Dolphins 2023 Week 8 Power Rankings Roundup

The Miami Dolphins came up short in their second game this season against a big-time opponent, and as a result they find themselves after their loss against Philadelphia in the same spot they were after their Week 4 loss at Buffalo.

The Dolphins dropped in our weekly survey of 12 national outlets — CBS Sports, NFL.com, Pro Football Network, The Sporting News, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, The 33rd Team, Touchdown Wire, The Score, Yahoo and FOX Sports — to an average ranking of 5.6, down from 3.1 after their 21-point victory against Carolina in Week 6.

The Dolphins' rankings ranged from 4 to 9, with 5 being their most frequent spot. Interestingly enough, Yahoo moved them up from 6 to 5 despite the 14-point loss at Lincoln Financial Field.

Here's the breakdown of the Dolphins' 12 power rankings spots, along with the commentary associated with it:

CBS Sports

Ranking: 7 Previous: 2

Analysis: The offense has to prove they can score on the road against good teams. It didn't help they had three starting offensive linemen out for the game against the Eagles, but the questions still remain about beating good teams on the road.

NFL.com

Ranking: 5 Previous: 3

Analysis: Miami's offense hit a new low in Philadelphia, managing just 10 offensive points. True, the Dolphins were limited by the Eagles to eight turns with the ball, but even so, there were too many empty possessions before the late red-zone pick that set Philly up to take a two-score lead. Tyreek Hill's dropped TD pass didn't hurt, because Miami got a pick-six two plays later, but it was uncharacteristic of the receiver. The run game looked dormant in its second game without De'Von Achane, and the offensive line suffered a setback. This is where the Dolphins are now, with the (resurgent?) Patriots and Chiefs (in Frankfurt) up next before the bye. Xavien Howard and Connor Williams might be back soon. Near the break, Achane, Terron Armstead and perhaps Jalen Ramsey could return. The Dolphins can still be dangerous, but quality teams have leaned into them.

Touchdown Wire

Ranking: 5 Previous: 4

Analysis: They are incredibly explosive, but that defense is a real problem, and when are they going to win a big game? It isn’t going to be the Broncos or the University of College Tech that they’ll face in January- they are going to have to figure out how to beat a good team when the time comes.

The Score

Ranking: 4 Previous: 1

Analysis: In a game many thought could be a Super Bowl preview, the speedy Dolphins seemed a step behind the Eagles. Their 17 points scored during Sunday night's loss was also their lowest output of the season.

Sports Illustrated

Ranking: 8 Previous: 4

Analysis: The narrative following this game was a bit about the Dolphins’ physicality. I think that’s convenient given that Miami is a speed-oriented team and we will inevitably counter that with: well, what happens when you get in a fistfight? We saw that a bit against the Eagles, but it’s also important to remember that few teams are able to fistfight like the Eagles. They are like boxers who then learned jiu jitsu. No combat is off the table. And in Miami’s defense, they did get to him a bit. Hurts was sacked three times, although it was his second easiest game of the season in terms of number of throws under duress. Does it matter over the long term if Miami can’t necessarily wear an opponent out? It’s worth keeping an eye on.

The 33rd Team

Ranking: 5 Previous: 3

Analysis: So far this season, the Miami Dolphins’ historic offense has shredded below-average defenses but struggled against good ones. Miami’s offense is for real, but it needs to do more against premium opponents if the Dolphins are going to contend. Otherwise, Vic Fangio’s defense is going to have to take a massive step forward.

Pro Football Network

Ranking: 3 Previous: 4

Analysis: The Miami Dolphins offense is special. The difference in yards per play between them and second place is greater than the difference between second place and last place. Their offensive EPA and success rate dwarf the rest, and the unit is dominant enough to practically forget about their underwhelming defense. But when that offense isn’t firing on all eight cylinders, the defense is capable of letting down the opposite side of the roster, as they did against the Eagles on Sunday night. Until the secondary is completely healthy, it’s incredibly difficult to trust that the rest of the unit can keep things afloat against talented offenses.

The Sporting News

Ranking: 6 Previous: 2

Analysis: The Dolphins have proved they can beat up and score at will on average and bad teams, such as the Chargers, Patriots, Broncos, Giants and Panthers. But they once again failed a big test on the road against Super Bowl contenders, as their offense was slowed and the defense wilted in Philadelphia.

USA Today

Ranking: 9 Previous: 6

Analysis: Maybe Sunday night's loss is a wake-up call. Yet aside from next month's game in Germany against the Chiefs, Miami should mostly revert to feasting on FCS-level competition – in front of Hard Knocks' cameras – until Christmas Eve.

The Athletic

Ranking: 4 Previous: 1

Analysis: This is the point where some of the devoted Power Rankings commenters can (and probably will) say, “We told you so.” The five teams Miami has beaten are a combined 8-25. None of them is even within two games of .500. Yes, Miami’s offensive line injuries are piling up, but the two winning teams the Dolphins have played have beaten them by an average of 21 points. We may not have an answer to this question for a while. They play only one team with a winning record (the Chiefs) between now and their game against the Cowboys on Christmas Eve.

Yahoo

Ranking: 5 Previous: 6

Analysis: The Dolphins will get healthier. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey, running back De'Von Achane and left tackle Terron Armstead are among the impact players who are out. Getting those players back will help. But at some point, if the Dolphins want to be taken seriously as a Super Bowl contender they need to beat an elite team.

FOX Sports

Ranking: 5 Previous: 1

Analysis: This isn’t college football, where your strength of schedule matters. If the Dolphins continue their strong run of play, they’ve got a great shot at a division title and a home playoff game. But it does still raise your eyebrow to see that they’ve been soundly beaten by both of the playoff contenders they’ve played this season. Hopefully, they’ll be healthier for their next test against Kansas City in two weeks.

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