The Miami Dolphins have gotten better each year under head coach Brian Flores, but will 2021 be the year they finally make the playoffs?
The Dolphins are one of the most divisive teams when it comes to predicting how their season will go. When it comes down to it, the level of faith you have In Tua Tagovailoa determines how much you believe in Miami. Can the second year quarterback prove the doubters wrong and take the Dolphins to the playoffs? Here’s what we can expect from the Miami Dolphins in 2021
Best-case scenario
The AFC is loaded this year. The Dolphins will have to face the Bills twice, which has proven no easy task for them since Josh Allen was drafted by Buffalo. The New England Patriots and New York Jets aren’t guaranteed wins either, so their division will be a difficult navigation.
That said, if the Dolphins’ defense forces turnovers anywhere near the same capacity that they did in 2020, and Tua can take that step forward, Miami could crack the No. 6 or 7 seed in the AFC.
This would likely leave them with a matchup between the winner of the AFC North, a third game against Buffalo, or Kansas City. If they can advance past the Wild Card round, that would do wonders for the organization’s confidence in their young quarterback.
Worst-case scenario
It’s no secret the Dolphins have questions about Tua. Rumors have been flying since March that Miami was among the top teams trying to land Deshaun Watson. They obviously wouldn’t be in the quarterback trade market if they were sure about the one they have.
While Miami added Jaylen Waddle and Will Fuller V, Tua himself needs to improve at throwing the ball downfield and making plays for the offense. We saw glimpses of it in 2020, but not nearly enough to think that he will do it on a weekly basis. If Miami is on the outside looking in, Tua could be on the inside looking out of the Dolphins franchise.
X-factor
How could it not be Tua Tagovailoa? I’m sure you’re noticing a trend here, but all of the Dolphins success rides on the left arm of Tua. If the passing game is working well and he looks confident, Miami will win games.
If they rely too much on their defense and their offense is inconsistent and stagnant, they’ll be fighting just to stay above .500 throughout the year.
It’s an important year, not just for Tua, but for the Dolphins as a whole. They need to figure out if their franchise quarterback is currently in the building.
Biggest game – Week 7 at Buffalo
A midseason matchup against an arch-rival will always have a big-game feel. Yes, these teams play each other Week 2, but the Week 7 tilt will give each team time to figure out their respective identities.
The Bills have owned the Dolphins over the last two seasons. A win on Halloween going into an almost guaranteed win the following week against Houston could put Miami in a groove.
Bold prediction
Miami will be competitive, but miss the playoffs. Tua won’t be great, but he’ll also won’t look lost and inconsistent as he did in 2020. He’ll be competent, he’ll make the occasional great play. Unfortunately, Miami will need more than that to compete with all of the other teams vying for a playoff spot, and they’ll not have enough talent to get it done.