Yahoo Sports
Ranking: 16 Previous: 21
Analysis: Tua Tagovailoa passed his first test. He was efficient in throwing for 270 yards, and he delivered the pass to Jaylen Waddle that Waddle turned into a game-changing 42-yard touchdown right before the first half. Tagovailoa just needs to get the ball to the Dolphins’ playmakers, and he did that in Week 1.
Sports Illustrated
Ranking: 16 Previous: 19
Analysis: If you could run coaching game film through a plagiarism software at the end of the season, my bet this year is that Mike McDaniel will be the most copied coach in football. He is scheming up a bottom-third quarterback in spectacular ways. That win against the Patriots will not get the credit it deserves given how bad New England’s offense looked.
Ranking: 12 Previous: 19
Analysis: Miami was one of the few teams with a truly impressive performance in Week 1. They got up on their division rivals early and only let off the gas a bit after halftime when the offense slowed down. They’ll need to finish their red-zone opportunities moving forward, but Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle have proven their big-play ability. But it was the Dolphins’ banged-up secondary that really shined during the game. Aside from Jakobi Meyers, the New England receivers struggled against the Miami cornerbacks. Davante Parker couldn’t find any separation, and the Patriots offense continually tried attacking Xavien Howard early in the game to no avail. Miami’s defense will face a very different test against the Baltimore Ravens a week from now.
Ranking: 12 Previous: 19
Analysis (on which rookie stood out in Week 1): Kader Kohou earns this title by default, considering he was the only Dolphins rookie to play more than two snaps. But he earned it nevertheless, recording a pass breakup and forcing a fumble in 18 defensive snaps. The undrafted rookie could see that snap count go up over the next few weeks with Byron Jones still on the PUP list until at least Week 5.
The Ringer
Ranking: 13 Previous: 17
Analysis: I predicted on The Ringer NFL Show last week the Dolphins had potential to be one of the biggest risers in these rankings, and now here we are: up four spots after Week 1. Tua Tagovailoa wasn’t a game-breaker by any means, but he didn’t have to be against the Pats. Tagovailoa went 22-of-33 for 270 passing yards and a touchdown in his 2022 debut, and new wideout Tyreek Hill led the team in targets (12), receptions (eight), and receiving yards (94). I’m all in on this Mike McDaniel–Tagovailoa pairing, especially with the team’s improved offensive line and receiving corps.
The Sporting News
Ranking: 13 Previous: 19
Analysis: The Dolphins made a considerable splash with Hill and their exciting new-look offense to boost Tua Tagovailoa under new coach Mike McDaniel. The sound, active defensive effort on every level was even more impressive vs. the Patriots.
