So, you’re saying there’s still a chance? Yes, with four weeks to play, the playoff hopes for the Miami Dolphins are still alive. After a rough Thanksgiving Night at Lambeau Field, Mike McDaniel’s team prevailed at home against the New York Jets, 32-26, in overtime this past Sunday.
The ‘Fins are currently in the ninth spot in the AFC playoff standings. Both Miami and the Indianapolis Colts own 6-7 resumes, two games behind the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos, who all sport 8-5 marks, when it comes to win-loss records.
First things first. The Dolphins inched a bit closer to the .500 mark, but it took more than 60 minutes.
What Went Right No. 1
The return of the dynamic duo
Welcome back. You have to hop in a hot tub time machine or Doc Brown’s DeLorean to find the last time talented wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle put up the kind of numbers in the same game that were reminiscent of 2023.
All pop culture references aside, Hill totaled seven grabs for 130 yards—including an 80-yard score, in a 20-17 comeback victory over the visiting Jaguars. Meanwhile, Waddle was targeted five times and caught every pass from Tua Tagovailoa in the three-point win.
On Sunday against the Jets, the explosive duo was at it again. Hill (14) and Waddle (12) were targeted a combined 26 times and teamed for 19 grabs and a touchdown. The former caught nine balls for 115 yards and one score, while Waddle totaled nine catches for 99 yards. The tandem accounted for 214 of Tagovailoa’s 331 passing yards.
What Went Wrong No. 1
Another defensive disappointment
For the second consecutive game, Anthony Weaver’s unit was far too generous. On Thanksgiving night at Lambeau Field, the Packers rolled up 388 total yards and amassed 7.3 yards per play. Against the Jets, Miami defenders permitted a season-high 402 total yards (6.4 yards per play).
Those averages for Green Bay and New York are the two highest performances allowed by Weaver’s defense this season. While the Dolphins and Jets played into overtime, Miami’s defense never took the field in the extra session.
Jets’ veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 339 yards and one touchdown. That yardage figure was Rodgers’ first 300-yard passing performance since 2021. Also, keep in mind that the Jets entered Week 14 ranked 31st in the NFL in total offense (291.3). The 26 points were the club’s second-highest total in ’24.
What Went Wrong No. 2
Running game remains MIA(mi)
Eight games into the season, McDaniel’s club was averaging a solid 133.9 yards per game on the ground. That ranked ninth in the NFL.
In their first two outings with Tagovailoa back in the lineup (Weeks 8 and 9), the Dolphins ran for 150 yards against the Cardinals and a week later rolled up 149 yards on the ground at Buffalo. Of course, Miami lost both of those games on late field goals and by a combined four points.
Apparently, McDaniel is very content to put the offense in the arm of his fifth-year signal caller, Hence, the ‘Fins have now gone five consecutive games without running for at least 100 yards.
In their first eight games, the Dolphins totaled 244 running plays and averaged 4.4 yards per attempt. Over their last five outings, Miami has run the ball a combined 105 times for only 297 yards, a dismal 2.8 yards per carry.
What Went Right No. 2
“Sack” Sieler
Miami’s pass rush has been far from imposing this season, but it has been playing better as of late. Then came the Thanksgiving night loss at Lambeau Field, when Weaver’s defense failed to sack Packers’ quarterback Jordan Love. This unit looked to make amends vs. Rodgers, who had been dropped 28 times in his team’s first games.
Dolphins’ defensive tackle Zach Sieler and end Calais Campbell were tied for the team lead with four QB traps entering Week 14, and the former stepped to the forefront late in the game on Sunday. He finished with a pair of sacks, the first early in the fourth quarter that forced a punt.
Miami capitalized on the field position and scored a touchdown. Later, with the ball on the Dolphins’ 32-yard line, he threw Rodgers for a six-yard loss, putting the Jets in 3rd-and-21. New York settled for a field goal.
What Went Right No. 3
And workin’ overtime...
He enjoyed a solid season with the Falcons in 2023, but the team opted to cut him loose before the start of free agency. The Dolphins were more than familiar with tight end Jonnu Smith. Originally a third-round draft choice in 2017 by the Titans, he spent two seasons (2021-22) with New England before the Patriots dealt him to Atlanta.
He’s enjoying a career year in ’24, already totaling personal highs with 61 receptions and 692 yards. He’s reached the end zone five times, tied with Hill, and one touchdown grab behind De’Von Achane.
On Sunday vs. the Jets, he was quiet for four quarters. In overtime, Tagovailoa hit on six of his seven throws for 67 yards. There was a 20-yard connection with Smith, followed by a 14-yard strike to the tight end. Smith scored on a 10-yard grab for the win, his only three catches on the afternoon.
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