Miami Dolphins: 9 wins for 8 losses, 2nd in the AFC East and 7th in the AFC.
6 years. It’s been six years since the Dolphins made the playoffs. An eternity. After several complicated seasons, Miami finally sees the end of the tunnel and will rediscover the post-season. With this qualification, the Floridians come to validate a reconstruction undertaken already for several seasons. One of the stones recently added to solidify these foundations is called Mike McDaniels. The first-year coach has won his bet with this qualification, but the ambitions are much higher.
From now on, Miami wants to perform on the big stage and obtain a victory in the playoffs which has been fleeing them since December 30, 2000. Not sure, however, that this year will be the right one as the march seems high and the uncertainties are numerous at the approach of this great appointment.
How did they get there?
Fact, thanks to a win over the Jets in Week 18, combined with a loss to the Patriots. On the occasion of the final week of competition in the regular season, the Dolphins did not have their destiny in their hands, but ended up emerging winners. It must be said that they had put themselves in a delicate position with 5 consecutive defeats between week 13 and week 17. During this catastrophic month of December, Mike McDaniels’ men almost let the playoff wagon pass. They who had made a place for themselves in this train at the start of the season.
At the end of the first 12 weeks, the Dolphins had a record of 8 wins for 3 losses. A first half of exercise which had made them one of the solid outsiders in AFC. Symbol of a season that will have been made in series.
The key player: Tyreek Hill
He was the Dolphins’ best player this season. Arriving from Kansas City via a trade, Tyreek Hill immediately performed well with his new team. Result, a season has 119 receptions and 1710 yards. Two franchise records. Statistics largely due to the immediate connection he was able to find with his quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Except that during the playoffs, he will have to do without, at least at the beginning (even lower).
The receiver will therefore have to increase their effort tenfold to carry an attack which will be managed by a substitute pitcher (or even a substitute for the substitute). He must help Teddy Bridgewater or Skylar Thompson find solutions. If Miami wants to go all the way, Tyreek Hill will need to be at an MVP level.
Why are they going to go all the way?
And if the Dolphins made us the stunt of the Bengals of last year. The blow of a team which showed great things in the regular season, but which never knew how to find the necessary consistency for observers to believe in it, before finally exploding when the playoffs arrived. Cincinnati is the example to follow for all those teams hoping to prove themselves in the knockout stages.
The ingredients for success are there. Miami, for example, has one of the best ground defenses in the country. The Dolphins concede only 103 yards per game in this area of play (4th in the league). On the other side of the ball, it is in the air that the Floridians perform (265.4 yards gained per passing encounter, 4th in the NFL). So many assets that could make Miami an itchy team.
Why won’t they go?
Like their complicated end to the season, the Dolphins still seem too light for this kind of big meeting. Firstly because the workforce lacks experience. Apart from perhaps Tyreek Hill, few have any real experience at this level. Then because some sectors are weaknesses that seem insurmountable in the playoffs. Take for example, air defense. Miami collects an average of 234.8 passing yards per game, the 27th best squad in this area. And when you know the squads that you’ll have to face to get to the end (Bills, Bengals, Chiefs…), that doesn’t bode well.
Just like the ground attack which has never managed to take this season. While the arrival of Mike McDaniel, from San Francisco, could give a lot of hope to supporters to develop the racing game in Florida. However, we have not seen a lot of flashes in this sector with less than 100 yards gained by running backs per game (99.2 yards / game, 25th in the league). Difficult in this context to have an extremely efficient attack, especially when the titular quarterback is absent.
Injured players
The name making headlines in Florida these days is still the same: Tua Tagovailoa. The quarterback, absent for several weeks already because of a concussion protocol, was hoped for this meeting. Eventually, he will not be aligned and will be greatly missed by his team. Without their titular pitcher, the task seems insurmountable.
Especially since the staff may have to deal with other absences. Heading into the meeting against the Bills this weekend, several offensive linemen are uncertain. Terron Armstead, one of the pillars of this squad, for example, did not train this week and has not played since Week 16. Other players are still not 100% like Raheem Mostert, Liam Eichenberg , Teddy Bridgewater or Jaylen Waddle as this game approaches.
Prognosis
Miami may have the biggest chunk of this playoff start: a trip to Buffalo. The Dolphins have talent and character, but without Tua Tagovailoa and facing an AFC behemoth, it’s hard to imagine this franchise doing the feat.
For this first year of Mike McDaniel at the head of this workforce, a qualification in the playoffs will boost this reconstruction, not sure however that there will be a victory in the post-season on which the Dolphins will be able to rely.
