Just looking at the Miami Dolphins schedule before the season started, many thought the team would be 1-3 after their first four games. After all, the Dolphins began the season playing three teams that won 10 or more games a season ago.
Now that the Dolphins are a quarter into their 2016 season, it appears the team is a bigger mess than we thought.
Yes, the team is 1-3 like most people projected, but the Dolphins probably should be 0-4 if it weren’t for a Cody Parkey missed field that would have given the Cleveland Browns a win at the end of regulation.
First-year head coach Adam Gase will have time to get the players he wants in his system as he signed a five-year contract. Right now, he currently has a lot of players that aren’t very talented and are holdovers from the bad smelling Joe Philbin era.
The first and probably biggest decision Gase will have to make is what to do what quarterback Ryan Tannehill if his poor play continues. While the lousy play of the Dolphins offense isn’t entirely Tannehill’s fault, he does have to shoulder a lot of the blame.
Tannehill is in his fifth year in the league and at 28-years-old, the excuses for his play have gotten old. He continues to make high school mistakes as he constantly stares receivers down in coverage and holds the football entirely too long in the pocket.
In his first three seasons in the league, Tannehill’s play improved each season, but it seems like he has regressed since his fourth season in the league.
So far in 2016, Tannehill has been mediocre as he has thrown for 1,081 yards, six touchdowns against five interceptions. The only thing about Tannehill that has been consistent recently is that he has been inconsistent.
On Thursday night, Tannehill finished 15 of 25 for 189 yards, one touchdown, one interception and he lost a fumble. After the 74-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Stills, the Dolphins offense gained just 148 yards and scored zero points the remainder of the game.
Sure, the offensive line has played poorly and the Dolphins leading rusher has 75 yards on the season (Jay Ajayi), but Tannehill is part of the problem in Miami and it is time to go in a different direction at quarterback.
Gase said in his press conference on Monday that if players didn’t perform the way he expects that changes will be made. Miami may not bench Tannehill, but if the poor play continues, he might have to consider it.
Despite the sack numbers, Gase has blamed the Dolphins offensive line for a lot of the issues on offense and it is easy to see why. Ja’Wuan James has been a serviceable player his first couple years in the league, but this season his play has been downright dreadful.
Cincinnati’s front four just dominated the Dolphins offensive line all night as the team gave up five sacks. Mike Pouncey and Branden Albert will likely return against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5, but James and Jermon Bushrod are a huge concern on the Dolphins defense line.
The offense was thought by some to be a strength of the Dolphins heading into the season, but it clearly isn’t after four games. If this becomes a trend, the Dolphins might be selecting in the top five in the 2017 NFL Draft next spring.
Twitter: @antwanstaley
