It was difficult to keep track of the ways things went wrong for the Miami Dolphins last December, a time when it was simpler to find a bunch of alliterative descriptors of doom than to unearth anything resembling a positive.
It was Dismal December, Dreary December, Downright Demoralizing December (you get the point), with four straight losses in the month and enough bad form to sneak over to the first of January, where a fifth setback in a row leveled the team’s once-promising record at 8-8.
The 12th month is here again, and of course, it is possible that a slowing of momentum and a December decline returns for the Miami juggernaut led by Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill, but the earliest evidence suggests things are very different this time.
Emerging from November once again situated at 8-3, the Dolphins responded on Sunday with a resounding 45-15 road victory over the tepid Washington Commanders, to sit tied with the Baltimore Ravens for the AFC’s best record.
The highlight, as has become customary, was a pair of muscular lefty tosses from Tagovailoa to Hill, for touchdowns of 60 and 75 yards, prompting the question of whether the star quarterback is playing so well because of the excellence of his star receiver, or vice versa. Followed, thanks to head coach Mike McDaniel, by a somewhat simple answer.
“They’re independently awesome, but together they’re even better,” McDaniel told reporters.
That’s the best way to describe it. Tagovailoa isn’t succeeding merely because of Hill, and Hill isn’t succeeding merely because of Tagovailoa. Suggesting as such would be an insult to either.
Tagovailoa’s passes are crisp and clean, his vision has never been better and it is extraordinary to think his very future seemed to be in some question a year ago after two confirmed and one suspected concussion in the space of a couple of months.
Hill is electrifying, of course, and has caught more touchdown passes than anyone else in the league in 2023. A 157-yard showing against Washington kept him on statistical track for what would be the first 2,000-yard receiving season ever seen in the NFL, but he is just as pleased with extra details in his game, such as enhanced positioning and blocking.
Basically, they are two of the very best players in the NFL and deserve the kudos that accompany their performances. Even more than that, you’d be hard-pressed to find a tandem act buoyed by greater present confidence.
Tua Tagovailoa hits Tyreek Hill for a 78-yard touchdown pass to give Dolphins an early lead against Commanders
“You’re seeing the best selves of both players while playing together,” McDaniel added. “Tua is able to be super-aggressive in certain windows because he trusts what Tyreek is going to do. Tyreek is able to be super aggressive because he trusts Tua’s field vision.”
Jaylen Waddle adds another explosive catching option. Rookie Devon Achane is back from injury and has been a rushing revelation. What was a fairly unexceptional defense for most of the first half of the season is coming into form and making some key plays.
Add it all up, and it is hard for Dolphins fans not to get excited, especially with the prospect of a first AFC East title since 2008 looming.
Tyreek Hill speaks on connection with Tua Tagovailoa and Dolphins’ success
Certainly, according to Tagovailoa, there is a real sense that the opportunity to not just have a good season, but a truly great one, has rubbed off on everyone.
“Everyone is locked in,” the QB said. “Everyone is starting to do a little more. Guys are staying a little longer, watching film together. When you know there’s no meetings after practice on third down days, you (still) see a lot of position groups meeting, and staying back a little longer. Everyone knows we can do something special this year and no one on our team is trying to waste that opportunity.”
Looking ahead, the final three weeks of the season offer tough matchups, most notably an absolute barnstormer in Week 16 against the Cowboys, yet in this kind of form there is no reason for the Dolphins to fear anyone. The Cowboys meeting is followed by a tussle with the Ravens, then the Buffalo Bills, whose playoff lives may be on the line heading into the final week of the campaign.
For Miami, last year’s playoff experience was to sneak into the postseason with a Week 18 win, before losing to the Bills with backup QB Skylar Thompson after Tagovailoa was ruled out.
The vibe around the place make that now feel like a distant memory and, mentality wise at least, a different team, with a pair of standouts that are helping Miami supporters dream of something else entirely.
A Dolphins December, maybe? Truth is, the surging Dolphins are thinking far beyond that.
