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The Miami Dolphins have won two in a row and now head into their bye week with a 3-4 record and looking like a much better team than they appeared early in the season. Power rankings usually are quick to bury a team, but slow to lift them back up when they turn things around. Will the Dolphins, coming off wins against two top ten teams in a row, see a bounce up the rankings from around the internet?
Each week, we take a look at some of the various NFL Power Rankings from around the web, seeing where the Miami Dolphins are ranked and what other sites are saying about the team. Here is the Week 8 version of the Power Rankings review:
SB Nation
Week 8: 20
Last Week: 24
Comments: The Miami Dolphins moved into the top 20 on the shoulders of a historic performance by running back Jay Ajayi. He has now rushed for at least 200 yards in two straight weeks and figures to keep getting plenty of opportunities after the sudden retirement of Arian Foster.
Fox Sports
Week 8: 22
Last Week: 25
Comments: Jay Ajayi, not Ezekiel Elliott or LeSean McCoy, has been the most dominant back in the past two weeks. he’s rushed for 200 yards in two straight games, becoming just the fourth back to do so in NFL history. The Dolphins might finally have a go-to running back, which will take pressure off of Ryan Tannehill and the offensive line.
USA Today
Week 8: 23
Last Week: 28
Comments: Much easier to absorb Arian Foster's retirement when Jay Ajayi is providing production on the O.J. Simpson/Earl Campbell/Ricky Williams level.
Yahoo!
Week 8: 26
Last Week: 29
Comments: In the history of the NFL, the running backs with back-to-back 200-yard games: O.J. Simpson, Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams … Jay Ajayi? This is an unbelievable breakthrough we’re seeing.
CBS Sports
Week 8: 19
Last Week: 27
Comments: Jay Ajayi has really led this team the past two weeks. They have a bye, but then the schedule gets soft. They can make a playoff push.
NFL.com
Week 8: 22
Last Week: 26
Comments: Not sure what to make of Jay Ajayi, who seemed to disappoint everyone -- Miami, the fans, fantasy owners -- this preseason and in the early goings of the regular season. Ajayi rushed for more than 200 yards again, making it two straight games he's pulled off that feat. It also marks the fifth time in NFL history a player has cruised past the 200-yard barrier in consecutive games. The last guy to do it? Ricky Williams, in a Dolphins uni. Wonder if Ajayi can handle the Ricky Williams workload better than Ricky Williams did.
Power Rankings side note: Those throwbacks were sweeeeet on Sunday.
ESPN
Week 8: 26
Last Week: 27
Comments: O.J. Simpson. Earl Campbell. Ricky Williams. Jay Ajayi. Those are the only players in NFL history to rush for 200 yards in back-to-back games. The Dolphins are on bye this week, though, so we'll have to wait until Week 9 to see if Ajayi can make it three straight.
PFF
Week 8: 19
Last Week: 23
Comments: No Comments.
Bleacher Report
Week 8: 20
Last Week: 30
Comments: Remember when the Dolphins were the NFL's laughingstock?
I hear nothing but crickets now. Head coach Adam Gase's team has transformed into one of the most dangerous draws in football. The Dolphins deserve this season's biggest ratings bump.
Two offensive factors keyed the turnaround. First, three huge assets returned to the offensive line. Branden Albert never suited up with Mike Pouncey and Jermon Bushrod...until two weeks ago. They're able to push around a physical team such as Buffalo now.
That helped Jay Ajayi grow up. He's the perfect fit for a one-cut offense, and he takes no prisoners with the ball in his hands.
Sports Illustrated
Week 8: 19
Last Week: 27
Comments: Jay Ajayi received 25 or more carries eight times during his Boise State career. He rushed for at least 100 yards in all of those games and topped 150 on six occasions. And as of Sunday, he now has two 25-carry NFL games under his belt—a 204-yarder vs. Pittsburgh and a 214-yarder vs. Buffalo. Keep feeding him.
Niners Nation
Week 7: 23
Last Week: 27
Comments: No comments.
Averages
- Week 8 Average: 22
- Week 7 Average: 26
- Change: +4
- Highest Week 8 Ranking: 19 (CBS Sports/PFF/SI)
- Lowest Week 8 Ranking: 26 (ESPN/Yahoo)
- Highest Single Site Weekly Ranking: 19 (CBS Sports/PFF/SI - Week 8)
- Lowest Single Site Weekly Ranking: 31 (NFL/USA Today - Week 5)
- Highest Average Weekly Ranking: 25 Week 4
- Lowest Average Weekly Ranking: 28 Week 5