With their last appearance in the National Football League (NFL) playoffs in 2016, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round, the Miami Dolphins made it to the postseason for the second time in seven years. The Dolphin’s quarterback at the time was backup Matt Moore, who had to take over for the injured starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill. 

Tua Tagovailoa, the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins this season, has been in command of the offense for almost the entire season. A recent head injury placed him under concussion protocols and was not cleared before this week’s game, forcing the Dolphins to start third-string quarterback and rookie, Skylar Thompson. 

The Dolphins preparing to go into Buffalo on Jan. 15 in the Wild Card round reaps familiarity for Dolphins fans. The Dolphins’ only two playoffs since 2016 have coincidentally both involved a backup quarterback under center, something the team does not wish for if they want to ever make a Super Bowl run.