Season Prediction: 2017 Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have been dealt a tough hand this season. However, in the NFL, there is no room for excuses. Sure, Miami is the only team in the league to lose their projected starting QB and MLB for the year before the season even begins, but we aren’t the only team with injuries. Sure, we’re also the only team to play 16 consecutive games (possibly more) and not get the typically allotted 8 games in your home stadium, but we’re not the only team facing less than ideal circumstances either.
The Dolphins need to use this to their advantage and harness the adversity to become a closer, tight-knit group. The next month is the perfect time to get a jump on that. They will be in California all week, then they head to New York, and then fly all the way to London all before finally flying back to Miami and playing at Hard Rock on October 8th. They will be together for an entire month before coming home to their families and lives. If this season is to be a success, they cannot afford not wallow in the unfairness and make excuses before the season even begins, and neither can we.
The point is that sure, the situation isn’t ideal, but you can’t expect it to be. My glass is half full, and here’s what I see. We have possibly the best QB headline in the NFL. Smokin’ Jay Cutler comes out of retirement to play for his old coach and try and save South Beach’s season. He was able to spend a month shaking off the cobwebs and getting acclimated with his new teammates as well as reacclimated to the system, a system at which he played well in.
We have the best running back to wear a Dolphins uniform since 34 was rocking the dreads and smoking fatty’s at halftime. His aggressive running style is flat out fun to watch, if he can put together 16 games and the line can stay fairly competent, Jay Ajayi is up for another 1,200 season.
We have our own big three, Miami’s new big three, well sort of. But, this may be our last season with them so we need to not take it for granted. The more time goes on the less optimistic I am about Jarvis Landry and the Dolphins coming to terms on a contract. Landry, DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills are the most talented trio I’ve seen on this team in my 28 years on this earth.
Sure, the injury to Tannehill somewhat diminishes the allure of what could’ve been with his second year in the system with that same group, but we still have a gunslinger back there who will sure give these three the opportunity to show the league what they can do. They key to all of it is the offensive line. If they can just stay healthy, this offense could still be a top 10 unit in this league with Cutler at the helm.
On the other side of the ball, the defense needs to show improvement this year, and it will. The front 7 has been reinforced through both the draft (Charles Harris, Davon Godchaux, Vincent Taylor) as well as free agency (Williams Hayes, Lawrence Timmons) and it seems that the depth and rotation has improved.
Hayes looked good in the preseason and will help solidify the defensive line by containing the running game enough for the linebackers to clean up. Timmons will be the most impactful addition to this defense and will help the run defense go from the 31st ranked unit to the middle of the pack. While that’s not ideal, it is an improvement.
The safety spot will show progression from last year as well. Getting All-Pro safety Rashad Jones back will be huge, and TJ McDonald would be up there with Timmons as the most impactful addition if he wasn’t suspended for half of the season. If there was one area that will show regression from last year, it will come from the cornerback position.
While Xavien Howard, or “X”, has done nothing but prove that he is the top dog of the group, the rest of the cornerbacks seems to be doing only enough to get by. Tony Lippett is out for the year with an Achilles injury, Bobby McCain has played well, not very well in the slot, Byron Maxwell was consistently torched by his old team in joint practices and the game, Cordrea Tankersley is a talented rookie, but still raw, Alterraun Verner was a late addition and has done enough to challenge for Maxwell’s starting spot. If that is due to Verner’s play or Maxwell’s has yet to be seen.
Taking everything into account, this season will be a rollercoaster for the Miami Dolphins and their fans. There should be some games that we light up the scoreboard, but there will also be some games that we will be chanting for Matt Moore to come in after Cutler throws his third pick of the game.
This year will be a defining one for Adam Gase, whose coaching mettle will surely be put to the test considering the circumstances. Gase has shown resilience and a knack for getting his players to play hard and make plays for him. For that reason, I have the Dolphins following a similar path as last year, squeaking into a wildcard spot, with a much tougher schedule, at 10-6.
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