Joe Philbin Could Be in Trouble if the Miami Dolphins Play Poorly Again Today

Last year, Dennis Allen was the first coach fired after a week 4 disaster in London for the Oakland Raiders against the Miami Dolphins. Could the tables turn this year, with Joe Philbin being the one who could have an uncomfortable cross-Atlantic return flight? It may depend on whether Miami shows up this morning and turns things around from how they have played over the first three weeks.

On Friday, Rand Getlin reported on nfl.com that the Dolphins coaching staff could see changes if the team loses this morning. That’s amorphous as to who exactly constitutes the “coaching staff” members likely in trouble, but I’m not sure half-measures are in order.  It’s year 4 of the Philbin era. As Chase Stuart points out, there has been only one head coach/QB combo that has gone four straight years while not having a winning season: David Carr and Dom Capers with the expansion Texans from 2002-2005. Miami has gone 7-9, 8-8, 8-8 over the last three years, and a loss today would put them at 1-3 and looking dysfunctional.

Expectations were, needless to say, heightened in Miami, with the Ndamukong Suh signing. So far, we’ve seen sniping in the media. It took two weeks for the coaching staff to start planting negative stories about Suh.

Now we see it coming back the other way. According to Rand’s article, [o]ne team source said ‘everyone understands’ the coaches are the issue and aren’t putting the team in a position to win.”

Then there’s this inspiring anonymous quote from a Dolphins player, “We’ve been going out there, and practicing our (tails) off every day, but as players, we’re tired of being embarrassed, if we get beat in Europe, (players) are going to throw in the towel. It isn’t the players. We have all the talent in the world.”

Yeah, that sounds like the team is in a good state of mind, and this one is likely a key crossroads game for how things are going to go in Miami.