Dolphins Week 2 Power Rankings Roundup

How the national media stacks the Miami Dolphins after their season-opening win against the Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins punter Jake Bailey (16) lifts Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders (7) after his game winning field goal against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins recorded their fourth consecutive opening-day victory when they rallied to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, in the process moving their way into the top in the national power rankings.

The Dolphins moved up an average of three spots following their 20-17 victory at Hard Rock Stadium based on our survey of NFL power rankings from 10 national outlets — Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, NFL.com, The Ringer, USA Today, The Sporting News, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, and Bleacher Report.

The Dolphins went from an average ranking of 12.9 to 9.8, with a new high of 8 (The Athletic, Bleacher Report) and a low of 13 (USA Today).

Here's the breakdown of the Dolphins' 10 power rankings spots heading into Week 2 of the 2024 regular season, along with the commentary associated with it:

Sports Illustrated

Ranking: 12

Last week: 13

Analysis: The Dolphins faced some serious attrition early in the game. Mike McDaniel talks a lot about adversity and this is a nice yield sign for a team that normally outscores its opponents over the early months like they play in the Sun Belt. The Jaguars helped with some critical mistakes but, like the Bills, Miami got some critical contributions from a defense that needed some early-season flowers to build confidence.  

Pro Football Talk

Ranking: 9

Last week: 11

Analysis: They had to dig deep to win. That will serve them well later in the year.

CBS Sports

Ranking: 10

Last week: 14

Analysis: They didn't play great against the Jaguars, but found a way to pull it out with a game-winning field goal. Now comes their division nemesis in Josh Allen and the Bills on Thursday night.

NFL.com

Ranking: 9

Last week: 11

Analysis: The run game was non-existent most of Sunday, and the Dolphins left a lot of points on the board with two turnovers on downs and a missed field goal. But Tyreek Hill streaked to the end zone on an 80-yard score following the game-changing forced fumble by Jevón Holland just before Travis Etienne was about to score. That 14-point swing and two Jason Sanders field goals, atoning for the earlier miss, were enough to get out aliveagainst the Jags. De’Von Achane might not have done much on the ground, but his work as a receiver (seven catches for 76 yards) shows he’s expanding his game. I’m still bullish for now.

The Ringer

Ranking: 9

Last week: 14

Analysis: Miami’s greatest superpower is its ability to get back in games in an instant—and pull away from teams when Mike McDaniel’s offense gets rolling. Miami’s performance against Jacksonville was rough in many ways, but the way the Dolphins rallied was a reminder that this roster is talented enough to make up for the flaws of its quarterback and defense. With the Bills up next on Thursday night, I expect to get some answers on how close this team is to the rest of the NFL’s contenders.

USA Today

Ranking: 13

Last week: 16

Analysis: 13.  They were fortunate to beat the self-sabotaging Jags. But the Fins certainly weren't fortunate to be dealing with the off-the-field circumstances surrounding All-Pro WR Tyreek Hill and others before kickoff. Understandable why they'd come out flat given the troubling details that continue to emerge regarding Hill's treatment by local police Sunday morning.

The Sporting News

Ranking: 11

Last week: 13

Analysis: The Dolphins didn't look pretty offensively with Tua Tagovailoa for much of the game, but Tyreek Hill didn't slow down when needed most and the defense tightened in the second half to cool the competitive Jaguars.

The Athletic

Ranking: 8

Last week: 14

Analysis: Tyreek Hill was handcuffed and detained outside the stadium just before the game after a traffic incident. He was released almost immediately and made it inside, where he had seven catches for 130 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown that he followed with a handcuff celebration. Tua Tagovailoa led all quarterbacks in Week 1 with 338 yards, and the Dolphins scored the game’s final 13 points to come from behind.

Yahoo Sports

Ranking: 9

Last week: 13

Analysis: Tua Tagovailoa will remain the most underrated quarterback in the NFL for a while. Through Sunday's games, Tagovailoa's 338 yards led the NFL. He was one of only two quarterbacks over 300 yards in the opener. After the Dolphins fell behind, he played well in the second half. When the Dolphins had a shot to drive downfield and win the game, Tagovailoa hit a couple big passes to get Miami into field-goal range. Yes, Tagovailoa has great playmakers around him. He's pretty good too.

Bleacher Report

Ranking: 8

Last week: 10

DOLPHINS OPPONENTS

For the record, the Dolphins' upcoming opponent, the Buffalo Bills, have an average ranking of 6.1, with a high of 3 and a low of 9.