Week 14 Dolphins Power Rankings Roundup
For a second consecutive week, the Miami Dolphins saw only minimal gains in most national NFL power rankings after they defeated an inferior opponent.
This time it was the Cincinnati Bengals, who the Dolphins defeated 19-7 at Hard Rock Stadium after trailing 7-6 at halftime.
The Dolphins' biggest jump came in the Yahoo rankings, which moved them from 14th to 11th. The Dolphins now range from a high of ninth to a low of 14th among the seven outlets we've analyzed all season.
Here's a roundup of the power rankings with the Dolphins' rankings last week in parentheses.
Ranking: No. 12 (12)
Analysis: "At this point, it might be a matter of when, not if Brian Flores starts separating from the pack to take home his Coach of the Year hardware."
Ranking: No. 14 (15)
Analysis: "Things were looking rough for the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa at halftime against Cincinnati on Sunday, but a switch was flipped when Brian Flores' team exited the locker room. Tua — making his return after missing one week with a thumb issue — went 13-of-16 for 167 yards and a touchdown in the third quarter as Miami took control. The defense handled the rest, piling up six sacks and two takeaways against a poor Bengals offense in a 19-7 win. One of those turnovers was forced by Xavien Howard, who collected his league-best eighth interception before being ejected for fighting with Cincinnati wide receiver Tyler Boyd late in the first half. A measuring-stick game awaits against the mighty Chiefs on Sunday."
Ranking: No. 13 (14)
Analysis (on the person with the most at stake): "Ogbah has been one of the best value signings of 2020 free agency, turning in the best year of his career after signing a two-year, $15 million deal. He is in the top 10 among all defenders in sacks, QB hits and QB pressures, quickly establishing himself as one of the Dolphins' best players. Ogbah has said he would love to have a long-term home in Miami, and with no guaranteed money left on his deal after 2020, he is a perfect candidate for a contract extension, as long as he stays healthy and finishes the season strong."
Ranking: No. 10 (12)
Analysis: "It was back to Tua Tagovailoa in the victory over the Bengals. He was OK, but they will need more this week against the Chiefs."
Ranking: No. 13 (13)
Analysis: "At the half, the Bengals led this game 7-6. Tua Tagovailoa started slow, as did the entire Miami offense. Tagovailoa got better as the game went along and is developing nice chemistry with Mike Gesicki. But as usual, Miami’s defense was their best unit, eliminating the Bengals running game and sacking Brandon Allen six times. Miami is 8-4 and is 7-1 in their last eight.
Ranking: No. 11 (14)
Analysis: "Tua Tagovailoa’s final stat line against the Bengals was good. He had 296 yards. But the Dolphins should get more than one touchdown on 10 drives against one of the league’s worst defenses. There’s a danger in being too critical of Tagovailoa because Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert came in and played so well right away."
Ranking: No. 9 (10)
Analysis: "Looking for a data point to illustrate their success? How about a league-best 18 consecutive games forcing a turnover? Less tangibly, pretty cool when a coach is literally primed to go fight for his players. We see you, Brian Flores."
