Miami Dolphins- Most Disappointing Team in the NFL

I was not alone. Many expert analysts projected that the Miami Dolphins would surpass the New England Patriots as the cream of the crop in the AFC East. They have a lot of same faces on offense that they have last year when they won their final six games, plus they added former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Daunte Culpepper, as well as the much maligned Joey Harrington. And seven games into the 2006 NFL season, the Miami Dolphins have found the cellar of the division all too comfy as they possess a paltry 1 win- 6 loss record.

Meanwhile, the New England Patriots have continued to confuse opposing defenses, and offenses, despite losing several key players.

So what is going on here? On paper, the Miami Dolphins appear to have the superior roster. Obviously, neither Daunte Culpepper nor Joey Harrington will ever match Tom Brady at the quarterback position, and it will be hard for any team to put together the one-two punch running game of Corey Dillon and rookie Lawrence Maroney, but every where else, the Dolphins appeared to have the advantage.

For example, look at the receiving core. The receiving duo of Chris Chambers and Marty Booker should be more effective than Doug Gabriel and Reche Caldwell, right? And defensively, I would put Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor against almost any duo of defensive players in the NFL, with exception to Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs of the Chicago Bears.

So what gives? Is it coaching? Everyone knows by now that Bill Belichek is a coaching mastermind. But Nick Saban has worked under Belichek, and you can tell that he is slightly influenced by the coaching sensation. Saban turned the Dolphins into the worst NFL team in 2004, to an almost playoff contender in 2005. I still believe that he can get the job done. But I do question some of his play calling.

Is it the quarterbacks? Daunte Culpepper has been an acrid letdown. Yeah, he has played through injuries, but he just doesn't possess that leadership quality that the Dolphins need. Joey Harrington has appeared to be the better fit at quarterback for the Dolphins, but he has made several crucial mistakes that may have lost a couple of games. He has the quick release and he appears comfortable running the offense, but his tendency to be mistake prone will detract from the positives. And he built a less than stellar reputation while playing in Detroit. He may carry that around for the remainder of his career.

Is it defense or special teams?

When your record is 1 win and 6 losses- that is usually a good indication that there is more than one problem within the team. From questionable play calling to fundamental mistakes. The Dolphins have given up an abundance of yards due to penalties, which has proven costly.

However, coach Nick Saban remains positive that the Miami Dolphins can turn things around following their bye week.

"I think it helps everybody be positive. What your action is in situations and circumstances like this, is certainly what's going to make a big difference in changing in it."

Regrettably, unless there is a inexplicable turnaround, Miami Dolphins fans will have to tolerate another long winter, while the hated New England Patriots march along towards another possible Super Bowl appearance.