The Miami Dolphins are suddenly in unfamiliar waters: they’re red hot and winners of four of their last five football games; leaving this team with a winning record for the first time since December of 2018 and positioning the team to make a significant push over the next month and a half. The excitement around the team has reached new heights with the performance of Brian Flores’ defense, which offered a smothering attack in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams en route to a 28-17 win at Hard Rock Stadium.
And while that win certainly provided the Dolphins’ fan base with a shot in the arm and the reassurance that they should expect to contend in every football game for the remainder of the season, it will be Week 9 that reveals how high the ceiling is and reveal just how good this Dolphins team might be.
Why?
Because unlike Week 8, the Miami Dolphins are hitting the road in Week 9 to face a completely different kind of quarterback in Kyler Murray. Murray is the kind of passer that has traditionally given the Dolphins fits — those who can extend plays and create with their leges have had their way with the Dolphins for quite some time. The battle with Arizona will feature a clash between the NFL’s top scoring defense (Miami) and the team’s most productive offense (Arizona No. 1 in yards gained). And Miami, winners of three in a row, will have to battle complacency, too. Can a Dolphins team that has not been a winner for a long time keep themselves grounded enough to string together their fourth win in a row?
If they can, then it is time to buy this team as a playoff threat. Not a playoff contender or a team who can “maybe” make a run. But if the Dolphins go to Arizona, avoid lulling themselves into false securities and stuff up the Cardinals’ offense and win in Week 9? That will be the next benchmark cleared for the Dolphins: one that will allow us to stop forecasting them with hesitancy but instead confidence.
And from there, the excitement (and confidence) would be well justified to continue to grow as you look at the schedule. But let’s see the Dolphins take care of Week 9, first.