The Miami Dolphins fell out of the playoff race with a disappointing end to the 2014 season, but the time is now to turn the page and get ready for a whole season of ups and downs on South Beach. However, they're a popular pick to make the postseason in 2015. Here are 4 reasons why they will get there:
1) Ndamukong Suh's domination
There are detractors who have reservations about the sheer amount of cash money that the Dolphins forked over to land Ndamukong Suh, but money aside, there’s no reason to doubt the havoc that Suh is about to impart on offenses in the AFC East. He is one of, if not the biggest impact defensive player in all of football. When offenses inevitably double team him, that’s going to open up plenty of opportunities for the rest of the Dolphins’ rush to do damage.
2) Lamar Miller making "the leap"
Miller rushed for over five yards per carry in 2014, posting his first 1,000-yard rushing season (1,099) while crossing the goal line eight times on the ground. Add in his work as a developing safety valve for Ryan Tannehill in the passing game (38 receptions, 275 yards, 1 TD in 2014), and Miami has a fantasy football breakout candidate in its midst.
3) Ryan Tannehill's progression
Most NFL quarterbacks show their true colors in the fourth season of their rookie contracts, with a few years playing at NFL speed under their belts. There were times in 2014 where Ryan Tannehill looked like an emerging star, and a plummeting interception rate (down from 2.9% to 2.0% from 2013 to 2014) portends even bigger things for the talented signal caller in 2015.
4) Weaker AFC East
The division has been praised this offseason for the defensive additions each team made, but the Dolphins are the team that actually shows the most promise. New England won't have Tom Brady for the first four games and have to totally revamp their defense, while the Jets and Bills still have no idea who's playing quarterback for them. If Miami can go 5-1 in the division, they'll make the playoffs easily.
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