2018 Make Or Break Change For Gase Must Be Discipline

A Superbowl wasn't expected, but neither was a Three Stooge act
A Superbowl wasn’t expected, but neither was a Three Stooge act in discipline

The Level of Miami’s discipline will determine if Gase is a quality H.C. or not

The Miami Dolphins laundry list of what ‘needs fixin’ is long: Offensive Line, a bumbling secondary, Tighten situation–or lack thereof, talent evaluation, Running Back, Quarterback, Linebacker, and play calls and scheming.

And what’s worse, there’s probably some I missed, ta’ boot.

For now, though, put all these issues on the back burner. The most crucial aspect that must be established and the foundation for a successful Miami team must be superior discipline, mental toughness, and smarts.

Problem is, the Dolphins need a Head Coach that can instill this.

I’m not saying Adam Gase can or can’t.

What I am saying is, in 2017 he didn’t… not even close, because the Dolphins were inept this year. This is THE most disappointing failing to me this season.

A few things struck me wrong about just this week… other than the loss.

  1. Gase sitting on the bench for quite a while in a crucial stretch when the defense was on the field, ‘drawing up plays’.
  2. Landry openly criticizing Gase in public about not throwing the Red Flag for a challenge… especially when it was obvious that it would be overturned.
  3. Gase softening up his stance and stating the team was ‘trying’.
  4. Sounding happy that they had eliminated presnap penalties, even though they had one player ejected from the game and committed 6 penalties.

Discipline is the key to success in anything… especially in football

Remember when Gase made the rule that ‘kneeling players should stay in the tunnel’, and then the following week players were kneeling on the field? Regardless of what your stance on kneeling is, the fact that Gase made a rule and reversed it a week later means the following: Gase didn’t consider his edict with deep enough though, was usurped by his players will, or was overruled by the owner.

None of these options are comforting that Gase is in control.

Most Fin Fans know of the Fake Spike, whether they watched the game or not. But what is sometimes forgotten is that the great moment came about by what happened just prior to the play. The clip below offers so much insight, but just focus on what and who Gase must be in order to get the Fins on track by watching Coach. 

Miami was in a hole early. Yet, through quality leadership that controlled the team’s leader seeking to challenge authority, they made high percentage football decisions, played smart, low penalty football, and put themselves in a position to win, despite the many, many flaws in talent.

Do you remember how much pride Shula took in being the least penalized team in the league?

The team’s that lack discipline, even if very talented, never win Superbowls

Yes, it helped a whole lot to have Dan Marino … man do I miss #13. But Shula took Woodley / Strock QB to the Superbowl as well with the same formula. Whatever the talent, or lack of talent, Shula had disciplined teams and made quality decisions based on high percentage football. Over the long haul that paid off.

True, the game has changed a bit. Belichick’s early fake punt wouldn’t be a soup de jour of Shula. But the ‘Cheat’–like Shula did– has an iron-fisted rule, makes mostly high-percentage, smart football decisions, and has his teams in the top 10 least penalized team’s year in and year out. Both used the skill of ‘out patience’ other teams, who because of desperation and lack of mental strength, beat themselves.

It’s not flashy, but this tried and the true effect is accounted for by every football betting software site when they set the odds.

Could you imagine anyone on the Patriots criticizing Belichick’s decision to challenge or not to challenge without consequence? Nope.

And no one ever challenged Shula either without consequence… till the year he ‘quit’.

The problem that Gase faces is that it’s far easier to install discipline, rather than reel it back in once you let it go. Now that the season has been thrown to the wolves without any–zero–positives to go into 2018, Gase must now also fight the issues of a perceived lame-duck H.C. as well, should trouble to start early next season. Can Gase remake his own image and nature to fix this team’s failings? I don’t know. But I sure do hope so. Go Fins!!!

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9 comments

  • Steve

    Admin

    Just in case you have not noticed the Dolphins Ship has sucked for this season! Unless you enjoy agony?

    HERE ARE SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT WINNING!

    1. At just 23 years old, Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl,On February 1, 2009.
    2. Peyton Manning and Tom Brandy become the oldest quarterbacks to win A Super Bowl at age 39
    3. at age 36, Mike Tomlin became the youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl.
    4. Jon Gruden, who was 39 when he won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

    So the Questioned is what does Stephen Ross want? Empty seats or a sell out stadium.
    Fans pay to watch greatness not mediocre play.

  • dolphinst

    Yeah those are all good points bro… I think one reason why they made the playoffs last year and exceeded expectations is because of the team culture and the ability to to get the most out of the players. And that’s why the damage to the team culture this year with the way events unfolded is really unfortunate and is resulting in the big drop off as the pendulum swings the other way… Here’s hoping the coaching staff will season up and figure it out next year!

    • admin

      It was the main selling point for me on Gase. I think he is at that tall wall of self evaluation. Leaders must be the most critical of themselves… leaders tend to be a bit narcissistic, but the very trait that drive them to lead can end up a trap. If Gase wants a shot at turning this thing around he must be willing to put everything on the chopping block. Play calling should be the first thing. If every area of your job as an HC has issues, the rational man would devout more time and attention at the expense of play calling… as HC is the primary position. In my opinion, Gase must make hard cuts to the roster at the expense of 2018’s talent in favor of building a quality team designed for 2019. This year should have been the step back season in wins but the advance of quality with the goodwill built up. Now it will need to be in 2018…

  • phinfreak

    Talk about rationalizing…that whole thing up there is excuse city bro. This is the N-F-L. NotForLong comprende? Nobody hires a “project” or a HC to grow into the job and learn OTJ…not when big bucks are at stake. Look at the Canes bro…how long did it take Mark Richt to turn the damn thing around after many years of mediocrity?

    There are too many examples of HC’s in the NFL and collegiate level that come in and make immediate impact and improvements rather than digress the team and its key players i.e. Whats that WR’s name from Louisville again?

    I have said this organization stinks from the top down. Ross, then Tannenbaum, start there and you fix what really ails this franchise.

    Just look at all those empty seats.

    • admin

      Rational? Hmmmmm… And yes, plenty of young coaches are brought in to be groomed. Happens every year. GM’s no. Coaches and players yes. There are a lot of failure because of it, but amid the group you get those Harbaughes and Tomlin’s. You know this, but of course it doesn’t serve the narrative.

      You might want to check a chump out called Chuck Noll:

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Noll

  • phinfreak

    Like I told yuz all weeks ago, Gase would be on the hot seat by mid season, well, it was warm then and its hotter now. He is a huge part of the problem.

    Teams play like they practice. I am convinced he is losing his players slowly but definitely. He cant lead an entire NFL team, he may be a good OC, but then again who isnt when Peyton Manning is your QB? I just dont know what his claim to fame really is beyond the hype. One improved season in Chicago with Jay Cutler? C’mon, that doesnt make an NFL HC.

    On D, well thats just high school-ish in scheme, play calling, and Matt Burke again is nothing more than a position coach.

    The entire coaching staff got out coached by NE, see fake punt.

    Lucky to win one more game this year.

    Fire Gase, Fire Tannenbaum, trade down, draft a QB, hire an NFL caliber coaching staff.

    • Gary L Smith

      Hate to agree with you, but I think your are correct. When the TV commentators (granted, Collinsworth, Gruden) are seeing blatant flaws, then hey, coaching.

      • admin

        To me Gary, Gase is shell shock. His ego is getting destroyed. Honestly, I’m fine with that… he needed it. We all do from time to time. I think the laundry list of crazy issues exasperated the weak link and stripped bare all the team’s flaws… primarily revolving around Gase. If, and I say If, he is to become a quality HC, he needs a Coughlin like revelation to occur. This season will make or break Gase and this regime. If Gase doesn’t learn from this, then he isn’t fit to be an HC. I do think he has the potential. But will that potential be a reality? I learned a little bit from my college HC on what is involved in being an HC–brutal…it’s geometrically raised on the NFL level. Gase now respects the beast… let’s see if he grows or shrinks… we have no other choice, do we?

    • admin

      He’s on your hotseat and even most of the fans, that isn’t the hotseat. Ross determines that. Next season will be a different story–maybe. And from Week 2 I was citing Gase as the primary problem, so let’s not rewrite history. I think he can be a good HC, but not playcaller as well—too green. Gase’s failing were pride and arrogance. His belief that he can both run the team and call plays, and his belief in his player evaluation on players he didn’t see directly in their current state. Will he double down and destroy this regime? Or will he humble out and make changes with himself first and foremost? we’ll get 2 more years to see. I think if he brings in an OC or Play caller, then it’s a good sign. But let’s also deal in reality. Everyone knew he was a project. We weren’t sure what that project would end up being, but it was certain there would be a learning curve. Not many coaches have ever had to deal with a season like this–that’s beyond fair to say. I’m not sure he’ll pull up, but for a guy like Gase this beat down is the best thing for him. They’ll never fire him and they shouldn’t. First, this job isn’t the most wanted. The bad taste of Ross flying after Harbough while telling Sparano you have a job still lingers. If they can him, the next coach hire will have any good coach shying away as they don’t want to get canned in year two and be on a short string. Knee jerk reactions never bring anything good… he’ll get 2 more years as Ross has invested a lot of his rep on the hire. He made it in opposition to Tannebaum, who wanted a vet coach. I’m fine with 1 more year. If the discipline issue lingers, then I’m done with him. But this was always a 3-4 year thing. Talent is not the primary problem. Discipline, scheme, rookie /young coaches, tight cap space from overpriced FA’s, starting with a weak roster, young players forced in to roles too early, and hell of a lot of disasters made this a 4-6 win season. A tad more and this is a 7-9 win season which most expected. I stated I thought 9 would be good. Again, in Weeks 1-4 next season we’ll know all we need to know. Slow starts, lack of discipline, Gase calling awkward calls will tell whether he has grown or this regime will be looking for another HC. As I said to Lemmus and I’ll say again to you…. and these all will apply to next year. If they are corrected then year 4 will need to be a hard run into the Playoffs.

      All my quotes prior to season.

      “9-7 with some hard fought losses wouldn’t be a bad season given everything involved.” After the Tannehill injury and prior to everything else.

      https://phinsnews.com/miami-dolphins-news-dolphins-yin-and-yang-of-improvements-setbacks/

      I also said this:

      “AGREE!!! Miami WILL not survive this season with a slow start to the season or games. They need to play full games and full season. These first QTR offensive sleep walks will wreck the season if they continue.”
      https://phinsnews.com/miami-dolphins-news-dolphins-road-through-patriots-against-all-odds/

      And on our discipline:

      “We were bottom 10 in penalties and the Pats were top 5… that alone is worlds apart as far as quality of the team. If Gase can get this teams some discipline, that alone would make Miami tough.”
      https://phinsnews.com/miami-dolphins-news-dolphins-road-through-patriots-against-all-odds/