Why the Dolphins may not win another game

The Miami Dolphins have four wins this season and have six games left before they can start to put this season behind them. Will they win another game?

It is hard to imagine the Miami Dolphins finishing the 2017 season with what would be 10 consecutive losses. In fact it’s unfathomable. Yet that is exactly what might happen as this season enters the final weeks before it moves on to a post-season that will not likely include the Miami Dolphins.

Miami will be 17.5 point underdogs to the Patriots on Sunday and frankly that might be their best chance at a victory. Miami plays well in Foxboro and won their last season. The motivation to play clean football could also propel the Dolphins to a surprising victory. Who knows maybe the refs get paid off for a take of the under betting.

If the Dolphins lose on Sunday, see what I did there? I was being positive, Miami would lose its sixth straight game. They would head to Denver next week. Now Denver is not a big AFC threat for the Dolphins this year and they will likely be starting Paxton Lynch. One would think this would be a victory for the Dolphins.

Yeah, but, not so fast. Denver tends to play Miami well and the Dolphins have lost to the Jets, the Raiders, the Buccaneers, all of whom really were not supposed to be a threat to the Dolphins. So while Miami is “mile-high” next weekend, their aspirations to get off this losing streak might be a mile high as well.

Back to the Patriots for the dreaded primetime game. Miami has not won a primetime game all year but they have looked really bad in them. Miami plays Buffalo the following week and while the Bills might be struggling right now, they are playing much better than the Dolphins and the Bills would love nothing more than to keep the Dolphins on that losing streak.

Christmas Eve won’t likely give the Dolphins fans an early X-mas present. Yes the Chiefs just lost to the Giants on Sunday but can we really believe that they won’t win at home on X-mas? They won’t overlook the Dolphins the way they overlooked the Giants.

Then it’s back to Miami to wrap the season with the Bills. Miami should be able to split with the Bills and they should be able to steal the game from the Broncos so really Miami should be able to notch two more wins and make it to 6-10 where Adam Gase will still feel the wrath of the Dolphins faithful.

Two wins is being realistic. Four wins is unrealistic. Losing out however is a real possibility. Miami has no identity and if they lose on Sunday they will have little to motivate them to finish out the season. Pride only takes a team so far, it takes an individual player a little less.

The real issue however for the Dolphins is complete uncertainty at quarterback. Jay Cutler seems to be just going through the motions. Everyone knew that Cutler had a stigma for not showing any real emotions but this is as bad as it has ever been.

Matt Moore is far more exciting but he too has questions and Adam Gase is showing no desire to put Moore in as the starter unless Cutler is out. He said as much this week.

From poor defensive play and an even poorer showing on offense, the Dolphins simply are not in sync and as such they can’t work and fight together as a team. The same players that last year never gave up and never quit, can’t find that same drive in 2017.

4-12 was never a record I could imagine heading into the season but it could be a reality. A sad, gut wrenching, somber reality.