Making predictions about who will play in Super Bowl LVI after only six weeks of NFL regular season is not very accurate and even irresponsible, however, the start of the Miami Dolphins has been unexpected, surprising, but also refreshing, after dominating the New England Patriots in week one, they came from behind in a miraculous way in week two against the Baltimore Ravens and held on to defeat the Buffalo Bills in week three. In 2021, Miami ended their campaign scorching hot by winning seven-straight games and they carried it forward into this campaign. The momentum has been derailed somewhat by the three losses that have come since but even so Dolphins fans have been waiting decades for a team that put them on the edge of their seats with the attacking threat they’ve displayed so far this season. The Dolphins were the only undefeated team in the entire AFC after three weeks played, the other two that had that status after two games, lost in week 3, the Buffalo Bills rightly at the hands of Miami by a score of 21-19, while the Kansas City Chiefs surprisingly lost against the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 20-17. With a roster full of stars at their disposal they are no longer the dark horses for a wild card slot, despite the setback in the last three weeks they are well in the running in the AFC race. 

Those wanting to place a risk-free bet on the Dolphins to win the Super Bowl this year can do so using free football bets. A lot of their rise to prominent contenders can be attributed to their offseason in establishing one of the most dangerous receiving corps in the league. A lot of noise was made during the NFL off-season when Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill said that his current quarterback Tua Tagovaiola was more accurate than his former Super Bowl and regular season MVP quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs hesitance to pay the 28 year old wide receiver left the door wide open for the Dolphins to make him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL. This move paired him with Jaylen Waddle, forming one of the most electrifying receiving duos in the NFL. Electrifying is exactly what they have been, Hill and Waddle posted 190 and 171 yards respectively along with 11 receptions and two touchdowns each in a comeback victory against the Lamar Jackson led Baltimore Ravens. They became the first teammates to have 150 plus receiving yards, 10 plus receptions and two plus receiving touchdowns in the same game. This win was the second out of their three wins, and kept them at the top of the AFC East after week three. After three games, Waddle and Hill sat at second and third for most receiving yards in the league, a dangerous duo that teams will need to take seriously throughout the campaign if they’re to get one over on this year’s Dolphins.

It’s not possible to talk about these receivers without also bringing up the man throwing the football, third-year quarterback, Tua Tagovailova. Tua has thrown for 1,035 yards in his first four games with 925 of those yards in the opening three games, almost half of his tally of 2,635 yards for the whole of last season. He has thrown eight touchdowns with six of those touchdowns coming in a 21 point comeback against the Ravens. Keep in mind that this was a game where Lamar Jackson was sensational, finishing with 318 yards and three touchdowns. Four of Tua’s six touchdowns came in the fourth quarter including a game-winning pass to Waddle with 14 seconds to go. Plays like that are why the Dolphins trust him as their franchise QB. After underperforming the past two seasons, Tua Tagovailoa, a former Heisman trophy winner and fifth-overall pick, was put on blast by media and fans alike for being a draft bust, especially since he was drafted one pick before Chargers star quarterback Justin Herbert.

However, Tagovailoa has come out firing in 2022. He is rated as one of the best quarterbacks in the league and despite suffering a back injury in week four that saw him stretchered off against the Bengals, if he can return healthy before the Dolphins suffer any further in his absence then he has the skill to carry Miami deep into the postseason. In the 2022 offseason, many critics questioned the firing of Brian Flores, who was coming off of a seven-game winning streak to end the campaign. However, those critics quickly quieted down when former 49ers assistant coach Mike McDaniel took over the team and continued to win. He has introduced a discipline into the team that has seen them start this season well, particularly on defense when not many expected it. The Dolphins were slow to get going against Baltimore but then proceeded to limit them to only 10 points in the second half, allowing Tagovailoa and the offense to come back and win the game. A week later, the Fins’ defense was tested against the best offense in the NFL in the Buffalo Bills and they delivered. Miami only allowed 19 points and shut down a potential game-winning drive late in the game which sealed the victory against Buffalo, who many have labeled Super Bowl favorites coming into the season. There was a minor blip against the Vikings and Jets but with Tua back in their ranks they should have an easier time against the Steelers and Lions in their next two games. Based on their offensive and defensive strengths, the Dolphins should have a reasonable chance to be 5-3 by the midway point of the campaign. Establishing that platform will be important, as will taking care of the Texans at home in Week 12. That’s because the Dolphins face a brutal December with three consecutive road games against the 49ers, Chargers and Bills. The month closes with Miami hosting Green Bay on Christmas Day. Unlike the Bengals, who went from 4-11-1 to 10-7, the Dolphins were just out of the playoff picture in 2021 at 9-8. Given their start and the success of Tua at quarterback they look like a team set to improve on that finish from last year. Maybe this will be the platform they use to build on for 2023, after all they will have a tough time trying to beat the Bills to the AFC championship and the Super Bowl. But Dolphins fans can dare to dream and it’s been a long time since we’ve been saying that