Where the Dolphins and Detroit Went in Different Directions

The Miami Dolphins will be going another year without a playoff victory while watching the Detroit Lions' rebuilding project continue to produce results

Detroit Lions defensive end Isaiah Buggs (96) tries to block a pass from Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Miami Dolphins' major rebuilding project — regardless of when anyone wants to assign an official starting date — officially might have to be considered a failure at this time considering the 2024 season ended not only without a playoff spot but without a winning record as well.

It's particularly disappointing when we look at the overall NFL standings and see right there at the top the Detroit Lions, a team that began its own rebuilding project close to the same time as the Dolphins but have been wildly successful.

The elimination from the playoffs on the final Sunday of the regular season means the Dolphins' active streak without a playoff win is now at 24 years, and the previously previous streak belonged to those Detroit Lions at 31 years before they ended it with their two victories last season.

The Lions have successfully done their rebuild thanks to GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, the former Dolphins interim head coach. And the interim head coach that Campbell replaced when he was hired in 2021? Current Dolphins QB coach Darrell Bevell.

The Dolphins had the upper hand when they last faced the Lions in Detroit in 2022 at a time when both teams were in the midst of their rebuilding projects, pulling out a 31-27 victory. But the Lions have been on an upward trajectory since that game, with a 35-10 regular season record since that game. The Dolphins, meanwhile, have gone 23-20 in the regular season since that October day at Ford Field.

So why did the Lions succeed with their rebuilding plan and the Dolphins did not?

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE DRAFT

The simple answer here is the Lions have been so much better with their draft picks, whether by hanging on to them or making better selections.

While the Pro Bowl isn't the end-all, be-all in judging players, it's incredibly telling that the Lions have selected eight different players since 2020 who have been selected to the Pro Bowl: guard Jonah Jackson, tackle Penei Sewell, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, tight end Sam LaPorta, safety Brian Branch and running back De'Andre Swift, though he did it with the Philadelphia Eagles last season.

The Dolphins during that same span selected one player who has been selected to the Pro Bowl: QB Tua Tagovailoa.

And this is despite the Dolphins having five picks in the first two rounds in 2020 and four picks in the first two rounds in 2021.

Those nine picks: Tagovailoa, Austin Jackson, Noah Igbinoghene, Robert Hunt, Raekwon Davis, Jaylen Waddle, Jaelan Phillips, Jevon Holland and Liam Eichenberg.

Three of the picks already are gone from Miami and it wouldn't (or shouldn't) surprise anyone if Holland and Eichenberg joined them out the door next offseason.

Meanwhile, the Lions used those past five drafts to land impact players like Sewell, Gibbs, LaPorta, linebacker Jack Campbell, safeties Brian Branch and Kirby Joseph, Hutchinson, St.-Brown, defensive tackle Alim McNeil and we might even throw in wide receiver Jameson Williams.

Yes, the Lions usually have had more picks in recent years than the Dolphins, but that's because Miami has been busy giving them away for big-name players.

The Dolphins gave up five picks to get WR Tyreek Hill, who was great his first two years in Miami but had very little impact in 2024 before he made headlines during and after the regular season finale for the wrong reasons.

They gave up another first-round for linebacker Bradley Chubb, who has battled injuries since he got to Miami.

They gave up a third-round pick for Jalen Ramsey, and though it's hard to complain about that given his performance, the two contract extensions given him in two years does take a toll on the salary cap.

The Lions' signature trade of their rebuilding project was sending away Matthew Stafford to the L.A. Rams and getting Jared Goff in return.

While this looked like a downgrade at the time, Goff has thrived in Detroit surrounding by a great supporting case and earned Pro Bowl honors this year for the second time in three seasons.

THE KEY MOMENT FOR THE TWO FRANCHISES

Maybe we need to look back at the 2021 draft to see a clear defining moment for both franchises.

It came after the Dolphins traded the third overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers so they could draft QB Trey Lance and landed the 12th pick along with two extra first-round choices.

It was an absolute steal for the Dolphins, maybe even if Lance hadn't become a bust.

The Dolphins could have landed an number of impact players at 12 given how good the top of the first round was — Micah Parsons and Rashawn Slater ended up going 12th and 13th overall — but instead they decided to move back up to 6, surrendering one of those two first-round picks they got from the Lance trade to the Eagles.

The Dolphins, of course, took Jaylen Waddle at number 6, helping out a massively needy wide receiver corps.

But they also passed on Sewell, who widely was considered a can't-miss prospect at tackle.

Just like that, the Lions had the big piece for an offensive line that would be the foundation of their physical "bite your kneecaps" philosophy.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, had a speedy wide receiver and he would provide a great 1-2 punch with Hill after the latter arrived in 2022.

But the Dolphins passing game, built on speed and timing, hasn't proven able to thrive or succeed against elite competition or in late-season football, because the physicality ramps up at that time of year and the elements aren't as good as in September or October, neutralizing to an extent the Dolphins attack, no matter how fast Hill and Waddle are.

Physicality, on the other word, is impervious to bad weather. And that's ultimately what the Lions are all about.

And it's pretty clear their approach was a good one. And it's pretty clear the Dolphins' approach hasn't gotten it done.

So while the Lions will enter the playoffs as strong Super Bowl contenders after they handled the Minnesota Vikings in a showdown between 14-2 teams on Sunday night, the Dolphins will be talking about next year again.