%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20163.6%2029.6%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%20163.6%2029.6%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22GUIDES%22%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M33.3%2C25.1V8.3h6.1c4.8%2C0%2C8.4%2C3.1%2C8.4%2C8.4s-3.6%2C8.4-8.4%2C8.4L33.3%2C25.1z%20M39.2%2C22.1c2.8%2C0%2C5.1-1.7%2C5.1-5.4%0A%09%09s-2.3-5.4-5.1-5.4h-2.7v10.7L39.2%2C22.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M60.4%2C19.3c0.1%2C3.4-2.5%2C6.3-5.9%2C6.4c-3.4%2C0.1-6.3-2.5-6.4-5.9c0-0.2%2C0-0.3%2C0-0.5c-0.1-3.4%2C2.5-6.3%2C5.9-6.4%0A%09%09c3.4-0.1%2C6.3%2C2.5%2C6.4%2C5.9C60.4%2C18.9%2C60.4%2C19.1%2C60.4%2C19.3z%20M57.2%2C19.3c0-1.7-1.3-3-3-3s-3%2C1.3-3%2C3s1.3%2C3%2C3%2C3S57.2%2C20.9%2C57.2%2C19.3z%22%0A%09%09%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M61.5%2C25.1V8h3.2v17.1H61.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M66.7%2C29.6V13.5h3.1v1.4c0.8-1.1%2C2.2-1.8%2C3.6-1.7c3.4%2C0%2C5.4%2C2.6%2C5.4%2C6.1s-2.2%2C6.1-5.5%2C6.1%0A%09%09c-1.3%2C0.1-2.5-0.4-3.4-1.4v5.6H66.7z%20M72.8%2C16c-1.7%2C0-3%2C1.4-2.9%2C3.1c0%2C0.1%2C0%2C0.1%2C0%2C0.2c-0.2%2C1.6%2C1%2C3.1%2C2.7%2C3.3c0.1%2C0%2C0.2%2C0%2C0.2%2C0%0A%09%09c1.6%2C0%2C2.9-1.2%2C2.9-3.3c0.1-1.7-1.1-3.1-2.7-3.3C72.9%2C16%2C72.8%2C16%2C72.8%2C16z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M83.1%2C25.1h-3.2V8h3.2v6.5c0.8-0.9%2C2-1.3%2C3.2-1.3c3%2C0%2C4.4%2C2.1%2C4.4%2C4.6v7.3h-3.2v-6.8c0.1-1.1-0.7-2.2-1.8-2.3%0A%09%09c-0.1%2C0-0.3%2C0-0.4%2C0c-1.2%2C0-2.2%2C1-2.2%2C2.2c0%2C0%2C0%2C0.1%2C0%2C0.1V25.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M94.1%2C7.7c1.1%2C0%2C1.9%2C0.9%2C1.9%2C2c0%2C1.1-0.9%2C1.9-2%2C1.9c-1%2C0-1.8-0.9-1.9-1.9c0-1.1%2C0.8-2%2C1.9-2%0A%09%09C94%2C7.7%2C94%2C7.7%2C94.1%2C7.7z%20M92.5%2C25.1V13.5h3.1v11.6H92.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M100.9%2C25.1h-3.2V13.5h3.1v1.4c0.7-1.1%2C2-1.8%2C3.4-1.8c2.9%2C0%2C4.3%2C2.1%2C4.3%2C4.6v7.3h-3.2v-6.8%0A%09%09c0.1-1.1-0.7-2.2-1.8-2.3c-0.1%2C0-0.3%2C0-0.4%2C0c-1.2%2C0-2.2%2C1-2.2%2C2.2c0%2C0.1%2C0%2C0.1%2C0%2C0.2L100.9%2C25.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M112%2C21.3c0.1%2C1.1%2C1.1%2C1.9%2C2.2%2C1.8c1.1%2C0%2C1.6-0.5%2C1.6-1.2s-0.4-1-1.3-1.1l-1.6-0.4c-2.3-0.5-3.3-1.9-3.3-3.5%0A%09%09c0-2.1%2C1.9-3.8%2C4.4-3.8c3.3%2C0%2C4.5%2C2.1%2C4.6%2C3.4l-2.7%2C0.6c-0.1-1-1-1.7-1.9-1.6c-0.8%2C0-1.5%2C0.5-1.5%2C1.2c0%2C0.7%2C0.4%2C0.9%2C1.1%2C1l1.7%2C0.4%0A%09%09c2.3%2C0.5%2C3.5%2C1.9%2C3.5%2C3.6c0%2C1.9-1.5%2C3.8-4.6%2C3.8c-3.5%2C0-4.8-2.3-4.9-3.6L112%2C21.3z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M151.1%2C8.9l12.4-8.3c0.1-0.1%2C0.2-0.2%2C0.1-0.3c0-0.1-0.2-0.2-0.3-0.2h-34.4c-1.9%2C0-2.5%2C1.1-2.5%2C3v22%0A%09%09c0%2C1%2C3.4-2.5%2C6.4-5.6h30.4c0.2%2C0%2C0.4-0.2%2C0.4-0.3c0-0.1-0.1-0.2-0.2-0.3l-12.2-8.2c-0.3-0.2-0.4-0.5-0.4-0.8%0A%09%09C150.6%2C9.4%2C150.8%2C9.1%2C151.1%2C8.9z%20M137.3%2C6.3c0%2C0.1-0.1%2C0.2-0.1%2C0.2c0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C0h-4.7v2.3h4.2c0.1%2C0%2C0.2%2C0.1%2C0.2%2C0.2v1.9%0A%09%09c0%2C0.1-0.1%2C0.2-0.2%2C0.2h-4.2v3.9c0%2C0.1-0.1%2C0.2-0.2%2C0.2h-2.2c-0.1%2C0-0.2-0.1-0.2-0.2V4.4c0-0.1%2C0.1-0.2%2C0.2-0.2h7.1%0A%09%09c0.1%2C0%2C0.2%2C0.1%2C0.2%2C0.2c0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C0V6.3z%20M148.5%2C14.9c0%2C0.1-0.1%2C0.2-0.2%2C0.2l0%2C0H146c-0.1%2C0-0.1%2C0-0.1-0.1l-4.8-7v6.9%0A%09%09c0%2C0.1-0.1%2C0.2-0.2%2C0.2h-2.2c-0.1%2C0-0.1-0.1-0.1-0.2V4.4c0-0.1%2C0.1-0.2%2C0.2-0.2h2.7c0.1%2C0%2C0.1%2C0%2C0.1%2C0.1l4.4%2C6.5V4.4%0A%09%09c0-0.1%2C0.1-0.2%2C0.2-0.2l0%2C0h2.2c0.1%2C0%2C0.2%2C0.1%2C0.2%2C0.2c0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C0L148.5%2C14.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M11.8%2C21.2H4.9L3.5%2C25H0L6.5%2C8.2h3.8L16.8%2C25h-3.6L11.8%2C21.2z%20M6%2C18.2h4.6l-2.3-6.3L6%2C18.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M17.3%2C25V7.9h3.2V25H17.3z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M22.5%2C25V7.9h3.1V25H22.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Could Dolphins Be the Last Undefeated Team in 2024?
The Miami Dolphins got off to a great start in each of Mike McDaniel's two seasons as a head coach, and a home-heavy early schedule certainly has helped improve the possibility of making it three in a row.
Based on opening lines from the DraftKings Sportsbook, the Dolphins even have a chance to do better than the 3-0 starts of 2022 and 2023, as they're favored in each of their first seven games.
So what about the possibility of the Dolphins having not only their best start under McDaniel, but the best start of any team in the NFL in 2024?
They're certainly in the mix, based on odds from FanDuel, which has Miami as the sixth-favorite for being the last undefeated team in the NFL.
The Dolphins are at plus-1400 for that distinction, trailing only the favorite San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals.
The Dolphins have been the last team to lose a game around the league four times before, starting obviously with the 1972 season when they never lost, period.
It also happened in 1984 when Dan Marino led the Dolphins to an 11-0 start during his record-breaking season, in 1992 when the Dolphins started 6-0 in the last season that ended with an appearance in the AFC Championship Game, and most recently in 1995 when Don Shula's final season as head coach began with a 4-0 start.
BEING THE LAST TEAM TO WIN A GAME AND OTHER ODDS
On the flip side, the Dolphins are tied for 23rd in odds to be the last team to win a game at plus-6500. The New England Patriots are the favorites for that unenviable honor and the 49ers are the longest shot.
The Dolphins have been the last team to win a game twice — in 2004 when they started 0-6 before Dave Wannstedt was fired as head coach after nine games, and in 2007 when they started 0-13 in Cam Cameron's first and only season as head coach.
In terms of being able to go 17-0, Kansas City is the favorite there at plus-6000, while the Dolphins are 11th favorites at plus-21,000.
Lastly, the Dolphins are among the 13 teams deemed most unlikely to go 0-17 based on the odds of plus-100,000. New England was given the lowest odds of going winless at plus-600.
**Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
**If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER
RELATED STORIES
-- Dolphins Schedule Spotlight: Opening With Two Home Games
-- Dolphins Schedule Spotlight: Closing with Two on the Road
-- Dolphins Schedule Spotlight: The Rest Disadvantage
-- Dolphins Schedule Spotlight: Thursday Night at Home
ALAIN POUPART
Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of AllDolphins.com and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.