Every year at this time, I get excited about the season starting for the Miami Dolphins. I get excited about the team, playing real games, etc. I also am very nervous about the start of the season because you don’t know what to expect, and I always worry are the Dolphins going to be good this year. As optimistic as I try to be, I’ve been traumatized as a fan the last two decades since Dan Marino retired because the team has been stuck in mediocrity. They are either bad or average.

Now they have had a surprise playoff year, like in 2008, winning the AFC East after a 1-15 season the previous year or being a wild card team in 2016 after a 1-4 start to the season. The problem is those teams would turn out to be flukes because, in the following years, the Dolphins’ seasons crashed and burned. For the last two years, the Dolphins have missed the playoffs by one game, so if you go by records, they are close to being a playoff team. I’ve been asked this year by people in Central New York, where I live, how do you think the Dolphins will do this year? I don’t know, and I don’t know what to expect. I guess it’s because the last two decades have taught me not to get my hopes up. 


The Dolphins brought in a new head coach in Mike McDaniel, and it’s his first time being a head coach, which isn’t a bad thing. Everyone that becomes a head coach has to start somewhere. However, he’s the opposite of Brian Flores, and I wonder how that will translate. Flores was far from perfect, but his teams were very well disciplined, and he had command of his team, especially when the team had losing streaks, and he never lost his team. McDaniel is the exact opposite, and when the team goes through adversity, how the team will respond is my question. McDaniel brings an offensive mind and a good structure, which was lacking under Flores, as evidenced by multiple offensive coordinators and line coaches. McDaniel is bringing in his system and coaches to teach the offense. It may take some time, but the offense has direction, and most importantly, the head coach has quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s support, which was questioned under Flores.  


One reason for optimism this year is that the Dolphins added wide receiver Tyreek Hill, one of the NFL’s fastest and most explosive players. People ask me what do you think about the Dolphins adding Hill. I say he’s a terrific player, but I’ve seen the Dolphins add playmakers like Ricky Williams, Brandon Marshall, and Mike Wallace, and it didn’t translate into going to the playoffs. Hill is definitely a special talent, no question about it and having him along with Jaylen Waddle, this had a chance to be the best receiving duo the franchise has had since Mark Clayton and Mark Duper. That’s high praise, I know, but the talent is there now; it has to come together on the field.  


It’s going to come down to whether Tagovailoa can step up his game. He’s one of the most accurate quarterbacks I’ve seen, but he has to play better in big games. He has the talent around him, so he’s out of excuses. I believe he can do it, but I also thought that way about Ryan Tannehill and Chad Henne. Plus, the fact the quarterback taken after Tagovailoa in, Justin Herbert, has displayed he’s ready to be a quarterback of the future in the league, there’s doubt in me wondering if Tagovailoa can raise his level. Once again, the past two decades have traumatized my optimism.  


The defense is returning most of the unit from a year and has been the backbone of this team for the last two years. However, the defense struggled to start the year, and there was a question as to whether Brian Flores would take over the defense in the middle of the season for defensive coordinator Josh Boyer. Boyer is back, and the question is can he get the most out of this defense? The other thing is the defense turned things around against lesser quarterbacks last year. This year, the defense will be going up against Joe Burrow, Herbert, Aaron Rodgers, and Josh Allen twice. If the Dolphins’ defense wants to be considered one of the best, they have to play well and hold their own against better quarterbacks. Until the defense does that, I will see them as a good defense that can’t do well against better offenses. What gives me some optimism is the continued growth of Christian Wilkins, Jaelen Phillips, and Jevon Holland. However, I have to see it on the field.  


I feel the Dolphins are the second-best team in the AFC East and can compete for a playoff spot. The AFC is loaded with good teams, and the Dolphins can’t afford to get off to a bad start because who knows how the team will respond and if they will be able to recover with a new coach. 

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