NFL Power Rankings: October Edition finds LA Rams rising

25. Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are 1-3 and are enslaved to the whims of the Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde version of their quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. When Fitzpatrick is hot, he can place the Dolphins into competition with the best teams in the NFL. Unfortunately, he is seldom hot. But at some point, he will be benched and Tua Tagovailoa will take over.

2020 Summary

The Miami Dolphins loaded up on young talent in the 2020 NFL Draft. Like other teams with just one win, the Dolphins have lost to three very good teams so far.  All the while, they’ve been competitive enough for optimism when Tua Tagovailoa finally claims the starting quarterback role.

2020 Outlook

The Dolphins never had a realistic chance for 2020, but they do impress with their commitment to playing their rookie quarterback when they feel he is truly ready, and not before.  The Idea time to switch quarterbacks is during the bye week. Due to a quirk in NFL scheduling, the Dolphins face the New York Jets before and after their bye.  So play Ryan Fitzpatrick against them before the bye, and start Tua Tagovailoa against them after the bye.

Miami is in a position to make significant strides if they draft well in 2021. Until then, the team needs to stay the course, develop their young players, and stay focused. They won’t win many in 2020. But they can get better each week.