The Dolphins lose a third straight game, but the media hasn’t written them off yet.
As the Miami Dolphins fall to 2-6 with their 30-27 loss to division rival, the Buffalo Bills, it seems that all hope is lost for a 2024 playoff run.
Judging by their record, that seems to be the case, but their play against the Bills suggests otherwise.
Though the Dolphins have lost both games with Tua Tagovailoa back in the lineup, the offense looks as good as ever. Not as flashy, or explosive as the 70-point Denver Broncos game, but as efficient and balanced as their fans could hope for.
The Dolphins have never been able to contain Josh Allen without some help from the Jimmy Dean sun in Miami cooking the Bills sideline, and Sunday was no different. As true as that is, Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ offense was just as dominant, and if they got the ball back for a two-minute drill, I’d bet my house that they would’ve won the game or at least sent it into overtime.
The narrative of the Dolphins offense being back has stuck with the media in regards to this week’s rankings.
A more favorable matchup against Mathew Stafford, for the sole reason that he’s not super athletic, could result in the Dolphins’ biggest win of the year and could spring them into a winning streak over the next four games.
I’m just saying, it’s not off the board and most of the media isn’t ready to write them off either.
NFL
- Ranked #24 – Previously ranked #23 (-1)
“What if I told you Tua Tagovailoa hasn’t been the problem — in fact, he’s been better than he was before his latest concussion — but that the Dolphins still can’t figure out how to win games? Miami has now lost three straight heartbreakers, and two with Tua, that all have come down to the final minute. In all three, the defense allowed the opponent to take the lead in the final minutes. The Dolphins’ D was really disciplined early against the Bills, forcing Josh Allen into short throws and intercepting him in the red zone. Miami was also running the ball extremely well until Raheem Mostert coughed up a key fumble and the tide started turning Buffalo’s way. The Fins hung tough, and they finally started to get Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle involved in the offensive game plan, but it’s yet another one that slipped away. The season is now on the brink at 2-6, facing the red-hot Rams in L.A. on Monday night. It’s then or never.”
ESPN
- Ranked #23 – Previously ranked #23 (<—>)
“Looking ahead is a luxury reserved for teams whose seasons aren’t on the line. The most important game for the Dolphins, to borrow a term from many football coaches over the years, is the next one. If the Dolphins fall to 2-7, a playoff run would require perfection through the final eight games of the season. ESPN’s FPI gives Miami a 6.6% chance at making the playoffs; another loss probably would shift focus from the 2024 season to the 2025 draft.” — Marcel Louis-Jacques
CBS Sports
- Ranked #23 – Previously ranked #30 (+7)
“Their season is over. They badly needed to win that game at Buffalo, but fell just short. The defense has let them down.”
Bleacher Report
- Ranked #23 – Previously ranked #23 (<—>)
“The Miami Dolphins faced an absolute must-win game Sunday after injuries wrecked the front half of the season. Beat the Bills in Buffalo, and Miami’s season still had a pulse. Lose, and not only was the AFC East a pipe dream, but the team’s odds of making the playoffs were on life support.
However, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had beaten the Bills only once in his career. While Miami gave the Bills all they could handle, a 61-yard field goal put Buffalo way out front in the AFC East and left the Dolphins wondering what comes next.
The offense played well again, with Tua Tagovailoa throwing only three incomplete passes all game. And despite another loss, Tagovailoa told reporters that the he feels like the Dolphins are headed in the right direction.
“Hats off to Tyler Bass for making that. Hats off to their team, they did a great job. It was a great game,” said Tagovailoa. “There’s things that we could fix on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively, but I think we’re taking a step in the right direction as a team.”
Miami’s record and a defense that has allowed 30 points in back-to-back games say differently.
Analyst’s Take
“Sunday brought a desperation game for the Dolphins, and they fell short again. I don’t see Miami rebounding from 2-6, and I have serious concerns about where this franchise goes moving forward.
“The Dolphins have invested a ton into building an elite offense around Tagovailoa, but that hasn’t been enough. The defense has blown chances to win in back-to-back games, and avoidable mistakes have been part of the problem.
“We know what Miami’s identity is supposed to be—a team that scores fast and scores too often for opponents to keep pace. It would behoove the Dolphins to find something else on which they can hang their hat.”” — Knox
Sports Illustrated
- Ranked #25 – Previously ranked #24 (-1)
“Even with Tua back at quarterback, the Miami Dolphins could not get over the hump by beating the Buffalo Bills. Kind of sums up the Mike McDaniel era in Miami.”
Fox Sports
- Ranked #21 – Previously ranked #25 (+4)
“Miami’s record suggests they’re one of the worst teams in the league, but the Dolphins look immeasurably better with Tua Tagovailoa back in the lineup. Of course, they are still 0-2 since he returned, and it kind of feels like they just handed the AFC East to Buffalo. I’m still not ready to completely write them off.”
I know last week I said that the season was on its last legs, but those legs still haven’t completely withered away yet. Record-wise, the season looks as good as done, but the way the offense has played the last two weeks gives enough hope for a positive outlook in the next couple of weeks.
If the Dolphins can beat the Rams, who are a respectable team, they have a favorable schedule over the next month and could make it back to .500. From there, who knows what can happen.
As bad as the outlook of the 2024 season is presently, the Dolphins have a puncher’s chance to get the season back on track, and that starts with a big win in a prime-time spot. If not, its done done.
Let us know in the comments where you think the Miami Dolphins should be ranked in the NFL power rankings.
