“Miami Nice”

There was a time when the Miami Dolphins were the laughingstock of the NFL. That was last season. In fact, they were struggling so much that many predicted for them to finish the 2019 season with an 0-16 record. If that happened, that would’ve been the second time that took place (2008 Lions accomplished this first). Even after one year, many called for Brian Flores to be fired. After a slow start this year, the Dolphins have won five games in a row and now sit at 6-3 in the AFC East. They’re in second place still looking up to the Buffalo Bills. What’s been the reason behind the turnaround?

Even with Ryan Fitzpatrick playing fairly well, Brian Flores decided to make the change many were expecting. He benched Ryan and decided to start Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback. Since making the switch, Miami has won all three games he’s started. This includes wins over the Rams and Arizona Cardinals. The offense seems to be more fluid with Tua under center. The running game has become more potent, the offensive line has protected better and if you’re a wide receiver, you’re happy Tua is starting because he extends plays more than Fitz did. They drafted him fifth overall for a reason and it looks to be paying off.

What’s really been propelling them has been the consistency they’ve shown on defense. Brian is a defensive minded guy so I’m not really surprised they’ve been so strong. It’s a collective effort for this unit. They don’t look for personal stats and accomplishments. They all have one goal which is to limit their opponent. I often think of how they were able to shut the Rams down a few weeks back. Miami bottled up the running game and made Jared Goff throw the ball a total of 61 times. Even when they give up a few big plays or a lot of points, they make a stop when it’s necessary.