[h=2]History shows us that the month of December has not been too kind to the Dolphins. However, if Miami is to make the playoffs for the first time since 2008 they must overcome their December woes.[/h]After the first five weeks of the season and a 1-4 start, any chance at the playoffs looked like a pipe dream for the
Miami Dolphins. But now after a six-game winning streak, the Dolphins find themselves in the 6th and final playoff spot as the standings lie. Miami has not made the playoffs since 2008, the last time they or any other team not named the New England Patriots won the AFC East. With five games remaining in the regular season the real test for the Dolphins lies ahead. This test is much about overcoming their struggles in the month of December as well as the quality of their opponents.
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It’s no secret that the Dolphins have struggled in December for the better part of this century. Since 2012, they are just
9-11 in the final month of play (8-11 if you want to be technical with last season’s victory over the Patriots on January 3rd). It gets worse if you look back even further.
In 2013, the Dolphins were in the driver’s seat for the playoffs with an 8-6 record and riding a three-game winning streak going into the final two weeks of the season. All three of those wins, in fact, were in December and it seemed as though the December woes were finally over. Miami had to win just one of their final two games to clinch a playoff spot. The December curse came back to haunt the Dolphins, however, as they lost to the Bills and Jets by a combined score of 39-7.
The following season, Miami was again in the playoff hunt with a 7-5 record only to eventually lose three of their final four games, and miss out yet again. Fast forward to the present, and the Dolphins are in a similar position once again. The Dolphins may currently hold the final spot, but they are holding on by a thread and the margin for error is extremely thin.
There are some who believe that Miami can finish the season 3-2 and still reach the playoffs, but I’m pessimistic about the possibility. A record of 10-6 may have been good enough in seasons past, but the AFC West is a very strong division this year. There’s a strong chance they could have three teams finish above that. Even if they don’t, Miami would likely need to depend on a tie-breaker scenario at that point, and who knows how many other teams might finish with a similar record.
It will be tough, but the Dolphins likely have to go at least 4-1 down the stretch and it starts this week at Baltimore. Head coach
Adam Gase has done a fantastic job with his one game at a time approach, but Miami will need to play better than they have the last two weeks in order to continue their success. Baltimore currently sits atop the AFC North, and would be Miami’s first round opponent by the current standings. The Dolphins need to approach this game as if it were a playoff game because a loss on Sunday virtually eliminates any realistic shot at the playoffs.
