Dolphins Week 16 Power Rankings Roundup
Despite suffering a third consecutive loss, the Miami Dolphins earned a lot of national respect for their performance against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night, and that was reflected in our weekly survey of 10 national power rankings from national media outlets.
The Dolphins actually moved up one spot in five of the rankings after their 32-29 loss and didn't drop more than one spot in any of them.
RELATED: DOLPHINS OUTLOOK PROBABLY BETTER DESPITE LOSS
In our survey of rankings of those 10 national outlets —CBS Sports, NFL.com, The Athletic, The Sporting News, The Ringer, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Yahoo, and Pro Football Talk — the Dolphins averaged a ranking of 8.5 among the 32 NFL teams, a tick up from their average of 8.7 following their loss against the Chargers in Week 14.
Here's the breakdown of the Dolphins' 10 power rankings spots, along with the commentary associated with it:
CBS Sports
Ranking: 9 Previous: 9
Analysis: Three straight losses has this team going in the wrong direction with the Packers coming to town. The playoffs might be going bye-bye if they don't watch out.
NFL.com
Ranking: 10 Previous: 11
Analysis: Some games can be as encouraging as they are frustrating. The Dolphins let a fourth-quarter lead slip away in a 32-29 loss to the Bills in snowy Orchard Park, but Mike McDaniel's team also answered critics who said the Tua Tagovailoa-led offense would struggle against top competition in adverse conditions. Tua was actually better than his very good numbers indicate, regularly delivering on-target passes to his teammates -- even if they weren't always caught. Miami's chances of winning the AFC East are slim, but this can still be a very dangerous playoff team. The Fins just have to get there first.
The Athletic
Ranking: 7 Previous: 8
Analysis: Hard to believe the Dolphins are rising a spot after losing their third straight game, but the near-win in Buffalo was an impressive performance and showed Miami is capable of a Plan B on offense. The Dolphins leaned heavily on their running backs, with Raheem Mostert and Salvon Ahmed combining for 179 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, as head coach Mike McDaniel explained that was in response to the Bills’ zone-heavy defensive game plan the first time the two teams met. Despite the three-game losing streak, Mock still projects the Dolphins with a 74.9 percent chance of making the postseason. Still armed with the No. 3 offense by DVOA, they’ll be a tough out for whoever they play. If the season ended today, they’d be headed to Kansas City for the Tyreek Hill Bowl.
Pro Football Talk
Ranking: 8 Previous: 9
Analysis: Yes, they lost. Yes, they still bump up a spot.
Yahoo Sports
Ranking: 8 Previous: 9
Analysis: It's not time for moral victories but the Dolphins should feel good after Week 15. They were unlikely to catch the Bills for the AFC East anyway. The offense looked much better after a two-game slump and they gave the Bills all they could handle in the snow, at the end of a three-game road trip. It's the rare late-season loss that should be viewed as a positive.
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Sports Illustrated
Ranking: 9 Previous: 8
Analysis: Whether it was the conditions in Buffalo or the conditions of their roster, we’re seeing a bit of a late-season transformation by the Dolphins’ offense. They are trying to show more physicality, and Raheem Mostert, even without his 67-yard run, was still gaining yards at a nice clip. Salvon Ahmed also put up more than seven yards a carry (during a game where almost everyone expected Miami to run).
ESPN
Ranking: 8 Previous: 8
Analysis (on a pleasant surprise, Kader Kohou): The undrafted rookie was thrust into a starting role after injuries to Byron Jones and Trill Williams and has not disappointed. He ranks fifth on the team in tackles and third in passes defended despite not having a full-time role until Week 5. He still makes rookie mistakes, but his ascension has called Jones' future with the team in question.
The Ringer
Ranking: 9 Previous: 8
Analysis: Saturday’s loss to Buffalo was easily the most encouraging game the Dolphins have had in weeks. Led by running back Raheem Mostert, Miami averaged more than 7 yards per carry against a Bills defense that dared them to run the football. And while it wasn’t close to the best we’ve seen Tua Tagovailoa play this season, he was far from the disaster we saw against the 49ers and Chargers in the weeks prior. Three straight losses is a tough result and largely removes the Dolphins from the AFC East race, but if Mike McDaniel and Co. can take some lessons from this recent skid, Miami could be primed for a postseason run.
The Sporting News
Ranking: 10 Previous: 9
Analysis: The Dolphins did their best offensively with Tua Tagovailoa, his big-play wideouts and the running game on the road in wintry Buffalo, but their defensive issues keep popping up to limit their upside.
USA Today
Ranking: 7 Previous: 8
Analysis: Yes, they've dropped three straight. But they nearly (literally) weathered Buffalo's best shot — in snowy Orchard Park and on a short week following a stay on the West Coast — and served a fresh reminder they can hang with just about anyone ... though they better do more than hang with the Pack on Christmas Day.
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