Start Strong

Arguably the most frustrating aspect of the 2017 season for Miami Dolphins fans — and believe me, there were a lot of them — was the team’s inability to start strong. It seemed like every game last season the team came out completely flat, putting the team in an early hole they struggled to climb out of.

But that was last season. Today starts a new season, and with it an opportunity to write a new story. If the Dolphins are going to have success today, and throughout the season, they need to jump out to an early lead.

Getting Ryan Tannehill back into the fold is going to go a long way toward achieving that goal. When Tannehill went down for the season, head coach Adam Gase believed that his former quarterback Jay Cutler could come in and the offense not miss a beat. Gase couldn’t have been more wrong. After a season without Tannehill, I think everyone invested in this team has come away with a brand new appreciation for just how talented Ryan is.

Starting strong isn’t solely on the shoulders of the quarterback, though. It’s clear the Dolphins front office had every intention of improving the weapons around Tannehill, and this offense is a far cry from the one who took the field last season. Out is perennial 100-catch man, and team leader, Jarvis Landry. In are guys like Albert Wilson and Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola.

Both guys give the offense a diversity it didn’t have last season. Perhaps more important; however, is the addition of rookie tight end Mike Gesicki, who gives the team a true red zone weapon, an aspect of the offense that has been sorely lacking for years.

It’s going to take time for the offense to gel and come together. There are going to be bumps in the road. But if Dolphins fans are going to be celebrating a win on Monday, it’s going to be because the team jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.