Five months ago, before we even pulled the trigger on this 2012 season, I wrote about managing expectations for these young, rebuilding Miami Dolphins.
I said that this season wasn't about the playoffs, or a division title, or even a winning record. Rather, it was about the development of Ryan Tannehill, the growth of the coaching staff, and to end December better than they began September.
Check, check, and double check.
Some may look at this season, with its' 7-8 record, and see it as a disappointment.
Wrong. Very, very wrong. This has been a season of something so much more.
This has been a season of discovery.
This season we discovered that Joe Philbin has a very particular vision of how he wants things done, and if you're not apart of that vision, then you're gone. However, if you're on board with that vision, then, given a little time and experience, it could have long term success.
This season we discovered that Reshad Jones has blossomed into one of the top playmaking safties in the NFL, and given his age, 24, the Fins should be set at the position for a long, long time.
This season we discovered that life without Jake Long really isn't that bad, and that Jonathan Martin will be a fine replacement for the forseeable future.
We learned that the Fins have one of the best linebacking units in the NFL, one of the best front fours' in the NFL, and arguably the best 4-3 defensive end in the league.
We discovered that Brian Hartline is a really solid receiver, that Davone Bess is one of the best slot men in the NFL (although we already knew that), and that Reggie Bush, if used properly, is a nightmare for opposing defenses.
We learned that the offense is in desperate need of WR help, but, at the same time, may have found something in rookie Rishard Matthews, and free agent Armon Binns.
We learned that Jeff Ireland may have struck gold with rookies Lamar Miller and Olivier Vernon, as both have had their moments this season.
And, of course, we learned a heck of a lot about Ryan Tannehill.
We learned that the kid can run, and he can run well.
We learned that he's at his best when rolling out of the pocket.
We, along with the rest of the league, learned pretty quickly not to throw a blitz at the kid, because he'll pick it apart with the ease of a savvy veteran.
We discovered that he loves the long ball, and he's good at it too, as Pro Football Focus has him ranked 10th when it comes to the deep pass.
But most importantly, we learned that Tannehill can adjust to anything the NFL throws at him. He corrected the batted ball issue in week one. He adjusted to different blitz packages thrown at him, so much so that teams just stopped doing it.
And guess what? He adjusted to that too.
He had accuracy issues that were corrected, and mental errors that were not made twice.
He learned to make plays with his feet, that Reggie Bush can be his best friend, and, above all, he corrected the turnovers. At one point this season he had 12 interceptions and only 6 TD's. Now, entering the season finale against New England, he has 12 TD's, 12 INT's, and has the offense blossoming down the stretch more than any other point this season.
That shows the kind of development and improvement that Chad Henne, or John Beck, or any other Dolphins QB not named Chad Pennington simply weren't capable of.
Yes, it's week 17 and the Fins are once again out of playoff contention. But that doesn't mean they're that far off.
Because when you look at it, and realize what the expectations were going into this season, I think you'll find it hard not to crack a smile at what these Miami Dolphins can be this time next year.
Jeff Ireland's got more money to work with than most GM's in the NFL right now, and he's got FIVE out of the first 100 picks in April's draft. My point?
Whoever he wants in free agency, whether it be a Greg Jennings, or a Dwayne Bowe, or a Mike Wallace, he can have, because nobody will be able to match Miami's offers.
And, as far as the draft goes, just look at it like this:
The Fins will get a shot at five of the top 100 players coming into the NFL next season.
How can you still not smile at that?
Oh yes, despite their 7-8 record, these Miami Dolphins are on the cusp of NFL relevancy once again.
And that may be the most exciting discovery yet.
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