Even though the Miami Dolphins were bounced in the Wild Card round by Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs, they still showed a lot of promise for the future. Proof of that was when the team’s running back unit was deemed second-best in the NFL by PFF recently.
The 2023 campaign was another eventful one for the Dolphins, who improved upon their 9-8 record from the previous two seasons to once again earn a playoff berth. Led by general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins looked poised to capture their first AFC East division title since 2008 after building a sizable lead over the Buffalo Bills midway through the year.
However, Miami faltered down the stretch, with their Week 18 loss to Buffalo costing them the division. The Dolphins’ postseason appearance was short-lived, as they were soundly defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs in one of the coldest games in NFL history.
Despite the disappointment of falling short of their division and playoff goals, the Dolphins did manage to make some notable achievements in 2023. In Week 3, they became the first team in over 50 years to score 70 points in a game, routing the Broncos 70-20. Additionally, the team made a splashy midseason trade, acquiring star cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Los Angeles Rams.
As Miami looks to build on this season and end its long playoff win drought, the focus will be on closing the gap with the Bills and Chiefs atop the AFC.
Miami Dolphins’ Running Back Group Named as Second-Best Ahead of NFL 2024 Season
Despite an early elimination in the playoffs, Miami is still poised to compete soon. A big part of that projection is their running back unit, which was ranked second recently in an article written by Trevor Sikkema for PFF.
“The Dolphins earned the highest team rushing grade last season, at 94.1. Their top two backs, Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane, recorded elite rushing grades of 91.7 and 93.1, respectively.
As a group, Miami tallied the most explosive runs of 20 yards or more last season (61). The Dolphins added another speedster to their backfield in the offseason in rookie Jaylen Wright from Tennessee,” Sikkema wrote.
During the last campaign, the Dolphins fielded a second-best offense in the NFL and 22nd-ranked defense. They finished the regular season with a record of 11 wins and six losses.
It remains to be seen how Miami’s running back corps will perform in the season ahead. In any case, a lot of eyes will be on them to see if they can finally stand out from the rest of the teams in the AFC division.
For More Of My Content
For More Of My Content Follow me on Twitter at @BeatKit22. You may also reach out to me personally at kitguinhawa@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and NFL news, click here!