It was a banner season for the Miami Dolphins. They won 10 games and made the playoffs for the first time since 2008, showing their future is bright.
With that in mind, here are my awards for the 2016 Dolphins:
MVP: RB Jay Ajayi
No player came further from Week 1 to Week 17. In fact, Ajayi didn’t play in Week 1 because of a coach’s decision to leave him in South Florida when the Dolphins traveled to play the Seattle Seahawks. Ajayi got a late start to the season but made up for it with three 200-yard rushing games. He was the engine behind the offense and finished with 1,272 rushing yards. That earned him a Pro Bowl nod as an alternate later this month in Orlando.
Biggest surprise: CB Tony Lippett
In just two seasons, Lippett has transformed from a college wide receiver to a decent starting cornerback for Miami. Lippett was far from perfect, but he finished with a team-high four interceptions, and some were highlight-reel plays. Lippett showed good ball skills that come from his vast experience as a receiver. He still needs to work on his physicality and tackling, but his major strides in 2016 offer hope that Lippett can continue to be an asset for Miami’s secondary.
Biggest disappointment: DE Mario Williams
When the Dolphins lost 2015 sack leader Olivier Vernon to free agency, they signed four-time Pro Bowl lineman Mario Williams in hopes that he could match or potentially surpass the lost production. Miami paid Williams $17 million over two years. But Williams finished with just 13 tackles and a career-low 1.5 sacks. The Dolphins are expected to cut Williams in the offseason. Bringing him in was a move that looked good on paper but clearly wasn’t a match.
Game of the Year: Week 16 at the Buffalo Bills
This was the kind of game in which the Dolphins of the past usually faltered. A cold-weather road game in December with high stakes was the perfect setup for a Miami letdown. However, the Dolphins proved this year’s group was different and pulled off a thrilling 34-31 overtime win over Buffalo. Kicker Andrew Franks nailed two clutch field goals, at the end of regulation and in overtime, to win the game. The victory clinched Miami’s first playoff berth since 2008.