The End of an Era

By Hugo Guzman  |   Saturday, April 30, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

Miami Dolphins
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Like Bob Dylan once said, "the times, they are a changin'". With a new regime installed, headed by Nick Saban, the Miami Dolphins defense is going through a metamorphosis of sorts. Patrick Surtain is a Kansas City Chief, we have two new veteran defensive ends, and three of our first four draft picks play on defense.

We still have four of the centerpieces on which this defense was built upon: Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Sam Madison, and Tim Bowens. However, all of these players are getting "old" by NFL standards, and each of them is facing circumstances that could hasten their departure from the Miami Dolphins. For example, Zach Thomas is too small to fit well in a 3-4 scheme. Tim Bowens back doesn't have too many games left to give. Sam Madison is getting long in the tooth for an NFL cornerback, his cap number isn't getting any smaller, and the Dolphins now have 3 young and promising cornerbacks in the fold. Jason Taylor may have the best chance of staying here for a while because he could definitely become a unique weapon in a 3-4 alignment, but his cap number and age are going to make him a prime candidate for a blockbuster trade of some sort down the line.

So I have one simple question to ask...what kind of legacy will this defense leave? First we had the "No Name" defense which brought home two championships and a perfect season. We had the "Killer Bees" that helped us reach the Superbowl a couple of times, then we had the "No" defense as in "we could play no defense at all" which doomed Dan Marino to a ringless career despite astronomical statistics. This latest installment was definitely above average, keeping us afloat despite a subpar offensive unit. However, they have been known to develop cracks at the most inopportune times.

I guess we need to withhold judgment a few more years. Maybe Mr. Saban can help these grizzled veterans bring home the ring that they have so desperately longed for, and solidify the legacy of greatness these "Dolphin for life" players deserve.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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