How can I be so sure? Because it's still 2008.

This was the year when 18-0 wasn't good enough.

When the Tampa Bay Rays made the World Series.

When Tiger had his greatest triumph.

When Nadal and Federer played the best tennis match ever.

When the Boston Celtics and Kansas Jayhawks hung banners for the first time in way too long.

When Danica Patrick finally won.

When Annika Sorenstam walked away.

When Greg Norman turned back the clock.

When Alabama and Penn State returned to prominence.

When Brett Favre became quarterback of the New York Jets.

In 2008, the unimaginable became possible. The improbable almost routine. So, the year which began with the Dolphins having the first pick in the NFL draft, shall end with Miami winning the AFC East.

It's pretty routine when you think about it. I mean all that had to happen was for the Patriots to lose Tom Brady with a knee injury in the first quarter of the season. Then the Dolphins had to gut their roster, while picking up their best quarterback since Dan Marino off the scrapheap just a month before the season-opener.

On top of that, the Bills and Jets had to fall apart like the economy - and at roughly the same time.

How could we all not see this coming?

The Dolphins' success is because they were simple and fancy. The simple was committing an NFL record-low number of turnovers (12) in a season. The fancy was shocking the NFL with the "Wildcat" formation. These things may work in college, but never on Sundays. Except that the Wildcat is really a glorified version of the 1940's Wing-T.

So what's old is really new again. Even in the NFL.

Throw in a soft schedule (only two wins vs. teams with a winning record - the Patriots and Broncos), some breaks along the way (why would the Bills play Miami in a Toronto dome in December instead of outside in a Buffalo snowstorm?) and you are on the verge of something that could only happen in 2008.

If Miami - I mean, when Miami - wins today, you could make the case it's the franchise's greatest achievement since winning Super Bowl VIII. The Dolphins have won a lot of games in the last 35 years but not many big ones.

* Playoff Wins: 12 (vs. 17 losses)

* AFC Championships: 2

* Road playoff wins: 1

* Super Bowls: 0

Even if that's going a bit too far, what's not is how hungry their fans are these days. The Dolphins used to be one of the elite franchises in the NFL. Now, they are just another team in the AFC East. Don Shula used to coach them. Dan Marino used to play for them.

They are a franchise with a glorious past. Period. Until today.

A win vs. the archrival Jets eliminates them, and likely does the same to the hated Patriots. Now that's a 2-for-1 holiday deal too good to pass up! A win today and they have a present and a future.

The Miami Dolphins were a punch line a year ago, finishing 1-15. Las Vegas predicted Miami would win no more than six games this year. By the way, one more today makes 11.

So it is only fitting that this sports year for the ages, goes out not with a whimper, but a bang. The Dolphins will complete the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history with a win today vs. the Jets to capture the AFC East.

Then again, maybe that bang I'm thinking of is the Detroit Lions losing today to finish 0-16. That would be one for the ages.

Upon further review, a Dolphins win might be asking a bit too much.

Even from 2008.

David Moulton is co-host of "Miller and Moulton in the Afternoon". The radio show airs weekdays from 3-6:30 p.m. on AM 770/ESPN. You can e-mail David directly at sportsgoober@hotmail.com