The Dolphins are no longer stuck at the bottom of the AFC East pile.
Miami finally picked up its first win of 2026 in Week 7, beating the Jets and, at the same time, nudging itself out of last place in the latest division power rankings. It’s still a long climb from there to the top, but with three of the next five games coming against AFC East opponents, the next stretch will say plenty about where this rebuilding team really stands.
The Bills held onto the top spot while sitting on their bye, and the Patriots had a chance to close the gap but came up short on the road against the Bears. So with the season closing in on the halfway mark, here’s how the division stacks up right now.
- New York Jets (2-5)
There’s a case to keep the Jets ahead of Miami despite the head-to-head loss. Their record is still better, and they’ve been ranked above the Dolphins on both offense and defense. Through most of the year, they’ve also looked like the steadier team.
But losing at home to Miami changes the tone fast. That’s the kind of defeat that leaves Jets fans calling for Aaron Glenn’s job.
- Miami Dolphins (1-5)
Miami gets the nod over New York after the upset win, and it’s not just a reward for beating the Jets. The Dolphins have been creeping upward week by week, and it finally showed in their first victory.
The offense was the main reason the breakthrough happened. Malik Willis delivered by far the best game of his Dolphins career so far. The defense didn’t exactly shine, but it made enough timely plays to keep the Jets from running away with it.
Now the question is whether that momentum carries into Week 8 against the Patriots.
- New England Patriots (4-3)
New England had a chance to jump into the top spot while Buffalo was idle, but the loss to Chicago kept that from happening. Even so, the Patriots’ season looks a lot different than it did early on. Drake Maye has bounced back after that rough opening stretch, and even with another interception, he’s looked much more like the MVP runner-up he was a year ago.
The pass rush has helped turn the Patriots into a real playoff threat again. They still need a few cracks to open up in Buffalo’s armor, though, and right now they’re still chasing.
- Buffalo Bills (5-1)
The Bills kept their place at the top without even taking the field in Week 7. While they watched from the sideline, the only movement in the division came from Miami’s climb.
Buffalo’s record looks imposing, but the underlying numbers tell a more uneven story. Per Sumer Sports, the Bills rank first in offensive Expected Points Added (EPA) and 31st in defensive EPA.
That kind of imbalance could keep them from finally winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl. But in the AFC East race, it still probably won’t matter enough to knock them off course. If Buffalo handles its rematch with New England in Week 13, it will be tough for the Patriots to catch them in the standings or in these rankings.
In Other News...
Chargers Are Sliding Into The AFCs Biggest Early-Season Mess
The early AFC picture has already turned into a scramble, and Miami is watching it with a mix of recognition and opportunity. The updated conference rankings are stacked with clubs that expected to be much further along by now, from the winless Chargers to the Titans' ongoing questions and the Colts' front-office shake-up, while the Dolphins remain in the middle of their own reset with a roster still short on proven talent.
Miami's place in that conversation is a reminder that the rebuild is not just about long-term vision, but about surviving the weekly churn around them. There are signs the Dolphins can still find pockets of competence and keep themselves relevant, yet the broader issue remains the same: they need more difference-makers, and the next stretch will show whether this group can keep pace while the AFC's mess keeps getting messier. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Finally Escaped One Brutal Spot After Their First Win
The Dolphins first win of the season, a much-needed one over the New York Jets, at least changed the conversation around the team outside the building. After opening 1-5, Miami was still going to have an uphill climb in the national picture, but the latest wave of power rankings shows a modest step forward, with multiple outlets slotting the Dolphins anywhere from 26th to 31st.
It is a small victory in its own right that no major outlet still has Miami dead last, but the margin for comfort remains thin. The challenge gets steeper quickly with the New England Patriots next on the schedule, and the Dolphins will need more than one relief performance if they want to keep moving out of the leagues basement. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Can Change The Whole Feel Of This Season Sunday
The Dolphins finally got a win under Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley, and it came against the Jets in a game that at least gave the building something to hang onto. After a rocky stretch, even one victory can change the tone around a team, especially when it arrives with a new coaching staff trying to establish itself and get the roster pointed in a clearer direction.
Miami now gets a Patriots matchup that could carry more weight than a typical early-season divisional game. Another win would give the Dolphins a better feel for where they stand and add a little more credibility to the progress theyre trying to make, even if the bigger picture is still about development. It would also nudge the franchise further away from the very top of the 2027 NFL Draft conversation, which is the kind of backdrop teams rarely mention but always have in mind. [Read more 🡒]