Dolphins Rise To The Top Of Worst Regular Season Record Odds After Week 1 Loss

Miami entered the season with low expectations surrounding its offense, especially with Malik Willis taking over as starting quarterback. Week 1 did little to address those concerns.

The Dolphins recorded only 259 total yards in their 27-13 loss to the Raiders and converted just two of their 10 third down attempts. Willis completed only 15 of 27 passes for 220 yards, throwing an interception and getting sacked five times.

The running game was another visible weakness of the Dolphin's offense. De'Von Achane stands as one of Miami's most reliable offensive weapons, but was held to just 36 rushing yards. With an inexperienced group of receivers surrounding Willis, Miami will need more production from Achane if the offense is going to remain competitive throughout this season.

In addition, Las Vegas entered the season with plenty of concerns of its own, with regular season expectations considerably low. Yet the Raiders controlled the game and held the ball for nearly 35 minutes despite Kirk Cousins throwing two interceptions. Which makes the blowout loss even more concerning for the Dolphin's outlook this season.

Week 1 losses are usually not enough to dictate how the season will unfold, but the Dolphin's opening preview unfortunately reinforced all of the concerns that now has them pushed toward the top of the worst regular season record odds.

In addition to a tough start to the season, Miami's upcoming schedule will likely provide little opportunities for the team to improve it's record early in the season.

The Dolphins will be facing the 49ers in Week 2 to face a team that started the season with a 27-7 win over the Rams. Early betting lines have Miami listed as a 13.5 point underdog, the largest spread of Week 2, showing how low expectations have fallen following its blowout loss against Las Vegas.

It will continue to get worse from there. Miami will return home in week 3 to face Kansas City before travelling to Minnesota in Week 4 and hosting Cincinnati in Week 5. The Dolphins then enter their bye week, meaning they'll likely be sitting at a 0-5 record before they get an opportunity to regroup.

Miami does have more manageable matchups against the Jets and Patriots following the bye. With the likely stress of their standings at that point in the season, those matchups will be must wins for the Dolphins if they have any chance of breaking out as favourites in this market.

With Miami’s offense already struggling to sustain drives and protect Malik Willis, the next month should provide a clear indication of whether the team can make the necessary adjustments to fix its weaknesses. If Miami can't solve their problems by week 6, its position at the top of the worst record odds could solidify for the remainder of the season.