I'll admit it, going into training camp, I wasn't sold on Ryan Tannehill.
I knew he had all the tools; he showed us that last season. And I knew he now had the playmakers around him to reach his maximum potential, whatever that may be.
But still, I couldn't quite shake that feeling. You know the one, we've all had it before. That pit in your stomach, that voice in the back of your head telling you that something still isn't quite right.
Maybe it's because I've done this song and dance so many times before, most recently with "check down" Chad Henne. Maybe it's because, for every five respected analysts who praised Tannehill, there was that one who, like me, still had their doubts.
Or maybe it's because I just hadn't seen "it" yet. Besides, before the HOF game against Dallas, the last image I had of Tannehill was that 28-0 drubbing in Foxborough.
So, I proceeded into this preseason with cautious optimism, not only towards Tannehill, but towards the team altogether, because as Tannehill goes, so will the Dolphins.
Then the games started.
Dallas was a joke. I went in with no expectations, and came out the same way.
Then there was Jacksonville. 5-9, 75 yards, and a TD. 120.1 QB rating. Better, no doubt about it, but he still wasn't quite there.
Then you had the Houston Texans, the same team that gave our then rookie QB a great big Texas sized welcome last September. 10-15, 141 yards, and a TD. 119.0 QB rating. A perfectly placed TD pass to Mike Wallace, following a 33 yard bomb just a couple plays before.
Eyebrows raised.
Finally, you had the home opener last Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The "dress rehearsal game," if there is such a thing. 17-27, 150 yards, and a TD. In all honesty, Tannehill should have had another one, maybe even two more had it not been for drops by Brandon Gibson and Brian Hartline. 90.0 QB rating.
Tannehill's preseason numbers, assuming he doesn't play Thursday night, look like this:
34-56, 377 yards, 3 TD's, 0 INT's, and a QB rating that will hover around 100.
And now, after months of quiet skepticism, I'm ready to set my bar for Ryan Tannehill in 2013.
And, for better, or for worse, I'm setting it high.
After what I've seen the last three preseason games, there is ABSOLUTELY no reason for anything less than 25 TD's this year from Ryan Tannehill. Okay, give or take a couple, but that's my bar.
There is no reason for anything less than 3,500 passing yards. In fact, this number should be higher, but I'll set it at that.
There is no reason for more than 15 INT's. Seem high? Maybe it is, but if Tannehill is throwing on or around 25 TD's I'll gladly take 15 interceptions.
And last, but absolutely not least, anything less than an 85.0 QB rating simply won't be good enough for Ryan Tannehill. To put that number in perspective, in his nine starts in 2011, Matt Moore had an 87.1 QB rating. If Tannehill can't achieve AT LEAST an 85.0 QB rating this season, then he simply wasn't good enough.
3,500 yards, 25 TD's, 15 INT's, and an 85.0 QB rating. That's the bar I've set for Ryan Tannehill. That's the bar you get when you have as solid of a preseason as Tannehill has had.
Those are the expectations you create. Those are the expectations you should WANT.
Feel the pressure building yet?
How about this? IF Tannehill falls short of something resembling these numbers, if this team fails to get AT LEAST nine wins, then, unfortunately, I would've been right in the only thing I don't want to be right about in this article:
That Tannehill does not have "it." And that it's time to go back to the drawing board for the 18th time since number 13 hung it up a decade ago.
Expectations and pressure. You can't have one without the other. Not when you're a sophomore QB for a franchise that's only been to the playoffs ONE time since 2001.
Last year, there were no expectations for Ryan Tannehill, and there was certainly no pressure.
But if his impressive preseason has told us anything, it's this:
Last year's over.
The bar has been set for Ryan Tannehill.
No comments:
Post a Comment