Post-Super Bowl Dolphins Power Rankings Roundup
The Miami Dolphins made big strides in 2020 when they improved their record by five games, even though they fell just short of making the playoffs.
In the process, they earned a lot of respect around the league and around the country, and that was apparent in power rankings through the second half of the season.
It didn't change much after the Super Bowl, with the Dolphins coming in between 12 and 15 in the seven national power rankings we began monitoring last fall.
Here's a roundup of the post-Super Bowl or early 2021 power rankings with the Dolphins.
Ranking: No. 13
Analysis: "It’s no surprise the Dolphins are our highest-ranked team on the outside of the playoff bubble."
Ranking: No. 12
Analysis: "Tua Tagovailoa labeled his rookie voyage with the Dolphins -- a season in which he was benched multiple times in favor of veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick -- as "below average." We respect the 22-year-old's candor, and you hope he'll get an opportunity to build his career in Miami. Rookie struggles aside, it's easy to forget that Tua came into the league off major hip surgery and without a traditional offseason due to the pandemic. In other words, it is far too early to make a snap judgment about his future in the NFL. Even with Deshaun Watson potentially on the market, Miami should think carefully about a quick pivot."
Ranking: No. 12
Analysis on offseason in three or fewer words: Believe in Tua?: "The Dolphins have given a strong public commitment to Tua Tagovailoa early in the offseason, naming him their 2021 starter, expressing confidence in his development and stating they expect him to take a Year 2 jump after an up-and-down rookie season. All of the Dolphins' early moves signal being all-in on Tagovailoa, but Miami is going to be in the thick of the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes and draft speculation for the next three months. So we are truly going to learn through the Dolphins' actions how much they believe in Tagovailoa as their franchise QB."
Ranking: No. 15
Analysis: "Their situation is this: Stick with Tua Tagovailoa or make a deal for Deshaun Watson. They are certainly moving in the right direction, but it's all about Tagovailoa's growth if they keep him."
Ranking: No. 13
Analysis: "The Dolphins are very much trending in the right direction. They won 10 games this year and outscored their opponents by 66 points."
Ranking: No. 15
Analysis: "If nothing else, we’re going to find out about Tua Tagovailoa’s mental toughness. To hear some of the criticisms of him, it’s already determined he’s not a great quarterback. He wasn’t as good as Justin Herbert or Joe Burrow, but most rookie quarterbacks aren’t. Being mentioned in trade rumors involving Deshaun Watson can’t help his confidence. If Tagovailoa is still the Dolphins’ quarterback, they’ll have to work on building him up."
Ranking: No. 12
Analysis: "They've got two offensive coordinators, two first-round picks, two really good corners ... but need to find out if they have one really good QB."
