The NFL team from Miami will begin their season this weekend. There were high expectations for this team last season when they had most of the players from the previous season returning, including one-time NFL passing leader Tua Tagovailoa. Much of the defense was back in place and all was looking good.
Last season didn’t turn out the way the Dolphins would have liked when they won just 8 games but lost 9 games and missed the playoffs. As a result, this offseason Miami had to let many of their veteran starters on defense go. They simply couldn’t afford to keep them.
The boys in the aqua, orange and white jerseys will return to action this weekend and are hoping for the best, although prognosis for the season is mixed.
Many of the sports analysts and experts are picking Miami to win between 9 and 11 games this season. In fact, best online sportsbooks have the total win over/under set at 10.5 games. This means if they perform at or near this level they should make it into the playoffs. This would be a welcomed outcome for fans of the Miami Dolphins as they are longing to return to the playoffs and actually win a game, something they haven’t done in 25 years.
It won’t be easy for the Miami Dolphins to make it far in the playoffs should they make it. This is because they are in the same division as the Buffalo Bills, a very good team that seems to have Miami’s number. Bills quarterback Josh Allen is 11-2 against Miami in his career. It’s not even close. In fact, it’s totally lopsided.
Super Bowl odds for Miami are fairly high. They are currently sitting at about 80-1 odds to win it all. This is not a very favorable position to be in. The team they need to get past (The Buffalo Bills) are 7-1 odds to win it all. You can see the disparity for yourself.
Miami’s head coach Mike McDaniel isn’t your run-of-the-mill coach. He is a very peculiar guy. But he has had some success as head coach in his career. If the Dolphins don’t make the postseason, you can pretty much count on Dolphins team ownership moving on from Mike McDaniel.
Summary
The Miami Dolphins, coming off an 8-9 season in 2024, face a tough path to the 2025 NFL playoffs but have a shot with key improvements. To secure a wild-card spot in the AFC, they must leverage their offensive strengths, led by Tua Tagovailoa, who must stay healthy after missing six games last season. His 72.9% completion rate and 19 touchdowns in 11 starts show his potential to drive the offense with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. The addition of veteran tight end Darren Waller could diversify their passing game. Defensively, trading for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick bolsters the secondary, while Bradley Chubb and Zach Sieler pressure quarterbacks.
Miami’s 31.3% playoff chance hinges on winning at least 10 games, starting strong against a tough schedule including the AFC North and NFC South. Beating division rivals like the Buffalo Bills, who’ve dominated them (six straight losses), is critical. With Mike McDaniel’s creative play-calling and a favorable home schedule, the Dolphins can capitalize on winnable games against teams like the Colts and Browns to sneak into the playoffs as the No. 7 seed
