There are many reasons why the Dolphins will not win the AFC East. Ahead, are some of the most glaring reasons. The Dolphins are coming off a 56-19 shellacking, from the Baltimore Ravens. The loss also saw key players leave the game with injuries including the loss of Bradley Chubb for the season. When it comes to the reasons why the Dolphins will not win the AFC East however, it is just the tip of the iceberg.
Why the AFC East Will Not Be Won by the Miami Dolphins
History
The last time the Dolphins were in an AFC championship game was 1992. The Dolphins were playing at home and were favored to win. Guess which team came down to Miami in January of 1993 and beat the Dolphins, handily, 29-10? The Buffalo Bills. Guess who is coming to Miami again this Sunday to decide the AFC East Champion? The Buffalo Bills. Of course, it does not mean that the Dolphins are guaranteed a loss. Then again, it feels as though the two teams are headed in opposite directions.
Polar Opposites
The Bills are winners of five of their last six games, including wins over both the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City. The Dolphins, meanwhile, have beaten one team with a winning record this season; the Dallas Cowboys. It has been said on more than one occasion that if the Dolphins were a contender and not a pretender, they have yet to prove their “contender” status. The Dolphins have losses to Kansas City, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and a four-touchdown blowout to the Bills in Orchard Park. Long story short, the Dolphins have not proven they can beat the elite teams in the league as well as the Bills have.
Beat the Teams You Are Supposed to Beat
This is a hallmark of a championship-worthy team. They beat the teams they are supposed to beat. For the Dolphins that went out the window with a loss to the Tennessee Titans and rookie quarterback Will Levis, at home, a little less than a month ago. In that game, the Dolphins lost Connor Williams for the year and had Terron Armstead placed on IR. The patchwork offensive line did help get Raheem Mostert in the end zone a couple of times. The defense, however, could not stop Will Levis or Derrick Henry.
The Injuries
Aside from Chubb, star cornerback Xavien Howard also left the Ravens game with what has been called a “foot injury”. Additionally, starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left the game with what he called a “sore shoulder.” Tagovailoa said he will be ready come Sunday; time will tell. This was in addition to number two receiver, Jaylen Waddle out with an ankle injury.
Josh Allen’s Time of Year
While many were starting to dismiss the Bills as they struggled earlier in the season, this writer knew better. The Bills are hot right now and this is the time of year that Josh Allen has historically played his best football. Granted, he did not look great against the Dolphins in last year’s wildcard round (23-39, 352 YDS, 3 TD, 2 INT), but the Bills still got the win in that game, 34-31.
Takeaway
Dolphins fans shouldn’t be holding their breath that the team will win on Sunday given the adversity they are up against. It also does not help that their opponent is trending upward and the Dolphins are trending downward. If the Dolphins do lose Sunday, not only do they not win the AFC East, but they could end up going from the number two to the number six seed in the AFC playoffs. That could mean having to go to Kansas City to face the Chiefs and having to win out on the road for the remainder of the playoffs.
Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
