I’ll admit it. I did not believe in these Miami Dolphins.
I thought the Dolphins had talent — you can’t deny Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle leaving defensive backs grabbing at air every Sunday. And, for as much as I didn’t think Tua Tagovailoa was “special,” I could still acknowledge he was a plus starter; a guy who makes a real difference in an offense predicated on timing and erasing defenders’ angles quickly.
But there was something missing. Was it the mediocre defense? Was the Dolphins’ offense sustainable for an entire season?
Boy, do I feel terribly wrong.
Three weeks into the second year of the Mike McDaniel era, the Dolphins are a buzzsaw. They’re No. 1 in total offense, points per game (43.3!!!), and are already well over 1,000 passing yards. They’ve got the most efficient attack in the sport and look unstoppable. Hill and Waddle continue to prove unguardable. Tagovailoa has taken a definite step toward stardom with decisiveness best exemplified by an absurdly fast-throwing release. Raheem Mostert has continued showing he’s one of the NFL’s more underrated tailbacks. And Devon Achane is an electric sparkplug constructed expressly to embarrass defenders in the open field.
Oh, and that defense? While not a remarkable shutdown unit by any means, Vic Fangio’s players have surprisingly held up well enough in the absence of Jalen Ramsey. Besides, you have more leeway to gel together when your offense could break most relevant professional football records.
I don’t know whether the Dolphins will finally break through with another long-awaited Super Bowl by the end of the season. The AFC is a running gauntlet of superpowers, making it impossible to definitively predict who will even win the conference amidst a bloodbath.
But these Dolphins feel like they’ve got that magic touch. That distinction only the truly great teams possess.
At the very least, I can say I believe in their chances. Even if they don’t get it this year, I believe in Tagovailoa-McDaniel revitalizing football in South Beach and, one day, bringing that Super Bowl back. I stand corrected. They’ve got the goods, and I can’t wait to see how they continue to humiliate teams.
Here are For The Win’s NFL power rankings for Week 4 of the 2023 season, which appropriately feature these mighty Dolphins. — Robert Zeglinski
32
Chicago Bears
Last week’s rank: 32
Justin Fields looks like a bust, the Bears’ defense is the NFL’s worst for the second year running, and Chicago’s incompetent coaches are the worst possible people to avert this tailspin. At this rate, the Bears might own both the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. So, there’s hope, I suppose, but it’s seven months away. Bear down. (Literally.) — RZ
31
Denver Broncos
Last week’s rank: 28
Sean Payton talked all that trash about Nathaniel Hackett, only to be at the helm of an even worse Broncos team, somehow. And correct me if I’m wrong: Hackett’s Broncos never surrendered 70 points. What a masterclass in karma coming back around with force so quickly. — RZ
30
Carolina Panthers
Last week’s rank: 29
Bryce Young is hurt. No, scratch that. Bryce Young is hurt, and the Panthers can’t use him on quarterback sneaks. No, let me rephrase that again. Bryce Young is hurt, the Panthers can’t use him on quarterback sneaks, and they’ve surrounded him with offensive talent that will likely stunt his development. What a mess. — RZ
29
Tennessee Titans
Last week’s rank: 25
Sometimes, Mike Vrabel’s teams will put up a fight. And sometimes, they’ll fight back and still get flattened like pancakes. This was demonstrated on Sunday in Cleveland. The Titans are scrappy, which is admirable, but their overall roster might be bottom-five in the NFL. — RZ
28
Minnesota Vikings
Last week’s rank: 22
Nine turnovers in three games. Five have come inside their opponent’s 25-yard line. Three have come at their opponent’s two-yard line or deeper. This is incredible. The Vikings are hilarious. — Christian D’Andrea
27
Las Vegas Raiders
Last week’s rank: 21
Josh McDaniels, you gotta go. Davante Adams and Maxx Crosby, you can stay. — CD
26
Houston Texans
Last week’s rank: 30
Through three games, C.J. Stroud already has 906 passing yards. Only the rookie versions of Cam Newton and Justin Herbert had more. It looks like DeMeco Ryans’ Texans have struck gold at quarterback with Stroud — a fantastic sign for Houston’s long-term future. — RZ
25
New York Jets
Last week’s rank: 15
Robert Saleh says he still believes in Zach Wilson, but he’s definitely lying through his teeth. The former top-two pick remains one of the NFL’s worst starters and is once again cratering an otherwise gifted Jets roster. Someone in New York better make a move for another quarterback soon. — RZ
24
Arizona Cardinals
Last week’s rank: 31
It turns out Jonathan Gannon’s seemingly milquetoast mannerisms mean nothing when it comes to football. The talent-bereft Cardinals have no business staying in every game, much less stealing wins from the loaded Cowboys. Now, Kyler Murray might walk back into a situation where Arizona has two potential top-five draft picks in the spring. Phew. — RZ
23
New York Giants
Last week’s rank: 19
Daniel Jones’ EPA/CPOE (expected points added and completion percentage over expected) in 2022: No. 16 overall (.101).
Daniel Jones’ EPA/CPOE in 2023: No. 26 overall (.018).
Brian Daboll had to know he couldn’t hide him forever … right? — RZ
22
New England Patriots
Last week’s rank: 26
The Patriots’ defense remains legit, though you don’t get bonus points for harassing — then nearly losing to — Zach Wilson. Keeping Breece Hall and the rushing offense to just 38 yards was a statement, however, that there are no easy outs in New England. The offense remains iffy, as consistent contributors are a luxury these Patriots don’t have, and relying on Ezekiel Elliott and Pharoah Brown each week would be a rough sled. — CD
21
Pittsburgh Steelers
Last week’s rank: 23
Pittsburgh is 2-1 and has a brutalizing front seven. But the secondary has lapses at cornerback — which is how you let Jimmy Garoppolo throw for 300-plus yards against you — and the offense is (long, sharp sound of air being sucked over teeth). Kenny Pickett took a needed step forward against the league’s 31st-ranked defense in Week 3, but he remains a low-impact passer who has built little trust in his second season as a starter. — CD
20
Indianapolis Colts
Last week’s rank: 27
Whatever buttons Shane Steichen is pushing, they seem to be working in Indianapolis. Even without Anthony Richardson, the Colts strolled into Baltimore and stole a game in which their quarterback literally pulled an “Orlovsky” in the closing moments. Is this 2-1 team good? Probably not. But they’re proving far feistier than we imagined. — RZ
19
Washington Commanders
Last week’s rank: 18
Sam Howell disintegrated, and the Bills scattered the remaining ashes to the wind. That dulls the luster of what had been a better-than-expected start, but it’s difficult to get too upset over a second-year quarterback’s fourth game. Now we’ll wait and see if that was an outlier or a signal the rest of the league has studied up on Howell and is ready to pounce. — CD
18
Jacksonville Jaguars
Last week’s rank: 10
The 2023 season was supposed to be a Jaguars’ Renaissance. We were going to watch Trevor “Golden Boy” Lawrence ascend to his throne as the king of a genuine Super Bowl contender. Instead, due to injuries, lack of cohesion, and general Jaguars-ness, Jacksonville’s lackluster offense has scored 57 points in three games. Oh, and they’re in third place in the AFC South behind two teams with rookie starting quarterbacks. Lawrence and Co. are easily the most disappointing NFL squad thus far. — RZ
17
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last week’s rank: 20
The bloom was coming off the onion at some point. Philly bullied this Tampa team up front and proved the deterioration of this offensive line remains a problem. That defense certainly looks good enough to push for a playoff spot in a disheveled NFC South, though. — CD
16
Cleveland Browns
Last week’s rank: 24
Deshaun Watson, traded for despite more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct and what the NFL itself described as “predatory behavior,” played his best game as a Brown in Week 3. That’s nice, but the headline here is a swarming defense that’s playing at an elite level. The Browns’ -0.393 EPA per play is by far the lowest mark in the NFL — and more than three times better than the 49ers’ league-leading 2022 number. — CD
15
Los Angeles Rams
Last week’s rank: 14
Aaron Donald remains a wrecking ball, and a defense that’s comprised of mostly new additions is playing better than expected. Unfortunately, the offensive line couldn’t hold up, and the hot starts of Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams went with it. — CD
14
Los Angeles Chargers
Last week’s rank: 17
Brandon Staley opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 at his own 24-yard line while protecting a four-point lead with under two minutes to play on the road. That’s fine, or at least there’s some logic to it. Running the ball right up the gut with a running back who’d run for 11 yards on 10 carries, however, was not. The Chargers got their first win of the season because the football gods finally found a team they hate more (and it’s led by Kirk Cousins), but Staley cannot persist. — CD
13
New Orleans Saints
Last week’s rank: 13
Losing the stability Derek Carr brings behind center, even if only for a few weeks, is a problem. So too is a defense that baffled Jordan Love for three quarters before getting gassed. Getting Jamaal Williams back from injury and Alvin Kamara back from suspension will help Jameis Winston’s latest reboot. They’ll be tasked with keeping New Orleans afloat in a surprisingly competitive NFC South. — CD
12
Atlanta Falcons
Last week’s rank: 11
Desmond Ridder is a rusty anchor on an otherwise very good Falcons team. Through three games, Ridder has just 553 total passing yards (184 per game) and is averaging only 6.3 yards per pass attempt. Once again, Kyle Pitts and Drake London are proving useless when they don’t have a quarterback who can get them the ball. Atlanta should still push for an NFC playoff spot, but there’s a ceiling on its aspirations, barring marked improvement from Ridder. — RZ
11
Cincinnati Bengals
Last week’s rank: 16
Joe Burrow is clearly not himself, and Joe Mixon remains as inconsistent as he was in 2022, leaving behind a trick-or-treat offense that’s rarely satisfying. But Ja’Marr Chase got back on his horse and, along with Logan Wilson, ensured this wouldn’t be an 0-3 start. That gives Burrow a little more leeway should his bum calf continue to bother him. — CD
10
Green Bay Packers
Last week’s rank: 12
Jordan Love looked overwhelmed for three quarters — 45 minutes in which Alontae Taylor locked him in a dungeon — then came through with a furious fourth-quarter rally to turn a 17-point deficit into an 18-17 win. I’m still not sold on his deep ball, and the bulk of his impressive numbers come from easy short-range targets to open receivers, but Matt LaFleur has put him in a position to thrive, and Week 3 proved he can be Green Bay’s huckleberry in a comeback effort. — CD
9
Baltimore Ravens
Last week’s rank: 4
“Injuries are absolutely crushing the Baltimore Ravens,” he said for the fifth straight year. Lamar Jackson’s receiving corps has once again been shredded, his running backs decimated, and the defensive secondary dismantled.
RAVENS CURRENT INJURIES:
𝙊𝙁𝙁𝙀𝙉𝙎𝙀:
•RB JK Dobbins
•RB Justice Hill
•RB Gus Edwards
•RB Keaton Mitchell
•WR Odell Beckham Jr.
•WR Rashod Bateman
•WR Tylan Wallace
•C Tyler Linderbaum
•OG Andrew Vorhees
•LT Ronnie Stanley
•LS Nick Moore𝘿𝙀𝙁𝙀𝙉𝙎𝙀:
•CB…— Ravens Nation LIVE (@LIVERavenNation) September 24, 2023
And it’s Week 3. Go fix your training staff, Baltimore. — CD
8
Seattle Seahawks
Last week’s rank: 9
Seattle shook off some early-season cobwebs by scoring 74 points (!) in its last two games. We’re at the stage where it’s obvious the Seahawks can do whatever they want on offense. Geno Smith lobs to D.K. Metcalf? Sure, it usually works. A powerful running game led by Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet? Yes, absolutely, c’mon now. At this rate, I’d be shocked if offensive coordinator Shane Waldron isn’t getting calls for coaching vacancies by November. — RZ
7
Detroit Lions
Last week’s rank: 8
How much should we take from Sunday’s defensive effort in a 20-6 win over the Falcons? Sure, the Detroit pass rush remained fierce, but Desmond Ridder’s ball placement and general waywardness does sorta put a damper on things. On the other hand, the Lions completely crushed what had been a gashing rushing attack and exposed the flaws in Arthur Smith’s grand design, so … pretty good. — CD
6
Buffalo Bills
Last week’s rank: 7
The Bills are on a tear after spontaneously combusting to start the season. Aside from the usual brilliance of Josh Allen, it’s the Buffalo defense that isn’t messing around. The unit has allowed just 29 points in three games and, by sitting at the top of most relevant metrics, certainly resembles a championship-caliber force. The scary part? The Bills are doing all of this without Von Miller, who should rejoin the team soon. — RZ
5
Dallas Cowboys
Last week’s rank: 1
Listen, weird things happen when you play the Arizona Cardinals — a team that gave up 31 second-half points to the New York Giants, a squad Dallas torched to a crisp like cosmic flotsam crashing into a hostile atmosphere. Dak Prescott morphing into Kirk Cousins in that fourth quarter is something that bears further observation, however. — CD
4
Kansas City Chiefs
Last week’s rank: 6
Congratulations to Taylor Swift, who proved her dominion over us by forcing the world to watch a Bears game in 2023. At least Patrick Mahomes made it entertaining. — CD
3
Philadelphia Eagles
Last week’s rank: 5
Philadelphia has the run game and blocking to grind you into powder and a defensive front capable of collapsing pockets and consistently generating havoc plays. Jalen Hurts’ passing efficiency could use some work — his two red zone interceptions were positively Kirk Cousins-esque — but yep, these Eagles are goooooood again. — CD
2
Miami Dolphins
Last week’s rank: 3
Tyreek Hill is right: Tua Tagovailoa is special. The Dolphins’ fourth-year starting quarterback has thrown eight touchdown passes in three games and already has over 1,000 passing yards. He’s also the game’s most efficient passer. Put another way: Tagovailoa is the spearhead of the AFC’s only remaining undefeated team. He also looks like he might be the guy to take Miami back to the Super Bowl for the first time in nearly 40 years. — RZ
1
San Francisco 49ers
Last week’s rank: 2
The 49ers defense has allowed four touchdowns in three games. They’ve scored 30 points each week like clockwork. That Brock Purdy-led offense has turned the ball over just once, and his 0.341 EPA/play is the second-best among all NFL quarterbacks. San Francisco might not merely be Niners-good this fall; 2023 could finally be the team’s championship breakthrough. — CD
