Week 8 Dolphins Power Rankings Roundup
The Miami Dolphins were off last weekend, so their spot in national power rankings remains pretty steady from the previous week.
The Dolphins find themselves in the middle of pack in those rankings, with a high ranking of 14th and a low of 20th.
Here's a roundup of the power rankings with the Dolphins' rankings last week in parentheses.
Ranking: No. 16 (19)
Analysis: "I am on the record as saying Tua Tagovailoa will aid in Miami’s playoff push. The AFC East, for the first time since 2010, is going to be absolutely fascinating."
Ranking: No. 20 (20)
Analysis: "It's Tua Time in Miami. We didn't see it coming, nor did Ryan Fitzpatrick, but you understand why Brian Flores and the braintrust made the switch. At 3-3, the Dolphins are a surprising participant in the playoff race, an underdog squad hoping to play the Cinderella role in January. But what if Tua Tagovailoa is an immediate-impact performer? What if he can give Miami the Herbert Lift? It's a worthy dice roll that lowers the Dolphins' floor but also lifts their ceiling. Flores' challenge is to stick with the decision, even if rookie growing pains end up taking the Fins out of the playoff picture."
Ranking: No. 19 (19)
Analysis: "The Dolphins brought in two veteran running backs this offseason — Breida and Jordan Howard — to upgrade their run game, and both have been outplayed by second-year back Myles Gaskin. Breida was brought in for his speed and big-play ability, but he has yet to break an impact play. Over the past four games, he has 21 carries for 56 yards (2.67 yards per carry). With Tua Tagovailoa as the new starting QB, Breida needs to be more of a playmaker."
Ranking: No. 18 (18)
Analysis: "They come off the bye in the playoff race with Tua Tagovailoa in as the quarterback. How will he play? Was it the right move?"
Ranking: No. 17 (20)
Analysis: "The Dolphins were off this week, but the big news is moving to Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback. It will be interesting to see if the rookie quarterback can move this offense behind a poor offensive line as well as Ryan Fitzpatrick did for the Dolphins, who now sit at .500."
Ranking: No. 20 (19)
Analysis: "When is the last time a Dolphins game had this much excitement surrounding it? The Dolphins didn’t elevate Tua Tagovailoa to the starting quarterback position to get attention, but it’s a nice perk for a franchise that hasn’t been entertaining in a while."
Ranking: No. 14 (15)
Analysis: "How long has it been since a lefty QB started in the NFL? How about Kellen Moore on Jan. 3, 2016. Tua Tagovailoa will restore southpaw pride Sunday."
