End of Season Notes – Miami Dolphins Finish 10-6 – Future Bright as Ever

By: Jason Sarney

In a valiant effort all season to build on a solid foundation, laid at the end of the 2019 season, the Miami Dolphins concluded their 2020 yesterday with a tough 26-56 loss against the AFC East Division Champion Buffalo Bills.

Although a play-off appearance would have been great to witness, the Dolphins have work to do, which will lead to an off-season of moves, speculation and 4 draft picks in the Top-50 selections of April's NFL Draft.

Here are some end-of-season nuggets.

• Howard’s 10 interceptions this season are the most by an NFL player in a single season in 13 years. The last time an NFL player had double-digit interceptions was in 2007, when San Diego CB Antonio Cromartie also had 10. Howard finished the season with 20 passes defensed, which leads the NFL at the end of today’s early afternoon games. It’s the most by a Dolphins player since 2000, when CB Patrick Surtain had 21 passes defensed.

• Jason Sanders made both of his FGs (49 & 32 yards) and both of his extra point attempts, to complete one of the statistically best seasons by a kicker in team history. *Sanders’ 8 points today gave him 144 for the season, tying the franchise record set by K Olindo Mare in 1999*

 

• TE Mike Gesicki caught 5 passes for 47 yards. He finished the season with 703 receiving yards, which is the 2nd most in a single season by a tight end in franchise history.

 

• The offensive unsung hero - Myles Gaskin: Gaskin totaled 77 scrimmage yards today. His season average of 97.2 scrimmage yards per game played, ranks 9th in the NFL. *(min. 10 games played) at the end of yesterday’s 1 p.m. games.

 

• Yes - some bad throws were called back from flags, but overall - this is a Rookie here... Tua Tagovailoa finished 2020 with 5 interceptions on 290 attempts, giving him an INT rate of 1.72, which is the 2nd lowest in a season in team history (1.47, Chad Pennington, 2008)

 

• Xavien Howard's 22nd career INT today moves him into a tie for 10th on Miami's All-time List. (Curtis Johnson and Tim Foley)

 

• For those who are upset - here is a silver lining: The Dolphins went 9-3 in their final 12 games of the season and 10-4 in the final 14 contests

 

• This is what it is: The Dolphins finished the season with 31:16 average time of possession per game, which was the team’s best mark since 2009

 

• The Dolphins recorded 41 sacks, the team’s most in a season since 2013 (42)

 

• Miami’s tight ends unit had the most receptions (91) and receiving yards (1,061) by the position group in franchise history. Their 11 receiving touchdowns were tied for the most by the tight end room in team history

 

• On a franchise of amazing LBs, look at this: MIA's 2020 LB unit set a franchise first for having 3 different players record at least 5 sacks in a season. Jerome Baker had 7, LB Kyle Van Noy had 6 & Andrew Van Ginkel had 5.5. So thats a 3rd rounder 50+ Millionaire AVG - 5th rd

 

• Brian Flores can hold his head high. Miami had a 5-win improvement this season, tied for the third-most in team history: Let's think about that

 

• For the Gailey haters: Miami’s 345 first downs this season were tied for the second-most since at least 1991. The Dolphins had 361 first downs in 2014 and also had 345 in 1995

 

• Rookie Raekwon Davis finished the season as the 2nd leading rookie Defensive Lineman tackler with 40, 2nd to WTF's Chase Young, the 2nd overall pick who at the moment has 42

2020 Miami Dolphins Awards:

• Offensive MVP- DeVante Parker
• Unsung Hero- Myles Gaskin
• Defensive MVP- Xavien Howard
• Unsung Hero- Andrew Van Ginkel
• TEAM MVP- Jason Sanders
• TOUGH AS NAILS- Mike Gesicki
• Most promising rookie off. player (non-QB) - Lynn Bowden, Jr.
  
• Most promising rookie def. player - Raekwon Davis