Limp to a playoff win.

They’ve had a Pro Bowl quarterback, Pro Bowl wide receiver, Pro Bowl running back, Pro Bowl left tackle, Pro Bowl fullback, Pro Bowl edge rusher and Pro Bowl cornerback.

They have a bright, innovative young coach in McDaniel.

They had a highly regarded defensive coordinator (Vic Fangio, who left).

They should be doing better.

I’m not taking a shot at anybody.

I’m not ripping anybody.

I’m looking objectively at the assembled talent. The Dolphins were widely regarded as having one of the most talented rosters in the league the previous two seasons.

The results don’t square up with the assembled talent.

I appreciate two playoff berths by McDaniel, an innovative, first-time head coach who turned an unproven quarterback into a Pro Bowl player.

I appreciate the contributions of star players such as Tua, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, left tackle Terron Armstead and many others, the strong contributions of backups in the face of two years of severe injuries, and the fighting spirit of this hard-working team.

I genuinely enjoy covering these guys every day. It’s one of the best locker rooms I’ve encountered in more than 30 years.

But that can’t cloud the truth.

This team has disappointed.

Here are some realities:

The Dolphins have a 20-16 (.556) record, including playoffs, in the past two seasons.

The Dolphins are 4-10 in December/January games in the past two seasons.

The Dolphins are 3-12 against playoff teams in the past two seasons.

Last season the Dolphins went 10-1 against non-playoff teams and 1-6 against playoff teams.

Average score in those two sets of games last season:

Dolphins 36, Non-Playoff Opponent 18;

Playoff Opponent 32, Dolphins 16.

That’s hammering the non-playoff teams and getting hammered by the playoff teams.

That’s failing to meet expectations.

That’s underachieving.

But it’s not a limitation on what the 2024 Dolphins can accomplish.

Yes, at this point I think the Dolphins will probably remain steady or even take a small step backward this season, largely because of the amount of talent they’ve lost.

However, it’s way too early to know anything for certain.

I’m optimistic and hopeful for the 2024 Dolphins.

I think they’ll make the playoffs.

But I can’t predict a playoff victory yet.

Now you know the foundation of my Dolphins coverage, the jumping off point.

It’s not rooted in negativity, it’s rooted in the reality of whether the Dolphins are meeting, and will meet, expectations.

Here’s one other thing to note regarding my coverage: I think the Dolphins can have a successful season without winning a Super Bowl, or even advancing to the Super Bowl.

However, considering it’s Year 3 of the McDaniel-Tua-Grier triumvirate, anything short of an AFC championship game appearance might be hard to call a success.

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