Christmas Wish List: Miami Dolphins Edition

The Miami Dolphins shouldn’t have a lot on their Christmas wish list when it comes to the 2020 season. They’re very much still in the division race and even if they don’t take it, then they’re still firmly in a wild card position. Their fate is their own as they’re only a game back and still have to play the current leader, the Buffalo Bills. Santa needs to be good to the Dolphins this year:

A Bills Loss:

While its not entirely a must have, Buffalo losing a game before they play the Dolphins would go a long way towards securing their playoff spot. A wild card berth to a team that has made the playoffs two other times this millennium would be fantastic. However, a division win solidifies their status as serious contenders for the future. Teams can back into a wild card spot, but winning the division against a tough division changes media perception for sure. The Bills have a divisional record that edges out the Dolphins in a tiebreaker, so one extra loss going into their head-to-head is key.

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Continued Tempo On Offense:

The Dolphins were a tale of two teams against the Cincinnati Bengals. In the first half they came out kind of flat and couldn’t get anything really moving. After the halftime adjustments, Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins looked like an entirely different team. The throws were on target, their playmakers were making things happen, and they even got a push out of the run game. It was arguably their best performance since the rookie took over. Now that they have that on tape, its time to build their bread and butter of what worked and what they need to go back to the drawing board on.

Health on Defense:

While their “next man up” approach has kept them competitive, the Dolphins are a true threat on defense. Having all their playmakers available changes the game plan. Their defense is the strength that allows their offense to struggle and make mistakes, ones that don’t cost them the game. Rookies on the offensive line and under center will make mistakes no matter how good your team is. By having one of the top defenses in the league, the pressure of those teaching moments is lifted and coaches can overcome.

Consistency:

We’ve seen Tua and the Miami Dolphins offense look good before, but it came after an average game the week before. The following game they’d fall back into slump, and now seemed to come alive during the Bengals game. Hopefully, the unity on display during the Bengals game lights a fire under them and they bond and overcome. They’re right on the edge of something great but needed the extra push. If their week 13 matchup was the push, then it couldn’t have come sooner. Miami will need to string two solid games together as their next opponent is a tough Chiefs team, if they backslide again it could get ugly.

Miami is one of those teams who could sneak up on their playoff opponents. They might not have the playmaking ability as a powerhouse team, but they’ve shown they can keep the pace with the rest of the league. So far, Christmas has already come early for the Miami Dolphins in the form of a quick turn around.