Miami Dolphins: Mission Accomplished

By Zach Evans

Miami hasn’t accomplished a whole lot this season, but on Sunday they finally did something right for once. Knocking off the then-one-seed New England Patriots, was definitely a job well done. If you ask any Dolphins fan if this was this a big win, they would all give you an emphatic yes.

Without a doubt this was Miami’s biggest win of the year. Being 6-10 and not going to the playoffs, this win felt like a playoff victory. Some fans might argue that it doesn’t help in the long run for the team, since they won’t get the best draft pick.

This is true, since Miami is the number eight pick which isn’t the best in the world. However beating New England, and giving Denver the top seed, feels like it made the season all worth while.

Another thing you have to consider is that Miami was 0-5 in the division. Going 0-6, and being 5-11 would help their draft order, but how much? Also Miami has beaten New England the last three years in Miami. This alone has to feel like somewhat of an accomplishment, even if the team hasn’t been to the playoffs in seven straight years.

Now the AFC East has become used to the Patriots going to the playoffs, they go every year. However, the Dolphins haven’t been since 2008, the Bills haven’t been in fifteen years and counting, and the Jets since 2010. All this being said, it makes it tough to win in a division where the best team is constantly in Super Bowl contention.

As long as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are in the AFC East, and the rest of the division keeps knocking each other out of the playoffs, the Super Bowl seems to be out of reach for these teams. However the division has gotten closer to beating New England, as New York and Miami both beat them this year.

All in all Miami hasn’t made the playoffs in seven years. This is a problem that starts with the staff, and affects the player’s performance. Miami recently fired Dennis Hickey, and replaced him with long time director of college scouting Chris Grier. Chris Grier recently said that Miami’s culture for the last decade has been pathetic. He also said that he and the other staff members would work to making Miami a better franchise as a whole.

Right now this is all talk and speculation, as other coaches and staff members have said the same thing in the past. Everyone says the Dolphins have been a terrible franchise, and need to change, but is anything really getting done? Instead of improving, Miami finds itself in a constant state of mediocrity, losing seasons, and lack of playoff appearances. If the Dolphins want to improve they need to do something about it, and not just talk about doing it.

More from isportsweb.com: