The Miami Dolphins were incredible Sunday in Week 3 against the Denver Broncos. The team scored the most points in franchise history in a single game and missed the NFL single-game mark by just two after passing up a late field goal in a show of mercy. After three weeks, Miami looks like one of (if not) the best teams in the league, and that’s not hyperbole. Where’s the fun in that, though? After this history-making blowout, let’s make some Dolphins hot takes like Tyreek Hill for MVP and Miami is going to the Super Bowl!
3. The Dolphins are Super Bowl favorites
The Dolphins are now 3-0, joining the San Francisco 49ers (and either the Philadelphia Eagles or Tampa Bay Buccaneers after Monday Night football) as the only undefeated teams left in the NFL this season.
That makes them one of the best teams in the NFL in 2023.
And when you look at the teams with a loss, they’ve all looked bad in at least one game, and whoever comes out of the Eagles-Buccaneers tilt with a clean record will also have some question marks based on their personnel (Buccaneers) or performances thus far (Eagles).
The 49ers have shown few flaws so far this season, but Brock Purdy is even more unproven than Tua Tagovailoa, and George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Christina McCaffrey always seem to get hurt.
That’s why this first Dolphins hot take is that they are the Super Bowl favorite.
The truth is, while they have absolutely vaulted into Super Bowl contention, it’s too early to establish a true prohibitive favorite. Also, no matter how good the Dolphins look, it will be hard to say they are the favorite just because they play in the AFC, where the playoffs will likely be much more difficult than on the NFC side.
2. Tyreek Hill is the NFL MVP
Who’s been better than Tyreek Hill this season? No one.
Hill has been incredible already this season, even with a down game. Before the campaign, the speedy wideout promised to become the first WR in NFL history to put up 2,000 receiving yards in a season. After weeks of 215, 40, and 157 receiving yards, Hill’s 412 yards put him on pace for 2,334 yards this season.
If Hill becomes the first player to accomplish a massive feat like that, he will definitely be in the MVP conversation. And while the award almost always goes to QBs, all the usual suspects — Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow — have already struggled at points this season.
For that reason, start the Tyreek Hill MVP bandwagon!
That said, a WR has never won an NFL MVP award. The last time a non-quarterback won the award was in 2012 when Adrian Peterson became the 19th back to win the Award since 1957. And a player who wasn’t a QB or RB has only won the award X times. Those players are linebacker Lawrence Taylor (1986), kicker Mark Moseley (1982 strike season), and defensive tackle Alan Page (1971).
1. Miami has the greatest offense of all time
The Dolphins offense certainly looks like one of the best units in NFL history after decimating the Broncos defense in Week 3. Tua Tagovailoa conducts the unit with skill and ease, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are explosive, and Raheem Mostert and rookie RB Devon Achane are devastatingly effective.
Through three games, the Dolphins have 130 points and 1,651 yards. This puts them on pace for 736 points and 9,355 yards of offense this season.
Both those projections would obliterate the current all-time records for points scored and yards gained.
The current record for most points in a single season happened in 2013 when (ironically) Peyton Manning and the Broncos put up 606 points. That team is also second all-time in yards gained with 7,317. The overall yards record belongs to Drew Brees and the Saints (and, ironically, Sean Payton) in 2011.
Miami is on pace to shatter these records, but it’s a long season.
The team has five tough AFC East games left against the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and New England Patriots, all of whom have tough defenses. They will also see the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, and Baltimore Ravens, which are all defense capable of shutting an offense down.
By the team’s bye in Week 10, the Dolphins will have just one game each against the Jets and Bills, along with the Cowboys and Ravens left in terms of top defenses. If they are still on pace for these record-setting numbers at that point, then we can start talking for real about his being one of the all-time great units.