In 2021, the Miami Dolphins started the season with a 1-7 record. Then, after an unimpressive victory over a bad Houston Texans team to end their seven-game losing streak, the Dolphins welcomed the Baltimore Ravens to Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday Night Football. The Ravens were heavy favorites going in, but the Dolphins pulled off the upset.
The big win gave Miami the momentum to go on a seven-game winning streak and climb back into the playoff picture. Could the same happen this Thursday with a victory over Lamar Jackson and the Ravens?
Dolphins looking to repeat history with win over the Ravens
The Dolphins are the most Jekyll and Hyde in the NFL, and have been for the better part of this century. In recent years, they've gotten off to hot 8-3 and 9-3 starts in 2022 and 2023, respectively, only to back into the postseason and get eliminated in the Wild Card round.
The same holds true in the other direction for the organization. Just last season, Miami was 2-6 (like they are now) but bounced back to win six of its last nine and narrowly miss out on a third straight playoff appearance. But none of those seasons were as glaring as that 2021 team.
That year, the Dolphins became the first team in league history to have a seven-game losing streak and a seven-game winning streak in the same season. While they ultimately fell short in their quest of a playoff berth, it proved the adversity that Miami was able to overcome. And it ultimately started with the big win over the Ravens on prime time.
The winning streak officially started the week prior when the Dolphins defeated the Texans at home. However, they were two of the worst teams in the NFL at that time, and it showed. Miami eventually won in a slugfest, but it was nothing to be optimistic about. What really kicked off the Dolphins' winning streak was defeating the Ravens -- a perennial contender in the AFC -- just a few days later.
Like déjà vu, the Dolphins must be thinking they could make a similar run again with a victory over Baltimore on Thursday Night Football. However, it didn't help Miami then, and it wouldn't this time around either.
A win over Baltimore would only hurt the Dolphins in the long run
As mentioned, that 2021 Dolphins team failed to reach the postseason. And it wasn't just because they dug themselves too deep a hole to start the year. When they again faced a legitimate playoff team down the stretch, Miami proved it wasn't ready to compete with teams in the playoffs.
And they're not ready now.
The Ravens were the only playoff team Miami defeated during its seven-game winning streak. After beating Baltimore, the Dolphins benefited from a schedule that included the New York Jets (twice), New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, and the New Orleans Saints. All of those teams (including the Texans) picked in the top 11 of the 2022 NFL Draft the following offseason.
The toughest challenge that stood in front of the Dolphins to get to the postseason were the Tennessee Titans, who would go on to earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC that year. It was a tough task to go on the road and squeak out a victory, but the Dolphins never stood a chance, losing 34-3 and officially being eliminated from playoff contention as a result.
The Tennessee game proved that the Dolphins benefited from a weak part of their schedule, and a win over the Ravens this Thursday could potentially lead to similar results. Including Baltimore, Miami has four consecutive home games (Week 11 vs. the Washington Commanders is in Spain) and could get back to .500 by winning them all.
After this week, the Dolphins will have another tough matchup against the Buffalo Bills on deck. Mike McDaniel has had no answers for Josh Allen and Co. during his tenure as head coach, but they may have one this time around.
So the Dolphins, who succeeded with a run-heavy plan yesterday, will be playing run defenses that rank 23rd (Baltimore), 31st (Buffalo) and 21st (Washington, which is being run over by KC tonight) over the next 3 weeks. Ravens are subpar against pass too (28th).
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) October 28, 2025
The Bills' run defense has been awful in 2025. In fact, Buffalo is currently giving up more yards per carry than Miami (5.5 to 5). If the Dolphins can pull off the upset there, they are sure to be favorites against Washington, who may be without quarterback Jayden Daniels, and New Orleans in the following weeks.
While that sounds good in theory, this Dolphins team is a long ways away from contending again. Wins would only postpone the inevitable rebuild the organization desperately needs. Even worse, it could lead to owner Stephen Ross keeping McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier around for the 2026 season.
Bounce back didn't help Brian Flores and it shouldn't help Mike McDaniel
Miami's bounce-back seven-game winning streak in 2021 didn't help then-head coach Brian Flores to keep his job. Likewise, more wins for the Dolphins this season shouldn't help McDaniel keep his.
Flores' firing after the regular season was a bit of a shock at the time, although other circumstances off the field could point to the reasoning rather than on-the-field results. McDaniel's seat, meanwhile, has been hot for several weeks now. Yet, for whatever reason, Ross is reluctant to pull the plug. Maybe he believes McDaniel gives the Dolphins the best chance to tank, but that didn't work out last week against Atlanta.
While McDaniel will likely finish the season in South Florida at this point, he should be shown the door like Flores was at the end of the year if the Dolphins fail to make the playoffs. Grier, on the other hand, could be given another chance if Miami starts piling up wins in the second half of the season. Even if the Dolphins fail to reach the postseason, he could point to an injury here, an unfortunate bounce of the ball there as reasons why he should stick around as general manager. It sounds crazy, but he's had Ross' ear for quite some time.
This is the worst-case scenario. Grier has worn out his welcome with the Dolphins -- even more so than McDaniel -- and everyone but the owner knows it. Grier has made countless mistakes in his evaluation process, and the Dolphins still are without a playoff win under his regime.
A win on Thursday would hurt Miami's draft stock in 2026, but that's the least of its concerns. It would also lead to false hope.
Grier and McDaniel cannot be a part of the organization this time next year. Therefore, it's best in the grand scheme of things not to have a repeat performance from 2021 against Baltimore. The Ravens will get Jackson back after a multi-week absence and are trying to bounce back themselves in the second half of the season after also falling to 2-6.
The difference is that Baltimore was a Super Bowl contender heading into the season and has the personnel to finish the year strong. Miami does not.
We've played this merry-go-round with the Dolphins for several years now. And while wins provide fans with short-term satisfaction, it's time for the organization to focus on long-term goals. Winning now only delays that. Thus, it's best for all parties that the Ravens come into Hard Rock Stadium and show that they are the dominant team. If not, another mediocre season could be on the rise for Miami -- which would be a disaster.