2018 Miami Dolphins season

The 2018 season was the Miami Dolphins' 49th in the National Football League, their 53rd overall and their third and last under head coach Adam Gase. During the offseason, the Dolphins tweaked their uniforms and shade of orange to better align with their classical past and history. For the second straight season, they also brought back their throwback uniforms from the Shula/Marino eras and wore them for three games.

2018 Miami Dolphins season
OwnerStephen M. Ross
Head coachAdam Gase
General managerChris Grier
Home fieldHard Rock Stadium
Results
Record7–9
Division place2nd AFC East
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersCB Xavien Howard
Uniform

With quarterback Ryan Tannehill playing for the first time since 2016, the highlight of Dolphins' season came during a memorable Week 14 win against division rival and defending back-to-back AFC champion New England Patriots, which prevented the Patriots from clinching the AFC East that week. However, the Dolphins squandered the momentum and would lose all of their remaining games and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The 7–9 finish was their first since 2012 and also the team's second consecutive losing season, with all 7 wins decided by one possession scores and not winning a playoff game for the 17th straight year. They did start off with a 3–0 record but then they finished 7–9.

Roster changes

Signings
Position Player Age 2017 Team Contract
WR Danny Amendola 32 New England Patriots 2 years, $12 million
RB Brandon Bolden 28 1 year, $850,000
RB Frank Gore 35 Indianapolis Colts 1 year, $1.015 million
QB Brock Osweiler 27 Denver Broncos 1 year, $880,000
G Josh Sitton 31 Chicago Bears 2 years, $18 million
WR Albert Wilson 25 Kansas City Chiefs 3 years, $24 million

Departures
Position Player Age 2018 Team Contract
DT Ndamukong Suh 31 Los Angeles Rams 1 year, $14 million
C Mike Pouncey 29 Los Angeles Chargers 2 years, $15 million

Draft
Main article: 2018 NFL Draft
2018 Miami Dolphins Draft
RoundSelectionPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
111 Minkah FitzpatrickFSAlabama
242 Mike GesickiTEPenn State
373 Jerome BakerOLBOhio State
4123 Durham SmytheTENotre DameFrom Carolina via Cleveland
131 Kalen BallageHBArizona StateFrom New England via Philadelphia
6209 Cornell ArmstrongCBSouthern MissFrom Kansas City
7227 Quentin PolingLBOhioFrom San Francisco
229 Jason SandersKNew Mexico

Draft trades

  • The Dolphins traded wide receiver Jarvis Landry to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's fourth-round selection they acquired from Carolina (123rd overall), and a 2019 7th round pick Cleveland originally acquired from Pittsburgh.
  • The Dolphins traded running back Jay Ajayi to Philadelphia in exchange for Philadelphia's fourth-round selection they acquired from New England (131st overall).
  • The Dolphins traded their fifth-round selection (147th overall) to New Orleans in exchange for linebacker Stephone Anthony.
  • The Dolphins traded the seventh-round selection they acquired from Tampa Bay (223rd overall) to San Francisco in exchange for San Francisco's seventh-round selection (227th overall) and center Daniel Kilgore.

Staff
2018 Miami Dolphins staff
Front office
  • Chairman/managing general partner – Stephen Ross
  • Vice chairman/partner – Bruce Beal
  • Vice chairman – Jorge Perez
  • Vice chairman – Don Shula
  • Vice chairman – Matt Higgins
  • Vice chairman, president and CEO – Tom Garfinkel
  • General manager – Chris Grier
  • Executive vice president of football operations – Mike Tannenbaum
  • Senior director, football administration – Brandon Shore
  • Director, college scouting – Adam Engroff
  • Director, pro personnel – Anthony Hunt
  • Director, football research & strategy – Matt Sheldon
  • Senior director, football and player development – Joe Vitt
  • Director, football and player development – Clyde Christensen
  • Director, analytics – Dennis Lock

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Head strength and conditioning – Dave Puloka
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Jim Arthur

Final roster
2018 Miami Dolphins final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
 53 active, 13 inactive, 11 practice squad

Preseason
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
1 August 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 24–26 0–1 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
2 August 17 at Carolina Panthers L 20–27 0–2 Bank of America Stadium Recap
3 August 25 Baltimore Ravens L 10–27 0–3 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
4 August 30 at Atlanta Falcons W 34–7 1–3 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap

Regular season

The Dolphins' 2018 schedule was finalized and announced on April 19.[1]

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
1 September 9 Tennessee Titans W 27–20 1–0 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
2 September 16 at New York Jets W 20–12 2–0 MetLife Stadium Recap
3 September 23 Oakland Raiders W 28–20 3–0 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
4 September 30 at New England Patriots L 7–38 3–1 Gillette Stadium Recap
5 October 7 at Cincinnati Bengals L 17–27 3–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap
6 October 14 Chicago Bears W 31–28 (OT) 4–2 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
7 October 21 Detroit Lions L 21–32 4–3 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
8 October 25 at Houston Texans L 23–42 4–4 NRG Stadium Recap
9 November 4 New York Jets W 13–6 5–4 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
10 November 11 at Green Bay Packers L 12–31 5–5 Lambeau Field Recap
11 Bye
12 November 25 at Indianapolis Colts L 24–27 5–6 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
13 December 2 Buffalo Bills W 21–17 6–6 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
14 December 9 New England Patriots W 34–33 7–6 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
15 December 16 at Minnesota Vikings L 17–41 7–7 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap
16 December 23 Jacksonville Jaguars L 7–17 7–8 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
17 December 30 at Buffalo Bills L 17–42 7–9 New Era Field Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Week 1: vs. Tennessee Titans
Week One: Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Titans 3 0 01720
Dolphins 0 7 31727

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

Due to two weather delays, the game lasted for 7 hours and 10 minutes, the longest game since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970.[2] Coincidentally, wide receiver Danny Amendola met with former teammates Malcolm Butler and Dion Lewis. The three played for the New England Patriots from 2015 to 2018 and helped them win Super Bowl LI over the Atlanta Falcons.

Week 2: at New York Jets
Week Two: Miami Dolphins at New York Jets – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 7 13 0020
Jets 0 0 6612

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

Week 3: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week Three: Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Raiders 7 3 7320
Dolphins 0 7 71428

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

With the win, the Dolphins improved to 3–0, their first such start since 2013.[3]

Week 4: at New England Patriots
Week Four: Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 0 077
Patriots 3 21 7738

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

  • Date: September 30
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C), Sunny and Warm
  • Game attendance: 65,878
  • Referee: Alex Kemp
  • TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Steve Tasker
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

With their first loss of the season, the Dolphins failed to earn their first 4–0 start since 1995, during the Dan Marino era and Don Shula's final year as the Dolphins' head coach.

Week 5: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week Five: Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 14 3017
Bengals 0 0 32427

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Date: October 7
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C), Mostly Sunny
  • Game attendance: 52,708
  • Referee: Craig Wrolstad
  • TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Steve Tasker
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

Week 6: vs. Chicago Bears
Week Six: Chicago Bears at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34OTTotal
Bears 0 0 217028
Dolphins 7 0 615331

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

A last-second field goal kick by Jason Saunders barely averted a tie and gave the Dolphins the win in overtime.

Week 7: vs. Detroit Lions
Week Seven: Detroit Lions at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Lions 7 10 9632
Dolphins 0 7 7721

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

The Dolphins were seeking their first win over the Lions since 2006.

Week 8: at Houston Texans
Week Eight: Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 7 3 10323
Texans 7 7 141442

at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Game information

Week 9: vs. New York Jets
Week Nine: New York Jets at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Jets 0 3 036
Dolphins 0 6 0713

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

Week 10: at Green Bay Packers
Week Ten: Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 3 6 3012
Packers 7 7 14331

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: November 11
  • Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/3:25 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 33 °F (1 °C), cloudy
  • Game attendance: 78,076
  • Referee: Clay Martin
  • TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Steve Tasker
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

Week 12: at Indianapolis Colts
Week Twelve: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 7 7 3724
Colts 7 7 01327

at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Date: November 25
  • Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 57,069
  • Referee: Clete Blakeman
  • TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Bruce Arians and Melanie Collins
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

Week 13: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week Thirteen: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Bills 0 6 3817
Dolphins 7 7 0721

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

  • Date: December 2
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 86 °F (30 °C), partly cloudy
  • Game attendance: 65,155
  • Referee: Shawn Hochuli
  • TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon and James Lofton
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

Week 14: vs. New England Patriots
See also: Miracle in Miami
Week Fourteen: New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Patriots 6 21 0633
Dolphins 7 14 7634

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

Week 15: at Minnesota Vikings
Week Fifteen: Miami Dolphins at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 10 7017
Vikings 21 0 31741

at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: December 16
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 66,841
  • Referee: Walt Coleman
  • TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

This was the Dolphins' first loss to the Vikings since 2002.

Week 16: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week Sixteen: Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Jaguars 7 0 01017
Dolphins 7 0 007

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

  • Date: December 23
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C), sunny
  • Game attendance: 65,798
  • Referee: Clay Martin
  • TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon and James Lofton
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

With the loss, the Dolphins were eliminated from playoff contention.

Week 17: at Buffalo Bills
Week Seventeen: Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 14 3017
Bills 14 0 141442

at New Era Field, Orchard Park, New York

Game information

This season finale marked the final games of players such as quarterback Ryan Tannehill, linebacker Cameron Wake, and head coach Adam Gase all in Dolphins uniforms.

Division
AFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(2) New England Patriots 11 5 0 .688 5–1 8–4 436 325 W2
Miami Dolphins 7 9 0 .438 4–2 6–6 319 433 L3
Buffalo Bills 6 10 0 .375 2–4 4–8 269 374 W1
New York Jets 4 12 0 .250 1–5 3–9 333 441 L3

Conference
# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV STK
Division leaders
1[lower-alpha 1] Kansas City Chiefs West 12 4 0 .750 5–1 10–2 .480 .401 W1
2[lower-alpha 2] New England Patriots East 11 5 0 .688 5–1 8–4 .482 .494 W2
3[lower-alpha 2] Houston Texans South 11 5 0 .688 4–2 9–3 .471 .435 W1
4 Baltimore Ravens North 10 6 0 .625 3–3 8–4 .496 .450 W3
Wild Cards
5[lower-alpha 1] Los Angeles Chargers West 12 4 0 .750 4–2 9–3 .477 .422 W1
6 Indianapolis Colts South 10 6 0 .625 4–2 7–5 .465 .456 W4
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Pittsburgh Steelers North 9 6 1 .594 4–1–1 6–5–1 .504 .448 W1
8 Tennessee Titans South 9 7 0 .563 3–3 5–7 .520 .465 L1
9 Cleveland Browns North 7 8 1 .469 3–2–1 5–6–1 .516 .411 L1
10 Miami Dolphins East 7 9 0 .438 4–2 6–6 .469 .446 L3
11[lower-alpha 3] Denver Broncos West 6 10 0 .375 2–4 4–8 .523 .464 L4
12[lower-alpha 3] Cincinnati Bengals North 6 10 0 .375 1–5 4–8 .535 .448 L2
13[lower-alpha 3] Buffalo Bills East 6 10 0 .375 2–4 4–8 .523 .411 W1
14 Jacksonville Jaguars South 5 11 0 .313 1–5 4–8 .549 .463 L1
15[lower-alpha 4] New York Jets East 4 12 0 .250 1–5 3–9 .506 .438 L3
16[lower-alpha 4] Oakland Raiders West 4 12 0 .250 1–5 3–9 .547 .406 L1
Tiebreakers[lower-alpha 5]
  1. Kansas City finished ahead of LA Chargers based on division games.
  2. New England finished ahead of Houston based on head-to-head victory.
  3. Denver finished ahead of Cincinnati and Buffalo based on strength of victory. Cincinnati finished ahead of Buffalo based on record vs. common opponents. Cincinnati's cumulative record against Baltimore, Indianapolis, the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami was 3–2, compared to Buffalo's 1–4 cumulative record against the same four teams.
  4. NY Jets finished ahead of Oakland based on strength of victory.
  5. When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

References
  1. "Miami Dolphins' 2018 regular-season schedule". Sun-Sentinel. April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  2. "Titans vs. Dolphins - Game Recap - September 9, 2018". ESPN.
  3. Deen, Safid (September 23, 2018). "Dolphins' speed shines bright in win over Raiders, Miami's first 3-0 start since 2013". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
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