Dolphins Must ‘Finish Strong’ This Year

Highlights

Raheem Mostert stresses the importance of the Dolphins finishing the season strong.
Miami’s playoff success may hinge on whether they host a playoff game or not.
The Dolphins are looking to win their first playoff game in nearly 25 years.

With the bevy of offseason splashes the Miami Dolphins have made in recent years, it’s no secret the team feels their Super Bowl window is now.

However, despite their impressive starts the last two seasons, the Dolphins have slumped late in each of the last two seasons, and were one-and-done in the playoffs in both seasons under head coach Mike McDaniel.

Dolphins’ RB Raheem Mostert spoke about Miami’s late-season struggles and acknowledged that needs to change in 2024: “We’re an outstanding team, and it has to just click at the end of the year,” Mostert told NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

Mostert admitted that the narrative going into this season will be whether Miami can not only get to the playoffs, but make it past the first round:

“I was telling the reporters, man, I’d take an 0-8 start to make it deep into the playoffs, right, and trying to get to that championship round. One of our biggest Kryptonites has always been that first round. That’s gonna be harped on this year. People are gonna say all these different types of things, but we can’t make excuses.

The Dolphins will have a tall order with the Bills to overcome in the AFC East, and what should be an improved Jets team, assuming Aaron Rodgers stays healthy this year.

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Miami Must Start Strong, and Finish Strong

The Dolphins blew a three-game division lead in 2023

Raheem Mostert, Tua — Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Miami started the 2023 season 9-3 and were ahead of their division rival Buffalo Bills by three games with just five games left. The Fins appeared to be in the driver’s seat and a shoo-in to win their first AFC East title in 15 years.

Following a shocking Monday night loss to Tennessee in Week 14 in which Miami blew a 13-point lead with less than three minutes to play, they slumped to a 2-3 finish, including a Week 18 loss to Buffalo, losing out on the AFC East in the final game of the season.

Falling down to a wild card spot, the Dolphins were forced to go on the road to Kansas City to play in one of the coldest games in NFL history. That spelled disaster for a team from South Florida, and the Dolphins went down without much of a fight in a 26-7 loss.

Mostert knows the Dolphins simply can’t go out like that again.

“We’ve got to go out here and finish the season and finish strong, the same way we started, and just go out here and handle business. Everybody has to be on the same page. We have to be as one, right? That’s all it takes. Nothing bigger, nothing smaller. Just go out there and stay healthy and finish.”

Whether the Dolphins can finish strong in December and carry that into January will of course depend on how far Tua Tagovailoa and their aerial attack can take them.

However, Miami’s running game was also a big factor in them having the top ranked offense (401.3 yards per game) and scoring the second most points in the NFL in 2023 (29.2 ppg). Their rushing attack was sixth in the league, and they led the NFL in yards per carry (5.1).

Mostert of course, was a huge factor in the Dolphins’ offense as he and rookie speedster De’Von Achane provided Miami with an added dimension to their explosive offense.

Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane 2023 Rushing Totals
Category	Mostert	Achane
Carries	209	103
Rushing Yards	1,012	800
Rushing Touchdowns	18	8
Yards per Carry	4.8	7.8

With Mike McDaniel heading into his third year as Dolphins head coach and being 0-2 in the playoffs, there’s going to be some added pressure on Miami to finally break through and win their first playoff game for the first time in 24 years. Their chances will improve significantly if they can win the AFC East, ensuring a home playoff game in the ideal confines of Hard Rock Stadium.