The Dolphins are currently 4-3 and the best way to describe them so far this season is inconsistent. Except for the Chicago Bears game, the Dolphins have failed to play well for an entire game. They have beaten a good Patriots team the first game of the season, however 2 of their other 3 victories have come against arguably the 2 worst teams in the league. Their 3 losses have all come against teams that have above .500 records. So where does that leave the Dolphins? Well over the next 4 games, we will play teams that each have at least 5 victories, and a combined record of 22 and 9, which means that we should finally get our answer to, “are the Dolphins a playoff caliber team?”
The Dolphins are entering arguably their hardest 4 game stretch of the entire season, and it will be interesting to see what this team can accomplish. If they go 1 and 3, then we can all but kiss the playoffs good bye, however if we can go 3 and 1, then we could be poised for our first playoff appearance since 2008.
The gauntlet has been set, with the Dolphins hosting a very good Chargers team this upcoming Sunday, followed by a road matchup against the NFC North division leaders the Detroit Lions, then a Thursday night home game against division rivals the Buffalo Bills, who they have not beaten in the last 3 tries, and then lastly at Mile High against what most sports gambling fans would say is currently the best football team in the league in the Denver Broncos. It will be hard to predict which Miami team will show up in these next four games, however after the Denver game, I believe give us a clearer picture of what this 2014 Miami Dolphins team is all about.
Though the Dolphins must not look ahead, but take each game one at a time. It all starts this Sunday, where the Dolphins play an AFC team that they need to beat if they want to make the playoffs. The Chargers will be fighting for a playoff spot at the end of the year, which means the Dolphins need to have a victory so they can win any tie-breakers at the end of the season. Teams that make the playoffs are teams that have beaten playoff bubble teams.
Can Miami put it together, and make a run for the playoffs? Nobody truly knows right now, but starting this weekend, I think we will begin to get a clearer picture of who this team really is.