Most Dolfans today think Marino and the 80s and 90s.  Hidden is this mystique and birth of the Dolphins from expansion team to back to back Super Bowl Champions.  As a kid growing up during the glory years of the San Francisco 49ers and my own father’s fascination and passion for the Miami Dolphins, the Dolphins were what stuck. Whether it was going to Miami for the first time and choosing a brand new Dolphins ringer tee over the Miami Hurricanes one in 1987 at JC Penney or when watching the Dolphins on Monday Night Football and hearing my father tell me “That's Don Shula, he is the best coach."  I vividly remember the Christmas Day game highlights versus Kansas City in 1971, a year before the magical improbably season.  Sure I was born in 1978, but ESPN always had some version of highlights of that game and the Garo Yepremian field goal.  As well as the Super Bowl versus the Washington Redskins leading to their first Super Bowl and capping an incredible season.

What was most interesting of this documentary on the Dolphins perfect season was how this team came together through much adversity in the community and on the stat sheet and formed the best team in football history.  Best team ever because they went 17-0 and won the Super Bowl.  This feat is still the benchmark, year in and year out until someone completes a perfect season and wins a Super Bowl.  Sure there have been winning streaks, but 19-1 sure as heck doesn’t cut it as the Patriots found out in 2007-08 season after losing to the underdog New York Giants. What's often not mentioned is that this 1972 team went on to post a 32-2 record in two years and win two consecutive Super Bowls.  Even most surprising is that this "core group" of players on this team posted a 65-15-1 record over the first five years of Coach Shula's tenure.  Simply amazing considering the landscape of the NFL today with free agency and salary cap concerns.

As a Dolphin fan, viewing this documentary was exactly what the doctor ordered for this mediocre season.  Sure the Dolphins have had some notable seasons, but the perfect season is one that a Dolphin fan can always hang their hat on in a conversation with any NFL  fan that might discredit the sanctity of the Dolphins as franchise.  Keep in mind, every team that starts a season and continues some type of winning streak without losing is often compared to the Dolphins team that never los;t until that team eventually does and Mercury Morris and fellow 1972 team alums can enjoy some champagne in celebration of their undefeated season decades before. 

Keep in mind, the story lines of this Dolphin team, a comeback in week 3 versus the Minnesota Vikings and the Purple People Eaters Defense down two scores before 2 point conversions, or the fake punt versus the Steelers in the AFC championship by Larry Seiple.  Or hall of fame coach Don Shula changing the quarterback from Moral (who filled in admirably) back to hall of fame quarterback Bob Griese.   This change would probably make Dolphin fans today cringe and get onto a hateful tirade on Twitter before the ball is snapped.

What this film brought to my living room was a sense of pride.  This pride serves as retribution for all of the seasons that the Dolphins have failed to win and all of draft and free agent acquisitions that have failed to materialize.  This sense of pride brings a sense of belonging on the large NFL stage that is filled with talk of elite quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, and defensive talent, as if that stuff will be important 50 years from now.  The most rewarding aspect of this film is the fact that my son, who is almost six ran through the house with his football and stopped to watch and ask me questions about this team and what they did.  That in itself is a sign of the passing of the Dolphin fan torch, from one generation to another.

Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake was selected as a starter for the AFC in the 2013 Pro Bowl. Wake is the only Dolphins player to be named to the roster.

The selection marks the second time Wake will make an apperance in the Pro Bowl throughout the first four years of his NFL career. Wake made his Pro Bowl debut in 2010 when he recorded 14 sacks in his first season in the league. He set a new career high in sacks this year, totalling 15 with one game left to play. Wake also accumulated 49 tackles and contributed three forced fumbles.

Following a slow start to the season, Wake made a significant impact in Week 4 against the Cardinals when he had 4.5 sacks and then recorded a sack in five of the next six games. 

Once the Pro Bowl rosters are released there is always controversy surrounding the notable players that did not make the squads. The most surprising Dolphins omission was punter Brandon Fields who is near the top of league in all statistical categories amongst punters and did not make the Pro Bowl despite winning the fan vote.

On offense, center Mike Pouncey was left off the list leaving many to believe that the wrong Pouncey brother made the team. The 23 year old was viewed highly around the league as arguably the best center in the AFC this season as he excels in both the pass and run game.

On defense, safety Reshad Jones didn't make the roster after having the best season of his career. In the fifteen games he's played this season, Jones has 86 tackles, 4 interceptions, two forced fumbles and two recovered fumbles. 

Entering the second to last week of the NFL season the Dolphins were clinging to their playoff lives with several different scenarios needing to play out in order for Miami to squeak in as the 6th seed in the AFC. To begin with, the Dolphins needed to win out, however they would have also needed the Bengals and Steelers to both finish 8-8 and for the Jets to lose at least one of their remaining games. Unfortunately, only two of those three requirements to keep Miami's playoff hopes alive happened. 

With the Buffalo Bills in town, the Dolphins took care of business with a 24-10 win against their division rival, improving their overall record to 7-8 and 5-3 at home. Ryan Tannehill built off his impressive performance from last week's victory by completing 13/25 passes for 130 yards, 2 touchdowns and zero turnovers. Although those numbers aren't flashy, Tannehill's poise and decision making are what enhanced his performance. In the process, Tannehill evened his touchdown-interception ratio to 12 a piece on the season. The rookie quarterback chanelled his inner wide reciever in the win, using his speed to elude defenders on route to 44 yards rushing, highlighted by a 31 yard dash into the redzone. Reggie Bush had his best game of the year as he recorded all three of the team's touchdowns, one rushing and two recieving. Lamar Miller who could very well be the future of the Dolphins backfield led in rushing with 73 yards on 10 carriers.

The Dolphins quietly boasted one of the league's top defenses this season however the unit is near the bottom of the league in takeaways. That changed on Sunday. Safety Reshad Jones led the charge, recovering 2 fumbles and made an interception with the Bills threatening on the goal line to seal the Miami victory. The interception gave Jones 4 on his Pro Bowl calibre year, making him the first Dolphin to do so since 2005. Cam Wake's relentless pass rush forced one fumble and allowed him to record his 15th sack of the season, a new career high. In total the Dolphins defense came up with four takeaways and two sacks.

The excitement amongst Dolphins fans lasted for about six minutes as many watched the Bengals game winning field goal sail through the uprights, giving them the sixth and final playoff spot. Despite the Jets loss, the Dolphins had already been knocked out of postseason contention. 

Miami has now missed the playoffs in ten of the last eleven seasons, however this time around there is a feeling of optimism for the future of this organization. Even though the Dolphins didn't accomplish the goal of every NFL team when training camp began, this season was going to be a success all along as it meant that Ryan Tannehill will have a chance to develop. In his first season, Tannehill was even better than advertised. He showed, with limited options in the passing game, that he is more than capable of being the face of the franchise and proved that he was deserving of being selected with the eighth overall pick. He put up solid numbers over the course of the year, displaying the skill set that most successful quarterbacks possess, however arguably the most significant aspect of his play was the fact that he continued to improve on a week to week basis.

The quarterback that walked onto the field in Houston four months ago was vastly different from the one that left Sun Life Stadium following the win. With an improved supporting cast next year the sky is the limit for Ryan Tannehill. 

With two remaining games to go, the Miami Dolphins are still alive for the playoffs.  While most fans would be jumping for joy at this idea of playoffs, a lot of fans want to see GM Jeff Ireland fired at the end of the season.  Personally, this blogger, doesn't agree that the idea of losing two in a row translates to Ireland's fault, but that's beside the point.

Frankly, the Miami Dolphins have had their chances to improve playoff position.  After week 9 versus the Colts, the playoff picture appeared to cave-in on Miami and most sports writers wrote them off for the playoffs.

However, going back to a key week 5 matchup versus the Bengals, where the Dolphins escaped the clutches of the Jungle, this victory versus Cinncinnatti gave the Dolphins a critical tie breaker.  

Now here we stand, the Miami Dolphins have to do the following:  Win the next two versus Buffalo and at New England.  Both games prove challenging given that Miami played poorly versus Buffalo and ran out of time versus New England, but there is hope and winning two games is possible.

Buffalo has appeared to mail it in and play for draft position while the Patriots have nothing to play for in week 17 unless Houston or Denver give up a glimpse of home field.  

In addition, the Dolphins need some major help, first they need a New York Jets loss to San Diego tomorrow, a Bengals loss to Pittsburgh and a Bengals loss during week 17.  Then the Steelers have to win versus the Bengals and then lose versus the Cleveland Browns, a team in transition, and a new regime.  It could happen!

While it seems like kind of crazy, with two games left, the Miami Dolphins are in the playoff hunt.

These Dolphins who were picked to finish last in the AFC East, can in fact clinch 2nd place with a win over Buffalo.  

These Miami Dolphins who appeared to be playing for next year after losing three of four, still have a chance.  When things got pretty bleak after losing to San Francisco 27-13, the Dolphins continue to fight like cockroaches that won't go away!

Even with injuries to Jake Long, Charles Clay, Daniel Thomas, and kicker Dan Carpenter, the Dolphins appear to have this chance at the playoffs despite these setbacks!

So, keep your eyes peeled Dolfans, because this holliday season might have an exciting finish and you'll get to sport your Dolphins jersey at least once in January!

This morning, the Miami Dolphins placed kicker Dan Carpenter and placed him on injured reserve with a groin injury.  He has been placed on IR.  Carpenter was hitting on just over 81% of his field goals and was off to a slow start before getting on a roll in the past 8 games.  

In his place, Nate Kaeding has been signed for the final two games or more depending on how things shake out in the AFC.  Nate Kaeding has made 87% of his kicks for his career.  Kaeding was cut early in the season by the San Diego Chargers after making 7 of 7 in field goals and went down with a groin injury.  

An interesting anectdote besides being available is that Kaeding was the kicker at Iowa when Coach Joe Philbin was the line coach from 2000-2002.

As of now, the Dolphins have a new kicker and his name is Nate Kaeding.  If Nate Kaeding gets the Dolphins to the playoffs, let's hope his shakiness in the playoffs goes away on a new team!