Miami Dolphins last playoff win came against Sunday’s opponent

The Miami Dolphins have been to the playoff three times since their last victory in the post-season and that victory came in overtime against the Colts.

The year was 2000 and the Miami Dolphins were at the beginning of what would become a severe downward spiral the likes of which the organization had never seen. And are still mired in 18 years later.

On December 30th, the Dolphins hosted the Peyton Manning led Indianapolis Colts and came away with a 23-17 overtime win. They would lose the following week to the Oakland Raiders in the division round. At 11-5 the Dolphins, back then, were the Dolphins that so many older fans talk about.

A stout defense and a strong running game, Miami was coming off three consecutive playoff appearances and five in the last six years at the time. In 2001 the Dolphins would again head to the post-season but would lose the Wild Card round to the Ravens.

After the 2001 season the wheels started to fall off. Dave Wannstedt’s inability to solve the quarterback position and maintain a top defense would eventually lead to bad salary cap situations that would force the team to make cuts all over the team.

Wannsted would only coach for another three and a half seasons before resigning midway through the 2004 campaign. His team, following two 11-5 seasons that ended with playoff losses, would finish 9-7, 10-6, and 4-12. The 10-6 record wasn’t good enough to get the team into the post-season.

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This weekend the Dolphins are hoping to duplicate the 2016 season and defy the odds and make the post-season once again but injuries have played a big role in the season that has gone from 3-0 to 5-5. If the Dolphins want to make the post-season winning in Indianapolis is important.

The 2000 season was a long time ago. This author had just turned the corner into his 30’s and the future for the Dolphins was surprisingly supposed to be bright but things never continued and since then the Dolphins have had only marginal success.

In fact since that 2000 playoff victory the Dolphins have lost four playoff games including the 2000 divisional round. They have only posted double-digit win seasons four times and have only finished with nine wins twice. A perennial playoff team. Once. Once, a long time ago.