2022 Miami Dolphins season | |
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Owner | Stephen M. Ross |
General manager | Chris Grier |
Head coach | Mike McDaniel |
Home field | Hard Rock Stadium |
Local radio | WQAM |
Results | |
Record | 9–8 |
Division place | 2nd AFC East |
Playoff finish | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Bills) 31–34 |
Pro Bowlers | 4
|
AP All-Pros | WR Tyreek Hill (1st team) |
Uniform | |
The 2022 season was the Miami Dolphins' 53rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 57th overall, the first under new head coach Mike McDaniel, and seventh under general manager Chris Grier. It also set out with the acquisition of 3x All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill, who joined Jaylen Waddle as Tua Tagovailoa's receiving duo after breaking contract talks with the Chiefs and being traded in March. [1]
The Dolphins made the playoffs for the first time since 2016, finishing with three straight winning seasons for the first time since the 2001–2003 seasons. With an 8–3 record by Week 12, the Dolphins had their best start since the 2001 season. However, despite starting the season 8–3, the Dolphins suffered a late-season collapse, losing five straight games. It was marred by several concussions sustained by Tagovailoa that brought into question the teams' handling of concussion protocol and caused him to miss or leave six games. [2] They ultimately won their final regular-season game over the New York Jets to secure another winning season, matching their 9–8 record from the previous year, and made it into the playoffs for the first time since 2016. [3] The Dolphins attempted to get their first playoff win since 2000 with third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson replacing Tagovailoa. Despite a late rally, Miami fell to division rival Buffalo, 34–31.
Some notable moments from the regular season include Miami's first win over Buffalo and Detroit since the 2018 and 2006 seasons, respectively, their first away win over Baltimore since 1997, and their first loss at home to Minnesota since 1976. They were also part of the “Butt Punt” which became a meme on social media. [4]
Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 15 | Traded to Philadelphia [upper-alpha 1] | |||
29 | Traded to Kansas City [upper-alpha 2] | from San Francisco [upper-alpha 3] | |||
2 | 50 | Traded to Kansas City [upper-alpha 2] | |||
3 | 81 | Traded to the New York Giants [upper-alpha 4] | |||
102 | Channing Tindall | ILB | Georgia | 2020 Resolution JC-2A selection; from San Francisco [upper-alpha 3] | |
4 | 121 | Traded to Kansas City [upper-alpha 2] | |||
125 | Erik Ezukanma | WR | Texas Tech | from Pittsburgh [upper-alpha 5] | |
5 | 158 | Traded to New England [upper-alpha 6] | |||
6 | 196 | Traded to Baltimore [upper-alpha 7] | |||
7 | 224 | Cameron Goode | OLB | Cal | from Houston via New England and Baltimore [upper-alpha 7] |
238 | Traded to the Los Angeles Rams [upper-alpha 8] | ||||
242 | Traded to Carolina [upper-alpha 9] | from New England [upper-alpha 10] | |||
247 | Skylar Thompson | QB | Kansas State | from Tennessee [upper-alpha 11] |
Draft trades
Name | Position | College | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Blaise Andries | OT, G | Minnesota | [5] |
Owen Carney Jr. | OLB | Illinois | |
Ty Clary | C | Arkansas | |
Tanner Conner | TE | Idaho State | |
Kellen Diesch | OT | Arizona State | |
Elijah Hamilton | CB | Louisiana Tech | |
Tommy Heatherly | P | Florida INT | |
Deandre Johnson | LB | Miami (FL) | |
Kader Kohou | CB | Texas A&M–Commerce | |
Verone McKinley III | S | Oregon | |
Braylon Sanders | WR | Ole Miss | |
Ben Stille | DT | Nebraska | |
ZaQuandre White | RB | South Carolina | |
Jordan Williams | DT | Virginia Tech |
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
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1 | August 13 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 26–24 | 1–0 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
2 | August 20 | Las Vegas Raiders | L 13–15 | 1–1 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
3 | August 27 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 48–10 | 2–1 | Hard Rock Stadium | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Patriots | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Dolphins | 3 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Game information | ||
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Head coach Mike McDaniel recorded his first win as a head coach and became the first Dolphins coach since Nick Saban in 2005 to win their first game as Dolphins head coach, as well as the first head coach in Dolphins history to win their head coaching debut. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa joined former Denver Broncos quarterbacks John Elway and Jake Plummer as the only QBs to beat a Bill Belichick-coached team at least three times without a loss. With the win, the Dolphins began the season 1–0. The win was the 497th in Dolphins history.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 7 | 28 | 42 |
Ravens | 7 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 38 |
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
Game information | ||
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The Dolphins defeated the Ravens on the road for the first time since the two teams' inaugural meeting in 1997. The game saw the Dolphins trail by as much as 21 points at two separate times in the game (down 7–28 at halftime and later 14–35 at the end of the 3rd quarter). Facing almost certain defeat, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa orchestrated four touchdown drives late in the game during the fourth quarter (including back-to-back 40+ yard scores to Tyreek Hill) to tie the game up at 35–35. The Ravens attempted to end the game with a 51-yard field goal courtesy of Justin Tucker to go ahead 38–35, but on the ensuing drive, Tagovailoa hit Jaylen Waddle for the game-winning touchdown with 14 seconds left to make the score 42–38. The Dolphins' defense held for the rest of the game, and hung on for the comeback win, and left M&T Bank Stadium with a stunned partisan crowd of Raven fans behind. Tagovailoa finished the game with a career-high 469 passing yards and six touchdowns and receivers Waddle and Hill became the first pair of teammates in NFL history to catch 10 passes for over 150 yards and two touchdowns in the same game. With the win, the Dolphins improved to 2–0. It was also Miami's first ever win at M&T Bank Stadium (the Dolphins’ 1997 win was at War Memorial Stadium) and the 42 points scored exceeded the 39 combined points they had scored in four previous trips to the Ravens’ stadium. The win was the 498th in Dolphins history.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bills | 7 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 19 |
Dolphins | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Game information | ||
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The undefeated Bills traveled south to visit the Dolphins, back home at Hard Rock Stadium. In a tightly contested game that was kept within a 1-score possession the entire game, it was a Chase Edmonds touchdown that gave Miami the lead for good, 21–17. Toward the end of the game, a notable incident happened. With Miami lined up in punt formation, punter Thomas Morstead fielded the ball and kicked it with no issue; however, the ball went straight into the rear end of Dolphins blocker Trent Sherfield, who was lined up too close to Morstead. The ball bounced out of bounds for a safety, which cut the score to 21–19. The blocked punt would quickly be coined as "The Butt Punt" by fans online. [6] Despite a desperate late drive by Josh Allen and the Bills' offense, Miami held on for the nail-biting win when the clock ran out before the Bills could spike the ball when they got close to field goal range. This was the Dolphins' first win over the Bills since Week 13 of the 2018 season. With the win, the Dolphins improved to 3–0, their first such start since 2018. The win also marked their 499th victory in franchise history (including playoff games), bringing them one victory away from reaching 500 wins.
Following the game, CBS showed footage of Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey throwing his headseat and playbook onto a table repeatedly in frustration. The footage, although brief, quickly went viral online and soon became a meme. [7] The Dolphins were also criticized for keeping Tagovailoa, who had apparently suffered a concussion from slamming his head on the ground after being hit by Bills linebacker Matt Milano, in the game, instead ruling that he had suffered a "back injury". [8]
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dolphins | 3 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
Bengals | 7 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 27 |
at Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Game information | ||
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The Dolphins' chance at clinching their 500th victory in franchise history came to a screeching halt against a Bengals team still looking to find its footing. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was cleared to play after being a game-time decision due to his injury from the previous game, was carted off the field after suffering a head injury from a sack by Bengals defender Josh Tupou in the late 2nd quarter. Backup Teddy Bridgewater stepped in for Tagovailoa beginning in the 3rd quarter, where he threw for 193 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 3–1.
Following the game, it was officially revealed that Tagovailoa had suffered a concussion, leading to considerable backlash against the organization and the NFL regarding the handling of concussions. [9]
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Dolphins | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
Jets | 5 | 14 | 0 | 21 | 40 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Game information | ||
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Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater made his first start in a Miami Dolphins uniform and just seconds into the game, suffered a concussion that would cause Miami's 3rd string quarterback and 2022 7th round pick Skylar Thompson to enter the game. In the Dolphins' first loss to the Jets since 2019 and their largest loss to the Jets since 2004, Thompson threw for 166 yards and 1 interception in his NFL debut. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 3–2.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Vikings | 0 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
Dolphins | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 16 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Game information | ||
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Rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson made his first career start due to starters Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater dealing with concussions. Throwing for just 89 yards, Thompson's first career start was cut short due to a thumb injury he suffered during the 2nd quarter. Bridgewater, who previously played for Minnesota from 2014 to 2017, played in relief for Thompson, where he threw for 329 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. In the 4th quarter, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle fumbled the ball, later recovered by Vikings safety Harrison Smith would cost the Dolphins the game, and it marked their first home loss to the Vikings since 1976. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 3–3.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Steelers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Dolphins | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Game information | ||
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In the Dolphins' first Sunday Night game since 2017, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa played his first game since suffering a severe concussion in Week 4 that would cause the NFL to change its concussion protocols. Former Dolphins head coach and current Steelers senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach Brian Flores made his first return to Hard Rock Stadium since his abrupt firing from the Dolphins in January 2022. The 50th anniversary of the 1972 undefeated Dolphins were also honored at halftime and the team wore 50th anniversary patches along with throwback uniforms for commemoration. That same season, the Dolphins defeated the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game 21–17. In a heavily defensive game, which saw both defenses hold their opposition scoreless for the entire second half, Tagovailoa threw for 261 yards and a touchdown pass in his first game back from a concussion. Numerous injuries throughout the game drained the defense, including a season-ending leg injury to safety Brandon Jones. In the 3rd quarter, cornerback Noah Igbinoghene intercepted a throw by Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett in the final seconds of the game to end a nail-biting 16–10 slugfest. It handed Pittsburgh their first 2–5 start since 2013. With their 500th win in franchise history, the Dolphins improved to 4–3.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dolphins | 7 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 31 |
Lions | 14 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Game information | ||
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The Dolphins flew to Ford Field following their close victory against the Steelers at home to play the slumping Detroit Lions. This was Lions head coach Dan Campbell's first time facing the Dolphins in 7 years, as he previously served as their tight ends coach from 2011 to 2015 under head coaches Tony Sparano and Joe Philbin, and later the interim head coach for much of the 2015 season. In the first quarter, Miami found themselves in a deep hole early on as the Lions went up 14–0 thanks to a Jamaal Williams touchdown and a D'Andre Swift receiving touchdown from Jared Goff. The Dolphins halved the deficit after Tua Tagovailoa hit Jaylen Waddle for a 5-yard touchdown to make the score 14–7. In the second quarter, the exhausted Dolphin defense allowed a quick touchdown from Williams again, courtesy of an efficient, quick 5-play drive that preceded the score. Miami, however would respond with a quick touchdown drive of their own after Tagovailoa hit Waddle for the pair's second touchdown following a quick 3-play drive that included a long strike to Tyreek Hill to cut the score to 21–14. The Lions responded with a Michael Badgley field goal to put the game back to a two-score deficit, but Miami would add a field goal of their own (courtesy of Jason Sanders) to narrow the lead to within 7. Following a defensive stop by the Dolphins, the Lions lined up to punt for what would have been the first time all game, but a clever trick play fake converted the 4th and 2 and kept the drive alive. Detroit capitalized, and added another field goal to go into halftime up 10, 27–17. For the rest of the game, however, the Lions' once high-scoring offense was completely neutralized by a rejuvenated Dolphin defense, which shut out Detroit during the entire second half. The Dolphins capitalized, and in the third quarter hung 14 points on a gassed Detroit defense, courtesy of an Alec Ingold touchdown and a Mike Gesicki touchdown reception from Tagovailoa to make the score 31–27. Both defenses took over during the fourth quarter, and the Dolphins ran out the clock and hung on for the win and Miami's first win over Detroit since 2006. With the victory, Miami improved to 5–3 on the season, and 5–0 in games where Tagovailoa was their starting quarterback.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dolphins | 7 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 35 |
Bears | 3 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 32 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
Game information | ||
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With the win, the Dolphins improved to 6–3.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Browns | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
Dolphins | 7 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 39 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Game information | ||
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This was the Dolphins' first game since 2003 where they didn't record a punt. It was also Cleveland quarterback Jacoby Brissett's first return to Hard Rock Stadium since last season. Brissett played for the Dolphins in 2021, where he started 5 games and recorded a 2–3 record as Miami's starter that year. Head coach Mike McDaniel also faced the Browns for the first time in 8 years, previously serving as Cleveland's wide receivers' coach under then-head coach Mike Pettine during the 2014 season. McDaniel revealed on September 23, 2022, that he used clips of NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson to guide his receivers during his lone season in Cleveland. [10] It would also mark the first time since 2009 that the Dolphins scored over 30 points in 3 straight games. With the win, the Dolphins improved to 7–3, their best start within 10 games since the 2001 season.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Texans | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 15 |
Dolphins | 10 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Game information | ||
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With the win, the Dolphins improved to 8–3.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Dolphins | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
49ers | 10 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 33 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Game information | ||
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This was head coach Mike McDaniel's first return to Levi's Stadium since leaving the Niners to become the Dolphins head coach in February 2022. McDaniel previously served as the offensive and run game coordinator for San Francisco under head coach Kyle Shanahan from 2017 to 2021, appearing in Super Bowl LIV in 2020. It was also Dolphins running backs Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson's first returns to Levi's Stadium. This game was also the last with Jimmy Garoppolo in a 49ers uniform as he suffered a season-ending foot injury early in the first quarter. San Francisco's 3rd string quarterback and Mr. Irrelevant of the 2022 NFL draft Brock Purdy took over for the remainder of the game, surprisingly leading the 49ers to a 33–17 win over the Dolphins. Purdy would go on to lead the Niners to their third NFC Championship Game in four seasons, while Garoppolo would go on to sign with the Las Vegas Raiders as a free agent three months later. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 8–4 and snapped a 5-game winning streak.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 17 |
Chargers | 0 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Dolphins | 3 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 29 |
Bills | 7 | 14 | 0 | 11 | 32 |
at Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Packers | 10 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 26 |
Dolphins | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Game information | ||
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Despite Miami taking a 20–13 halftime lead, the Packers came back and won due to 13 unanswered 2nd-half points and suddenly sloppy play from Tagovailoa during the second half, who was later revealed to have suffered another concussion right before halftime. [11]
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
Patriots | 7 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 23 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Jets | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
Dolphins | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Game information | ||
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AFC East | |||||||||
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W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
(2) Buffalo Bills | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 4–2 | 9–2 | 455 | 286 | W7 |
(7) Miami Dolphins | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 7–5 | 397 | 399 | W1 |
New England Patriots | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 3–3 | 6–6 | 364 | 347 | L1 |
New York Jets | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 2–4 | 5–7 | 296 | 316 | L6 |
# | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division leaders | |||||||||||
1 | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 14 | 3 | 0 | .824 | 6–0 | 9–3 | .453 | .422 | W5 |
2 | Buffalo Bills | East | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 4–2 | 9–2 | .489 | .471 | W7 |
3 | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 3–3 | 8–3 | .507 | .490 | W8 |
4 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .467 | .438 | W5 |
Wild cards | |||||||||||
5 [lower-alpha 1] | Los Angeles Chargers | West | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 2–4 | 7–5 | .443 | .341 | L1 |
6 [lower-alpha 1] | Baltimore Ravens | North | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .509 | .456 | L2 |
7 [lower-alpha 2] | Miami Dolphins | East | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .537 | .457 | W1 |
Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
8 [lower-alpha 2] | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .519 | .451 | W4 |
9 | New England Patriots | East | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .502 | .415 | L1 |
10 [lower-alpha 3] [lower-alpha 4] | New York Jets | East | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .538 | .458 | L6 |
11 [lower-alpha 3] [lower-alpha 4] | Tennessee Titans | South | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .509 | .336 | L7 |
12 [lower-alpha 3] | Cleveland Browns | North | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 3–3 | 4–8 | .524 | .492 | L1 |
13 | Las Vegas Raiders | West | 6 | 11 | 0 | .353 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .474 | .397 | L3 |
14 | Denver Broncos | West | 5 | 12 | 0 | .294 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .481 | .465 | W1 |
15 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 4 | 12 | 1 | .265 | 1–4–1 | 4–7–1 | .512 | .500 | L7 |
16 | Houston Texans | South | 3 | 13 | 1 | .206 | 3–2–1 | 3–8–1 | .481 | .402 | W1 |
Tiebreakers [lower-alpha 5] | |||||||||||
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Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
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Wild Card | January 15 | at Buffalo Bills (2) | L 31–34 | 0–1 | Highmark Stadium | Recap |
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Dolphins | 0 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
Bills | 14 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 34 |
at Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
Game information | ||
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Category | Total yards | Yards per game | NFL rank (out of 32) |
---|---|---|---|
Passing offense | 4,511 | 265.4 | 4th |
Rushing offense | 1,686 | 99.2 | 25th |
Total offense | 6,197 | 364.5 | 6th |
Passing defense | 3,992 | 234.8 | 27th |
Rushing defense | 1,751 | 103.0 | 4th |
Total defense | 5,743 | 337.8 | 18th |
Category | Player | Total | |
---|---|---|---|
Offense | |||
Passing | Tua Tagovailoa | 3,548 | |
Rushing | Raheem Mostert | 891 | |
Receiving | Tyreek Hill | 1,710 | |
Defense | |||
Tackles (Solo) | Jevon Holland | 77 | |
Sacks | Jaelan Phillips | 7 | |
Interceptions | Jevon Holland | 2 |
Statistics correct as of the end of the 2022 NFL season [12] [13]
Recipient | Award(s) |
---|---|
Tua Tagovailoa | |
Melvin Ingram |
|
The 2010 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League (NFL), the 45th overall and the third under head coach Tony Sparano. The Dolphins failed to improve upon their 7–9 record in 2009, and placed in third in the AFC East that year.
The 2011 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League (NFL), the 46th overall and the fourth and final under head coach Tony Sparano. The Dolphins made their first round selection with the 15th pick of the 2011 NFL draft on Florida offensive lineman Mike Pouncey. The team got off to an 0–7 start but won six of their final nine games, however, this result failed to improve on their record from 2010 and Sparano was fired on December 12.
The 2013 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's 44th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the first under head coach Doug Marrone. It was also the final season under the ownership of Ralph Wilson, who died in March 2014 at the age of 95. The team equaled their record from 2012 and missed the playoffs, increasing their playoff drought to 14 seasons. This was the first year of renewed leases on Ralph Wilson Stadium and for the Bills Toronto Series, both of which were signed in the preceding offseason.
The 2015 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 50th overall. The Dolphins looked to improve on their 8–8 record from 2014 and return to the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. However, Miami failed to clinch a playoff berth for the seventh consecutive season after a Week 14 loss to the New York Giants.
The 2016 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 47th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 51st overall and the first under head coach Adam Gase. The season saw the Dolphins trying to improve upon their 6–10 record from 2015. After a lackluster 1–4 start, the Dolphins would claim six straight wins, and finish the season on a 9–2 run. With their Week 15 win over the New York Jets, the Dolphins clinched a winning record for the first time since 2008, and clinched a playoff berth the following week after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Denver Broncos, ending their 8-year playoff drought. This made Gase the Dolphins' first rookie coach since Tony Sparano to end a year-long playoff drought and also lead them to a winning record of at least 10 wins. They were also the first AFC East team, other than the New England Patriots, to qualify for the postseason since the 2010 New York Jets. However, they were defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round, ending their season and not winning a playoff game for the 16th straight year.
The 2017 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 48th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 52nd overall and the second under head coach Adam Gase. The team came off from a 10-6 record and a playoff appearance for the first time since 2008. They were seen as potential playoff contenders and looked to make consecutive playoff seasons for the first time since the 2000 and 2001 seasons. However, the team was affected by the loss of starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who tore his ACL during practice and was ruled out for the season. The team turned to former Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who came out of retirement to become Tannehill's replacement and team's starter. After Tannehill got injured, coach Adam Gase called former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning about possibly coming out of retirement and taking Tannehill's place. However Manning later declined the idea of coming out of retirement. Gase was the QB coach and offensive coordinator of Peyton's Broncos between the 2012 and 2014 seasons. Additionally, the Dolphins were also one of the teams Peyton considered signing with following his release by the Colts in 2012. Later during the season, the team traded starting running back Jay Ajayi to the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2018 fourth round draft pick on October 31.
The 2018 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's 49th season in the National Football League (NFL), and the 59th overall. The season also marked the fourth full season under the ownership of Terry and Kim Pegula and their second under the head coach/general manager tandem of Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane. The team previously finished with a 9–7 record in 2017 and returned to the playoffs for the first time after having not been to the playoffs since 1999.
The 2018 season was the Miami Dolphins' 49th in the National Football League (NFL), their 53rd overall and their third and last under head coach Adam Gase. During the offseason, the Dolphins tweaked their uniforms' orange color to better align with their classical past and history. For the second straight season, they also brought back their throwback uniforms from the Shula/Marino eras and wore them for three games.
The 2018 season was the Houston Texans' 17th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their fifth under head coach Bill O'Brien. This marked the first season since 2005 that Rick Smith would not be the general manager as he took a leave of absence for family reasons. Despite an 0–3 start, their first in a decade, the Texans surpassed their win total from the previous season with a Week 8 win over the Miami Dolphins. They had a franchise record 9 consecutive wins that also broke the NFL record for most consecutive wins after starting 0–3. The streak ended with a Week 14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. With a Week 15 win over the New York Jets, the Texans clinched their first 10-win season under head coach Bill O’Brien, their first 10-win season since 2012 and their third 10-win season in franchise history.
The 2019 season was the Miami Dolphins' 50th in the National Football League (NFL), their 54th overall and their first under new head coach Brian Flores.
The 2019 season was the New York Jets' 50th in the National Football League (NFL), their 60th overall in professional football, their 10th playing home games at MetLife Stadium, their first under general manager Joe Douglas and their first under head coach Adam Gase. This year the team began featuring a new logo and uniform for the first time since 1998. With this new uniform design, the Jets began going for a modern appearance, tweaking the shade of green and adding a black accent similar to what the Arizona Cardinals did in 2005.
The 2020 season was the Miami Dolphins' 51st in the National Football League (NFL), their 55th overall and their second under head coach Brian Flores.
The 2021 season was the Miami Dolphins' 52nd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 56th overall, and their third and final year under head coach Brian Flores, and sixth under general manager Chris Grier. Despite a 1–7 start to the season, Miami then won the next seven games, becoming the first team in NFL history to lose seven straight games and then win seven straight games in the same season. The 7-game win streak was their first since the 1985 season. They also became the sixth team in NFL history to win four or more consecutive games after losing seven in a row, after the 2009 Cleveland Browns, 1994 New York Giants, 1993 New England Patriots, 1984 Green Bay Packers, and the 1978 St. Louis Cardinals. However the Dolphins were eliminated from the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year after their win streak ended in Week 17 to the Tennessee Titans, combined with a win by the Los Angeles Chargers.
The 2021 season was the New England Patriots' 52nd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 62nd overall, their 20th playing home games at Gillette Stadium, and their 22nd under head coach Bill Belichick.
The 2022 season was the New York Jets' 53rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 63rd overall, their fourth under general manager Joe Douglas and their second under head coach Robert Saleh.
The 2022 season was the Baltimore Ravens' 27th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 15th under head coach John Harbaugh. They improved on their 8–9 record from the previous season and qualified for the postseason after missing the playoffs the previous season.
The 2022 season was the Cleveland Browns' 70th in the National Football League (NFL), their 74th overall, and their third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry. The Browns failed to improve upon their 8–9 record from the previous season as they finished 7–10. The Browns failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second straight season The Browns introduced a new midfield logo, with Brownie the Elf; this is their first season with a new midfield logo since 2016.
The 2022 season was the Chicago Bears' 103rd in the National Football League (NFL) and their first under general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus. They failed to improve upon their 6–11 record from the previous season.
The 2023 season was the Miami Dolphins' 54th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 58th overall, their eighth under general manager Chris Grier and their second under head coach Mike McDaniel.
The 2023 season was the New York Jets' 54th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 64th overall, their fifth under general manager Joe Douglas and their third under head coach Robert Saleh. The season, which was entered with Super Bowl aspirations, was a major disappointment for the team, finishing at 7–10 for the second consecutive season, and failing to improve on their record from 2022. It was also the Jets' fourth consecutive season with at least ten losses.