Kelly: Dolphins have more hope for sale in 2024 | Opinion

The Dolphins are a perpetual hope-peddler.

That’s what this franchise has been dispensing for two-plus decades, and Monday night’s nationally televised 23-15 victory against a previously red-hot Los Angeles Rams team that came into the game on a three-game winning streak injected hope right into the bloodstream of the Dolphins fan base.

The win meant the 2024 season still has meaning, still has life, which means there’s reason to watch the final eight games because despite owning just three wins this season the Dolphins are still in the hunt for a postseason berth.

In fact, the Dolphins sit in second place in the AFC East at 3-6, and Miami’s odds of making it to the playoffs after beating the Rams jumped from 11 percent to 16 percent.

The Dolphins sit a game and a half out of the final AFC wild card spot heading into what’s perceived as the easiest stretch of the November’s schedule considering Miami faces the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday and then the New England Patriots the Sunday after that.

“The confidence is always there,” said quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who started his third game back from the concussion-caused hiatus that began this team’s downward spiral. “This is something we can continue to build on, and grow from.

“It’s a testament to the character of this team. We’ve come a long way with all the losses,” said Tagovailoa, who completed 20 of 28 passes, throwing for 207 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

For weeks this team talked about needing a victory to release pressure, and wash away the negativity that had been hanging over the franchise during the difficult first half of the 2024 season.

Miami’s performance against the Rams provided that because the offense was efficient, ending drives with points. And the defense, which had fallen short of sealing victories, or sending the game to overtime by allowing scores in final game drives against the Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills, was stingy, especially when it came to third downs (Rams were 3 of 12 on the game’s most critical down) and the red zone.

Los Angeles was held to five field goals because Miami tightened every time Matt Stafford’s offense reached scoring territory.

“Our defense really galvanized the whole team,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “It’s very difficult to keep the offense out of the end zone....The jumping off point was third downs....collectively it was the best execution of what we were trying to get done.”

Monday night was Miami’s best collective effort of the season. The offense wasn’t humming like it had been the previous two weeks, mainly because the Rams stifled Miami’s rushing attack, which produced a season-low 67 yards on 22 carries, but Miami was efficient enough.

“When we’re playing good ball we know we can beat anybody. But we know our margin for error is zero,” said defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who was credited with one Miami’s four sacks. “Football is a game of momentum. This is the type of game you can use to spark a run. But it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t win the next one.”

Miami held a 20-12 lead with 6:31 left in the fourth quarter and the Rams owning all three timeouts, but Tagovailoa and the offense marched 39 yards downfield on eight plays, eating up 3:53 off the game clock, and forcing the Rams to use two of its timeouts.

Jason Sanders’ 50-yard yard field goal put Miami ahead by 11 points with 2:38 left in the game.

The Rams kicked a field goal on third down to preserve 39 seconds on the clock, but when Duke Riley fielded the onside kick the game was concluded with a kneel-down.

The win gives this season meaning, and reinforces what the coaches and players have been preaching, which is to keep fighting, keep working and keep believing in one another.

While the playoffs might seem like a pipe dream to some, Monday night’s triumph over the Rams is proof that there’s still fight in this season, fight in this team.

“We do have a group that believes,” cornerback Jalen Ramsey said. “We trust and believe in each other.”

That’s where the seed of hope must be planted first. Now we’ll see if this team can continue to fertilize it.