Miami Dolphins By The Numbers in 2023
Context is important in any discussion being had because it provides clarity, addresses the circumstances, and usually allows us to put things in perspective.
While the Miami Dolphins' 2023 season sizzled at the beginning, and then fizzled at the end - for various reasons, starting with untimely injuries - plenty of what this 11-6 squad achieved this season will be remembered forever.
Or at least it should be until those records are broken by someone else raising the bar.
But that's just it....this Dolphins team raised the bar for this once floundering franchise.
Here's a look at the Dolphins' season By the Numbers.
Head coach Mike McDaniel infamously told Dan Marino, or Uncle Dan as he's called by this generation's players, that the 2023 team was coming for all his records during a sideline conversation that got aired on Hard Knocks.
Unfortunately, the 2023 team fell short of taking Marino down.
The Dolphins were 17 points and 114 total yards away from setting a new franchise record in each category, and finished with the second most productive offense in team history....
Dolphins finished 2023 season ranked first in the NFL in offensive yards (401.3) per game, sixth in rushing yards (135.8), first in yards per carry (5.1), second in red zone efficiency (65.5%), and second in scoring offense (29.2 ppg).
Miami was also tied for fourth best in sacks allowed, and first in quarterback hits allowed.
The Dolphins led the NFL in fewest quarterback hits this season, only allowing 59 hits and 31 sacks, despite starting 12 different offensive line combinations in 2023. Only the Jets had more (13). The offensive lines this season that rivaled Miami for efficiency are Buffalo and Philadelphia.
Not bad for a unit that lost two starters - center Connor Williams and left guard Isaiah Wynn - for the season, and played significant stretches of games without Robert Hunt and Terron Armstead.
Adding up the points
This season the Dolphins were 9-0 when holding opponents to 20 points or less, were 10-1 when scoring 21+ points. Miami also finished the season 11-1 in games they led at halftime, with the Bills loss being the lone defeat.
The Dolphins finished fifth in point differential this year (+105), which is behind the Ravens (+203), Cowboys (+194), 49ers (+193), Bills (+140). Kansas City, which is Miami's opponent Saturday, ranks sixth at +77.
Each of those achievements hints that a Dolphins team at full strength - one that has a healthy arsenal of weaponry, pass rushers, and defensive backs - was indeed a Super Bowl contenders. Right now, Miami's limping into Saturday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, and needs a miracle to happen to dethrone the defending champions on the road.
Tua setting bar high
With 4,624 passing yards, Tua Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing yards in 2023. He became the first Dolphins player to do it since Marino did it in 1992.
Between 2022-23 Tua ranks second in passer rating (102.9), second in yards per attempt (8.51), fourth in passing yards (8,172), fifth in completion percentage (67.4), fifth in touchdown passes (54), and fifth in 25-plus yard completions (61).
Tagovailoa finished fifth in passer rating (101.1) and second in yards per attempt (8.3) this season. Tagovailoa and 49ers QB Brock Purdy are the only NFL players to post 100+ passer rating in each of the past two seasons.
Tagovailoa’s 66.9 career completion percentage is just 0.7 shy of the team record set by quarterback Chad Pennington (67.6) from 2008-10. His 69.3 completion percentage from this year is the best in a season in Dolphins history.
The Dolphins are 25-12 in Tagovailoa's last 37 starts. That is tied for 5th-best winning percentage by a starting quarterback in that span, which dates back to Nov. 2021.
Who are the quarterbacks in his company?
Jalen Hurts is 29-8 (.784)
Patrick Mahomes is 30-10 (.750)
Josh Allen is 29-12 (.707)
Tagovailoa and Dak Prescott are both 25-12 (.676)
Hill broke his own record
Tyreek Hill became the first Dolphins player to lead the NFL in receiving yards.
Hill, who was slowed the final month of the season by a left ankle injury, broke his own record for yards in a season this year, producing 1,799, which is the seventh most in NFL history. He tied his own record for 119 receptions, which is the most in franchise history. He also caught 119 passes last year.
Imagine what Hill could have achieved if he wasn't limping around the field the past three games.
Mostert paving the way
There are only 12 tailbacks in the NFL who rushed for 1,000 yards this season, and Raheem Mostert is one of them.
Mostert became Miami’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Jay Ajayi did it in 2016 (1,272). The 31-year-old Mostert is the second-oldest player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. The only player who was older was Pittsburgh tailback John Henry Johnson, who topped 1,000 rushing yards (1,141) for the first time in his career in 1962 at the age of 33.
Miami scored 27 rushing touchdowns this season, breaking the team record for rushing touchdowns in a season. The Dolphins rushed for 26 touchdowns in 1972 and 1975. Of those 27 rushing scores, 18 of them have come from Mostert while rookie De’Von Achane had eight.
Achane, the Dolphins' 2023 third-round pick, totaled 103 carries for 800 yards this season, averaging 7.8 yards per carry. It is the best rushing average of any running back in NFL history with a minimum of 100 carries in a season. Mercury Morris is second in NFL history after averaging 6.4 yards per carry in 1973.
Dolphins deliver top 10 defense
The Dolphins finished the year ranked 10th in total defense, allowing 318.3 yards per game. It is the first time Miami finished a season with a top 10 defense since 2010 (ranked sixth, averaging 309.3 allowed per game).
The Dolphins defense finished 2023 ranked No. 1 in quarterback hits (131), third in sacks (56), sixth in yards per rush (3.8), seventh in rushing yards allowed (97.1) per game, 10th in total yards allowed (318.3) and 10th in yards per play (5.1).
The Dolphins defense finished the season with 56 sacks and 131 quarterback hits. The 56.0 sacks shattered the previous franchise record of 49, which was held by the 2005 defense. Only the Ravens (60 sacks) and Chiefs (57) had more this season.....
Individual achievements
Zach Sieler became the first defensive tackle in team history to record 10 sacks in a season. His Salt and Pepper partner Christian Wilkins was right behind him with nine sacks this season. The Dolphins should feel very fortunate they signed Sieler to a three-year, $30.7 million extension before the season started because he's already outperformed the contract, which pays him an averages of $8.5 million a season.....
Dolphins linebacker David Long Jr. started all 17 games this season for the first time in his career and led the team with 110 tackles (62 solo). It is the first 100-tackle season of his career.
Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders’ 83.3 career field goal percentage (150-of-180) is the best in Dolphins history. Sanders’ 58 extra points made this season were second-most in team history. Only Uwe von Schamann had more (66).
