Next ten days could make latest Dolphins loss a memory

Everything will be okay.

Yes, this latest loss was nothing short of heartbreaking.  With every Andrew Luck pass, every third down conversion, and every wide open Colts receiver, your frustration grew.  I know, believe me, I know, mine did too.

But, before you jump, step back from the ledge for just a minute, and look at the next ten days for the Miami Dolphins.

Because the next week and a half offers up a golden opportunity for this young group.

Two games in the span of five days.  Some may see that as daunting, I, however, see it as a 6-4 record by next Friday morning.  I see it as a chance to position ourselves for a meaningful final six weeks of the season.

I see it as a quick fix to a fan base that, quite frankly, may be more bipolar than Brandon Marshall

Too far?  Don't think so.

On Saturday night this team was transformed.  Sean Smith was a pro bowl corner. Jake Long was a hall of fame tackle.  Ryan Tannehill was far better than Andrew Luck.

Sunday night?

Bench Smith, let Long go, Tannehill's good, but not great.  We're doomed.  Mail it in. This season's over.

I get it, I really do, but we're only halfway through a season in which these Dolphins have come farther than any other Fins team has come in a decade.  And, despite what some may be feeling today, the 2012 Miami Dolphins are nowhere near ready to be counted out.

At 4-4 they sit only one game out of a wildcard spot, and one game out of first in the division!  And that's with two games remaining against the almighty New England Patriots.  Yet, because the Fins lost their first game in over a month, to a hot team, with a hot QB, playing for a coach battling cancer, on the road, this season is lost.

Everybody just slow down.

Yes, this loss was a reality check for the Miami Dolphins.  Some serious holes were exposed on both sides of the football.

The secondary is the clear weakness of this team.  It may be able to hold its own against Mark Sanchez and Sam Bradford, but a great QB (Yes, I'm a believer now) will expose them in the most frustrating of ways.

The running game is not as good as we once thought it was.  A lot of this blame will go on the offensive line, and rightfully so, but regardless, it needs to get better.

Speaking of the offensive line, besides Mike Pouncey, it was awful yesterday.  No, I don't believe Jake Long is having a drop off season, he's too good for that.  I think, as Joe Philbin mentioned yesterday, there may be one or two technique things Long must fix.  And, let's be honest, folks, he got beat by a hall of fame defensive end in Dwight Freeney, it's happened to everybody who's ever gone up against him.

But these are all things that can be fixed.  In years past its been poor QB play that has been the downfall of the season, but fortunately, that's not the case this time.

Which is why I implore you to look ahead before you call it quits on these Miami Dolphins.  They've got two games in the next ten days- Tennessee on Sunday and at Buffalo next Thursday night- and those are two teams that may be just what this Miami Dolphins team needs right now.  Both are struggling this season, neither has Andrew Luck, and both are in the midst of losing streaks.

So before you jump, take a step back and realize that, while yesterday's loss may have been a step back for this Miami Dolphins team, the next ten days could be two giant steps forward.

Because 6-4 by next Friday morning will have you all right back on board.

And it'll make this latest loss nothing more than a mere glitch in an otherwise special season.