Moving on from several veterans in an effort to change the culture around the team, the Miami Dolphins enter 2018 with a number of question marks. The biggest is in regards to a player the Fins didn’t part with, but rather one that returns after missing all of last season. Can Ryan Tannehill continue his upward trajectory that started in 2016 under Adam Gase, or will the knee injury that forced him to sit last season linger? Tannehill and Gase had a strong connection two years ago leading the Dolphins to 10 wins and a postseason berth, but with Jay Cutler filling in last year, the Fins managed just six victories.
Miami Dolphins Futures Odds at BookMaker.eu
Miami Dolphins Over 6.5 Wins -131
Miami Dolphins Under 6.5 Wins +109
2018 Miami Dolphins Offense Preview
Jarvis Landry led the NFL in receptions last season and was traded away. Jay Ajayi was leading the team in rushing before an in-season move sent him to Philadelphia. Now, the Dolphins will start over with a group of new play makers. The key is Tannehill, who last played a regular season game late in the 2016 season. He was having a career season working with rookie coach Gase, leading the Dolphins to their first winning record and playoff appearance since 2008. The Fins stumbled to six wins last year and the housecleaning began.
Without Landry, the Dolphins will rely on a more diversified passing game. Davante Parker and Kenny Stills are aligned to be starters and Danny Amendola brings experience and a winning attitude from New England. Gase wants to spread the ball around more and feels he has a group that can accomplish that plan. The loss of Ajayi didn’t affect the run game with Kenyon Drake taking over. He ran for 619 yards with 5.0 yards per carry after the trade. The Fins also acquired Frank Gore to help in the backfield.
2018 Miami Dolphins Defense Preview
The Dolphins were one of three teams to play eight rookies on defense last year and the club is counting on that youth movement to pay dividends in 2018. It also allowed the team to move on from Ndamukong Suh, who was let go during the offseason. The Fins were right in the middle of the defensive rankings, placing 16th in yards allowed, but that didn’t translate into stopping opponents from hitting the end zone. The Dolphins allowed 24.6 points per game which was fourth from the bottom.
Several new faces will impact the overall performance in 2018. Robert Quinn was acquired from the Rams and will help with the pass rush. Raekwon McMillan, who missed last season with an injury, will be a bonus for the linebackers, and first-round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick will bolster the secondary that has potential to be one of the best groups in the league. Reshad Jones is an anchor at safety and Xavien Howard topped the team with four interceptions, all of them coming in a two-game span in December.
2018 Miami Dolphins Schedule Analysis
After the Patriots, the AFC East is up for grabs between the Dolphins, Jets and Bills. There isn’t much separation between those three teams and how they do against each other will determine how the win totals play out. The Fins also get the AFC South and NFC North, two tough divisions that will present problems.
There are no long road trips and the bye comes in Week 11, which will be needed for a difficult season-ending stretch. In three games starting in Week 14, the Fins get the Pats, play at Minnesota and host Jacksonville. Those games are sandwiched by matchups with Buffalo.
The Final Verdict
Changing the culture of the franchise by discarding players he felt didn’t fit his style put the pressure on Gase to get the Dolphins back to the playoffs as he enters his third season. The team may be better in the locker room, but the on-field product could take another step back before eventually moving forward.
We don’t know if Tannehill has overcome the injuries that have kept him sidelined and the backup job is in the hands of Brock Osweiler, which is troubling. The Fins struggled on defense with Suh, and they didn’t do nearly enough to replace the disruptive lineman. The addition by subtraction model has its backers, however it’s hard to envision the Dolphins being better than they were last season, leaving the under as a good futures play.
NFL Betting Odds: Miami Dolphins Under 6.5 Wins
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