The Miami Dolphins are not a fluke at 2-0. How do they do it?

For more than 30 years, a 2-0 start was a sign of inevitability in Miami.

The Dolphins, first from Don Shula, then Jimmy Johnson and Dave Wannstedt, won their first two games of the season 17 times between 1972 and 2002, and have played in the playoffs 15 times. And in one of the periods they did not – 1977 – they still finished 10-4 and missed the playoffs just because of a loss against the Colts and a very good wildcard team (the Raiders 11-3 ).

After four consecutive winning seasons, the Wannstedt era ended unceremoniously with a 4-12 Duke in 2004, and the franchise officially wandered into the desert. Since then, the Dolphins have played only two playoffs, and in both seasons they had to unleash late streaks and improbable. A start of 2-4 resulted in a 9-1 win in 2008 and a 1-4 start led to a 9-2 win in 2016.

Since Wannstedt left Miami, the Dolphins have started twice in the season 2-0 (2010 and 2013). It meant nothing both times.

Does this mean anything in 2018?

Miami started this season with tight victories over the Titans (27-20) and Jets (20-12). The Phins are currently leading the AFC East. They host the Raiders without a win but no luck on Sunday with a chance to move to 3-0 for the second time only since 2002.

Here's what we know for sure about Adam Gase's team: she can defend. The Dolphins have only had a 35.1% success rate so far this season, fourth in the NFL and second in teams that have not played in Buffalo yet (Baltimore is first) or Arizona (Washington is third). They are the first in terms of success rates for standard declines (31%, more than three points higher than the others), taking advantage of opponents in difficult situations and difficult distances.

Of course, they are also the last in the league passes success rate (42%), leaving the opponents to win quite often. But force it long enough and it stops of having importance. In one way or another, the Dolphins let Ndamukong Suh surrender to the Rams and both the defenses have improved, at least up to now.

We do not know yet what Miami can offer offensive at the moment. The race match was very effective, with Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore (and, on the occasion, quarterback Ryan Tannehill) contributing to a 45.2% success rate, second in the league. But the big games were lacking and the team's success rate of 36.7% (23rd) is pretty terrible.

By 2018, you are not supposed to be more effective on the ground than in the air. The PFF has ranked Tannehill as the # 19 QB in the league so far, and it would likely be lower without some quick contributions.

Well, there are questions. But better to have questions at 2-0 than at 0-2. And Miami does not have as many problems as a couple other undefeated teams.

(Basically on these stats, check out this piece on the good 0-2 teams.)

By using second-rate victories – a measure derived from the expectation of victory after the match, in which I throw key stats and the team could have won that game X% of the time – we see that the Dolphins have one of the most legitimate 2-0 records so far.

Their hope of victory after the match was 87% against the Titans and 65% against the Jets; That adds 1.5 second-rate victories, just behind the Rams (dominant but helped by turnovers) and Bengals (slightly less dominant, slightly less helped by turnovers). They are even with the Jaguars in this regard, and although the Jags have dominated the efficiency side of the game (which is the most sustainable way to win), they are vulnerable to big games.

The Dolphins are not as one-dimensional as the Chiefs or the Bucs (each of whom may have the league's best offensive and the worst defense of the moment), and they did not have as much smoke and mirrors as the Broncos.

You could argue that Rams and Jaguars are the class of the NFL so far. But for the unbeaten, Miami's 2-0 run was as legitimate as anyone else. Pass play is clearly gaining momentum, but defensive success seems sustainable – the success rate of transmission is more or less likely to improve as the success rate of standard declines recedes.

Football Outsiders is currently planning the Dolphins with a 63% chance at a playoff bid, AFC's second-best. Beat Oakland Sunday and Miami could become the safest thing of the conference.

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY HUI Sports