Here’s the history the Miami Dolphins can make this Sunday. And none of it is good
When the Dolphins close their season Sunday at Buffalo, they will have a chance to make history for all the wrong reasons.
Even though the Dolphins remained in playoff contention until last Sunday, Miami is positioned to set several ignominious franchise records. Among them:
▪ If the Bills produce at least 247 yards of offense on Sunday, this Dolphins defense will have yielded more yards than any Dolphins team in history. They’ve allowed 5,876, which is third-most in the league.
The Dolphins likely won’t allow the most points in franchise history; they would need to relinquish 47 for that record to be broken.
▪ If the Dolphins allow 283 yards passing, they will have permitted the most net passing yards in franchise history. The Bills need 307 yards passing to achieve the most gross passing yards ever against a Dolphins defense in a season.
▪ If the Dolphins allow four touchdown passes, it would set the franchise record for most TD passes allowed in a season. Miami has yielded 28; the team record, set in 1967, was 31.
▪ The Dolphins’ third-down conversion percentage of 30.5 would be the franchise’s worst since the NFL and Dolphins started measuring that category in 1976. Previous franchise low: 30.7 in 2015.
▪ The Dolphins, who have run the fewest plays in the league on offense, are in danger of setting a record for lowest time of possession. They enter at 27.4 minutes per game (one reason why they’ve run the fewest offensive plays in the league). Team record: 27:02 in 1988.
▪ No Dolphins team ever has finished worse than 30th in the league on offense and 29th on defense. Miami enters Week 17 ranked 30th in both.
A couple of other historical factoids:
▪ Miami likely will avoid the franchise record for sacks allowed in a season (58). They enter with 48 permitted, but five more puts them alone in second place in that embarrassing category.
▪ In some ways, the Dolphins are worse than the team that went 1-15 in 2007. The Dolphins not only have relinquished 401 more yards than that team allowed in 16 games, but if the Dolphins don’t gain 187 yards Sunday, they will finish below that 1-15 team in yards gained for the season.
(Keep in mind that the Dolphins have produced 193 and 183 yards the past two weeks, so 187 isn’t a cinch with this team.)
Ryan Tannehill and Brock Osweiler have combined to throw for 3,079 yards. The quarterbacks on that 1-15 team — Cleo Lemon, Trent Green and John Beck — threw for 3,319, though some of those numbers came when they were trailing late.
This team has been outgained by 1,483 yards, that one by 875 yards.
That 1-15 team allowed 42 sacks, this one 48.
That 1-15 team and this team each have 30 sacks on defense.
That team allowed a 92.4 passer rating against; this one, 93.0.
Besides having a lot more wins, this team holds the clear edge on that team in point differential. This team is a minus 89; that one was outscored by 170.
THIS AND THAT
If DeVante Parker plays Sunday and sustains a serious injury that causes him to fail a physical next year, his $9.4 salary and cap hit for 2019 would be guaranteed. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be and the Dolphins are prepared to move on from the veteran receiver.
Nevertheless, Gase said Parker definitely will play Sunday.
“I don’t see any reason why [not],” Gase said. “Every game we go out there is an evaluation. He wants to have a good game and correct the things that need to be corrected. Keep worrying about trying to get him the ball and get him to play fast. That’s all we’re trying to do.”
▪ Embattled defensive coordinator Matt Burke said he hasn’t thought about his future — “not worth wasting time thinking about that” — and mentioned linebacker Raekwon McMillan and cornerback Jalen Davis among players who have really improved.
▪ Burke didn’t answer directly when asked if the team should have done more to replace Ndamukong Suh at defensive tackle.
“All those d-tackles played well at times, had some slip ups at times,” Burke said. He said Davon Godchaux has started to play better after a midseason “lull” and “Vicent showed some good signs.”
▪ Dolphins long snapper John Denney, 40, says he’s not retiring and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi said he remains in the top 10 in the NFL at his position.
This story was originally published December 27, 2018 at 4:40 PM.
