Week 17 Loss a Reality Check
That the Miami Dolphins were even in position to secure a playoff berth when they traveled to Buffalo for their Week 17 game against the Bills truly was an impressive feat.
The disappointing, humbling result of that Week 17 game should never change that.
What it should do is serve as a reality check that while they were much improved in 2020, the Dolphins are not there yet when it comes to being able to compete against the best teams in the NFL.
It also needs to be pointed out that the Bills probably are the best team in the NFL at this moment — yes, even better than the Chiefs.
Buffalo went 8-1 in its final nine games with every victory coming by double digits. The one loss came at Arizona when DeAndre Hopkins outjumped three Bills defenders to come down with Kyler Murray's last-second Hail Mary pass.
The Bills are a complete team, with elite talent at almost every position and the ability to win with their offense or their defense or their special teams.
That was on display Sunday when the Bills got touchdowns from all three units.
The Dolphins were prepared for this matchup against Buffalo, they just weren't equipped to deal with a team of that caliber on this day.
That game started just like so many others for Miami this season, with Byron Jones coming up with a great interception on Buffalo's opening drive one play after Andrew Van Ginkel sacked Josh Allen.
The defense forced a punt on each of the Bills' first three possessions, so any notion that the Dolphins didn't come ready to play should be summarily dismissed.
What happened is that when Buffalo got going, the Dolphins simply couldn't hang with them.
In any area.
The Dolphins' No. 1 scoring defense was no match for the Bills offense once the Bills got going.
Miami's top-notch secondary couldn't slow down Allen or his receivers after those first three drives and, yes, that includes Xavien Howard, whose Dolphins-record-tying 10th interception shouldn't obscure the fact he had a rough outing.
The pass rush couldn't do nearly enough to disrupt Allen's timing with his receivers after Van Ginkel's sack.
In one game, the Dolphins went from first in the NFL in scoring defense to finish sixth.
The Dolphins did succeed in forcing a couple of takeaways, but that didn't mean much on this day.
It was a formula that proved highly successful all season, even though the Dolphins started the day and ended the day 20th in the league in total yards allowed.
But it's a formula that can only take a team so far.
At some point, the offense has to do its part.
And that clearly was an issue for the Dolphins all season.
The Dolphins ranked 22nd in total offense, 22nd in rushing offense and 20th in pass offense, and they were 29th in rushing yards per play.
The Dolphins ended up 15th in the NFL in scoring offense, but the offense faded badly down the stretch, and here is the most damning stat of all: The Dolphins scored one touchdown in the first half in their final five games. Total. It was Tua Tagovailoa's 7-yard pass to Mike Gesicki against Kansas City on Dec. 13.
In the final three games, the Dolphins managed the grand total of four field goals in the first half.
That clearly isn't good enough.
The simple explanation, beyond anything else, was a lack of personnel and difference-makers on that side of the ball.
If we're being honest about the Dolphins personnel, how many players on offense would classify as elite? How about none.
How about players who would rank in the top half of the league based on 2020 performance?
Gesicki is one. DeVante Parker probably is another, though his 2020 season fell short of expectations after his breakout 2019 performance.
Who else?
Myles Gaskin surpassed expectations in his second season and maybe earns a spot there, but against the Bills he had only 20 rushing yards on seven attempts.
The offensive line, while much improved from last year, remains a work in progress.
That's the overall theme for this team: a work in progress.
The season-ending loss at Buffalo was disappointing, painful, certainly humbling. And, let's be honest, would we have expected things to be much different next weekend had Jacksonville found a way to upset Indianapolis in the late game Sunday?
The answer is a clear no.
The 2020 Dolphins simply were not at that level yet.
That's the reality.
The other reality is they're certainly a lot closer to that level than they were a year ago.
