NFL Teams Betting - Miami Dolphins - AFC East

Grim but they'll beat somebody at some point this season because the defense has been in the top five in fewest points allowed three of the last five years and although it's aging it's not aged yet. The Dolphins are coming off three consecutive losing seasons, but theyre hoping to build on their strong finish in 2011. Miami went 6-3 in its last nine games following a disastrous 0-7 start, and quarterback Matt Moore produced the sixth-best passer rating in the league over those final nine weeks.

After another uninspiring season, owner Steve Ross initially sought to snare the biggest fish in order to create a splash in the fragmented South Florida sports market, while placating a fan base angry about his retention of unpopular general manager Jeff Ireland. He recruited free agent coach Jeff Fisher, who turned him down as Jim Harbaugh had the offseason before. He made a pitch to future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, but Manning never seemed to take the Dolphins’ situation seriously. And so, instead, Ross had to settle for a ripple, with the hiring of former Green Bay offensive guru Joe Philbin to pace the sidelines, the drafting of Ryan Tannehill to someday take the snaps, and the re-signing of Paul Soliai and Cameron Wake to anchor the defense.

“What we talked about was building a foundation, building a program, building a football team that could deliver sustained success over a period of time,” Philbin says of interviewing with Ross. “I’ve coached in the National Football League for nine years and college for 19. I don’t know if you ever go into a game where you don’t feel like you have a chance to win.”

The Dolphins have a chance to win a couple more games this season, but due to the limitations of the offensive talent base, grander accomplishments will have to wait.