Miami Dolphins: 5 Bold Predictions for 2012

Midway through the year, it looked like the Miami Dolphins were on track to be the winner of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.

After finishing 6-3 in the final nine games, Miami left their fans with high hopes and big expectations for 2012.

Although it may be a bit early to start making predictions, the next few slides feature five bold predictions for the Miami Dolphins in 2012.

Cam Wake Will Have a Career High in Sacks

Since coming over from Canada, linebacker Cam Wake has been a key member of the Miami Dolphins defense.

While playing in 46 games and starting in 31 over the course of three years, Wake has recorded 122 tackles and 28 sacks.

His career high for sacks is 14.5—going into 2012, I believe he will become one of the leaders of a top-10 Miami defense and get at least 15 sacks.

Miami Will Sweep New England

Miami went 0-2 against the New England Patriots this past season, being outscored 65-48.

In the second meeting between the two teams, Miami held a 17-0 halftime lead before being outscored 27-7 in the final half.

If there is one thing that we learned from their last matchup it is that they can hang around with New England.

With a top-10 pick in this year’s draft and many players available in free agency, the Dolphins will make a few good pickups, and they will beat the New England Patriots twice en route to a playoff appearance.

Reggie Bush Will Have Fewer Than 200 Carries

When Reggie Bush was traded to Miami from the New Orleans Saints, he made it clear that he wanted more carries.

That is certainly what he got in his first year as a Dolphin, as he had more than 200 carries for the first time in his career.

Bush had 59 more carries than his previous career high, along with his second-best yards-per-carry average.

The running back position is one of the toughest positions in football, and players get injured a lot. Reggie Bush will start to realize that next year and will miss a couple games due to injury, forfeiting a few carries to Daniel Thomas and Steve Slaton.

Miami Will Have Six Players Make the Pro Bowl

The Dolphins already have two players who are pretty much locks for the Pro Bowl in Jake Long and Brandon Marshall.

Other players who could step up for Miami are center Mike Pouncey, linebackers Cameron Wake and Karlos Dansby, nose tackle Paul Soliai (if re-signed) and even kicker Dan Carpenter.

These players have shown that they can succeed at the NFL level, and it is only a matter of time before a few Miami Dolphins players have monster years.

Davone Bess Will Have Eight Touchdowns

There is no doubt that Brandon Marshall is one of the best wideouts in the game.

There also should not be much doubt that Davone Bess is one of the better slot receivers in the game.

In his four-year career with Miami, Bess has caught 260 passes for just under 2,700 yards and 11 touchdowns.

After the season that Reggie Bush had, and with the likelihood that Miami will sign a No. 2 receiver, Bess will be the forgotten man, and he will pick apart opposing defenses with a career-high eight touchdowns.