# Mike Florio: Florio says that despite the Dolphins' difficult cap situation, the foundation Malik Willis showed in the preseason opener gives Miami a chance to surprise people as early as this season.

**Claimed:** Aug 15, 2026
**Pundit:** Mike Florio — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/mike-florio
**Outlet:** NBC Sports — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/nbc-sports
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/malik-willis-draws-positive-reviews-from-jeff-hafley-devon-achane

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in.

> But the signs are there of a new foundation that will give the Dolphins a chance to surprise people, as soon as this season.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Miami Dolphins to beat expectations**
  - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: Miami Dolphins
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/dolphins

## What others said about the same people

- Nathan Jahnke on Jalen Tolbert: PFF's preseason fantasy recap makes a large number of depth-chart, role and fantasy-value calls across the league, including Chig Okonkwo as a top sleeper tight end, Tre Tucker as the Raiders' top receiver, and various backfield hierarchies. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/760054fd-7815-4b86-a9e3-bc9bdb0a730b (scored 0)
- Nathan Jahnke on Jalen Tolbert: PFF's fantasy football preseason recap projects depth-chart outcomes, roster spots and fantasy value for numerous players across several preseason games, including Chig Okonkwo's expanded role in Washington, Ja'Kobi Lane as Baltimore's WR3, Malachi Fields winning the Giants' starting X job, and Zachariah Branch being a fantasy bust relative to his late-round cost. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/22a4578b-eb92-41d2-820b-1a7eaa2e4e2f (scored 0)
- Chad Millman on Miami Dolphins: Chad Millman said he had taken money-line positions on several Week 1 underdogs — the Texans outright over the Bills, the Giants outright over Dallas (in a money-line underdog parlay), and Miami outright at Las Vegas — and that the show's survivor pick was the Steelers to win. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/bd767876-d060-44de-aa5a-3fc87ff4e749 (scored 0)
- Alain Poupart on Miami Dolphins: Poupart predicts the Dolphins upset the Raiders in Week 1 in Las Vegas, 27-24, and also expects Miami to win few games overall in 2026. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6dfbbc26-d75a-4671-8e05-5595ae2a2bee (scored 23.81)
- Chad Millman on Miami Dolphins: Millman backed several week one sides outright: Miami to beat the Raiders straight up, the Jets over the Titans, an underdog money line parlay of Houston and the Giants, and a favorites money line parlay of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit. He also stands by his preseason take that Drake Maye is a top-five NFL quarterback. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/de991e27-ec15-4c6e-ad88-b55bdaea8665 (scored 0)
- Conor Orr on Miami Dolphins: Orr's Week 1 straight-up picks, including several upsets (Patriots, Buccaneers, Browns, Dolphins, Commanders, Broncos). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/54ae8d21-7621-4c3d-816c-e879aed9b5c2 (scored 0)

## More surprise team calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Pete Prisco on Arizona Cardinals: An unsigned Week 2 NFL power rankings column places the Seahawks first and the Dolphins last, with the 49ers rising six spots after beating the Rams and the Cowboys falling 12 after losing to the Giants. It also suggests the Cardinals and Jets could be better than expected. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c5b3ea52-abec-4709-9830-c2d0c3016f61 (not settled)
- Rich Eisen on New Orleans Saints: Eisen accepted that the Giants can be the best team in the NFC East (while pumping the brakes on NFC contender talk), restated his preseason Josh Allen MVP pick, insisted the Rams are too talented to miss the playoffs, and put his marker on the Saints as the NFC South team that can beat expectations. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c97509bf-62f7-4680-9786-5ec11688175a (not settled)
- Steve Hartman on Cincinnati Bengals: Hartman picked the Rams and Bills to meet in the Super Bowl with the Rams winning, named the Bengals as his surprise team with Joe Burrow winning MVP and Cincinnati winning its division and reaching the AFC Championship Game against Buffalo. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/419294f8-3232-424c-8913-448c91b6a31f (not settled)
- Fox Sports on New Orleans Saints: Relaying anonymous NFL executives and scouts, the piece names Saints QB Tyler Shough as this season's breakout star whose numbers could pop, suggests New Orleans could surprise people in a weak division, and says Bears youngsters Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland will become elite — with Burden taking over as Chicago's No. 1 receiver ahead of Rome Odunze. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4a5acd69-ba40-4b2c-b159-d5ac40adfa8f (not settled)
- Bill Cowher on Pittsburgh Steelers: Cowher said the Steelers are flying under the radar entering the season and will have a better identity, framing them as a team that beats expectations. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9d5aa196-bf81-47c2-aacf-4ee04d5eb84f (not settled)
- JJ Watt on Jacksonville Jaguars: Watt gave Seattle's defensive front the edge over New England's, said the Jaguars remain underrated and under-discussed, and described USC product Lloyd as the Packers' bell-cow starting back. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a0b8cdf2-fac3-4496-a7cf-c7592d7d82ea (not settled)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

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