The Miami Dolphins qualified for their first playoff berth since 2008 this weekend with a win against Buffalo and a loss by Denver.
With that in mind, here is a look a whose stock is rising in Miami:
1. Adam Gase, head coach: Is Gase the NFL's Coach of the Year? A strong case certainly can be made for the first-year head coach. The Dolphins have exceeded everyone's expectations and found a way to overcome a 1-4 start. Gase put Miami in position to win nine of the team's past 10 games with shrewd coaching and changing the team's mentality. The Dolphins also overcame major injuries to center Mike Pouncey (hip), safety Reshad Jones (knee) and quarterback Ryan Tannehill to qualify for the postseason.
2. Jay Ajayi, running back: Ajayi's numbers were on the decline as opponents adjusted to his game and put more emphasis on stopping the second-year tailback. But Buffalo proved to be the ideal opponent to jump-start Ajayi. He rushed for 206 yards and a touchdown, upping his season total to 420 rushing yards against the Bills. Ajayi became the fourth player in NFL history to post a pair of 200-yard rushing games against the same team in one season.
3. Andrew Franks, kicker: Miami has found various ways to win this season. But one way it had not won was via a game-winning field goal. Franks nailed a clutch 55-yard field goal to force overtime and followed that with a 27-yard kick to win the game in overtime. Franks has had his ups and downs this season, but came through in a huge spot.
4. Neville Hewitt, linebacker: The Dolphins struggled defensively. But Hewitt was one of the few bright spots and posted his best game of the season. He filled in for injured starter Jelani Jenkins and had nine tackles, which included 2.5 stops for losses.
