Well, here we are again pals. On the verge of yet another Miami Dolphins Football season, where the entire fan base is ready to lose their ever-loving minds before the season even begins. Will this be the year the Miami Dolphins win their first playoff game since 2000? That’s right, it’s been 23 years. Or will they remain on what seems to be a broken record and end the season floating around .500? These are the questions that swirl for Dolphins fans every offseason. Are you sitting down? If not, I highly recommend you do what I’m about to declare in all caps.
THIS IS THE YEAR THE MIAMI DOLPHINS WIN A PLAYOFF GAME.
I may just be an optimistic fan when I say this, but aside from all there is to be discouraged and enraged by about this team, there is also plenty to be excited by. Let’s start with the most obvious aspect, “The Weapons”. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle ARE – not “maybe”, ARE – the best wide receiver duo in the NFL. Hill coming in as the 2nd ranked wide receiver in all of football (and 7th ranked overall player) according to fellow players on the NFL’s top 100 list, and Waddle not far behind coming in as the 8th ranked wide receiver (44th overall) are the perfect tandem for QB Tua Tagovailoa to carve up defenses with. The combination of hands, speed, route releases, (did I mention speed?), are what make this wide receiver duo a nightmare for opposing secondaries.
Speaking of secondaries, the Dolphins just added arguably the best defensive back in the NFL in Jalen Ramsey to an already established group including Xavien Howard. Now, yes, I know Dolphins fans have already been let down by Jalen Ramsey tearing his meniscus in training camp, sidelining him until at least November, but there is hope he’ll be able to return for a crucial stretch of football. In the meantime, though, fear not Dolphins fans! We still have Noah Igbinoghene! Okay now that I got that knee-slapper out of my system, the Dolphins spent a second-round pick in this year’s draft on cornerback Cam Smith out of South Carolina, who has shown glimpses of being an absolute steal from the draft. Adding him to an already impressive young group of DBs that includes breakout candidate Kader Kohuo – who was arguably the third-best rookie corner in the league last season – the Dolphins seem to be moving in the right direction to hold down the fort until Mr. Ramsey can come back and lock down anybody’s top receiver.
While we’re on the topic of defense, the Dolphins also added defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Ya know, one of the greatest defensive minds the game has seen this century? Yeah, let’s just give that guy Jaelen Phillips, Bradley Chubb, and Christian Wilkins and see what happens. Get your QB’s ice bath ready because it’s not going to be pretty for opposing teams.
Now enough of the hope trafficking, I’m starting to talk myself into a Super Bowl, and all expectations do is lead to devastating disappointments. Now would be a good time to bring up the “offensive line”; if nothing else, at least it’s named appropriately – it is offensive. The Dolphins O-line has haunted them for as long as I have been alive, and it remains the team’s biggest issue. With Tagovailoa sustaining two or three concussions last season and being rushed to a hospital mid-game, you would think that revamping the line would be priority number one this offseason. Well, saying the Dolphins did a poor job would be a compliment. The team has made no substantial upgrades along the line and seems content with plugging the glaring holes with chewing gum. Last year, the Dolphins signed All-Pro Left Tackle Terron Armstead to come in and protect Tua, but that guy staying healthy is a longer shot than winning the lottery at this point.
I intentionally saved this topic for last as it can be viewed as something to be both encouraged AND discouraged by. QB Tua Tagovailoa enters the season as the starting QB for the 3rd straight season. Now, the encouraging thing is that, when Tua is healthy and plays, the team wins football games. The offensive is explosive, and morale is at an all-time high. Players want to play with Tagovailoa. But the emphasis there is on “when Tua is healthy”. That’s the part to be discouraged by. You can be the most talented QB the league has ever seen, but if you can’t stay on the field, does it really even matter? Tua has been taking weekly jujitsu classes this offseason to help him learn how to fall safer (lol nerd). I am confident in Tua as the starting QB though, and I fully believe he can be the one to finally, let me repeat that again, FINALLY win this football team a playoff game.
Now, you may have just witnessed me talk myself into a Super Bowl season and then immediately talk myself out of it, but hey, that’s what being a Miami Dolphins fan is all about! Sooner or later, good things need to start happening, right? If not for the team itself, at least for the fans. The fans are the ones who deserve this more than anything; have you seen the prices for football tickets? Or jerseys? Or stadium concessions?
Now If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bet my life savings on a Miami Dolphins Super Bowl win. Fins up!
Comments