The top contenders

4. Miami Dolphins (2-0, No. 8)

5. Philadelphia Eagles (2-0, No. 7)

6. Los Angeles Chargers (1-1, No. 4)

7. Green Bay Packers (1-1, No. 10)

8. Los Angeles Rams (1-1, No. 9)

9. Baltimore Ravens (1-1, No. 5)

It’s time to consider the Dolphins a true AFC contender. In an improbable 42-38 comeback win against the Ravens, Tua Tagovailoa threw for 469 yards and a franchise-record tying six touchdowns, completely changing the notion of what’s possible for the third-year quarterback under new coach Mike McDaniel. Miami might have the league’s best receiving duo in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, who became the first pair of teammates in NFL history to record at least 10 receptions, 150 receiving yards and two touchdown catches in the same game. It remains to be seen whether Tagovailoa and his receivers can keep up this level of production, but there’s no doubt the Dolphins are a force to be reckoned with.

While Miami has a clear blueprint for success, the team it erased a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat has plenty of questions to answer about its own identity. Through three quarters, the Ravens looked unstoppable as Lamar Jackson tore through a Dolphins defense that gave him fits with its Cover 0 blitzes last season. Jackson became the first player in NFL history to record a touchdown pass and run of at least 75 yards in the same game and nearly finished with a perfect passer rating, but even that MVP-level performance wasn’t enough to bail out the Ravens’ atrocious defense. The blown coverages in the secondary raise uncomfortable questions for new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who will need to shore up his players’ communication before Baltimore can even think about competing with the Chiefs and Bills for the AFC title.