Late-season collapses have become the norm for the Miami Dolphins over the past two decades. Their struggles were on display last year, as they lost five of their final six regular-season games after starting 8-3 and failed in the wild-card round of the playoffs. There was hope that 2023 would be different, as the team looked like a Super Bowl contender from September to December.
The Miami Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game since 2000.
The sharp decline in Dolphins play over the last month has to crush Miami fans.
15 years since the last division title. 23 years since the last playoff victory. A month ago, there was so much hope: it seemed like both things could be broken. But the offense cooled when the weather did. Now let’s go to the same old story.
– Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) January 14, 2024
But they proved to be the “same old Dolphins,” losing three of their final five regular-season games and handing the division crown to a team that once had a 15% chance of making the playoffs. The once record-breaking and seemingly unstoppable offense managed to score a total of five touchdowns in its final three games, and the defense was a shell of itself by the end of the season due to a brutal series of injuries.
It all culminated in a disappointing performance in the wild card matchup against the Chiefs on Saturday night. Other than one big play, Miami’s offense didn’t do much against Kansas City’s defense. Aside from the 53-yard touchdown that ended up being the Dolphins’ only touchdown that night, the offense racked up just 183 total yards that night. They went 1 for 11 on third down and committed the only turnover of the first 59 minutes with an interception by Tua Tagovailoa in the first quarter.
It all resulted in a 26-7 loss for the Dolphins, taking their playoff winless streak to 23 years and counting.
Chiefs move on, Dolphins face questions
𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗘 𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗟𝗦𝗘: Tua Tagovailoa will never be able to lead the #Dolphins to a Super Bowl and they need to make a change at QB. pic.twitter.com/JqkIqUFw8T
– JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) January 14, 2024
Miami’s last playoff win came on December 30, 2000. They played the Indianapolis Colts, who were their division rivals at the time, and won in an overtime game thanks to a Lamar Smith run that sealed the victory. victory. Since then, they have only qualified for the playoffs five times and have lost in the first round each of those times.
The Chiefs will have to wait for results from the rest of the weekend to see who they will play next week.
The Dolphins will enter an offseason full of questions after another disappointing end to the season after starting 11-4.
