After posting a .500 record last season, the Miami Dolphins decided to go hunting during the offseason. They added a few big pieces to their roster highlighted by the signing of prized free agent acquisition Ndamukong Suh to a long-term contract. Will the new-look Dolphins be a force to be reckoned with in the AFC? Or will they fail yet again in their bid for the AFC East title?
Get into gear in the wild AFC East this season. Check out our team previews for the New York Jets and the New England Patriots.
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2015-16 Miami Dolphins Preview
Overview
[sc:NFL240banner ]It was another year of mediocrity for the Miami Dolphins, finishing 8-8 in the 2014 NFL Regular Season. Despite a rather solid season for quarterback Ryan Tannehill, setting career-highs of 66.4 percent completion rate, 4,045 yards, 27 touchdowns and a 92.8 quarterback rating, the Dolphins couldn’t muster enough offense. Running back Lamar Miller was also quite solid, rushing for 1,099 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Dolphins ranked just 14th in total offense. They didn’t have the receiving corps to keep them competitive in the AFC East. Mike Wallace was a solid target with 862 yards and 10 touchdowns, but no other Miami receiver had more than five scores.
On the other side of the ball, the Dolphins had a top six passing defense but had a paltry 24th-ranked rushing defense. With its limitations, Miami finished third in AFC East. But they’ve been at work in the offseason (more on that later) to make them competitive. The Dolphins could be a steal to win the AFC Championship at +1,400 or even Super Bowl 50 at +3,500.
Offseason Review
Miami went shopping in the offseason, most notably nabbing prized free agent Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to a six-year, $114 million contract. An elite defensive lineman, Suh could easily create tackles for loss by forcing ball carriers to make mistakes or by sacking the opposing quarterback. He finished with a team-high 8.5 sacks last season while he was still with the Detroit Lions.
The Dolphins also reloaded on their receiving corps by signing wide receiver Greg Jennings and tight end Jordan Cameron, trading for former Saints wide receiver Kenny Stills and drafting DeVante Parker. Stills seems to have had the most success last season, catching 63 passes for 931 yards and three touchdowns from Drew Brees. He’ll figure to have a bigger role as one of Tannehill’s prime targets this season.
Parker may not explode to superstar status like last year’s offensive rookie of the year Odell Beckham Jr. as he’s still recovering from a foot injury. Meanwhile, Jennings and Cameron would need to adapt coming from run-heavy teams last year. Of the two, Cameron should be a viable red-zone target considering his ability to score when healthy. He made the Pro Bowl in 2013 after racking up 917 yards and seven touchdowns for the season.
Key Player – Ndamukong Suh
Signing Suh to a long-term contract should give Miami’s defense a boost for the next few years. The former Detroit Lion is a handful for opponents, sometimes causing opponents to focus on stopping him. That should ease the burden on the 10 other Dolphins defenders on the field. Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin is riding high on Suh as being a great fit for their system and it should show in the coming season.
Suh will be a big help in allowing Miami to close out games. Six of his 8.5 sacks last season came in the fourth quarter of games, with four of them in the final seven minutes of a contest. The only flaw in the Pro Bowl defensive tackle is his affinity to lose his cool. Thankfully, he may be able to keep himself composed playing with the least penalized team in the past three seasons.
Key Game – @ New England (October 29)
With Tom Brady’s four-game suspension upheld by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, this midseason matchup may have some high-stakes. The Dolphins play three of their first four games of the season against the Redskins, Jaguars and Jets, who combined for an 11-37 record last year. Meanwhile, the Patriots may stumble without Brady with tough games against the Steelers, Bills and Cowboys.
At this point of the season, the Dolphins may have the divisional lead while Brady still attempts to set his feet with this being just his third game of the year. Miami may have a chance to end the Patriots’ six-year run as AFC East champions with a key victory here.
Best/Worst Case Scenario for the Season
Best Case
Tannehill develops excellent chemistry with his wide receivers, Miller rushes for another thousand yards, and Suh becomes a brick wall on defense. The Dolphins start out strong with a four-game win streak to take the AFC East lead and solidify their chances of winning the division with a big victory at New England in Week 8.
Worst Case
The new core of receivers doesn’t work out and Suh becomes a handful with his temper. The Dolphins don’t develop the chemistry they need to string together wins. The New York Jets manage to become a surprise contender in AFC East as the Dolphins finish last in the division.
Complete Schedule
WEEK
DATE
OPPONENT
TIME (ET)
1
Sun, Sep 13
@ Washington
1:00 PM
2
Sun, Sep 20
@ Jacksonville
4:05 PM
3
Sun, Sep 27
vs Buffalo
4:25 PM
4
Sun, Oct 4
vs New York Jets
9:30 AM
5
Bye Week
6
Sun, Oct 18
@ Tennessee
1:00 PM
7
Sun, Oct 25
vs Houston
1:00 PM
8
Sun, Oct 29
@ New England
8:25 PM
9
Sun, Nov 8
@ Buffalo
1:00 PM
10
Sun, Nov 15
@ Philadelphia
1:00 PM
11
Sun, Nov 22
vs San Francisco
4:25 PM
12
Sun, Nov 29
@ New York Jets
1:00 PM
13
Sun, Dec 6
vs Baltimore
1:00 PM
14
Mon, Dec 14
vs New York Giants
8:30 PM
15
Sun, Dec 20
@ San Diego
4:25 PM
16
Sun, Dec27
vs Indianapolis
1:00 PM
17
Sun, Jan 3
vs New England
1:00 PM
Writer’s Prediction
The Dolphins take advantage of Brady’s suspension and win AFC East. But they fall in the AFC Wild Card Playoffs. Create a betting account now and set up your bets for the upcoming NFL season.
