Contrary to mainstream media opinion, Dolphins are the team to beat in the AFC East

By Hugo Guzman  |   Friday, July 24, 2009  |  Comments( 6 )

Miami Dolphins
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As the NFL transitions from the offseason into training camp, the typical onslaught of mainstream AFC East predictions will begin to roll in. From local outlets like the Miami Herald to national mouthpieces like ESPN, everyone is going to have an opinion on who will reign supreme in the AFC East during the 2009 NFL campaign.

Few if any of these outlets will predict glory for the New York Jets, especially considering the utter lack of experience at the quarterback position. A few will consider the Buffalo Bills, due to the arrival of Terrell Owens as well as the promising early-season exploits of the team a year ago. The Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots will likely be the front-runners in most minds, and sadly, when pushed for a definitive answer, most of the pundits will lean towards New England.

They’ll speak to the return of Tom Brady, to the genius of Bill Belichick and the general Super Bowl pedigree in Foxboro, and in the end, they’ll proclaim the Patriots as the preseason favorite to win the AFC East. However, as far as I’m concerned, that’s just plain silly.

I have four primary reasons for feeling this way, which I will elaborate on in somewhat succinct fashion:
1) Chad Pennington – say what you will about his noodle arm, the fact is that he’s one of the steadiest signal callers in the NFL. As long as he stays healthy, the Dolphins will win their fair share of football games

2) Bill Parcells – There’s no doubt that the brain trust in New England is top notch, but Miami is run by the guy that helped mold that brain trust’s methodology. He’s put the right coaching staff in place and has spent two offseasons rebuilding the roster’s talent pool, so chances are that Miami will only build on their 2008 campaign as opposed to regressing.

3) The Dolphins are the defending champs – I know that it sounds simplistic and archaic, but the bottom line is that Miami secured the AFC East crown a year ago, so as far as I’m concerned, it would be silly to overlook them when determining the team to beat in the division.

4) Basic NFL common sense – the reality is that any sort of prediction on the long-term results of the NFL season is fundamentally flawed. Why? Because it’s impossible to account for injuries (think Tom Brady a season ago) as well as general player and team improvement/regression. It’s why teams like the Cleveland Browns go from playoff contender to divisional cellar dweller while supposed doormats like the Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons ascend to divisional glory.

In the end, I’m going to do the same thing that the coaches and players do; take it one game at a time. No need to fuss over long-term predictions. The answer will work itself out over what’s sure to be a heart-pounding season for fans of the Miami Dolphins.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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CommentsComments: 6  |  Sign Up  View all comments
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No.1
bILZrok		12:30 PM
07/24/2009
Hugo -- Nice article. The Dolphins are definitely the team to beat in this division. Their defense is by far tougher to move...
No.2
cnc66		03:09 PM
07/24/2009
Nice one Hugo.. I agree with you but the bottom line is we have to get it gone on the field..and of course I think we will. I can...
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No.3
Joma		08:33 PM
07/24/2009
Unfortunate as it is, gotta go Pats. Pats and Phins were tied at 11-5 last year and Miami won out through a tie-breaker. If...
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