January 1st, 2012. Welcoming in the new year in style, the Miami Dolphins under interim head coach Todd Bowles romped to a close 19-17 win over the New York Jets at Sun Life Stadium in Miami. The victory was the team’s 400th in it’s history and also marked Jason Taylor’s final game with the team. The occasion is also special for one more reason. This is the last home win for the Dolphins over the rival New York Jets.

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Boy how things have changed. Following the season, Bowles departed the team and signed with the Eagles. Most of that team’s players are now gone with Ryan Tannehill coming in as the team’s starting quarterback in 2012. New executives and coaches have also found themselves hired and fired in Miami since that Week 17 back at the end of the 2011 NFL season.

This could all change on Sunday. Taking on the struggling Jets at Hard Rock Stadium this Sunday, the Miami Dolphins have a chance to finally get another one over on their rivals. For both personal reasons, playoff reasons and fan support reasons, this is a game the Miami Dolphins cannot afford to lose.

For me, this game is even more important since I will be attending. It will be my first Dolphins game in almost two years. I will be attending with both my step father and his brother, both fans of the rival Jets. For all that is holy, please don’t make me listen to them all the way back from Miami, talking about how the Jets systematically dismantled the Dolphins and are better in every way.

As far as playoff reasons go, we need this win. Badly. A 10-6 record is likely what will be needed to make the playoffs this season. That means that the Dolphins have to go at least 7-2 during their final nine games of the season to even reach that lower benchmark. Losing to the Jets on Sunday all but eliminates those playoff chances.

Finally, this game is important to the fan base. While we also have the Patriots and the Bills in our division, it has always been those Jets that got to us best. Getting one over on Fireman Ed and proving that the Deep End and super fans such as Dol-Fan Maniac are the better of the options.

Also, one last thing for Ryan Tannehill. I hate to do this to you, but me and Dolphins jerseys have history. My first true jersey when I was younger was a Daunte Culpepper jersey. He was gone before I even got the new smell out of the jersey. Next was Reggie Bush. He was gone less than five months later. Finally, it was Brian Hartline. He tore his ACL the same day I got the jersey.

Basically what I’m saying here is, the curse is real. If you don’t perform on Sunday, I will get a Tannehill jersey and you will be gone. By the way, anyone have Tim Tebow’s number?

READ MORE: Can Miami make a push for the playoffs?

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