It was an important day for Miami Dolphins followers all over the world.
Due to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ backups rallying from behind to safe a Week 18 win over the Denver Broncos coupled with the Dolphins simply taking good care of enterprise towards a weak New York Jets crew on the street, Miami is heading to the playoffs for the third season in a row!
The reward for such a displaying was instantly bestowed upon these in cost as Stephen Ross introduced that each Common Supervisor Chris Grier and Head Coach Mike McDaniel would return for the 2025 season.
Tua Tagovailoa, who went for over 300 yards and 4 touchdowns within the contest, was seen skipping hand-in-hand with star wideout and throughout blissful man Tyreek Hill (10 recs, 122 yds, 2 TDs) throughout the crew facility.
Then my mushrooms wore off and as my face stopped melting, my mind began to.
This felt loads like final week
Towards the Browns, Miami trotted out backup quarterback Tyler Huntley together with a myriad of different reserves attributable to considerable accidents. That story was a lot the identical towards the Jets, with Huntley once more again below middle, Tyrell Dodson at linebacker, Storm Duck at nook, and Kendall Lamm someplace alongside the offensive line.
As with Cleveland, the Dolphins’ opponent had extra losses than wins to go along with a reasonably anemic offense and the Fins wanted a win so as to keep in playoff competition.
All of it appeared very acquainted. That gave me a tinge of hope for the reason that final time all of these parts have been in play, the crew did effectively and dominated the Browns.
As this sport went alongside, there have been much more similarities: Dodson nabbed an interception (giving him 3 on the yr regardless of solely taking part in in a handful of video games). Then Jake Bailey punted like rubbish and, although that appears unhealthy on paper, I took consolation within the consistency. MM bought in on the motion too by tossing out one other clearly doomed problem and I knew they have been in enterprise.
Alas.
Regardless of the parallels, the sport towards the Jets didn’t end up the identical as its predecessor. The Fins would fall 32-20 to the soon-to-be-Rex-Ryan-led-again jumbos, turning the clock again for Aaron Rodgers to a level not seen for the reason that final time he performed Miami.
Why the change from Week 17? What was so completely different this time round?
Tyler Huntley performed a lot worse
Oh yeah. For one, Huntley performed like hell. He was rolling in Cleveland to the purpose that followers have been trying to him because the surefire QB2 for subsequent season. Based mostly on his efficiency in New York, he could ensure fired as a substitute.
Huntley went 25/41 for 227 yds, 1 TD, 2 INTs, and 4 (4!) fumbles, although he solely misplaced one.
His escapability and play extension-ism was M.I.A. as he added solely 16 yards on 3 carries en path to getting thumped by a foul crew.
Sure, the Jets have some expert gamers (Garrett Wilson, Breece Corridor, Sauce Gardner when he performs), however there’s a cause that they had 4 wins coming in and that’s as a result of they aren’t good. To lose to them, even as soon as the hopes of the playoffs had evaporated with Kansas Metropolis’s pathetic displaying towards the Broncos, is embarassing.
Not less than Huntley can take a bit solace within the face that he wasn’t alone, as a result of:
The remainder of the crew additionally performed poorly
Miami’s operating sport prolonged its seemingly perpetual streak of producing unfavorable performs with their playcaller opting to begin about 40 drives with a toss play for -6 yards. Coach McDaniel ought to actually look into firing that man.
I discussed Huntley had 4 fumbles. I’ll point out it once more as a result of it’s insane. He additionally threw these two picks. Then, Jonnu Smith determined he’d be a bro and ensure Huntley didn’t really feel wholly remoted, so he opted to fumble as soon as as effectively. That’s a grand whole of 4 turnovers and three extra could-have-beens. I’m gonna drop a Skip Bayless degree scorching take right here and say: that’s unhealthy.
The offensive line was dreadful. De’Von Achane ripped a shoulda-been-touchdown 61 yard run and should you take that aberration away, the run sport would have generated 74 yards on 22 carries, which incorporates -4 yards for Jaylen Wright and -4 yards for Jeff Wilson.
One receiver (the aforementioned fumbling Smith) eclipsed 50 yards (56) and Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle mixed for six catches and 64 yards.
That’s cash effectively spent.
Defensively, the crew allowed Aaron ‘The Enigma (please watch my Netflix present)’ Rodgers to throw his five hundredth landing cross after which 3 extra simply to ensure he actually felt the (Jordan) love.
It was a Very Dolphins Christmas type of ending to a season. Clinging on to the final vestiges of hope whereas an harm ravaged band of misfits tries to squeak out one final win to allow them to attain the playoffs and guarantee their very own destruction one week later.
Even when that they had managed to win a particularly winnable sport, it wouldn’t have mattered since their earlier talent of not profitable extraordinarily winnable video games this yr meant that in addition they wanted the Chiefs’ backups to beat the Broncos so as to advance.
Which is pitiful. Permit me to belabor that time:
They shouldn’t have wanted outdoors assist
In Week 9, they misplaced to the Buffalo Payments by 3 factors. That occurs, the Payments are crew. Week 8, they misplaced to the Arizona Cardinals by 1 level. That occurs much less. The Cardinals are 8-9. Week 7, they misplaced to the Indianapolis Colts by 6. That occurs simply as occasionally. The Colts are additionally 8-9. And the coup de ville, in Week 4, they misplaced to the Tennessee Titans 31-12 (!!!). The Titans are selecting first within the 2025 draft after ending the yr 3-14.
That’s the way you assure that you simply want a bunch of assist from issues you may’t management.
That’s how you make sure that your previous few weeks are nailbiting nonsense.
That’s additionally, apparently, the way you make sure you preserve your job as GM or HC.
I’ve stated all alongside that the Dolphins have been going to run it again with this group and now Stephen Ross has stated as a lot. Issues may at all times change, however in need of one thing actually out of left subject, this 8-9 fringe Wildcard crew that misplaced to the Titans is what’s coming again round for 2025.
Now, in fact, if Tua is wholesome for the video games he missed, possibly it is a completely different story. And also you higher consider that’ll be the argument from the entire identical names and faces who get to remain employed by the crew. However with reviews that he could not have been capable of play had the crew reached the playoffs this yr, how a lot inventory can anybody actually put in him?
If the argument is ‘If Tua was wholesome, we’d have made the playoffs’ (or no matter your measure of success is on this hypothetical), however Tua is repeatedly not wholesome, why would the expectation change for subsequent season?
Huntley is clearly (at the very least at present) a increase or bust man on this system, so the crew couldn’t depend on him to pilot them to wins throughout 4-6 video games by which Tua’s out. And historical past says Tua will probably be out. So if the one ‘yeah, however’ is Tua’s well being, that looks as if a dangerous premise to financial institution on.
Whether or not it is sensible to us or not, nonetheless; it’s taking place. Nothing left now however the crying. And likewise the whole offseason, draft discuss, contract drama, bong masks, and no matter else can preserve us entertained till the crew kicks off 2025, able to crush our hopes the best way we’ve all come to cherish a lot.
Offseason, ho!
Tyreek Hill stated he desires out. The Fins have a bunch of gaudy contracts to finesse. Tua’s injured sufficient he may need missed a primary spherical playoff sport.
That’s my crew.
“The entrance workplace has a number of work to do.” — Captain Apparent
Contracts are usually the simplest factor to deal with as a result of they’re so suffering from obfuscation, clauses, outs, legalese, and loopholes. The cap is imaginary and that’ll get taken care of.
Expertise is, weirdly, not that large of an issue, as I see it. The age of the expertise is attending to be one, however proper now, Miami has talent at a number of positions.
The largest issues I see are the entrance workplace’s incapacity to acquire (through draft or free company) high quality gamers in the course of the crew, i.e. inside o-line, linebackers, and tight ends (Smith however), construct high quality depth all through the roster, and the (offensive) teaching workers’s incapacity to leverage the expertise they must greatest go well with their skillsets.
If the identical issues stick with the crew subsequent season when it comes to roster constructing and lack of manufacturing, I’ve to think about each Grier and McDaniel go.
However for this offseason and 2025: they’re right here to remain. So buckle up, buckaroo, and let’s get to groaning about draft picks.
It’s the Dolphins manner.
Are there nonetheless different video games taking place? What ought to the Fins give attention to within the draft? Wanna simply go to the Winchester, have a pleasant chilly draft, and look forward to this all to blow over? Expertise deja vu within the feedback under.
