Miami Dolphins: Do They Need To Blow Teams Out To Be A Success?

There has been plenty of hype surrounding the Miami Dolphins this offseason. They’ve made waves throughout the league and everyone under the sun is saying it’s a make-or-break season for Tua Tagovailoa this season. They say his excuses are gone despite having a newly appointed head coach in Mike McDaniel. Tua has all the weapons heed needs to be successful. With that being said, will close calls be enough to fend off impatient fans?

A winning season will more than quiet the naysayers. Winning a few postseason games will keep a few more at bay. Winning the Super Bowl will shut them up completely. While it isn’t out of the question, it’s highly unlikely with the level of competition in the AFC that a first-year head coach would accomplish that feat. So it falls back on how well the Dolphins perform throughout the season. At what level do they need to perform, should they not win a Super Bowl, to be considered a success?

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They won 9 games last year after a sloppy start to the season and their coach was still fired after back-to-back winning seasons. Given the drama that kicked off the offseason, that’s not a clear indicator of a short leash going forward. But let’s say the Miami Dolphins have similar success this season and they go to the 9-10 win mark, is the bar the playoffs? Is it winning a championship?

The start to their season isn’t going to be an easy one. They’ll start with the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, and Cincinnati Bengals. 4 tough AFC opponents right off the bat. Even if they split those games, will squeaking out wins be enough? If they lose, what number is a respectable score to put up to say they’re competitive, 20+, 30, 35 points?

There are so many questions surrounding this season. While the Miami Dolphins have made plenty of improvements on paper, the NFL schedule isn’t doing them any favors. What kind of performance needs to be displayed to prove they belong in the same conversation as the NFL elite competitors category? How much has to show up on tape to prove they made the right moves and upgraded from last season?