Too Early For Tannehill

BY MELISSA ZIELINSKI

Since the departure of Dan Marino, the Miami Dolphins have attempted to salvage a franchise quarterback to reinvigorate fans that remember the glory days of Dan the Man in the 1990’s.

First they tried Jay Fiedler.

Four seasons later came A.J. Feeley.

Then Gus Frerotte, Joey Harrington, Cleo Lemon, the Chads (Pennington and Henne), followed by Matt Moore and last but not least, the starting quarterback of the 2012 season and first round draft pick (eighth overall) Ryan Tannehill.

It’s been a long time (12 years to be exact) since Marino graced Miami’s presence and the Dolphins have only three playoff appearances to show for it- in 2000 Miami ousted the Colts in the Wild Card, but were then shutout by the Oakland Raiders in the next round.

They made it to the playoffs again in 2001, for the fifth year in a row, only to lose to the Baltimore Ravens by a 17-point margin.

Then after a seven-year dry spell they met the Ravens again. And lost again.

It’s been a tumultuous branding project for the Dolphin’s marketing team over the 12-year span in a countless search for the Fins next quarterback, but maybe taking their chances on another quarterback to start the 2012 season wasn’t the answer.

Yes Miami had a sluggish start to the 2011 season, going 0-7 with QB Chad Henne taking the snap to start the year (does 1-15 ring a bell?). After Moore took over though (starting the last 12 games of the season) the Fins went 6-6.

A .500 season isn’t exactly great even mediocre to say the least. Moore did show potential. Miami went 6-3 to end the season including two gut-wrenching defeats to the Dallas Cowboys and division-rival New England Patriots by a combined four points.

So why didn’t they stick with Moore?

It’s nothing new in South Beach- in with the new out with the old.

Not only did the Dolphins put themselves in quarterback limbo during the preseason leaving fans guessing would it be David Garrard? Moore? Or Tannehill? They also put too much pressure on Tannehill to perform.

With the Dolphins starting the season against the Houston Texans (including Arian Foster and Andre Johnson), Tannehill was the wrong choice.

Tannehill was expected to play and play he did, but to an utterly better defense and team.

Miami should have started the veteran, instead they fed their ‘face of the franchise’ to the wolves.  After two picks and still a chance to comeback you might ask yourself, why not put Moore in after it was clear that Tannehill was not ready? I asked the same question. Yet, you cannot bruise the ego of a rookie who’s expected to bring life back to a drought of a team.

So stay with Tannehill they did. Even if it was for better or for worse.