The Miami Dolphins Win Another "Big Game" Against An Inferior Opponent

Let me start by saying I’m proud of how the Miami Dolphins played yesterday. It wasn’t pretty, but they never gave up. I’ll be honest—I did. When the Jets went up 23-15, I was done. But the Dolphins weren’t, and for that, I commend them. It’s the NFL, and the old saying still rings true: “Any given Sunday.” So no, I’m not upset that the boys pulled off a win. I'm just disappointed that they waited until this week to do it.

Tua looked phenomenal. Tyreek and Waddle seem to have regained their swagger, and of course, Devon Achane—our new best gadget player in the NFL—had a great game as well. On the flip side, the defense was atrocious. I can’t remember the last time the Dolphins played a game of complementary football. But to their credit, whenever we needed a play down the stretch, they came through.

Did part of me want us to be put out of our misery? Yes. I’ve lived 25 years on this earth, and all I know is teasing, I haven't climaxed once in my life watching this team. Do I really want to go through this shit again? Not really. But do I have a choice? Absolutely not. This is what frustrates me about the Miami Dolphins. Whenever the stakes are low and the lights are dim, we play like world-beaters. But the moment the stakes are high and the lights are bright, we shrink faster than a 100% cotton T-shirt. Anytime this team has to face a winning opponent—or worse, play in temperatures below 50 degrees—it looks like we don’t even belong in the NFL.

I’m tired of seeing this team fold when it matters most. I’m tired of them showing up only against the league’s bottom-feeders, putting on a statement win, and fooling us into believing they can go the distance when they can’t. Here’s the truth: Our season died in Green Bay. Whether we scrape into the playoffs or not, the season is over. That game revealed everything I needed to know about this team. The mentality isn’t there.

Look at teams like the Lions. Their grit and toughness jump off the screen. That’s how you win football games late in the year. You don’t win with the soft, finesse-driven nonsense we’ve got going on in Miami. It hasn’t worked, and it never will. If the season ended today, four of the top five AFC teams would host home playoff games in freezing conditions. Do you think this Dolphins team could go into one of those environments and win? No chance.

And look—I hope I’m wrong. I truly do. But I’ve seen this movie my entire life, and this team has given me no reason to believe otherwise. I know how this ends. The grave is already dug. Now it’s our turn to lie in it.

As we always say in Miami: Maybe next year will be our year.