MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins have not won a playoff game in 25 years.
The longest streaks beyond Miami are held by the Raiders, Jets and Bears.
Even Detroit and Cleveland have had more recent postseason success.
That’s the bad news. But we’re here to tell you why the Dolphins may defy the oddsmakers and not only make the postseason in 2025, but win a playoff game.
Yes, we’re here to tell you why Miami can do something they haven’t done since the days of Dave Wannstedt and Jay Fiedler.
5 Reasons Dolphins Can Win A Playoff Game
Tua Tagovailoa is a winning quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa has the fourth-best winning percentage among NFL quarterbacks since 2020, at 61.3.
When Tagovailoa is healthy, he is extremely accurate and extremely dangerous. And he’s grown as a leader.
Dolphins still have dangerous weapons
There are few teams that wouldn’t give up their WR1, WR2, RB1 trios for Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane.
Mike McDaniel believes he can get all three back on track in 2025, after setbacks in 2024. We are not that far removed from the Dolphins scoring the ball to the tune of 70 points against the Broncos.
Defensively? How many teams would trade their Edge 1, Edge 2 and Edge 3 for Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and Chop Robinson?
If healthy, Miami should have one of the most feared pass rushes in the NFL.
Improved offensive line play
Some say the Dolphins will have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL in 2025, but that’s not realistic.
James Daniels and Jonah Savaiinaea should both be upgrades at the guard positions. Austin Jackson is healthy.
And Patrick Paul has exceeded expectations in his bid to capably replace offensive line leader and standout Terron Armstead.
The Dolphins are younger, faster and closer
The Dolphins had a culture problem last season and McDaniel and GM Chris Grier are not running from it.
Players gone since the start of last season include Jalen Ramsey, Jevon Holland and Odell Beckham, Jr.
Players have been working before and after practice. Players say they’ve been on time and focused. And they’ve spent a lot more time together off the field.
As Grier said, the team is also younger and faster in 2025.
Anthony Weaver is a key to team success
Former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is clearly intelligent. But second-year coordinator Anthony Weaver was a hit in 2024.
Weaver make strong strategic decisions and also connected well with his players. Miami believes Weaver can find a way to disguise secondary weaknesses with pass rush strengths.
Weaver could very well have landed a head coach job in the offseason. Instead, this will be the first time McDaniel has had the same defensive coordinator in consecutive seasons.
Bonus: Echo chamber of negativity out of hand
Of 32 NFL teams, USA Today says Miami enters the season as the 28th-best in its preseason power poll.
Twenty-eighth? Seriously?
Miami, with a soft reset of its roster and salary cap, is unlikely to make a Super Bowl run.
But these 4-5-6 win predictions seem to have gone too far.
We think a playoff win is just a likely as a 4-6 win regular season.
“They talk, we do,” is a motto/theme for the Dolphins in 2025.
Stay tuned.
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe’s free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins 2025 preview: 5 reasons this team can win playoff game
Reporting by Joe Schad, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
