Written By: Paul Egbeyemi
Edited By: Slavko Glumicic & Jack Hinde
The Miami Dolphins are a team with a fruitful history and a very loyal fanbase. They remain the only team with an undefeated season under their belt, and have won a pair of Super Bowls. The only issue is that this was 30 years ago, and as of recent, the franchise has been a disappointment at best. In the 21st century, the team has only achieved 4 playoff berths, advancing past the Wild Card Game only once at the turn of the century, where they were held scoreless against the then-Oakland Raiders in a 27-0 rout.
As of now, the Miami Dolphins have a lot more optimism about how their future looks. After barely missing out on the playoffs in 2020, they are a team to watch in 2021 due to their improvements on both sides of the ball, and some exciting people. Here are some names to keep in mind should the Dolphins continue to grow as a team towards potentially bringing the Lombardi trophy back to Miami.
Brian Flores
How did a 7-9 team in 2018 with seemingly no hope make a full 180, start flirting with the playoffs, and turn into a real threat in the league? A lot of the answers originate from Brian Flores, the head coach who was able to enter the system and implement effective changes for the team in his short timeline. Brain Flores had a winning past, coming off a hot season as the defensive coordinator for the Super Bowl winning Patriots. The Dolphins took notice, as they needed immediate staff changes coming off a mediocre season. In Flores’ first season, it was clear to see that their defense was falling apart, as they were last in the league with 494 points against and a -188 point differential. Their offense also failed to create a consistent spark, as they only managed to register 306 points, placing them at 25th and 27th respectively, for overall yards gained and overall points scored. With the comfortable insertion of Brian Flores, these numbers improved across the board. In his second year with the team, the defense climbed to 6th overall in points allowed, and managed to have their first positive point differential in over 5 years at +66, which is also their best point differential in almost two decades. The defense was also notably tied for 1st in the entire league for takeaways during the 2020 season. The offense got stronger as well, as they surged 10 spots in points scored and had the best margin of victory for the team in more than 15 years.
Key Players
Xavien Howard
While Flores’ work does not go unnoticed, it would be a disservice to not mention the standout players who made these coaching decisions possible. Xavien Howard is a player who needs little introduction after the season he had. A strong candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, Xavien’s All-Pro season was highlighted by his record-breaking, league-leading 10 interception season, which has not been done since 2007 by Hall of Fame candidate Antonio Cromartie. Aside from the massive interception stat line, he also led the league with 20 pass deflections, essentially proving he is a certified ball hawk, with elite ball tracking abilities. He also had a 46% passer rating when the ball was thrown his way, which also ranked number 1 amongst all cornerbacks during his amazing season. Xavien Howard is a star in the making, and with the Dolphins improving defense, he is well on his way to superstardom.
Mike Gesicki
Mike Gesicki is a promising tight end that has put up consistent numbers in his breakout season. His 47 receiving yards per game ranks 6th amongst all tight ends, and his 703 total receiving yards during the season places him at an elite 4th overall in the league. He also managed to haul in 17 contested catches during the season, placing him second to only Pro Bowler Darren Waller. Not to mention his spectacular 70-yard touchdown reception in Week 5 against the 49ers, which is the longest reception by any tight end during the 2020-21 campaign. Geisicki has also been steadily improving each season, going from 0 touchdowns two years ago, to a much improved 7 touchdown season. Now entering his fourth season, it will be interesting to see how Gesicki builds on his already impressive stats, and considering his upwards trends, further improvement seems likely.
Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa, in his rookie season has shown great upside and potential. In only 10 games he managed to record almost 2,000 passing yards, with a 64% completion percentage. He also put up 11 touchdown passes to counter his 5 interceptions, which led him to a promising 87.1 Quarterback Rating. These stats show that despite his backup minutes and limited starts, Tua can still put up QB1 numbers. Considering it was only his first season in the NFL, getting used to new plays and learning how to tackle professional defenses, it only seems appropriate to project his second-year stats to tower over his previous work. Along with mentorship from the Dolphins veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, and the newly hired Quarterback coach Charlie Frye, who previously coached Tua in High School, his ceiling for the following season is unbounded.
The Miami Dolphins are a franchise with a rich history, but have recently faced an especially barren era. With the recent improvements to various elements of the franchise, and the young talent the team holds, they will be a team to watch for years to come. The team also has a potential franchise-changing draft on the way, as they hold their protected 3rd overall pick in this year's talent-heavy draft, and 18th overall pick as well. On top of all this there are intensifying trade talks for Pro Bowl prospect Deshuan Watson and recent Super Bowl champion Antonio Brown. All signs point towards the playoffs for the Dolphins, and I believe they are ready to not only shake up the AFC, but the whole league.
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