Fins Talk: Season Expectation

These are my expectations and general feelings on how the season will go for the Miami Dolphins. Key questions include Mike McDaniel's performance under pressure, Tua Tagovailoa's health, and whether the team has the physicality to win a playoff game.

Mike McDaniel

Mike McDaniel comes in this year on the hot seat, which is absolutely tough to say, because he is our winningest coach Miami has had in quite a while, and I really like him, but the honeymoon phase is done now. He needs to find a way to prove that the culture Miami is forming is authentic. I don't expect a playoff berth this year, which depends on your team's goals, but for me, I want to see him lead the team and be way more competitive against the likes of Buffalo, Baltimore, and any of the upper echelon of a really tough AFC. I like that he and Chris Grier used the draft to build a physical-minded football team, focusing on the defensive line with most of the picks and adding Jonah Savaiinaea, a guard from Arizona. I want them to continue building up the trenches in the next draft, but that's for the offseason talks. Overall, like I said, I want McDaniel to have the team compete all four quarters in a football game and put us in a position to win if it comes out of the gate. They are lacking in daseicles, so to me, nothing changes. Yes, Tua has to be healthy as well, for McDaniel needs to be successful.

Tua Tagovailoa

Tua signed a 4-year, $53.1 million contract in July 2024, which I wasn't particularly a fan of, mainly because he hasn't stayed healthy in his career. He played one full season, and he made Miami a threat, yeah, there is a lot more behind it to everyone cause of the narrative we can beat bad teams, but lose to great teams. It really irritates me because I know Tua can win games and beat top teams, like the one he took down in Buffalo, and he pulled off an incredible comeback against Baltimore in the same year, 2022. Tua has a bigger window than McDaniel and Grier, but he's in the same boat if he can't stay healthy or can't produce in the playoffs. We'll cut ties with Tua. I like Tua, just like what I said about McDaniel. I want both to be the leaders who take Miami to levels it hasn't reached in a long time, but I hope Tua stays healthy so Miami can reach its full potential this year.

Tyreek Hill

I personally think this upcoming season is Tyreek's final season in Miami. He's been a total head case his whole time here. It was awesome hearing the news about getting Tyreek Hill, because you see, Tyreek is an all-world athlete, but not the one who's having kids left and right or always getting into trouble with the law. No matter what kind of year he has, he's out, and from what people are saying, they're going to start moving towards Waddle as the main guy and Tyreek as second fiddle. It set us back big time getting Tyreek, because the year after we got him, we only had four draft picks, I'm pretty sure, and that is not good for the team's future. Hopefully, when we do cut ties with Tyreek, I hope we can draft a playoff receiver, or in free agency, and what I mean by that is an AJ Brown caliber player, physically willing to fight and practically drag the team into the fight, and someone that doesn't quit on the team the last week of the season. So it's been fun and electric to see Tyreek in a Dolphins jersey, but it's time for him to go.

Offense

Tua's health basically determines the offense, as I mentioned earlier when discussing him. The offense is centered around Tua and relies on him to succeed. I'm looking forward to seeing how Ollie Gordon III performs, as it finally gives the offense a physical runner. When it's third and one, you can give it to him, and he will fight for that first down. The same goes for third and goal at the one. I like some of the pick-ups on the offensive line, and I really hope they continue to build on it. I don't really see the Dolphins being "The Greatest Show on Surf" anymore, because when you get to the playoffs, it becomes way more of a grinding game, kinda like the NHL playoffs. So if Tua can stay healthy, I see the offense being one of the better offenses in the league, but if Tua can't stay healthy, then that's the season offense will absolutely be putrid.

Defense

Defensively, our secondary is gonna be burnt toast, so with the pass rush, we're banking on Jaelen Phillips, Bradley Chubb, Chop Robinson, and Matthew Judon to get to the Quarterback quite a bit. Hopefully, Phillips and Chubb can stay healthy as well, because we're going to need them big time this season. Zach Seiler and rookies Kenny Grant, Jordan Phillips, and Zeek Biggers — especially Seiler and Grant — I'm really excited to see them play at the defensive tackle spot and be total cloggers in the run game, and see them try to get to the quarterback. I think the linebackers will be underrated, with Jordyn Brooks leading the group. I know people laughed when he got into the fight with Dodson, but to me, he was holding him accountable. If you're trying to change the culture of the team, you need guys who care and want to win. The only bright spot about the secondary is the return of Minkah Fitzpatrick. If the pass rush can get home to the Quarterback, it will make life easier for the secondary. However, if injuries happen to the defense as well, it's going to be a very long season all around.

Season Outlook

The Monday night game against Pittsburgh in mid-December is, to me, an actual eye test. We have games against Buffalo, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, and Washington, but none of those games will be in freezing weather. Some people would say Pittsburgh isn't necessarily a playoff team. Still, I've always viewed the AFC North and NFC North the blue collar division of the NFL, they all play the brand of football Miami needs to play with with the elements of a Kansas City or Buffalo, even a Detroit, the kind of team where you and air it out and win in a shootout or in a grinding game, but with what i was saying about the NFC North and AFC North they are some tough teams that always plays in the cold and it made them toughen up alot. Pittsburgh, though, is always a tough team, and they will always give you a challenge. Overall, Miami will have moments of being tough, but that Steelers game will be to me a turning point for this team, and if we come out and lay an egg, it'll be the same old' Dolphins. Still, if they win, you can see the narrative start to shift a little. The narrative would go from "can they compete in cold-weather games?" to "can they compete with upper-echelon teams in the cold weather?" Lastly, they would also drop the moniker of being soft, but once that happens, they will still be a soft team until they prove it otherwise.

General Direction

I do feel like the Dolphins are trending in a more positive direction. I can see the team actually caring and trying to make the postseason, but with minor setbacks, then this season would be flushed down the toilet. It is hard to say what it would be like for Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier, because if Tua goes down or any of our pass rushers get injured, it would derail their retooling efforts. I am excited to see Kenny Grant and Jonah Savaiinaea play as rookies this year, and I'm curious whether they'll bring the mauler mentality the Dolphins have been looking for. I hope Miami continues to build up the trenches, because games are won there.