Week 17 Dolphins Power Rankings Roundup
The Miami Dolphins' wild victory against the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday night kept its playoff push going, and now they head into Week 17 in control of their destiny.
The win also moved the Dolphins into the top 10 in a couple of national NFL power rankings, and they're now ninth for both USA Today and CBS Sports.
The Dolphins moved up in four of the seven national weekly rankings we have been monitoring, though they surprisingly fell one spot in another.
Here's a roundup of the power rankings with the Dolphins' rankings last week in parentheses.
Ranking: No. 12 (12)
Analysis: "I’d start Ryan Fitzpatrick in Buffalo next week, but I’ve also yet to get called in to interview for a single head-coaching vacancy. Yet. I worry not just for the short-term outcome (Miami will need to score points in January), but that Tua Tagovailoa is developing into an excruciatingly conservative decision-maker—it’s easier to rein in an aggressive young quarterback than properly recalibrate the risk assessment of an overly cautious one. (Though I also understand why cautious quarterbacks tend to appeal to defensive head coaches.)"
Ranking: No. 12 (13)
Analysis: "'Twas Peak Fitzmagic. Ryan Fitzpatrick replaced an ineffective Tua Tagovailoa and led the Dolphins to a 26-25 win over the Raiders that will go down as one of the most unlikely victories in team history. After the game, Brain Flores told reporters he'll stick with his rookie QB as the starter for Sunday's win-and-in Week 17 matchup against the Bills. Of course, there's a script in place now: Tua is the starter, but Fitzpatrick is the relief pitcher who can take it home. "I don't want to put any labels on it," Flores said of his unconventional two-man QB rotation. You can make a strong case that Fitzpatrick has done more than enough to regain the starting job, but Flores has pulled the right levers all year. Let's see if he does it again."
Ranking: No. 12 (12)
Analysis on what should be the team's New Year's resolution: "Add more explosive playmakers to help Tua Tagovailoa — The Dolphins spent the 2020 offseason finding their QB in Tagovailoa and loading up in the trenches to build a playoff team. The biggest weakness left might be the lack of playmaking receivers and running backs who can separate from defenders while making plays in the open field. With two first- and second-round picks, including an expected top-5 pick via Houston, the Dolphins have the resources to secure multiple upgrades here."
Ranking: No. 9 (12)
Analysis: "That was an amazing victory against the Raiders. That's the sign of good coaching, but they now have a quarterback controversy of sorts."
Ranking: No. 13 (12)
Analysis: "The final game of the Saturday slate really got crazy when Miami replaced Tua Tagovailoa with Ryan Fitzpatrick. A key to this game was Miami’s ability to control the football, even when Tua was at quarterback, and the Dolphins ended up with over 33 minutes of possession time. But a bigger key was taking advantage of Las Vegas’ mistakes, something that the Dolphins have done all year long. The Dolphins are now 10-5 and with a win at Buffalo in Week 17 are guaranteed a playoff appearance."
Ranking: No. 12 (13)
Analysis: "Ryan Fitzpatrick’s pass while getting his head turned around by a facemask grab is one of the wildest plays you’ll see. The fact that it could be the reason the Dolphins make the playoff makes it potentially legendary."
Ranking: No. 9 (12)
Analysis: "Really have to admire how Brian Flores is managing his quarterbacks ... and how Tua Tagovailoa and Ryan Fitzpatrick are navigating their starter-reliever situation."
