The Miami Dolphins head into the 2021 season with a bright future. The team completed their second season under Head Coach Brian Flores with a 10-6 record in 2021. They had notable wins over the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers.
The addition of Tua Tagovailoa to the Dolphins proved to be the best choice at quarterback. Tua took over the position from Ryan Fitzpatrick midway through the season and finished with 1,814 passing yards. You could argue that the success for Miami is due to Tua.
Coaching played a tremendous part in Miami’s success too. In 2020, only five teams allowed fewer points per game than the Dolphins. This success on the defensive side of the ball led to Miami getting near the NFL Playoffs. Unfortunately for them, they were eliminated from contention after a blowout loss to the Bills.
This season, they look to establish themselves as a force in the AFC East. This is the third season under head coach Brian Flores and the first with Tua Tagovailoa being the exclusive quarterback. Fans of the Dolphins are on the edge of their seats. Bettors, on the other hand, are wondering how they can capitalize on this rising team.
2021 Miami Dolphins Futures Betting Odds
Miami Dolphins Super Bowl Champion Odds: +3500
Miami Dolphins AFC Champion Odds: +1400
Miami Dolphins Win Totals Odds: Over 9 (-130) / Under 9 (+100)
Miami Dolphins AFC East Champion Odds: +310
Had it not been for a final loss in 2020, the Dolphins would’ve been in the playoffs. This season, they can try to make their way in for the first time in five years. It won’t be easy, though, as the AFC East is becoming a very competitive division.
With teams like the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, Miami will have to be in top shape. The question is, can Tua Tagovailoa shoulder this burden entirely? They’re also currently having trouble with players ending up on the COVID-19 list, which could be a problem. The more players who end up on the list are the players that won’t be available for games.
Currently, the season hasn’t started, so they don’t have to worry too much just yet. However, protecting their interests in 2021 is paramount. They have great odds to win the AFC East and could’ve done so last season.
The biggest problem for Miami is the Buffalo Bills, which they lost both games to in 2020. The Bills are a tough team for Miami to face, even with their strong defense. Buffalo was able to score over thirty points in each game against the Dolphins. This gives us little trust for them to take the division in 2021.
2021 Miami Dolphins Offseason Grade: B-
Key Additions: (WR, Jaylen Waddle), (WR, William Fuller), (WR, Isaiah Ford)
Key Departures: (G, Ereck Flowers), (S, Brian Cole), (LB, Kyle Van Noy)
Some key defensive players are no longer on the Miami Dolphins, which is sure to hurt them in 2021. Safety Brian Cole and linebacker Kyle Van Noy were part of the fifth-best defense in the NFL. Unfortunately, they’ll have to find another way to be dominant without those players.
They did sign DB Jason McCourty to go opposite of Xavien Howard. This should round out the secondary fairly well in 2021.
On the offensive side, Miami focused on targets for Tua Tagovailoa. The drafting of Jaylen Waddle from Alabama is huge for the offense. Will Fuller is easily one of the best deep threats in the NFL. Adding these two, along with DeVante Parker, make a very strong receiving corps. It’ll be interesting to see how the offense looks with these added weapons.
Miami Dolphins 2021 Preview
We can’t say that the Dolphins could lead the AFC East because we haven’t seen them against the Bills. That’s the true test for any team in that division. However, if there’s any team likely to get a Wild Card spot in the playoffs, it’s Miami.
This team was near the NFL Playoffs last season and had a great offseason. They brought in more weapons for the young quarterback and added some defensive players too. This puts them in a great position to at least reach the playoffs in 2021.
Miami Dolphins Futures Best Bets
One futures bet you should definitely take is for Miami to win over 9 games. Now it may seem like a stretch, but you have to remember the additional games in 2021. The offense looks like it’ll be even better than 2020, especially at the wide receiver spot.
We see the Miami Dolphins winning 11 games this year. They have a generous schedule that they should be able to capitalize on in 2021.