With Tom Brady suspended, Dolphins have no excuse to miss playoffs
<snip>
"The last time New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady missed multiple games, the Miami Dolphins were well-positioned to take advantage.
Brady went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 in 2008, and the Dolphins, led by quarterback Chad Pennington, went on to win 11 games and claimed the AFC East title. That was the last time New England missed the playoffs, and the last time Miami made the postseason.
Monday's four-game suspension of Brady following Deflategate has a similar feel. Missing Brady for a quarter of the season is a big enough blow to close the gap between New England and Miami.
Are the Dolphins the new preseason favorites to win the AFC East in 2015? Maybe.
I’m not ready to project that far ahead in May, especially since Brady will be under center for New England's two games against the Dolphins in Week 8 and Week 17. Brady also has the right to appeal and possibly reduce his suspension.
However, it's not too early to make this declaration: The Dolphins have no excuse not to make the playoffs this season. Zero. Nil. Nada."
http://espn.go.com/blog/miami-dolphins/post/_/id/14907/with-tom-brady-suspended-dolphins-have-no-excuse-to-miss-playoffs
Zero. Nil. Nada.??? As a long-suffering Dolphin fan, allow me to retort...
= new reply since forum marked as read
They could beat the Jags with me behind center. The Stillers ain't what they used to be, either. So maybe they get off to a 2-2 start. Wake me up in December. 
