Where does the media rank the Dolphins in their NFL Power Ranking for week 2?
The first week of the 2024 NFL season has wrapped up and was not short of storylines. The Kansas City Chiefs look like they’re about to three-peat, the New York Jets looked like Superbowl contenders for all of five minutes, the Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Burrow look washed, and the Carolina Panthers look like they have a chance of losing every game this year.
The Miami Dolphins opened up their season with a gritty, grind-out win against the Jacksonville Jaguars and opened some eyes to the fact that they can win ugly games, not just high-scoring shootouts.
There has been mixed reaction to the win, with some signaling that the Jaguars lost more than the Dolphins won. Others credit the determination and resilience of Miami, coming back to win from the clutches of defeat.
We’ve collected the power rankings of highly respected NFL sites, and here’s where the Dolphins stand in terms of power rankings amongst the media.
NFL
- Ranked #9 – Previously ranked #11
“The run game was non-existent most of Sunday, and the Dolphins left a lot of points on the board with two turnovers on downs and a missed field goal. But Tyreek Hill streaked to the end zone on an 80-yard score following the game-changing forced fumble by Jevón Holland just before Travis Etienne was about to score. That 14-point swing and two Jason Sanders field goals, atoning for the earlier miss, were enough to get out alive against the Jags. De’Von Achane might not have done much on the ground, but his work as a receiver (seven catches for 76 yards) shows he’s expanding his game. I’m still bullish for now.”
ESPN
- Ranked #9 – Previously ranked #8 (-1)
“The Dolphins’ defensive performance in the second half of Sunday’s win over the Jaguars should give them confidence moving forward. Miami held Jacksonville to 0-for-5 on third down, forcing three three-and-outs and a four-play turnover on downs in six total series. The Dolphins’ defense pitched a second-half shutout in a comeback victory. Players raved about Weaver’s coaching style throughout the offseason, and their play in the face of a two-score deficit Sunday validated their feelings.” – Marcel Louis-Jacques
CBS Sports
- Ranked #10 – Previously ranked #14 (+4)
“They didn’t play great against the Jaguars, but found a way to pull it out with a game-winning field goal. Now comes their division nemesis in Josh Allen and the Bills on Thursday night.”
Bleacher Report
- Ranked #8 – Previously ranked #10 (+2)
““Over the first 30 minutes of Sunday’s tilt with the Jaguars, the Miami Dolphins looked nothing like the offensive juggernaut so many expected in 2024. By intermission, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa told reporters that he had had enough.
“We just needed to get our head out of our (butt),” Tagovailoa said. “That was it. That was it.”
The Dolphins did just that—and per James Trefry of Dolphins Wire, by the end of a comeback win, Tagovailoa’s stat line looked much more like we expected this season.
“A 336-yard, one touchdown, and no interception performance is a great start for Tagovailoa to kick off his 2024 campaign,” he said. “With a heavily injured group of wide receivers, Tagovailoa was forced to lean on Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, getting them both over the 100-yard mark. He also got second-year running back De’Von Achane involved in the pass game, connecting with him on all seven of his targets for 76 yards. The quick start to the year for Tagovailoa puts him in the early MVP conversation once again.”
Knox, however, remains skeptical.
“I had Miami outside of my top 10 entering the season, and Sunday’s ugly win against the Jaguars did nothing to change my mind,” he wrote. “We saw some explosive plays from Tyreek Hill and De’Von Achane, but the Dolphins never really establish an offensive rhythm. Inconsistent offensive line play was a factor in that, just as it was when the line dealt with injuries late last season.
“Right now, the Dolphins look a lot like they did in late December and in their wild-card loss to the Chiefs. They have loads of talent and they’ll generate the occasional splash play, but they need to find their groove, and quickly, if they hope to be a Super Bowl threat in 2024.””
Sports Illustrated
- Ranked #12 – Previously ranked #13 (+1)
“The Dolphins faced some serious attrition early in the game. Mike McDaniel talks a lot about adversity and this is a nice yield sign for a team that normally outscores its opponents over the early months like they play in the Sun Belt. The Jaguars helped with some critical mistakes but, like the Bills, Miami got some critical contributions from a defense that needed some early-season flowers to build confidence.”
Fox Sports
- Ranked #12 – Previously ranked #16 (+4)
“There wasn’t a crazier momentum swing in Week 1 than the Dolphins preventing a Jaguars touchdown on one snap and scoring one of their own on the next. The Dolphins probably don’t want to make a habit of clawing back from 10-point deficits, but this win showed a resiliency that has often been lacking in Miami.”
From all the analysis from above, it’s safe to conclude that the Dolphins are starting to shake away the 2023 narrative of being soft and front runners, but they can do a lot more to sure up their case as one of the best teams in the league by beating their big brother on Thursday.
Yes, I called the Buffalo Bills the Dolphins big brother. Big Brother has beaten up Miami more times than I care to remember, and the Dolphins cannot be presented as Superbowl contenders until they can get out of the Bills shadow.
If the Dolphins can “eat a W” on Thursday Night Football, it’ll not only help win the division and host a playoff game but can make believers out of the media too. Until then, they’ll barely crack the top ten.
