The New England Patriots once again reign over the AFC East, having clinched their eleventh consecutive division title on Saturday night with a win against the Buffalo Bills, 24-17. The last team not named the Patriots to win the AFC East is, of course, the 2008 Miami Dolphins — a team that went 11-5 and won a tiebreaker with the Patriots to claim the division.
A big part of that wild 2008 season was the Wildcat offense, which the Dolphins unveiled in Week 3 against the Patriots that season with great success. The Dolphins went on to smash the Patriots in Foxboro, setting up their run to a divisional title and kickstarting their entire season.
Former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams recently joined Bleacher Report’s Master Tesfatsion for an edition of “Untold Stories” and, during their recordings, Williams was asked about the Wildcat.
Ricky Williams and the Miami Dolphins broke out the Wildcat formation in 2008 and shocked the Patriots
New “Untold Stories” with @MasterTes pic.twitter.com/F6Fl7eThC4
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) December 20, 2019
Hearing Williams say the Wildcat unveiling was one of his favorite experiences in the NFL will tug at your sentimental heart strings — those were simpler, more fun times! But hearing Williams talk about the impact the Wildcat had on the Patriots and Bill Belichick? That’s the good stuff, friends.
“(The Patriots) were disheveled. They were arguing on the field, they were confused and we took ’em outta their element…(Belichick) usually looks so calm, cool and collected and you could tell he was flustered, you know?”
It says a lot about the Dolphins’ recent history in that there haven’t been many opportunities over the last decade that would measure close to that season. Hopefully the team’s new, drastic direction can help to sprout some more magic in the coming years — with or without Bill Belichick is fine, if we’re being honest.
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