At the beginning of the season, I said that if we came into mid November at .500, or even just a game lower, we could potentially make a Post Season push at the end of the season because of the favorability of our schedule. Well, heading into an almost sure fire, (hopefully), win against Oakland this Sunday in Miami, we are at 5-4. Above .500, for the first time since 2005.

After Oakland we play our biggest game of the season by far, a game that could potentially, (if things play out right tomorrow night), catapult us to first place in the division, at 7-4. First place...that's hard to even imagine right now, but to realize that it is in our grasp, is a very new, and truly amazing one to me.

After New England we play 3 games against teams with 2 wins or fewer, and play a Bills team who continues to struggle. O yeah, did I mention that the game is in a dome? Things just keep getting better and better...

And then, the finale. The game that will likely decide the division winner. Miami heads to the Medow-Lands to play New York; a game in which could be in Prime Time, as Sunday Night is not out of the question by any means for that match-up. It would be Penny's first trip back to New York since...you know. But let's talk this weekend's game before jumping ahead to Week 17...

Oakland is a team in complete disarray, but I do applaud the organization for the move they made when cutting DeAngelo Hall, and his hefty 72 million dollar contract. The Raiders have been improving against the pass, but can't stop anybody from running all over them, (DeAngelo Williams went for a season high 140 last Sunday), which I think will finally get our running game going. Don't let Ricky's 100 yard performance fool you; this is a team that just can't seem to run the football with any consistency. But I guess that is what you get when you have two backs splitting carries; two backs who need to get into a rhythm before they can really do any damage. The Raiders D did do a fabulous job against Delhomme, shutting him down completely, (7-27 passing, 72 yards, 4 INT), making him look as bad as I've ever seen a QB look in a football game.

Oakland can't seem to put up points though. They are scoring just a measly, league worst, 12.6 points per game, and have not put one in the endzone in 3 weeks, (also the last time they won a game). The Raiders might be getting number 4 overall pick Darren McFadden back though, and JaMarcus Russell is confident he'll be back in the line-up as well. Russell only has a completion percentage of 48 this year, so stacking the box up and commit to the run, while putting pressure on Russell is what I think you'll be seeing out of your Dolphins' defense. Slow down the 3 headed monster they have over in Oakland at RB, put pressure on Russell and we should be in position to make a lot of plays.

This is obviously a very win-able game, and a must win as well. We need all the momentum we can get heading into Week 12's huge match-up against New England.

GO PHINS!!!

What could possibly be bad about the Phins' 5-4 record? What is there that's negative about it?

I'll tell you...it makes us as fans greedy for more.

While it might just be part of the psychology of the fan to do so, some inner drive to vicariously revel in the triumphs and tribulations of Sports teams, it is no less palpable. It's HERE. NOW.

A quick trip to the grocery store this morning saw some familiar faces, Dolphin fans I know and see regularly. They wore their hats and shirts through the 1-15, and they were wearing them when we started off 0-2 this year. True Phinfans do.

The difference was that now my friend Rick had his hat back a bit, relaxed, and when I stared at it he smiled. My friend Mike had broke out his Offerdahl jersey. I haven't seen it in two years, not since the shutout of New England.

The feeling is everywhere. I went into Walmart, and said 'nice hat' to a guy sporting the Aqua, and he smiled and said ''team ain't no cupcake no more". Fans FEEL it.

They look at the schedule and see the imminent arrival of the Raiders, hollow shells of their usual sinister selves, and they dream of 6-4, tied in the AFC East with this Thursday's casualty in the NE- NYJ showdown.

They see games against the 49ers, Chiefs and Rams, all current NFL dregs.

They see our rematch with the hated Cheatriots (and don't be fooled by the Jests' trouncing of the crappy Rams: this game is IN Foxboro, and the Patsies disposed of the Bills easily. The Pats will win this game more than likely, just as they did the first matchup with gangrene) and dream of 7-4 and tied for 1st place, with our destiny in our hands.

How can this be bad, David? The reader asks as they scan the title...Doesn't sound like there's anything wrong with 5-4.

There isn't...if one is reasonable in their expectations. I get caught up in it, too, and I was gushing positive vibes yesterday afternoon just like you. Perhaps that is also part of the psychology of the fan, to ride the wave of success to greater and greater speeds.

All waves end at the shore, though, and we need to seriously address some critical issues. If we don't, then we are going to wipe out against good teams.

We are utterly laughable on Coverage: our 'Special' Teams are anything but. Opposing ST Coaches see the film, too...our weaknesses will continue to be exploited until we fix them. Failure will cost us a game or two.

We are the worst team in the NFL on 3rd and long. We are one of the best on 1st down, so this is truly baffling. I have to assume when it comes down to it, that our OLine must bear some of the blame. 3rd and long is a blitz down for defenses, a down in which there is reasonable expectation of a pass play, so the heat gets turned up. This is another thing we MUST fix if we are to do anything. If we stay incapable of converting, we won't compete with good teams, simple as that. Failure will cost us a game or two.

Like Rich's blog alluded to, we won...BUT.

 We will win some of these next games, even if we don't fix those problems. We'll overcome such a vulnerability against, say the Chiefs, because we are better than them.

Are we better than the Cheatriots? The Jests? Maybe? Sometimes?

Maybe and Sometimes won't beat those teams...not in the season's home stretch. They are veteran teams, full of savvy players. We must play smart, disciplined and stay on them giving 100% all game, or we'll lose. We may do those things and still lose, but to have a chance we simply MUST.

This staff has done wonders with this roster. There are several holes still to fill, and I expect an exodus of players, say 10-12 this coming offseason, regardless of what happens this year. We are winning because we are more capably led than some of the teams we have beaten. You can't hit on ALL the talent trade-offs: look at Crocker. Anderson. Wilford. These guys have contributed very little, or even hurt us at critical times (it was Anderson that committed the hold on Ginn's return, and it was completely unnecessary). Crocker is already gone, and some of these others will be, too. To be where we are is nothing short of remarkable.

Truth be told, we have a real shot. The only two games on paper that are truly scary are the Patsies and the Jests. The rest should be won. They would be by a good team; these are the types of games good teams win.

The worst part about being 5-4 is that win-starved Phinfans already believe we are a good team, and we might well be. I just think to become one we need to fix the leaks before we sink.

I'm sticking to this until Sunday at least, because if we beat the Raiders as we should and are at 6-4, I'm going to be 'drinking the koolaid' by the gallon. At least until Monday morning ;)