Miami Dolphins should be in top NFL power ranks but number one?

NFL power ranks are not all seeing the same thing with a couple of top ranks split on who should be at the top. The Miami Dolphins have a strong case.

This is probably the third edited article regarding this ranking. I have kept the Bills at the top, changed my mind, changed my mind again, and now I’m waffling for a final time.

Originally, I wrote this.

• At the top, despite the loss, I would keep the Bills. They are a much more well-rounded team than the Dolphins and while they lost on Sunday…because Miami paid off the sun to be exceptionally hot according to some Bills fans, they are still potent and have been more consistent.
• I’m not one of those who believe that simply because you beat a team you are better than that team. Over the last two decades, the Dolphins gave the Patriots a fit in South Florida but we all know the Dolphins were never really better than the Patriots.
• The Bills? They are still the team to beat in the NFL but that is not as close as it was three weeks ago.

Then I got to thinking more about it. Why shouldn’t the Dolphins be ranked number one? They beat the best team in the NFL. The Bills were banged up, yes, but the Dolphins were not 100% either. Shouldn’t the team at the top, not necessarily undefeated, but to run 90 plays of offense and still not score more than 17 points?

The Dolphins’ defense was so good on Sunday that they stopped the Bills’ high-potent offense not once but twice inside the 20. One resulted in a field goal, the other a turnover on downs.

Frankly, the more I think about it, the more we all should think about it, the Dolphins have beaten quality opponents over the first three weeks. No one truly expected the Dolphins to have won all three of them but they did. They are playing solid football and have not yet touched the surface of their abilities yet.

Consider that Tua ranks at or near the top in major statistical categories and is still getting better and we haven’t seen a running game yet either.

Yes, the Bills were worn out and the sun beat down on them but Miami’s defenders didn’t wilt under the sun and they didn’t buckle. They beat the Bills down physically. The Bills were not prepared. And as a result, they are ranked 2 in my top five.

Over on NFL.com, their first rankings of the week have been posted. They have the Eagles number one and the Bills number two with the Dolphins number three. Last week they had the Dolphins at number eight. ESPN had Miami ranked 5th last week.

ESPN’s ranking has the Dolphins at number one with the Eagles at number three, one behind the Bills at two. They had the Eagles ranked 8th last week. Apparently, NFL.com and ESPN don’t see eye-to-eye.

Kansas City was number two last week but they didn’t look good and in fact, there are some in K.C. questioning whether this team can be as impactful this year as they first thought. Remember when the AFC West was supposed to be so strong? Well, the Chiefs are 2-1, the Broncos are 2-1, the Chargers are 1-2, and Las Vegas is winless.

The Broncos have not looked good at all in either of their wins. Kansas City has a clearer path to that division but they are not the formidable team that many thought they would be. They have some things to clean up.

I would put the Chiefs at four.

Philadelphia is 3-0 and they have a pretty easy schedule for most of the season but are they so well-rounded that they can make a run at perfection? No, I don’t think any team will do that this year including Miami.

The Eagles are playing good football and deserve to be in the top five but most had them at number four last week and I think they should move up after their win on Sunday but the quality of opponents – Lions, Vikings, and Commanders is a little less as impressive as Miami’s Patriots, Ravens, and Bills. I have them at number three.

That leaves the number five spot if our rankings thus far look like this:

• Miami
• Buffalo
• Philadelphia
• K.C.

There are a lot of teams at 2-1 and they range from the Jaguars to the Packers, even the Bears are at 2-1 but for me, it comes down to three teams for the number five spot. Tampa Bay, Green Bay, and the Los Angeles Rams.

I don’t think the Rams have looked especially good so I have them out of the top five, that leaves the two Bay teams. I’m going simple with this one. The Buccaneers have struggled and on Sunday they lost to the Packers who equally haven’t looked that good this year, so far.

Tom Brady has struggled and his age is clearly showing, finally, so I’m going with Aaron Rodgers and that puts Green Bay at five. At least for this week.

Back to the top, the Dolphins deserve to be in the talk for number one. Neither ESPN nor NFL.com are in agreement. I think being 3-0 is a great start but let’s see what they do on a short week against the Bengals. The Bills will play the Ravens.