What's your pass mark for the Dolphins in 2021

[Downunder Dolphan]

I would have loved to have done this as a poll, but after consulting the help section it doesn't seem to be available with the new topic options? Maybe the Mods can do something?

So, after a 10-6 season in 2020, and a draft lauded by many experts and fans, what do you guys consider as a pass mark for 2021 in our rebuild?

- Superbowl baby!

- Playoff win

- AFC East Title

- Wild card appearance (even if it's less than a 10-6 result)

- 10-6 record or better

- Improvement in Tua and game play even if it's less than last year's 10-6 record

- Two wins against the Jets

[Tenshot13]

Pass mark would be make the playoffs.
I'd be happy if we won a playoff game.
I'd be happier if we won the AFCE and won a playoff game
I'd be even happier if we got to the AFC championship game.
I'd cry if we won the Superbowl.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Have to win a playoff game. I don't want to put a win total on it because we can go 13-3 and lose the division to the Bills at 14-2. So, I will just say win a playoff game and show that you are contenders.

[Downunder Dolphan]

As a few of you know, I have regarded the the Jimmy Johnston-Dallas model of blowing-it-all-up-to-Superbowl as the gold standard of the practice.

There are similarities and slight differences in our case - he already had his future HOF QB at year zero before they sold Herschell Walker for Minnesota's farm, after selling Tunsil for a heap in our first year of drafts we got (hopefully) ours in Tua. So it's kind of a three year vs four year process, although our picks stretch to four years...

They went 1-15, 7-9, 11-5 (wild card and playoff win), 13-3 (Superbowl win)

Dallas had a murderous division at the time (they were not called the beasts of the East for nothing!) against Superbowl winners Washington & the Giants, and regular contenders Philadelphia. We are up against it too, losing both our games to Buffalo who reached the AFC Championship game and kicked our butts in the last head to head.

This year for me it's a playoff birth (division title, or more likely wild card) and preferably a playoff win. Plus we have to win at least one of our games against Buffalo (seeing as Dallas split their games against Washington who went on to win the Superbowl right before they did). That's what the Cowboys did back in 1991, and what I think the goal should be if we are for real in this rebuild.

 

[Sunstroke]

Win a playoff game. Show you belong on the real playground with the big kids...

[Downunder Dolphan]

Win a playoff game. Show you belong on the real playground with the big kids...

We have not won a playoff game for 20+ years... we are way overdue.

That's why I ranked it higher than an AFC East title.

[ArtieChokePhin]

Winning a playoff game would be a passing mark for me.  I know beating Buffalo for the AFC East title may be a tall order but it can be done. 

I think this team is the only franchise that has had multiple 10 win seasons with no playoff appearances.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Winning a playoff game would be a passing mark for me.  I know beating Buffalo for the AFC East title may be a tall order but it can be done. 

I think this team is the only franchise that has had multiple 10 win seasons with no playoff appearances.

Seemed like everything went right for the Bills last year aside from the Hail Murray, not always easy to repeat that performance. Texans were very lucky in 2019, much to the anger of all of us but they came back in 2020 minus their top WR and 3rd worst team in the NFL.

[Dolphster]

I had to think about this one a bit.  But I think I'm going to go with "win a playoff game" also. 

[Fau Teixeira]

20-0 is my expectation!

[dolphins4life]

Playoffs. Only this time, I want them to get in without the help of a blown call like in 2016 

[masterfins]

Seemed like everything went right for the Bills last year aside from the Hail Murray, not always easy to repeat that performance. Texans were very lucky in 2019, much to the anger of all of us but they came back in 2020 minus their top WR and 3rd worst team in the NFL.

I also don't know how the Bills did so well last year.  Other than the QB I can't name another player on the team, and I live in Upstate NY.  It wouldn't surprise me to see them regress this year.

On topic, if Miami doesn't make the playoffs it will be a disappointment.  A playoff win would be really nice to see after all these years.

[Fau Teixeira]

my benchmark for success is that I want to see us dominate inferior teams .. i'd like a 56-7 scoreline in there at some point this year. I would like to feel like we're dangerous.

[Pappy13]

I'm going to go with be competitive in a playoff game. Someone mentioned we haven't won a playoff game in over 20 years, actually we haven't been competitive in a playoff game in over 20 years. Now some of you might say that's not much of an improvement from 10-6 and missing the playoffs, but I disagree. Expecting a playoff win as a wild card team which I fully expect will be the only way we make the playoffs is expecting quite a lot in my humble opinion. You have to remember that this team is VERY young and got younger this offseason. Just making the playoffs and playing in a playoff game even if they lose but are competitive would be a HUGE boost of confidence for them. Tua is only in his 2nd season and his first season was a bit rocky. I expect he will be better this year, but I still don't think you will see him play well consistently. I expect the offense to open up more this year and you'll see more big plays from them and more TD's for Tua, but you'll also see more mistakes as he tries to push the ball down the field more this year so more interceptions as well. 2022 will be the year I really expect him to take a big leap forward and start to look like the star QB most think he will become. That's when Miami will make a strong push in the playoffs. It won't be this year, but the year after I predict.

And let's not forget that Miami was a miracle no look pass from the back-up QB away from 9-7. A strong 10-6 this year would be an improvement.

[Dave Gray]

* Poll added