Finatics

PLAYOFF GAME DAY! Dolphins at Steelers

Written by Finatic Dave

AjayiPittThe Dolphins will return to the playoffs for the 23rd time in team history and play their first playoff game since 2008 when they visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Jan. 8 at 1 p.m. on CBS. Miami is looking for its first playoff win since Dec. 30, 2000, when they defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 23-17 in overtime.

Miami has played Pittsburgh three times in the postseason and won two of those matchups. The last playoff meeting was on Jan. 6, 1985, when the Dolphins defeated the Steelers, 45-28, at the Orange Bowl to win the AFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl XIX.

Miami has played four games against teams in this year's playoffs and have gone 1-3 in those four games. The Dolphins defeated Pittsburgh - their AFC Wild Card opponent - on Oct. 16 at Hard Rock Stadium. The 30-15 win over the Steelers propelled the Dolphins to nine wins in their final 11 games, their best 11-game stretch since 2008. Miami also fell to playoff teams in their first two games of the season - at Seattle (Sept. 11) and at New England (Sept. 18) - and in the season finale vs. New England (Jan. 1, 2017).

GAME DAY! Dolphins Host Patriots to End Regular Season

Written by Finatic Dave

BradyDownThe Dolphins will close out the regular season on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017 when they host the New England Patriots at 1 p.m. Miami has defeated New England each of the last three meetings at home, but fell to the Patriots earlier this season in Foxborough, Mass. on Sept. 18, 2016.

The Dolphins are looking to win their fifth divisional game of the season. They have already clinched a winning record against the AFC East this season for the first time since 2009. A fifth win would be Miami's best divisional record in a single season since the NFL went to four-team divisions in
2002.

Miami has clinched a playoff spot and will be heading to the postseason for the 23rd time in the franchise's 51-year history. The Dolphins are fourth in NFL history in percentage of seasons they have gone to the playoffs in their franchise's history (45.1 percent). Adam Gase becomes the fourth Dolphins coach (Don Shula, 1970; Dave Wannstedt, 2000; Tony Sparano, 2008) to lead the team to the playoffs in his first season as head coach. He is just the second first-time head coach (Sparano, 2008) in team history to lead the Dolphins to the playoffs in his first season as an NFL head coach.

GAME DAY! Dolphins at Bills

Written by Finatic Dave

AjayiBufThe Dolphins will be looking for their fourth consecutive win against an AFC East opponent this week, when they travel to face the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 1 p.m. Miami previously posted wins vs. Buffalo (Oct. 23), vs. the N.Y. Jets (Nov. 6) and at the N.Y. Jets (Dec. 17).

Miami has an opportunity to sweep the season series with Buffalo for the first time since 2011. A win would give the Dolphins series sweeps against Buffalo and the N.Y. Jets in the same season for the first time since 2003.

GAME DAY! Dolphins at Jets

Written by Finatic Dave

JetsThe Dolphins will travel to the N.Y. Jets for the first of three AFC East games to conclude the 2016 regular season. The game is on Saturday, Dec. 17 and will kick off at 8:25 p.m. and be nationally televised on NFL Network.

This game also marks the annual METLIFE TAKEOVER sponsored by the Dolfans NYC.  The takover attempts to overrun Metlife Stadium with Dolphins fans.  Dolfans NYC contribute all of their profits from the event to the Miami Dolphins Foundation.  It is a GREAT EVENT that should be on every Finatics bucket list!!!!

Miami beat the Jets earlier this season in Miami with a 27-23 win on Nov. 6. This will be the Dolphins' first Saturday game since Dec. 24, 2011 when Miami played at New England.

The second coming of Matt Moore(all)

Written by Finatic Bob

Ok, it's not the perfect season (thanks Baltimore for the wake up call) and now it looks like as we get into the final three games of the season that we will be without Ryan Tannehill for the first time that he started as a young rookie 5 years ago.

These games are important as they are all division games. We go to New York (#MetLifeTakeover), Buffalo, and then start the New Year at home against our nemesis, the New England Patriots.

As of today we are fighting Denver for the last wild card slot, and their schedule looks brutal in the final three weeks (Patriots, Chiefs, and Raiders).

I just can't get out of my mind the old war horse Earl Morrall, who passed away in 2014. He was the backup of Bob Griese in the 1972 perfect season, and led the team to the playoffs after Griese was sidelined with a leg injury.

Now in 2016 it is almost Deja Vu, but instead of Morrall we have Moore. Matt looked great in the final minutes of yesterday's game to get us down the field and ensure victory with an Andrew Franks chip shot. I am confident that Moore and the rest of the team can get us into the playoffs and Coach Gase and his staff should have a game plan ready to highlight his strengths. I'm sure there is excitement and resolve in the locker room today, and I cannot wait for next Sunday.

Go Dolphins!

GAME DAY! Arizona at Miami

Written by Finatic Dave

CardinalsThe Dolphins will host the Arizona Cardinals for the first time since 2004 on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 1 p.m. on FOX. The Cardinals have played in Miami just three times since moving to Phoenix in 1988 and Miami has won two of the three contests (1990 and 1999).

Arizona is the second team Miami has faced this year that played in a conference championship game following the 2015 season. The Dolphins also played New England on Sept. 18 and will play the Patriots again on Jan. 1, 2017.