Kelly: This Dolphins Team's Entering a New Stratosphere

The Dolphins consistently talk about playing in February, and the only game played that late in the season is the Super Bowl

What exactly are we looking at Dolphins fans?

And more importantly, where is this 2023 season taking us?

This year's team has elevate the franchise, making the Miami Dolphins a team networks will be fighting over to feature on primetime games the rest of this season, if they keep this pace, keep embarrassing opponents.

The Dolphins beat another NFL team by three touchdowns or more on yet another sloppy day, one where the offense and the defense showed up a quarter late for the 42-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Slow start? Don’t worry, the offense can score 35 straight points.

This team has already set, and flirted with a handful of statistical records this season - like putting up 70 points against the Denver Broncos and setting NFL record for yards gained in the season’s first five weeks in last week’s win over New York Giants - and here they are manhandling the winless Panthers (0-6).

“Win, lose or draw, I’m connected strongly to this team because they have found their work ethic through the week. They’re looking for ways to improve it,” coach Mike McDaniel said after the win. “They’ve found how important it is to fully invest yourself into the weekly plan and the weekly opponent, and that’s going to prove dividends as we move forward for sure.”

Dolphins focused on self

The Dolphins have been talking about playing up to “our standard,” consistently mentioning that the week’s opponent doesn’t matter.

“It’s about nobody else but us,” said tailback Raheem Mostert, who scored three touchdowns, pushing his career-best up to a league-leading 11 touchdowns.

This Dolphins team has been shy about discussing securing home field advantage in the playoffs, which is the goal, and talking about the Super Bowl, which is the final destination.

The players and coaches have consistently talked about peeking “in February,” and that type of talk has been uncomfortable considering where this franchise has resided for the past two decades, stuck on the mediocrity merry-go-round.

But this is a new team, a new flavor, and it might be time to recalibrate our expectations based on how McDaniel’s squad continues to take care of business, and is seemingly peaking.

The offense is dominant. The defense is tightening some screws, and the Dolphins are no longer killing themselves with penalties.

Dare we say it, the Dolphins are playing like title contenders….consistently.

“The one thing you learn in this league is you can’t all of a sudden turn up,” McDaniel said. “You’d better keep it up or you’ll have a rude awakening.

However, as impressive as two lopsided wins against two limping franchises - the Giants and the Panthers - might seem, both opponents were fighting out of their weight class.

Eagles will be heavyweight fight

Next week Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, which suffered its first loss of the season to the New York Jets on Sunday, are a team that had a similar one season transformation last year, advancing to the Super Bowl a year after qualifying for the playoffs.

That means Sunday’s game will be a title fight we’ve all been waiting for.

It will be the Dolphins’ chance to redeem themselves following the 48-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills that took place on Oct. 1, a loss that was humbling.

Even though next Sunday’s Eagles game doesn’t feature the AFC East, or AFC division ramifications the Bills game had, it provides Miami an opportunity to send the rest of the NFL a message that these Dolphins are more contenders than pretenders.

Tua Tagovailoa has a chance to prove he’s the best former Alabama quarterback in the NFL, dethroning Jalen Hurts a week after Miami’s defense choked Bryce Young into submission.

Mostert, who gained 115 yards on 17 carries against the Panthers, has a chance to prove he’s a frontline NFL starter, and that the running game won’t slow down without rookie sensation De’Von Achane, who will be sidelined at least another three games because of a knee injury.

Defense needs to improve

All the Dolphins need now is for the defense to get their act together, tightening up the team’s run defense, which allowed 118 yards on 25 carries, and pass coverage, which is allowing opposing quarterbacks to produce a 98.9 passer rating, which is sixth worst in the NFL.

If this team’s going to be one of the two teams playing in February - the NFL conference championship games are played on Jan. 28 - like they consistently talk about, the defense will need to start carrying their weight.

So far that seems to be the only thing outside of injuries that can hold these Dolphins back from reaching the team’s final destination, which is to be one of the final two NFL teams playing in Las Vegas.

“There is a lot of football left. We just got to keep grinding and keep going,” cornerback Xavien Howard said. “The best football is played in December, so you know we just got to keep working.”