offensive scheme. Now some of that Sherman influence may be returning, as Zac Taylor is now in charge of the offense.

Taylor is Sherman's son-in-law, and Taylor said he keeps in touch with the longtime football coach frequently.

“I do, absolutely.”

​Now that in itself makes sense, they are family after all. It would raise more important red flags if they didn't keep in touch. But what might concern some fans is the fact that Taylor stated in his introductory press conference that he often goes to his father-in-law for coaching advice.

“Always. I have always done that." he said. "He’s been a huge influence in my life in many ways. I learned a lot of football from him. He’s always been unbelievable to me. I talk to him almost weekly. He’s always been a big influence and key in my life.”

​Unlike his father-in-law, Taylor has never called plays before, and that could be a cause for concern as yet another rookie coordinator takes over. But the interim OC assures everyone that he - and has been - prepared for the responsibility now facing him.

“I’ve called a thousand games in my head, I can promise you that." he said. "Now that doesn’t translate to being on the sidelines and calling a game but I am absolutely prepared. This is, as a player you dream about playing in the Super Bowl, as a coach you daydream about calling the Super Bowl. There is no substitute for experience, there is no doubt about that, but I have all the confidence with the staff around me – I have unbelievable guys on offense that are there to help me."

The coaching staff currently in place is fighting for their jobs, and unless changes happen quickly, it doesn't bode well for anyone's future in Miami. Change has been promised several times now, and now it's Taylor's turn to show whether or not he can make a change by taking what he's learned from his father-in-law and making it work.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater