32 Teams/32 Days: 2021 Miami Dolphins

Introduction

Division: AFC East

Record: 9-8 (4-2)

Ah, yes. Here we are, gathered to enjoy the recap of what was certainly a very normal and uneventful season for the Miami Dolphins. Nope, no unexpected coach firings, quarterback controversies, smear campaigns, lawsuits, or allegations of game fixings. I'm sure this will also be the biggest Miami Dolphins related post of the week. Anyway, let's get into it!

Notable Free Agency Departures

• Ryan Fitzpatrick - QB - Washington Football Team
• Kyle Van Noy - ILB - New England Patriots
• Ted Karras - C - New England Patriots
• Bobby McCain - S - Washington Football Team
• Matt Breida - RB - Buffalo Bills
• Matt Haack - P - Buffalo Bills

Notable Free Agent Acquisitions

• Will Fuller V - WR - Houston Texans
• Jacoby Brissett - QB - Indianapolis Colts
• Duke Johnson - RB - UFA
• Jason McCourty - CB - New England Patriots
• Adam Butler - DT - New England Patriots
• Malcolm Brown - RB - Los Angeles Rams

2021 Draft

Little did we know, the 2021 Draft would be one of the few bright spots in an embittered Dolphins season. Chris Grier certainly earned himself some goodwill by knocking out his first three picks in the draft, bringing WR Jaylen Waddle, DE Jaelan Phillips, and S Jevon Holland down to South Beach. The rest of his picks have yet to return the same excitement, but time will tell if they can secure active spots on the roster. Overall, I'd give this draft an A-, as it delivered what will likely be three franchise players to Miami and at the very least produced some depth at positions of need.

Pre-Draft Trades

• 'Twas a fun day on r/nfl when news broke that the Dolphins had engaged in a massive three-way trade of the third-overall pick. Grier shipped the pick, originally from Houston, to San Francisco in exchange for the 12th-overall selection in 2021, SF's first- and third-round picks in 2022, and a first-round pick in 2023. As if this wasn't big enough news, Grier immediately flipped the 12th-overall, Miami's 2022 first-round pick, and a fourth-rounder to Philadelphia to move up to sixth-overall and net an additional fifth-round pick.
  • While I love the confidence of sending Miami's first rounder instead of San Francisco's, this ended up being a bad bet by Grier. The Dolphins had a seven-game losing skid midseason and missed the playoffs again, while the 49ers surged all the way to the NFCCG. The Eagles now hold the 15th-overall pick while Miami, barring any draft-day trades, will not pick until 29th-overall.
• In less exciting news, the Dolphins later traded G Ereck Flowers and pick 258 to the Washington Football Team in exchange for pick 244.

Draft-Day Trades

• Unsurprisingly, Grier wasn't done after the blockbuster trade with San Francisco. In the second round, the Dolphins sent the 50th-overall and a 2022 third-rounder to the Giants to move up to 42nd-overall. Miami also flipped the 156th-overall pick to the Steelers for a 2022 fourth-round pick.

2021 Draft Selections

• 1.6: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
• 1.18: Jaelan Phillips, DE, Miami
• 2.36: Jevon Holland, S, Oregen
• 2.46: Liam Eichenberg, T, Notre Dame
• 3.31: Hunter Long, TE, Boston College
• 7.231: Larnel Coleman, T, UMass Amherst
• 7.244: Gerrid Doaks, RB, Cincinnati

Game Recaps

Week 1 @ NE: W, 17-16

The opener in New England highlighted some obvious needs for improvement as the season went on; the run defense was poor and the offense stalled out on several drives. But, a win's a win, and a win over a division rival is even better. Tua had a solid performance against Sith Lord Belicheck's defense, going 16 of 27 for 202 yards, one passing TD, and one rushing TD, with his sole interception coming on a tipped pass. On the defensive end, Xavien Howard reminded us all that X gon take it from you as he managed to recover a game-sealing fumble late in the fourth. The Dolphins go 1-0 for the first time since 2018.

Week 2 vs. BUF: L, 0-35

Well, that didn't last very long. For all of Flores's success against New England, he never quite figures out Buffalo, and his team is walloped by the Bills for what feels like the hundredth time. Disaster struck early in this one; on just his second drive, Tua was sacked by a virtually unblocked defender (thanks, Jesse Davis) and knocked out of the game with broken ribs. Jacoby Brissett finished the game out, somehow amassing 169 yards without ever sniffing the endzone. The Dolphins' defense had its moments, managing to hold the Bills scoreless on six straight possessions in the first half, but they were quickly worn out by the lopsided time of possession and let up some big plays. Frankly, 35-0 isn't nearly as bad as the final score could have been had the defense not played as hard as they did for as long as they did.

Week 3 @ LV: L, 28-31 OT

What's weirder about this game---the fact that Jon Gruden was still coaching in the NFL, or that Will Fuller of all people caught a two-point conversion to force OT? A strange contest from start to finish, this game featured an 85-yard pick six on Derek Carr, a Dolphins screen pass ending in a safety, and a kicker duel in overtime. In the end, the Raiders sent Miami home with another loss, blissfully unaware of how many more L's were coming their way in the coming weeks.

Week 4 vs. IND: L, 17-27

Back at home and sitting at 1-2, the Dolphins had every chance to make a statement win and latch onto some momentum to lift their flailing season. Instead, they gave the winless Colts their first W of the season and subjected the world to another week of Jacoby Brissett and the Dolphins "offense." Brissett passed for 199 yards and two TDs; before you think, hey, that's not too bad, let's consider the fact that both of those scores and 123 of those passing yards came in the fourth quarter, when it was far too late to mount a comeback against the Colts' 20 unanswered points. "I've got to do a better job. It starts with me. I don't want to say that every week," said Brian Flores, who would in fact say that every week.

Week 5 @ TB: L, 17-45

Maybe Tom Brady forgot about the last time he played Miami (the glorious Kevin Harlan "I'm calling both games!" game where the Dolphins marched into Foxborough and ruined the Patriots' chance at a first-round bye, you know the one?) Or maybe Tom Brady's still pissed about it. Either way, the Bad Man dropped five TDs and threw for over 400 yards against the Dolphins, so I'm leaning towards still pissed about it. Somehow, Miami only trailed by a touchdown heading into the fourth quarter, but one quarter was all the Super Bowl champs needed to completely blow the Phins out of the water. Miami moves to 1-4 on the season with no reason for optimism in sight.

Week 6 @ JAX: L, 20-23

Most of Miami's losses this season felt embarrassing in unique and horrible ways, and in some respects, this loss was the worst loss of all. The Dolphins went international for this train wreck, handing the Jaguars their first win after 20 straight losses. Because God hates the Dolphins, a good performance by Tua in his return from IR (33 of 47, 329 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) was squandered by one of Miami's worst defensive outings all season. Without starting CBs Xavien Howard and Byron Jones, the secondary failed to contain an anemic Jags offense, allowing Trevor Lawrence to pass for over 300 yards before the game ended on a last-second field goal. Safe to say that was probably a long flight home.

Week 7 vs. ATL: L, 28-30

For the second straight week, the Dolphins lose on a last-second field goal, this time against the Falcons at home. Good news: Tua threw a career-high four touchdowns. Bad news: Tua threw two rough interceptions. Good news again: the legend of post-interception Tua was born. Despite the costly picks, Tua got the Dolphins the lead at the end of the fourth quarter, leading several long scoring drives to cover the 20-point deficit Atlanta had put together in the second and third quarters. It just wasn't enough; Matt Ryan had plenty of time on his final drive to get within field goal range, and from there it was light work for Younghoe Koo. With no timeouts, Miami could only watch their sixth-straight loss sail through the uprights. Morale couldn't possibly be lower, right?

Week 8 @ BUF: L, 11-26

Wrong. The Dolphins head to Buffalo and yet again fail to exorcise their Bills demon, losing handily for the seventh consecutive time to their division rival. A game that was tied 3-3 at the half became a blowout in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, as Josh Allen managed to get back to form after a slow start. Still, somehow, Tua's 205 yards in the air and one score on the ground, plus a successful toss on a 2-point conversion to Gesicki, were almost enough to keep the game competitive. Then, the Dolphins did Dolphins things. Tua threw a costly interception late in the game and one of C Austin Reiter's snaps bounced off of Mike Gesicki as he ran across the line, resulting in a fumble recovered by Buffalo. If that play doesn't sum up the first half of the Dolphins' season, I don't know what does.

Week 9 vs. HOU: W, 17-9

Theory: Flores would have been fired immediately if he lost to the 1-7 Texans at home. Instead, the Dolphins squeaked out the ugliest win of all time and Flores lived to coach another day. With Tua out with a supposed hand injury (but apparently well enough to be the emergency backup, because Flores), Jacoby Brissett duked it out with Tyrod Taylor in a high-scoring, high-flying matchup. Just kidding! The game featured nine turnovers between the two teams, headlined by Tyrod attempting to throw the ball away in his own territory and accidentally flipping it right into the arms of a toe-tapping Jerome Baker. Brissett tossed two picks of his own and the Dolphins lost the ball three more times for a grand total of five turnovers. A win's a win, right?

Week 10 vs. BAL: W, 22-10

Real Dolphins fans probably dreaded this matchup more than any other this season, as the Ravens have essentially taken the Dolphins out behind the woodshed in each of their last few meetings. I personally made sure to watch this one in a bar in case it got ugly, but was pleasantly surprised by one of the better games of the year. The Dolphins defense looked like it returned to its 2020-form as it played a man-heavy, Cover 0 scheme from start to finish. The (albeit injured) Ravens offense had no answers for Miami's blitzes, holding Baltimore to a single field goal for the first three quarters. X had another timely scoop-and-score, and an injured Tua subbed in for an injured Brissett, which was exactly what the offense needed to put the game away. A 64-yard bomb to Albert Wilson and a QB-sneak later, Tua sealed the win. Also, I would be remiss to waste an opportunity to post Robert Hunt's TD that definitely should have counted, thank you.

Week 11 @ NYJ: W, 24-17

For the last few seasons, visiting the Jets has been just what the doctor ordered for the Dolphins, who gained the all-time series lead with their win. A quick 10-0 lead by the Jets was soon answered by Tua, who put up two touchdowns and 273 passing yards and managed to hang onto the lead after a late interception nearly cost the Dolphins the game. A sloppy performance by the Jets was led by Joe Flacco, who became the sacrificial lamb to a Miami defense that rustled up two sacks and a forced fumble. Watch out, playoffs, the 4-7 Dolphins are coming for you.

Week 12 vs. CAR: W, 33-10

Cam Newton was back, but so were the Dolphins, and they treated Newton to five sacks and three interceptions to celebrate. Over on the offense, Tua enjoyed a nearly flawless game, completing 27 of 31 for 230 yards and a TD. Myles Gaskin rushed for two scores and the Waddle waddle celebration was born. On special teams, Miami managed to block a punt for a TD, rounding out a great day for all three phases of the team. Despite being burned many, many times before, Dolphins fans couldn't help but feel a tinge of optimism coming away from this game.

Week 13 vs. NYG: W, 20-9

A win's a win, as we've come to know over the course of this long, strange season. Joe Judge's Giants came to town for Miami's fifth-straight win, putting them just one game back from .500 in a season where they started 1-7. The game itself was an awkward, low-scoring affair, with Tua managing 244 yards and 2 TDs on a game plan of short, quick passes. Jaelan Phillips added another two sacks to his stats and X hauled in his fourth interception of the year. K Jason Sanders missed one of his three kicks, continuing a surprisingly inconsistent season after his extremely successful 2020 campaign.

Week 14 BYE

Week 15 vs. NYJ: W, 31-24

If you know nothing else about this game, at least know that Christian Wilkins caught a big man touchdown and did the worm in the endzone. If you want to know other things about this game, here are some of my favorites: the Dolphins swept the Jets for the second consecutive season; Tua Tagovailoa became Tua Truckamanova; hometown-hero Duke Johnson had 107 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the Dolphins' first 100-yard rusher all season (yikes); and the Dolphins defense combined for six sacks on the day. A bad pick-six by Tua kept the Jets in the game late, but a scoreless performance from Zach Wilson and an efficient day for Miami's offense was enough to seal the deal. Having clawed their way back from seven-straight losses, everything was looking up for the Dolphins as they prepared for MNF against New Orleans.

Week 16 @ NO: W, 20-3

Damn this game for giving us hope. Thrashing the Saints at home on TNF would give the Dolphins their seventh straight win, mostly due to what felt like the nationally-televised hazing of Saints QB Ian Book by the Miami defense. The Dolphins nabbed two interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown) and a league-record-tying eight sacks in the absolute beatdown of a COVID-depleted Saints offense. On the other side of the ball, Miami had a mostly quiet outing behind a rough night for the offensive line. Jaylen Waddle was a sole bright spot, enjoying a clutch performance with 92 yards and a touchdown.

Week 17 @ TEN: L, 3-24

Playoff berth on the line, the Dolphins need to win a road game to punch a Wild Card ticket---wait a second, I've heard this story before! This game ended much like the first, when the 2020 Dolphins were slapped around by Buffalo and knocked out of playoff contention. For the second straight year, Brian Flores let his team get completely embarrassed in a win-and-in game, this time in Tennessee against former Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill. In cold, rainy weather, the very smart and accomplished Miami offensive coordinators (yes, plural) elected to have Tua throw the ball 38 times despite lead back Duke Johnson averaging seven yards per carry. The offensive line had one of their worst outings of the season (and since this is Miami's offensive line we're talking about, that's really, really bad) and Tua was sacked four times. A 45-yard pass to Waddle was just about the only exciting play for the Dolphins, although he was stopped just shy of breaking the rookie receptions record.

Week 18 vs. NE: W, 33-24

For all the ups and downs of the season, nothing could be a sweeter end to 2021 than sweeping a longtime division rival for the first time since 2000. In a rare rush-heavy game for the Dolphins, Miami rushed for nearly 200 yards against a New England defense that looked completely gassed as the game went on. This game was a treat for Dolphins fans all around: Waddle broke the rookie reception record, Duke had another 100-yard rushing game, X had a pick-six on Mac Jones, Tua scrambled for a glorious first down to ice the game, and best of all, for the second straight year, the Patriots attempted to pull off their own Miami Miracle to steal the win. And for the second straight year, it failed hilariously.

Team Statsby u/nevosoinverno

Controversy Corner!

Yes, the Dolphins were so embittered by rumors, quarterback controversies, and actual serious legal trouble that I felt compelled to add a section just for drama, of which there was plenty to go around. Enjoy!

• Deshaun Watson Rumors
  • From the off-season all the way up to the trade deadline, the Dolphins were entrenched in never-ending trade rumors surrounding the Houston QB. Despite his 22 allegations of sexual assault which were still pending criminal charges at the time, by most reports, Miami had genuine interest, though it's disputed whether this interest came from Flores, Grier, or owner Stephen Ross. In any case, the trade did not go through, and Watson would go onto be another franchise's problem. The damage was done, however. Flores's inability to shut down rumors and strongly commit to Tua as his quarterback (not until the trade deadline passed, anyway) might have been the first writings on the wall of his firing.
• Brian Flores Fired after Three Seasons
  • A shocking move to most NFL fans. Flores was canned after three years and a 24-25 record with the Dolphins, just barely missing the .500 mark. During his tenure, Miami executed a full rebuild, tearing down the entire Gase-era roster for picks and overhauling the entire staff. Flores was able to put together strong defenses as Head Coach, at times leading the NFL in turnovers, and he also achieved sweeps of division rivals the New York Jets and New England Patriots. But, while his teams sometimes punched above their weight against contenders, they were more often than not completely embarrassed by teams with winning records. He finished his career with Miami going winless against the Bills and missing the playoffs every year. His offensive staff was a revolving door of unqualified yes-men, evidenced by the fact that he hired four different offensive coordinators in three years and often promoted from within instead of looking outside of Miami for talented coaches. He repeatedly demonstrated an inability to manage the quarterback position, stirring constant controversy with his penchant for benching starters only to put them back in later.
  • Off the field, according to reports that may or may not have been a smear campaign by Dolphins brass, it was revealed after his firing that Flores was nearly impossible to work for or with. He was described as a bully by employees and media members alike, lacking the interpersonal skills needed to succeed as a head coach. He reportedly played favorites within the organization and had a not-so-secret grudge with Tua as the year went on. Reports came out after the Tennessee game that Tua and Flores got into a shouting match on the sidelines, with Tua calling Flores out for "not knowing how to talk to people." In the end, it seems that Miami chose the quarterback over the coach, and Brian Flores was gone.
• Mike McDaniel Hired as New Dolphins Head Coach
  • Mike McDaniel began his football career as a ball boy for the Denver Broncos and worked through several positions and franchises over the years, most recently serving as offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers. He brings an innovative offensive approach to Miami, something the Dolphins have desperately lacked in the last decade of football. Praised for his exceptional running game and play-action schemes, McDaniel will be a complete 180 for a Dolphins team that produced only three 100-yard rushers in 17 games. He's also making himself an instant fan-favorite with his coaching staff, focusing on experienced hires and several Dolphins greats, such as Wes Welker, Pat Surtain, and Sam Madison.
  • McDaniel will face some challenges, however, as he enters a complicated ownership division and an AFC conference that's turning into a complete bloodbath. As a first-year head coach he will have a tall task of trying to fit his schemes onto an offensive line as poor as Miami's. He also doesn't have control of his GM/QB (yet), so it will be interesting to see how he operates in these parameters and how much of a collaboration the roster build will be between McDaniel and Grier.
  • All in all, I'm so excited for this guy I could write a whole other 32 on him, but I'll save that for when he has a full season under his belt. Just know that if you want a McDaniel fix, you absolutely have to go watch his McAfee interview and come to terms with the fact that the Dolphins have the coolest coach in the NFL.
• Chris Grier survives; will Stephen Ross?
  • By all indications, Chris Grier will remain the GM of the Dolphins, despite some wondering if the Flores firing was a precursor to showing Grier the door, too. Instead, Grier gets another swing at making a championship roster in Miami. If the rumors that Brian Flores was heavily involved in the draft process and free agency turn out to be true, then it's hard to say if this is a good or a bad move. How many of the good picks like Waddle, Phillips, and Holland can we attribute to Grier? How many of the busts were Flores? With no way of knowing who was really calling the shots, Miami fans have no choice but to hope that Flores was the issue and that new coach Mike McDaniel can do a better job of working with the front office.
  • In the lawsuit filed by Flores, the former Dolphins coach alleges that Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 for every game he lost in 2019, a season where the Dolphins were widely believed to be not-so-secretly tanking for a top draft pick. If the rumor is true, serious consequences may be in store for Ross. The NFL owners can move to force Ross to sell the team for violating the integrity of the game according to the organization's bylaws. In my cynical opinion? Nothing will happen. Billionaire Ross will be hit with some fines or the team will lose some draft picks. The likelihood that the other owners will actually bring the hammer down seems small. The owners turn a blind eye on each other's transgressions, as evidenced by their radio silence on Washington's Dan Snyder and his constant media firestorms. The risk of Ross airing dirty laundry is a bigger threat than sweeping it all under the rug.

Conclusion

2021 was a frustrating and absurd year in Dolphins history, and this team has given me no reason to ever trust or believe in their future, but you know what? I'm falling for it yet again! The Dolphins look poised to make a splash (pun fully intended) and have had a great off-season. I'm ready for the ride, because win or lose, we'll still get Mike McDaniel press conferences and the team will wear their throwbacks a couple times a year. Fins up!

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