It’s not fun looking in the rearview mirror for the Miami Dolphins, as they’ve failed to make the postseason in the last five years, and it’s been since 2000 that they’ve won a game in the playoffs.
Last season, they fell just short again, and changes followed this offseason. A new head coach and an improved roster have the fanbase feeling pretty good about their chances to finally break in this year.
However, from a national perspective, and from some inside the fanbase, there are doubts about the Dolphins’ future success. Pro Football Focus’ Kambui Bomani recently compiled a list of teams that they believe are being overlooked in 2022.
In the piece, he explains why Miami’s being underrated.
“Like the Eagles, the Dolphins’ perceived low ceiling is due to questions about their former Crimson Tide standout under center. Tua Tagovailoa’s limitations as a passer were magnified in 2021 with just one consistent space creator at wide receiver,” Bomani wrote. “His 10 big-time throws fell far short of his 22 turnover-worthy plays, and he finished a second consecutive NFL season with a higher turnover-worthy rate (4.8%) than big-time throw rate (2.4%). Any chance of this team becoming a Super Bowl contender is dependent on whether Tua takes that next step.”
While life should be easier for Tagovailoa with some talented weapons, a better offensive line and an offensive-minded head coach that brings a system that has helped quarterbacks in the past, he has a ton of pressure on him to succeed.
Bomani also details why the Dolphins can exceed the expectations placed on them.
“Miami’s pre-draft trade for Tyreek Hill will do wonders for the team’s passing game,” Bomani said. “The league leader in deep receiving receptions (65), yards (2,574) and touchdowns (27) since 2017 is an asset for not just his quarterback but also second-year sensation Jaylen Waddle. Both speedsters will provide clearer pass-catching opportunities for Mike Gesicki, who in 2021 led all tight ends in contested catch targets versus man coverage (21).
“Defensively, Jevon Holland‘s emergence as a rookie lifted Miami’s already talented secondary to new heights. Holland finished with the second-best defensive grade on the roster (84.7) and also earned the best overall coverage grade of the entire Dolphins’ defense (87.7). His development coinciding with an inevitable bounce-back campaign from recently paid CB1 Xavien Howard will help lay the foundation for a Miami pass defense that has top-10 potential.
“In the trenches, interior defensive lineman Christian Wilkins continues to develop. Yearly improvements in defensive grade, run-defense grade and pass-rushing grade are slowly morphing him into one of the NFL’s more underrated interior defensive linemen.”
The talent is there. The coach has yet to prove it, but he has a good chance to show the NFL world that the Dolphins made the right decision when hiring a coach who had just one season of coordinator experience.
If the quarterback and coach can show that they belong, this is a roster that should be competing for a spot in the postseason.