It was a long season for the Miami Dolphins as they eventually were made to settle for the fourth spot in the AFC East. They lost on eleven occasions, and only won five games. The season had its really low points, with one that sticks out revolving around the allegations that the Dolphins were purposely losing games in order to get a better draft pick.
Miami were officially out of the playoffs following a victory against the Philadelphia Eagles on week 13. This would mark the third year in a row that the Dolphins have been unable to reach the playoffs. The Dolphins were also unable to improve on the record of 7-9 from the season prior. However, there were reasons to be optimistic towards the tail end of the campaign as they knocked off the New England Patriots.
That win over New England was the first time in 12 years that the Dolphins had won at the Gillette Stadium. It also upset the Unibet NJ odds as the Patriots were denied a bye in the opening round of the playoffs for the first time in ten years. Those odds were further upset when the Patriots were knocked out at the first time of asking.
However, this was one of the very few bright sparks in an otherwise dark season. The franchise were only able to record five wins, which was their first time falling to that low since the expansion of the league. Furthermore, this will be remembered as the worst Dolphins season since 2007, and their sixth-worst in the history of the franchise. But, are the glimmers of hope in the future for Miami fans?
New Sense Of Fight
The biggest sense of encouragement for fans would center around their meeting with the Patriots. Fans would have been dreading the day after the meeting earlier in the season ended in an embarrassing 43-0 defeat. That was probably one of the lowest points of the season for the Dolphins, but they were able to come full circle with the victory on the final day of the regular season.
During that final meeting with the Patriots, the Dolphins were unrecognizable. Furthermore, despite starting the campaign with seven straight defeats, they eventually ended with a record of 5-4 over the last nine. That is a remarkable turnaround, and something that fans will be hoping can continue into the next season.
Improved Performance
Of course, the Dolphins are nowhere near as good as the Patriots, but that performance on the final day showcased how far the franchise has come over the past three months. The Dolphins fell behind in the closing stages but didn’t give up, and that is a trait that all fans would have been happy to see.
Ryan Fitzpatrick was brilliant on that day and made 28 of his 41 passes. He was the star of the show and the reason why the margin of victory was achieved. He made a very good New England defence look ordinary, and that is the biggest compliment. There should be more from him next season.
They can improve by having a good draft. My mock:
1/5 Isaiah Simmons Clemson Jr LB 6-4 230
1/18 Yetur Gross-Matos Penn St. Jr EDGE 6-5 264
1/26 Mekhi Becton Louisville Jr OL(T) 6-7 369
2/39 Lloyd Cushenberry III LSU Jr OL( C ) 6-4 315
2/56 Jake Fromm, Jordan Love, or Jason Eason
For the only 5 wins, we were slated to only get 1 win at the most.
The Dolphins are better than the Patriots. If you look at the score at NE, this will prove the Dolphins are better.
Agreed, Fitspatrick of years ago is not we have now. He has shown us that he is very good and a well rounded QB. He is responsible for pulling this team together. This Man is a bad ass. Look up his injury history. At 38, does he have another 3 years in him?
If Fitzpatrick has another good year, what owner would kick him to the curb? He is a very big reason why I watched any games last year. With Fitzpatrick playing, we had hope and he is a ticket seller.