Bad Coaching or Not Enough Talent, What is the Dolphins Problem?

Nov. 29 Opinion 4 comments ---Bill

Even the most die-hard Miami Dolphins loyalist has to admit there is something wrong with the current Dolphins team.  The big question is whether or not the problem is a lack of talent or poor coaching. The real problem is, it could be a little bit of both.  It’s rare that I agree with Armando Salguero, but he wrote a blog yesterday about Peter King’s Monday Morning QB post on Monday. Mando disagrees with King’s assertion that Tony Sparano will be a very good coach at whichever his next coaching stop is AND that whomever the next Dolphins coach is, will have a good talent base to start with.

As Mando points out, it’s not really possible for Sparano to be a very good coach and for the Dolphins to have a good talent base….Otherwise, why would they be 3-8?  We’ve brought this up before, but we are no closer to getting an answer.   Think about it, just for a second.  If the Dolphins have a talented enough roster to be a good team, then the coaching is not what it should be.  Conversely, if the Dolphins have a ‘heck of a coach’, then their roster must not have enough talent to be successful.  As I said above, it could also be a combination of the two.  Maybe the Dolphins have a decent enough talent base, which a great coach could turn into a contending team….Or perhaps Sparano is a good enough coach that could do more if he had more talent at his disposal.

The truth is, there has to be a reason for the Dolphins dismal 3-8 record.  You simply can’t have a talented roster and a ‘heck of a coach’ and have that bad of a record….unless you are decimated with injuries.  Need a few examples?  Look at the San Diego Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles.  Both teams are loaded with talent, yet their coaches have made questionable decision after questionable decision.  Norv Turner is more conservative than Tony Sparano….and THAT’S saying something.  Andy Reid hired an offensive line coach as his defensive coordinator (with no D-coordinator experience).  Reid regularly under utilizes one of the best running backs in the game, Shady McCoy.  Good talent and bad coaching = bad teams….Both the Chargers and Eagles are 4-7.

Need an example of a very good coach without enough talent on his roster?  How about Mike Shanahan in Washington?  Shanahan has helped build the roster, so as a GM he has failed.  BUT, he is a Super Bowl winning coach who’s team has Rex Grossman and John Beck as the his QB options.  Did Shanahan forget how to coach?  Or is the talent on the roster just not good enough?

We may never know which problem is more to blame for the 2011 Dolphins, whether it’s lack of talent or poor coaching.  However, the Dolphins will most likely have a much different look in 2012.  New Coach?  New GM?  A host of new players?  The Dolphins will probably have all of the above and hopefully we won’t have to answer the question of coaching vs. talent.

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  • rich9336

    A good coach can over come a slight lack of talent.A team loaded with talent cam over come a not so good coach.Terry Bradshaw made this statement years ago.”we won inspite of our coach” I don’t agree with that as his coach was Chuck Knoll one of the best to ever coach the game.
    It all starts with the general manager and scouts.The coach can only play the hand he is dealt.

  • Otto

    The one thing to remember is that a new coaching staff, gutting of personnel, and a plethora of new players equals 2-3 more sub play-off years. Look at the Niners; new coach with sable core players equals success. Continuity and stability equals success.

  • Kevin Carlile

    Neither of these are the problem with the Dolphins it is a disinterested fanbase in Disco’s at the stadium instead of watching the game. Players lacking the “heart to win” except for Matt Moore and Reggie Bush. Put Rudy in.

  • Daddythin

    If you want to know how bad the coaching is, if your heart can stand it, watch the Dallas game again, and you will see the only reason Dallas won that game is because Sparano did everything he could to give it to them. Not intentionally of course, but he just can’t coach, and if he wasn’t responsible for some of the stupid offensive plays that were sent out, the person who was, needs to be fired. Simple as that. Do you remember the Superbowl Dan Marino, Mark Duper, and Mark Clayton lost? Not because of lack of talent – but the coach got out coached. That simple. Now THAT WAS PAINFUL.