I covered the playoff game between the Broncos and Patriots Saturday and while this is a Dolphins blog, allow me to discuss with you something we rarely get to talk about on a Dolphins blog -- the playoffs.
Coming out of the thumping of the Broncos by the Patriots it's clear to me that while Tom Brady continues to play at his current level, the Dolphins have little chance of winning the AFC East unless they find their own franchise quarterback. I'm not talking about finding a nice quarterback or a fair quarterback or caretaker. I'm talking a Top 10 QB is necessary for Miami to compete with the Patriots.
Otherwise Miami is merely playing for second place in the division.
Coming out of that game, it struck me as odd one comment I heard in the press box from a journalist. Mocking the fact the Broncos were getting shredded, he turned to another writer and asked mockingly, "Where's Tim Tebow's God tonight?
Obviously, Tebow is a man of faith and he delivered an impassioned speech to his teammates before the game that was taken straight out of the Bible. It didn't work.
But does that diminish the power of faith?
I say not.
I say without faith we have nothing.
Now, some people put their faith in God. Some people put their faith in their abilities. Some put their faith in the greater group, as Vince Wilfork said following the game. But faith was at work all over the field last night.
Believing is important is important in sports. You cannot succeed unless you do not believe.
Today on Sportscenter the analysts discussed Tebow's future. It was interesting to hear their take -- even known Tebow hater Merrill Hoge who clearly has allowed his dislike of Tebow's game to blind his analysis.
The topic that came up was whether Tebow be the Broncos QB going forward. Tom Jackson made a troubling statement about Tebow when he wondered aloud if "Tebow's fansbase" would allow Denver President John Elway to make a change.
"Tebow's fanbase," seems odd phrasing to me. It makes the group sound like some cult or something. It makes them sound like drones that approve of everything Tebow does regardless of those actions.
I'm a Tebow fan. I make no apologies for that because I like his approach off the field and appreciate his winning ways on the field. I identify with the fact Tebow's unorthodox. I love that he's gritty. And after he took a 1-4 team and helped it get in the playoffs, I cannot deny he wins.
But I'm not blind and I don't think "Tebow's fansbase" is blind. I'm not the spokesman for that fanbase, but allow me to tell you what I think Tebow's fanbase will allow, Tom Jackson:
They'll allow a legitimate quarterback competition for the right to start.
They'll allow the winner of that competition to have as much support as possible.
They'll allow for the idea that Tebow's mechanics are not very good, but mechanics can change and improve with coaching -- just ask Aaron Rodgers -- and in a lockout offseason, Tebow didn't get that coaching.
Tebow's fanbase understands that the guy they root for is not a complete player. But he's only 16 games into his NFL career. That's a bit early to throw up your hands and say, "Tebow's got no chance to improve, or Tebow absolutely positively cannot be a good NFL quarterback."
The statement is idiotic.
Perhaps you disagree. That's fine. It's America. But if you disagree, tell me how it is Drew Brees got two years of struggles knowing he would never be taller than 6-foot and a national outcry didn't ensue. Tell me how it is Mark Sanchez was awful his rookie season but the folks in New York thought him capable of improving because he went to the playoffs with his team?
No one said Sanchez needed to go after that terrible first full season as a starter. How is it that Tebow similarly takes the Broncos to the playoffs and he doesn't get the same room for growth?
Look, Tim Tebow is not Tom Brady. Nowhere close. Brady played Goliath to Tebow's David Sunday and Goliath clearly won. But I cannot discount Tebow's growth potential. I cannot discount that he was in a playoff game last night. And I cannot discount the fact that when the Broncos bring in competition for him next year, he just might do what he's been doing for a long time going back to college.
Win
Tebow is 33 regular season games and 8 preseason games into his pro career. I like the guy off the field but as a QB in the NFL no thanks. Tebow is to quarterbacking as the Wildcat was to formations. Took everyone by storm, that is until they saw it the second time around.
Posted by: Chris in the 623 | January 15, 2012 at 04:28 PM
Why don't you consider any of that when you talk about Henne?? Alex Smith of the 49ers has shown sometimes you just need to play through it until you get better. Henne was better than Alex Smith early on, but you say he can't be our QB; but Tebow can be the Broncos QB...you are being inconsistent. Further, the Broncos defense won many of the games credited to Tebow; Tebow just gets the credit... So, perhaps you need to rethink all this and decide that if Tebow gets time, if Smith gets time, then perhaps Henne should get some more time. Just sayin'...
Posted by: mntnmanfinfan | January 15, 2012 at 04:29 PM
Please...Henne's a bust. Get over it. He sucks.
Matt Moore did a lot more with the same weapons. The hell with Henne.
Posted by: #1 Dolphin Fan in Montreal | January 15, 2012 at 04:31 PM
I just watched the Texan's lose to an inferior Raven team, because of their problems at quarterback.
_______________________________________________
No you didn't.
Posted by: Crawdad Joe | January 15, 2012 at 04:32 PM
Tebow wins
Henne loses
NUFF SAID
Posted by: NUFF SAID | January 15, 2012 at 04:32 PM
Henne was like a deer in headlights, a terrible excuse for a pro QB.
Posted by: Ron Son | January 15, 2012 at 04:34 PM
Hawk 1052....
Why would Houston get rid of their coach....they just played in the divisional round.....
Which Dolphins coach that played.....
In the Divisionsl RD of the playoffs that got fired.....
Posted by: Kris | January 15, 2012 at 04:34 PM
DOLPHIN FAN OF MONTREAL YOU MUST APOLOGIZE TO ALL HERE FOR USING THAT LANGAGE,.,LIKE I MADE YESTERDAY GONE APOLOGIZED YESTERDAY../ IT IS NOT HOW A GENTLE MEN TALK.
Posted by: ALoco | January 15, 2012 at 04:34 PM
ALoco, huh?? Apologize for saying Henne sucks? LOL!!
Posted by: #1 Dolphin Fan in Montreal | January 15, 2012 at 04:35 PM
Goliath would be a guy taken in the first round and expected to be great. Not a guy taken in the 6th round as an afterthought to Bledsoe. Tebow, in fact, is Goliath. He was taken in the first round and that means his team expected him to be great, otherwise they would not have drafted him so high. It's easy to arrange analogies the way you want to present material, but don't give me the sappy, "Tebow is the underdog" routine when he won a Heisman, national championships, and was drafted in the first round. Tebow is far from being a Rudy and those that think they are rooting for the underdog by rooting for Tebow really have to get some perspective.
Posted by: jeff | January 15, 2012 at 04:36 PM
YES AND ALSO YOU SAID FOR HIM TO GO TO HELL.,..YOU SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO THE PEOPLE FOR THAAT JUST LIKE CRAIG AND YESTERDAY GONE APOLOGIZED AFTER I TOLD THEM TOO
Posted by: ALoco | January 15, 2012 at 04:37 PM
I said the hell with Henne..Time to move on ALoco...Henne is a failure and it's time to turn the page...
Posted by: #1 Dolphin Fan in Montreal | January 15, 2012 at 04:38 PM
Jeff....good post.....nice perspective....
Posted by: Kris | January 15, 2012 at 04:38 PM
We would've gotten Andrew Luck if Henne had stayed healthy.
Posted by: TGH | January 15, 2012 at 04:40 PM
WELL THAT IS NOT POLITE TO SAY BUT USUALLY I THINK YOU ARE A GENTLE MEN
Posted by: ALoco | January 15, 2012 at 04:40 PM
An aweful division & injuries to the Steelers got Tebow where he is now. If Denver was in the afc east they would be picking 7th next draft. I would take Moore over Tebow any day. The more teams see a player or scheme that's different the more they stop it. Tim Tebow was this year's "wildcat", nothing more.
Posted by: Turd Ferguson | January 15, 2012 at 04:40 PM
It was only a matter of time before other teams caught up with Harbaugh's sluggish ball control style. Getting harbaugh would have been more of the same old Parcells blueprint.
It catches you off guard at first, but it doesnt take too long to catch up too. 49ers will be one and done in the playoffs. Then everything will be downhill after that.
Posted by: Yesterday's Gone | December 11, 2011 at 10:51 PM
Posted by: LOL | January 15, 2012 at 04:40 PM
Aloco go make some mint tea.
(((BUFFET OF GO TO HELL)))
Posted by: craigerday | January 15, 2012 at 04:40 PM
ALoco, always a gentleman...I have nobody to apologize to...I didn't insult anyone...I just said the hell with Henne...What are you, his agent or something?
Posted by: #1 Dolphin Fan in Montreal | January 15, 2012 at 04:41 PM
WHY DO I THINK SOME BODY TALKING TO THEMSELVS?
Posted by: ALoco | January 15, 2012 at 04:43 PM
Hi ALoco!
Posted by: tube of glue | January 15, 2012 at 04:43 PM
wussup ALoco?
Posted by: can of paint | January 15, 2012 at 04:44 PM
ALoco, have yourself a great day...Is that polite enough? I gotta run...
Posted by: #1 Dolphin Fan in Montreal | January 15, 2012 at 04:44 PM
NY G,
That proves it. You are a "seer of the future". The fact I am replying proves it. So, Oh "great seer of the future", what do you see in your crystal ball for Miami and the head coach position? Maybe "Bum" Phillips, he had great defenses! What about Jim Mora, (Sr. that is) because I really like that Coors ad', so he would be good). How about maybe calling Rich Kotite (ex' Jets coach, in case you didn't know)? He may have a few more plays left in that cobweb-infested brain of his?
Now, before you form the opinion that I am an A-hole, which, by the way, you would have to get in line behind my ex's to claim that one, I really only took exception to your opinion yesterday that Todd Bowles was just like Sparano. (The old post you put up about the Jets game did not require more than 10 seconds of computer skills to pull up, so if you ever want to make a similar point on this blog to someone who riles you up, I will be happy to tell you how I did it. About Bowles, I would rather have another coach, but face it, he's not out there today. Let me re-phrase, he's alive, but we can't definitively identify him yet based on his current body of work. I am not all about change just for change's sake. A new coach who needs a learning curve means "blow-up and rebuild with the offense suffering the most. We could possibly put together a respectable season next year if we have some continuity. Fisher sucks. Really, didn't even have a good track record. I for one am extremely thankful we didn't get that perennial loser. To keep some continuity equals hiring Bowles. Huckster commented above that Bowles is not a good coach because "he doesn't show any emotion". WTF?! Then based on that observation, Belichick sucks, Tomlin sucks, and Reid sucks. Every coach gets his point across differently. If Ross wanted to make a good owner move, he would offer Bowles a 3 yr. contract at Sparano wages (%$3M/yr.) and guarantee him 2 yrs. This way if Bowles produces a losing season next year, Ross can fire him and only be on the hook for $3M and go after a "star" coach. There is no star out there right now that we need to chance blowing up our continuity for. We have had 7, yeah 7, head coaches in Miami since the start of the 2004 season. Enough said on continuity. Our offense improved greatly the 2nd half of the season, along with the defense. If fu.king Nolan would stick with man-coverage more often (requires trust in your CB), I believe our defense could be top 5. For all his faults, JJ started the trend of good Miami defenses and the corner-stone was shutting down the pass. Today, this sec', JJ's defense with those players, could put up a game for the Pats. They would not score 30 - 40 pts. on us (IMO). Now, not many teams run on us, so I'm not worried about that.
To sum up, I only relly called you out on your opinion of Bowles and while I was at it, had a little fun. Not wanting to create an enemy on here, so will close by saying i have my opinion and you have yours.
(ps) I make predictions on here too, just haven't had anyone like me bust my balls for them yet :)
Posted by: stillhardcoredolphinsfan | January 15, 2012 at 04:44 PM
NY G!
Here we GO!
Let's make a gentleman's wager.
If the Giants beat down the Pack, I will quit blogging for a week(go ahead, make your jokes everyone).
If the Pack wins, you have to limit your infamous rants to two paragraphs or less for a week.
Is it a BET?
Posted by: Odin's Bottom | January 15, 2012 at 04:45 PM
YOU TOLD HENNE TO GO TO HELL THAT IS A VERY BAD INSULT YOU SHOULD APOLOGIZE FOR FAN OF MONTREAL.,..I HAVE SEEN THE GAMES OF THE CANADIA FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND THERE FANS SEEM VERY POLITE TO ME SO YOU SHOULD LEARN FROM THEM I THINK AND HAVE BETTER MANNERS
Posted by: ALoco | January 15, 2012 at 04:45 PM
STILLHARCOREDOLPHINFAN, PLEASE DO NOT WRITE SUCH LONG POSTS ANY MORE.
Posted by: ALoco | January 15, 2012 at 04:48 PM
Eli
IS
Eli-te
Posted by: Riley | January 15, 2012 at 04:49 PM
Tom Brady can go to hell.
Aloco - put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Posted by: yestercraigM's goans | January 15, 2012 at 04:50 PM
Riley,
Watch the Great Eli get his asss handed to him.
It has been written!
Posted by: Odin's Bottom | January 15, 2012 at 04:51 PM
Giants had to take a timeout on their FIRST THIRD DOWN!
Good call Eli!
Posted by: Odin's Bottom | January 15, 2012 at 04:53 PM
Rogers is elit-ER.
Posted by: cheesy beotch | January 15, 2012 at 04:53 PM
Eli is playing lights out the last half of the season, just as he did when he conquered the 18-0 Pats in the greatest upset in SB history.
Eli
IS
Eli-te
Posted by: Riley | January 15, 2012 at 04:53 PM
You don't have to like Eli but
Eli
IS
Eli-te
Posted by: Riley | January 15, 2012 at 04:56 PM
Aloco, HaHa!
To all who don't believe in my superior "I know what's best for the Dolphins" knowledge, I promise for one day to cut my posts down to one sentence. (Except for this post.)
Odin's Bottom:
I think you thought the ridiculously long post above from me was from NY G.
Posted by: stillhardcoredolphinsfan | January 15, 2012 at 04:57 PM
THIS MESAGGE BOARD USED TO BE FOR GENTLE MEN BUT NOW ALL THE DRUNK GANG OF DEFEAT COMES HERE TO CURSE AT PEOPLE AND ARE VERY RUDE
Posted by: ALoco | January 15, 2012 at 04:58 PM
Looks like Coughlin should work on Tony Sparano's signature fist pump celebration.
Posted by: Jeff Suckland | January 15, 2012 at 05:01 PM
PS...did I not see the Fox News animated robot Tebow right before the game started?
Is nothing sacred or does making money and increasing ratings trumps religion.
Posted by: Jeff Suckland | January 15, 2012 at 05:03 PM
Hey Montreal,
Please tell us factually what Moore did with the same weapons Henne had? You can start with how many times Moore threw for 300+ yards.
Posted by: New Coach Wanted | January 15, 2012 at 05:04 PM
Jeff Suckdick
Posted by: Get lost | January 15, 2012 at 05:05 PM
Uhhhh, Armando?
Great rant spoiled by the inconvenient detail that the thing you were ranting about had nothing to do with the overheard statement that inspired it.
The reporter in question, if you quoted him accurately, didn't criticize Tebow having faith. He criticized the specific silly thing Tebow had faith IN... namely that the entity he believes to be the all powerful creator of the entire universe gave a crap about who won a football game and was going to do something about it.
Even if you do believe in God, that's so astoundingly stupid it deserves to be ridiculed.
Posted by: Grant C | January 15, 2012 at 05:06 PM
You can start with how many times Moore threw for 300+ yards.
Posted by: New Coach Wanted | January 15, 2012 at 05:04 PM
Why does that matter? Why not discuss WINS?
Posted by: Toronto | January 15, 2012 at 05:06 PM
Hardcore,
No, I was talking about NY G and his somewhat lengthy Daily Rants.
I don't mind the long posts as long as they have coherent content!
Riley,
Nothing against Eli, I'm just saying, he's not even in league with Rodgers!
Posted by: Odin's Bottom | January 15, 2012 at 05:07 PM
Here's food for thought, a "star" ex-head coach is on display right now and he has experience in the Dolphins' organization, so for all who thought Fisher was a real loss, now you can get on the Dom Capers boat and question why he hasn't been interviewed, but maybe that's because he sucked then and he sucks now, so see Aloco, I kept my promise, only 1 sentence.
Posted by: stillhardcoredolphinsfan | January 15, 2012 at 05:07 PM
It's funny how many idiots value silly stats over wins. Only one stat matters. The W.
Posted by: Toronto | January 15, 2012 at 05:07 PM
Because a QB doesn't win a game by himself.
Last I checked it was a team sport but I don't expect anyone who thinks Moore is a franchise QB to be able to identify talent.
Posted by: New Coach Wanted | January 15, 2012 at 05:09 PM
Coulda had nicks
Posted by: genothefox | January 15, 2012 at 05:10 PM
LOL!!! Okay okay...give the retard that one.
Posted by: Jeff Suckland | January 15, 2012 at 05:10 PM
Eli
IS
Eli-te
Posted by: Riley | January 15, 2012 at 05:10 PM
Can't spell retard without e-l-i
Posted by: Jeff Suckland | January 15, 2012 at 05:11 PM
Sorry Toronto, that is so wrong only an idiot would have said it.
Posted by: New Coach Wanted | January 15, 2012 at 05:11 PM
The G-MEN have come to play.....
Playing with prid and skill.....
Your faith has no place on th football field Armando.... Save it for church....
I'm sure GOD has bigger issues than a football game....
Posted by: Kris | January 15, 2012 at 05:12 PM
How many 300+ games did Marino have?
And how many Trophies?
Wins trump all other stats.
Posted by: Toronto | January 15, 2012 at 05:12 PM
All eli did was piss off the packers D.
Posted by: Jeff Suckland | January 15, 2012 at 05:12 PM
Pride...
Posted by: Kris | January 15, 2012 at 05:13 PM
Jim, spot on! Pricemaster, Armando, ESPN and all other "QB is god" lovers- see SF 49ers. Nuff said.
Posted by: Tee | January 15, 2012 at 05:16 PM
Armando,
I remember a few years ago when you lost your Grandmother, I said to you that you have an angel in heaven hugging our lord saying look at my beautiful family I have taught them to believe and love you! Our Bible teaches us that when they curse and persicute you because of me "Blessed are you" So everytime they mock, laugh, say negative things, our Lord is blessing him and Mr. Tebow knows it! Then Tebow blesses them as a true Christian should because we have to pray for those that hate us. I as a Catholic know this as well. We need to pray for all and our Lord will take care of us.
GB
M
Posted by: Mike | January 15, 2012 at 05:17 PM
So, by your logic Toronto, every QB who had ever won a title is superior to Marino.
That is so moronic you shouldn't proffer any more opinions ever.
Posted by: New Coach Wanted | January 15, 2012 at 05:18 PM
Philbin is coaching and going performing his duties as the GB OC.....
I have to say.. That with these difficult times....Philbin is showing some serious dedication to his craft.....
I respect that....I hope the best FO his family and career going forward....
Posted by: Kris | January 15, 2012 at 05:18 PM
Pride...
Posted by: Kris | January 15, 2012 at 05:13 PM
___________________________________________
GAY Pride.
Posted by: Julian | January 15, 2012 at 05:19 PM