Dolphins Still in Running After Win

Just when I was beginning to think that the Miami Dolphins, the National Football League franchise that I had been rooting for ever since I had just turned twelve in 1968, were going to have their third rebuilding collapse in seven years after all the preseason fanfare hinting that maybe, just maybe, this would be the year they turned the corner and returned to their predictable quality of the previous century...they surprised me last night by defeating a very good Cincinnati Bengals team in overtime 22-20.  It was a defensive play, the sack of Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton in his own endzone for a safety, that sealed the win. Now, at the halfway point of the regular season that saw Miami on a roller coaster ride starting with three opening wins and then four straight losses before last night's victory, they are "even-Steven" at 4-4 and still in the hunt for a playoff spot...even the divisional title is still possible.  But they are going to need to do better against teams in their own division.  So far the Dolphins are 0-2 in divisional contests, including a 27-17 loss to 6-2 New England, a game that Miami had command of 17-3 and driving for a score that would have made it 24-3.  If they are going to do well in the second half of the season, they need to avoid those costly turnovers and sacks that plagued their offense, the culpability for which should be shared by quarterback Ryan Tannehill and the offensive linemen.  And the defense, which overall has played well so far, needs to maintain their high standard of play.  Regardless what ends up happening, though, I feel they are still in the running...which makes following them week to week much more fun!