The “worst to first” phenomenon in the NFL is a popular indicator of some of the parity the league aspires to have. With the chance to go from 4th place in the division to 1st-place in the division, fans of every team can enter into any given year with the mentality that “this is our year”. And every two years or so, it’s true. The San Francisco 49ers went from picking No. 2 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft to playing in the Super Bowl this past February.
Heck, the last time the Dolphins finished in 4th-place in the AFC East, they went on to win the division the following year with an 11-5 record in 2008.
Could it happen again?
Pro Football Focus seems to think so. The company’s Steve Palazzolo recently tabbed Miami as the NFL’s best chance for a “worst-to-first” situation in 2020.
Can the Dolphins go from worst to first in the AFC East? pic.twitter.com/ijGewffBSS
— PFF (@PFF) June 9, 2020
“The Miami Dolphins have the best change to go from worst to first this year,” said Palazzolo.
“That’s right. They have Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm. He’s the highest-rated returning quarterback over the last two years in the AFC East. Add Byron Jones to that secondary to pair with Xavien Howard in that man-heavy scheme, the defense will be better and that passing attack is as good as any in the AFC East.”
Now, to be clear, Palazzolo did not claim that the Dolphins will go from worst to first, but only that they are the league’s best chance of seeing it materialize in 2020. He’s not necessarily wrong — especially if the Buffalo Bills see Josh Allen plateau and the Patriots struggle as much in life without Tom Brady as some think they will. If those two conditions materialize, the Dolphins would simply need to rise a few wins above their expected total of six (according to the betting odds) to have a seat at the table in the AFC East’s race for the division title come the end of the year.