Assessing how Miami can put the pieces back together after another season ends in disappointment
The End Has Come
What began as an exciting and promising season for the Dolphins ended with a quick and untimely thud on Saturday night. Miami’s “generational offense” generated only 199 yards passing, 76 yards rushing, just one 3rd down conversion on 12 attempts, and a grand total of 7 points as the Dolphins squandered away the most important game the organization has seen in years.
Such an ending, though, is not unfamiliar to Dolphin fans. One becomes accustomed to, if not numb to, watching their team stumble to the finish line season after season.
This year’s team was supposed to be different. It boasted an offense littered with explosive weapons – the receiving yards leader, the rushing touchdowns leader, and a rookie running back that finished with the greatest yards-per-carry average since 1934(!) – plus a defense that was chock-full of experienced vets and talented youngsters (and an expensive defensive genius at coordinator) that were poised to turn a weakness from a year ago into a strength. The roster construction appeared to be championship-caliber.
As the season went on, though, two things became clear: 1) Miami would need to find ways to replace the production of several key players that went down with injury, and 2) the team showcased a frustrating inability to meet the moment in high-pressure situations or in games against elite opponents. The offense that was putting up 70 points against lesser competition found it difficult to break the 20-point barrier against some of the better teams in the league.
After the team put on an uninspiring-yet-not-unexpected performance in the below-zero temperatures of Kansas City, the team now moves on to an offseason that will be riddled with questions; questions with no clear or easy answers.
Question 1: What happens at QB?
Question 2: What does Miami do with their pending free agents?
Question 3: Is coaching an issue for the Dolphins?
Question 4: Can the Dolphins remain contenders as currently constructed?
I hope they can pull it out next year