Are These Just The Same Old Dolphins?
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10), walks off the field dejected after a defeat to the Buffalo Bills during NFL football game Jan 07, 2024, in Miami Gardens. Dolphins Hall of Fame Dan Marino, second left walks behind Hill.
Heading into this season, I truly believed the 2023 Miami Dolphins would take the next step from last year and assert themselves as a dominant force in the AFC. Mike McDaniel is widely regarded as one of the best young head coaches in the league, Tua Tagovailoa was playing at an MVP-level last season, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are among the best wide receiver duos in the league, and Miami’s defense was bound to improve with Vic Fangio taking over as the new defensive coordinator.
The 2022 Dolphins were snake-bitten with injuries that were difficult to overcome. Despite all the adversity they faced, last year’s Dolphins somehow managed to make the Wild Card round, yet their hopes of making it to the divisional round were dashed by the Buffalo Bills. An eerily similar result occurred last week, as Miami’s hopes of winning the AFC East and hosting a home playoff game were whacked by the Bills Mafia.
After last week’s loss to the Bills, I’m beginning to question whether or not these are the same old Dolphins from last year. Both the 2022 and the 2023 Miami Dolphins were competing for the AFC East division title midway through the season. In Week 11 of the 2022 season, the Dolphins had a 7-3 record and led the AFC East with a tie-breaker over the Bills, who were also 7-3 at the time. Fast forward to Week 11 of the 2023 season, and the standings look nearly identical. Like the season before, Miami had a 7-3 record, while Buffalo was second place in the division, sitting at 6-5.
Just a couple weeks later, before the Dolphins’ matchup against the Washington Commanders, star wide receiver Hill explained why he thought this Dolphins team is different from last year.
“We’ve added a lot of guys, a lot more veteran guys who really understand the situation we’re in. We’re definitely in a better spot. Obviously, we’re at the same point we were at last year. Coach just has got guys flying around the ball more, more attention to detail. It feels different this year. We’re on a roll right now. It’s a beautiful thing to be a part of.”
That roll Miami was on didn’t last very long, as the Dolphins started to sink following their blowout win against the Commanders. The Phins went 2-3 in their last five games and also dropped to second place in the AFC East with an 11-6 record. In 2022, Miami went 1-4 in their last five games and dropped to second place in the AFC East with a 9-8 record. For a 2023 Dolphins team that insisted that things would be different from last season, the similarities here are concerning to say the least.
Even more concerning is the fact that Miami hasn’t been able to consistently beat playoff-caliber teams in 2022 or 2023. Back in 2022, the Dolphins went 2-5 against teams that made the postseason. They started off strong by beating the Bills and Baltimore Ravens, but then they lost to the Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, and the Bills again. This season the Dolphins fared even worse against playoff teams, going 1-5 against teams that qualified for the postseason. That list includes the Ravens, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Bills on two separate occasions, and the Kansas City Chiefs, who the Dolphins are set to face off against this week in the Wild Card round.
Last season, I was willing to give the Dolphins the benefit of the doubt because they were led by a first-year head coach and they had to overcome injuries at the quarterback position. There’s no more excuses. Given Miami’s dire cap situation in 2024 and beyond, this is the best shot they have to make a Super Bowl run. The good news for the Dolphins is that they made the playoffs unlike last year. If you’re in the dance, you always have a chance!
The bad news is, they’ve shown little to suggest that they’re actually capable of consistently beating playoff-caliber opponents. Their first test will come against a battle-hardened Chiefs team that has plenty of postseason experience. If the Dolphins somehow manage to beat a Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs team at Arrowhead, that would go a long way in convincing people that they are serious contenders.
This week, the proof will be on the scoreboard: Is Miami a true force in the AFC, or just the same old underachieving Dolphins?
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