Playoff Experience Would Be Invaluable For These Young Fins

As we enter into December, the Miami Dolphins are on the cusp of an 8-4 record. With 5 games remaining in the 2020 season, Miami currently has a 47% chance to make the playoffs, according to fivethirtyeight.com. This team looks destined for the postseason, and that is a perfect thing.

Flashback to 2016, the last time Miami went to the playoffs led by none other than Adam Gase. (I think I threw up a little.) That team had an average age of 26.3, which ranked 23 out of 32 teams in the NFL. That’s not terrible, but it’s also not great either. That team had a negative point differential heading into the postseason and benefited from a soft schedule that leads to Miami sneaking into the playoffs as the 6 seed. Ultimately that was not a playoff team. Not to take anything away from what that team accomplished, but I think we all knew that was fool’s gold. And certainly looking back, it proved to be just that. More importantly, that roster didn’t seem to benefit from the playoff experience.

The 2020 Miami Dolphins are vastly different. The Dolphins roster’s average age is 25.2, which ranks as the second youngest in the entire NFL. This team also boasts a plus 79 point differential so far in the season. That is a recipe for sustained success in the league.  The rookie class also has played a very significant role in the team. A rookie has started at LT, RG, RT, QB, RB, WR, NT, CB, and LS. Rookie safety Brandon Jones has also played a significant amount of snaps. That is amazing to consider, given the fact we sit at 7-4 through 11 games. Also, take into account Tua has only started 4 games this year, which means that number could be even higher!

This is a very young team that Chris Grier and Brian Flores have put together, and no doubt they are still learning and gelling together. Suppose this team was to get into the playoffs (which I believe they will); the playoff experience will be an invaluable piece of learning for this roster. January football is a different game. The teams that you see making deep playoff runs have that chemistry, the camaraderie of playing together. This team is still developing that. Being able to experience that all together would do wonders for this team. Not only for the players but the coaching staff as well.

Yes, Brian Flores and Josh Boyer came from New England, but it’s different when you are in charge. Brian Flores being able to get HIS team and himself prepared for the postseason would give this franchise a piece of experience that can’t be understated.

2020 was all about adding talent to the roster. It was about entering phase two of one of the most ambitious rebuilds the NFL has ever seen. And now for the Miami Dolphins, it should be about making the playoffs. If/when Miami can do that, it sets up phase 3 of the rebuild perfectly.

Bringing a Championship back to South Florida.

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