Miami Dolphins: 5 reasons for optimism

Nov 8, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) passes the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 38-35. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

1. Wild Card Race is Tight

The Dolphins may be 3-5 and in last place in their division, but even though they are behind the curve, the state of the AFC prevents them from being completely out of it. As it stands right now, the two expected Wild Card teams are the 5-3 New York Jets and 5-4 Pittsburgh Steelers. After that, the 4-4 Bills and Oakland Raiders follow with the 3-5 Dolphins, Houston Texans, and Kansas City Chiefs behind them. Considering that the Dolphins blew out the Texans 44-26 in a game that could have had an even wider margin of victory for Miami, the Dolphins aren’t in a terrible position.

It’s hard to recover from being swept by the Bills, and we have no reason to believe that the Dolphins can win their next meetings against the Patriots and Jets. That said, a one or two-game deficit isn’t irrecoverable at the mid-point, and that’s all that separates this team from the likes of Pittsburgh, New York, and Oakland.

The AFC is top-heavy with the Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, and Patriots racking up victories with ease, and basically every other team outside of those three is in a state of flux. Aside from the Jets and Steelers, it’s hard to have much confidence in the teams vying for Wild Card spots, and even those two squads aren’t locks.

Next: Talented Offense