Hope springs eternal they say, although when it comes to following the Miami Dolphins, any hint of optimism should always be tempered by patience. The current 2022 season is certainly bringing plenty to give us hope, yet patience will undoubtedly be required in equal measure, heading into what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the NFL Regular Season campaign.

Currently tied at the top of the AFC East with the Buffalo Bills, only the narrow victory against them in September splits the difference, as the Miami Dolphins cling to their position at the top of the division. But after four straight wins, the team coached by Mike McDaniel has their reason for optimism, following their bye week. Before heading into what will be the most decisive stage of the fixture schedule, buoyed by some great results of late.

Aiming to end years of disappointment

Despite building a strong legacy through the 1990’s, reaching the postseason NFL playoffs has been something of a rarity for the Miami Dolphins, throughout the 21st century to date. Following back-to-back appearances in 2000 and 2001, fans had to wait until 2008 for the next opportunity, which ended abruptly with defeat in the Wild Card Playoffs by the Baltimore Ravens.

Then came an even longer wait until 2016, when once again, the Dolphins were in the Wild Card Playoffs. On this occasion defeat came against the Pittsburgh Steelers, prematurely ending hopes for another several years. Indeed, the Miami franchise has not reached the postseason campaign since, going another six full seasons without making it that far.

Nevertheless, as current leaders of the AFC East Division with a positive 7-3 record, there are growing hopes for the 2022 Regular Season campaign, along with encouraging signs it could conclude with another long-awaited appearance in the NFL Playoffs. But while that prospect is undoubtedly exciting, our excitement should also be tempered with caution. The remaining seven games will all be tough encounters, despite glimpsing light at the end of the tunnel.

Just three of those remaining seven games are on home turf at the Hard Rock Stadium, while the other four are potentially tricky road trips. So far, the Dolphins have won 3 and lost 2 of their games on the road, sending decidedly mixed signals, albeit with a positive overall balance. Three away trips in December could make all the difference, beginning with the San Francisco 49ers, followed by the Los Angeles Chargers and the Buffalo Bills.

Sportsbooks giving positive indications

One way to calculate progress for the Dolphins is to gauge their latest odds, which means that checking SBO reviews for top betting sites might be a good place to start, covering those available throughout the United States and internationally. Following their expert analysis of the most competitive odds and promotions, the shortest futures certainly make for interesting reading, whenever comparing the best options available in the NFL futures markets.

The immediate objective for the Dolphins will be to win the NFC East, with several sportsbooks tipping the division to provide the Super Bowl winner this season. This is largely because of the Buffalo Bills, who are priced as clear -210 favorites to come top of the pile. Meanwhile, regardless of both sharing the same 7-3 record after 10 games, the Dolphins are a little more conservatively valued, handed +300 odds to remain perched at the divisional summit.

When taking a deeper look into the future markets, we inevitably can’t ignore how oddsmakers are rating the potential Super Bowl winners. Once again, the Buffalo Bills are tipped as outright favorites at +450 odds, closely followed at +470 by the Kansas City Chiefs. Considered to be an outside shot at best, albeit with genuine potential, the Miami Dolphins are seen as +1800 potential contenders to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Taking the bigger picture into consideration, save for any sudden collapse by the team over the next several weeks, there are solid indications that oddsmakers are refusing to dismiss the Dolphins. But will the franchise and fans actually get to cherish some joy in the NFL Playoffs this year? Well, that remains entirely open to debate, although everyone will certainly be keeping their fingers crossed, hoping for the best.