Thursday, December 24, 2020

Miami Dolphins Week 16 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2020 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Here is where the Miami Dolphins rank in terms of average, best and worst:

  • Average ranking: 12.4 (13th)
  • Best ranking: 12th (Multiple)
  • Worst ranking: 13th (Multiple)

Below you will find a Week 16 roundup for the Dolphins in our consensus 2020 NFL Power Rankings.

The Athletic -- Rank: 13

Wish: A playoff berth. Why overcomplicate this one? The Dolphins currently own the seven seed after their win against the Patriots, but the Ravens have the same record so there is little margin for error. Miami finishes the season at the Raiders and at the Bills. In reality, this season should already be considered a success. Brian Flores looks like one of the league's brightest young coaches and Tua Tagovailoa has flashed. But getting to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 would be a nice benchmark to hit for a young team.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 12

They have a real shot to be a playoff team, but they have a big one this week against the Raiders. This could be the game where Tua Tagovailoa gets it going.

USA Today -- Rank: 12

Nice job, Salvon Ahmed, who broke Miami's 31-game streak without a 100-yard rusher after vowing to play well for his ailing grandmother.

ESPN -- Rank: 12

Most underrated star: DE Emmanuel Ogbah

The Dolphins have a top-two scoring defense, and Ogbah has been the team's best front-seven player, helping to dramatically improve what was the NFL's worst pass rush in 2019, when Miami totaled 23 sacks and no player had more than five. Ogbah has a team-high nine sacks, putting him in the top 10 in the league, for an NFL-high 95 yards. Ogbah has consistently won his one-on-one matchups by showing supreme hand usage. His two-year, $15 million deal in March is looking like a steal, and he's a prime candidate for a long-term extension. -- Cameron Wolfe

NFL.com -- Rank: 13

Playing without DeVante Parker or Mike Gesicki, the Dolphins knew it was going to be difficult to attack the Patriots through the air. Enter the run game, which delivered big performances from Salvon Ahmed and Matt Breida in a 22-12 win that knocked the once-mighty Patriots out of the playoff picture while keeping Miami alive and well in the AFC wild-card race. It's hard to deny Brian Flores' credentials in the Coach of the Year conversation; his leadership turned the Dolphins' rebuild into the NFL's version of Operation Warp Speed. His team is always prepared, he finds contributors up and down the roster and he's done expert work nurturing rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Flores is proof that installing the right man on the sidelines is half the battle.

Previous update: Miami Dolphins Week 15 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

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