You have to go back to the combined Jimmy Johnson/Dave Wannstedt Era to find the last time this franchise reached the postseason in consecutive years. The Miami Dolphins were a playoff team for five consecutive years from 1997-2001, winning a division title in 2000.
Current head coach Mike McDaniel is two-for-two when it comes to leading this team to the postseason. Unfortunately for the franchise, the last two seasons have resulted in playoff losses at Buffalo (34-31) and Kansas City (26-7).
It’s a talented club that seems so close and yet so far away.
What’s Next for the Miami Dolphins?
It’s back to the drawing board for a franchise that got off to a tremendous start. Once again, this team disappointed in terms of the big picture. McDaniel’s club got off to a 9-3 start, but wound up dropping three of their final five games. The Dolphins owned an 11-4 mark with two weeks to play, and controlled their own destiny in terms of the AFC East.
The season-ending losses to the Ravens (56-19) and Bills (21-14) marked the first time in 2023 that the team dropped two games in a row. Miami made it three straight losses with a 26-7 wild card loss at Kansas City. Hence, the Dolphins haven’t won the AFC East since 2008 and haven’t prevailed in the playoffs since 2000. Long droughts indeed.
Biggest Offseason Concern?
What happened to McDaniel’s offense down the stretch? The Dolphins finished with the most total yards and most passing yards in the league. Only the Dallas Cowboys (509) scored more points (496). Miami’s offensive unit reached the end zone 57 times in 17 regular-season contests, tied for the second-most in the NFL.
However, a closer look shows that 52 of those offensive TDs came in the club’s first 14 games. Miami’s attack managed just five touchdowns in its final three regular-season contests, and only one in the playoff loss at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Dolphins’ ground attack was much-improved from previous years, and there a talented backfield trio in Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane and Jeff Wilson Jr. Will McDaniel and his staff stress the ground game even more in the future, and make life easier for Tua Tagovailoa and talented wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle?