The Miami Dolphins have reached the halfway point of the 2023 season (sorta) and they overall have to be pretty happy with their 6-3 record and first-place standing in the AFC East.
Before the season began, we listed the five biggest reasons for optimism that the Dolphins could duplicate their playoff season of 2022, so it’s a good time to revisit those to see how they played out in the first nine games.
Before the season: As with most often the case in the NFL, it starts with the quarterback and this is where the Dolphins have to feel good based on the big step they saw Tua Tagovailoa take in his third season. The key now is for Tua to finish what he started in 2022 when his play tailed off at the end of the season, though he still ended up leading the NFL in passer rating. No matter what else happens, if Tua builds on what he did last season and takes another step forward, it just might be that nothing else could keep the Dolphins from making the playoffs. This, of course, also entails Tua staying healthy, but as far as that is concerned, he did everything he could in the offseason to help his chances and one also could suggest he’s due for some good luck in the health department.
Through nine games: As he did in 2022, Tua currently leads the NFL in passer rating, so in that sense he’s just continued the good work he started last season. But Tua has improved in a couple of key areas, namely throwing downfield more often than he did last season and giving up on a play when it appears doomed instead of putting himself in harm’s way, which is what resulted in the injuries he sustained in the first half of last season against Buffalo and Cincinnati.
The remainder of 2023 looks like this: Tua is essentially in the same position as he was at the bye last year, despite the disappointing but somewhat erratic ending to the game against Kansas City. Of course, finishing the season will be a challenge. By that, we mean both literally, as in playing every game, and figuratively, as in coming up with some big performances towards the end, something that is lacking from his resume.
