Next Weekend, the Miami Dolphins Will Play Their First Playoff Game Since 2008

Hold onto your butts, South Florida — the Miami Dolphins are back in the playoffs. Put your mock drafts and your lists of available free agents away. Forget what coaches might be available this offseason. The Miami Dolphins are a handful of games away from winning the Super Bowl.

OK, that might be a little dramatic, but it's technically true. Excuse us if we get a little carried away.

The Dolphins lost 35-14 to the New England Patriots this past Sunday, but the game didn't affect the Fins' postseason. Before the game, we already knew they would participate in the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Now we know when and where: Next Sunday at 1:05 p.m. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

It's real, and it'll down next weekend in freezing temperatures next weekend. Steelers. Dolphins. PLAYOFF FOOTBAAAAAALLLLLLLL.

The fact that the Dolphins will face the Steelers is quite fitting, seeing that the Fins' improbable transformation from a hapless 1-4 team into a 10-6 playoff team began with an October 16, 30-15 win over Pittsburgh. There will be two notable differences when the teams meet this time around, though: This game will be played in temperatures predicted to be below 20 degrees, and Matt Moore, not Ryan Tannehill, who is still nursing a knee injury, will likely be under center for the Dolphins.

We're on to Pittsburgh.

— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) January 1, 2017

Dolphins @ Steelers pic.twitter.com/3bPBGNWbLw

— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) January 1, 2017

Whatever the odds stacked against Miami next weekend, the fact that there is a next weekend is pretty remarkable. Less than 90 days ago, the Dolphins were being put out with the trash. They were a bunch of busted draft picks, underachieving stars, and overpaid free-agent pickups. Beginning with that Steelers game in mid-October, though, the Dolphins became the hottest team in the NFL and are now playing a 17th game for the first time in almost a decade.

Though much of the discussion this week will about whether Tannehill can make a miraculous recovery and return to the field, Dolphins fans should be more concerned about how their team will stop the Steelers' explosive offense. The Dolphins' defense finished the season slow and ended up setting a team record for yards allowed.

For now, though, fans get to celebrate the fact that their Dolphins are back in the playoffs, where they belong.