The No-Names Return for the Miami Dolphins

The 3-3 Miami Dolphins are a 500 team for the first time since December 19, 2010. The Dolphins were 7-7 prior to finishing the 2010 season 7-9 and beginning 2011 with seven straight losses. Three consecutive losing seasons has left Miami out of contention for the playoffs and completely overlooked by the media. When picking teams during the pregame self-aggrandized four-letter network show, the Dolphins are not mentioned, as if the entire season is a continuous bye.

The fastest three minutes in football is void of Miami’s existence and when choosing the officials to call the games, the crew with the worst grade is sent to Miami. Even dregs like Solomon Wilcox commentate the games. There’s no pretty boy Brady or Sexy Rexy and his lap dog Tim Tebow, no Payton Manning or Drew Brees, no fancy monikered RG3s, not even a dog-fighting financier or a Ray Lewis walking away from murder. Miami simply gets no love...

These are the no-name Dolphins.

The team has fought their way to an even record prior to the bye week and the NFL is completely unaware of it. The Dolphins are in a four-way tie atop the AFC East, but their name is at the bottom of the list. There’s no logic, there’s no alphabetical sequence, there’s no statistical basis, and it’s as if an editor threw them in because the writer forgot they were in the division.

When rookie QB Ryan Tannehill won two of his first five games and threw for 1,200 yards, the stat didn’t appear until it was used a week later to describe Andrew Luck. No one in the league knows who Brian Hartline is except perhaps the fact that he is white makes him stand out like a smile in a room full of darkness. Reggie Bush is the only name on the team after the trades of Brandon Marshall and Vontae Davis and most NFL fans outside of Miami thought he retired when he gave back his Heisman Trophy. 

These are the no-name Dolphins.

Here’s a message to the NFL, the Miami Dolphins are taking it personal, they aren’t flying under the radar, they are flying straight into it like a stealth bomber ready to ruin some team’s day. The reason for the team’s recent success is exactly what the media does not see; there are no darlings in Miami. The Dolphins do not need a star or a sideshow because this is a team. Losing Marshall and Davis did not hurt; it elevated the play of the rest of the team because they know the team is greater than any individual.

The Dolphins have a bye week to rest and by the time they take the field again on October 28th in New York, the hype machine will be in full force as the calamity Jets take the field. For Miami, it will be a pivotal game. The Dolphins have not had a winning record since November 28, 2010 and to accomplish it against the rival Jets, would bring back some life to a fading Miami fan-base.

The Dolphins need Ryan Tannehill to continue on his current path toward franchise quarterback status. They need some help at WR and perhaps after the bye, Jabar Gaffney will be ready to play. Reggie Bush, Jake Long and Rickard Marshall will have time to heal. The media will all be riding on the Jets and Miami will sneak up and drop a bomb on the parade. A win in New York will place Miami back on the map. It will take much longer to gain national respect, but the signs are positive. 

These are the no-name Dolphins.

After two overtime losses and constant questions on whether Miami knew how to win football games, two straight close wins, put an end to that notion. To level the playing field, The Rams lost because of their kicker was on the short end of the kick this time. The officiating will even out as well if the Dolphins continue to win and begin to play against teams with national relevance.

Take a breath this week, but buckle up from then on Miami fans. The stealth Dolphins are coming and many unfortunate teams are going to be caught wondering how they lost to a team of unknown's. It all starts in New York by beating the hated Jets. Miami will rise again...

These are the no-name Dolphins.