The Cincinnati Bengals rode a young quarterback and a great receiving corps to the Super Bowl last season, bucking the long odds placed upon them at the start of 2021.
Can the Miami Dolphins use the same formula to become contenders in the AFC?
Miami is 2-0 after a stunning comeback against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle led an incredible fourth-quarter explosion to grab the win.
The Dolphins now have +2000 odds to win the Super Bowl at BetMGM, which is tied with the Vikings and 49ers for the ninth-best odds to claim the championship. It’s a pretty big move from before the season, when Miami was +4000 to win the title.
The best odds to be had on Miami are at DraftKings and Caesars, which each still has them with +2500 odds to win it all. The Dolphins are +1000 to win the AFC at BetMGM, behind the Bills, Chiefs, Chargers and Ravens. The best odds to be had are at DraftKings at +1400.
Tagovailoa leads the NFL with an average of 369.5 passing yards per game, and is No. 3 in the NFL in yards per attempt at 8.9.
Tyreek Hill has 19 catches for an NFL-leading 284 yards. Jaylen Waddle has 15 catches and is second in the NFL with 240 yards. They could get passed in total yardage by Justin Jefferson and A.J. Brown on Monday night, but even so, the start has been spectacular for the Dolphins.
Miami is among the top-four teams in football in EPA per play, sitting alongside the Vikings and just behind the Bills and Chiefs.
The Dolphins were slight underdogs to make the playoffs before the season began but now they are favored to get there.
Miami’s win total has jumped from nine before the season to 9.5, with the over the favorite.
There is still a long way to go this season, but the Dolphins are off to a nice start, and a couple more weeks of offensive excellence could catapult them into legitimate contender status.
