The maturation of Ryan Tannehill

A lot of Dolphin fans I talked to during the preseason thought they were going to be one of the worse teams in the NFL in 2012. I even heard fans say they would go winless during the regular season.

Now, the Dolphins find themselves tied for first place in the AFC East going into their bye week. Ryan Tannehill has a lot to do with the growth of the Miami Dolphins.

Tannehill is first NFL rookie to pass for more than 1,250 yards and win at least twice in his team's first five games. He has thrown for more yards in his first five games than any Miami rookie, including Hall of Famer Dan Marino.

It seems like the Dolphins have finally found the starting quarterback they been looking for since Marino retired.

Remember the way Tannehill played the first week of the season against the Houston Texans? Tannehill finished 20 of 36 for 219 yards and three interceptions. Fans were very critical of him and even went on to say that he was a draft bust the first week of the season.

Tannehill played one of the best defenses in the NFL in his first game, so of course he is going to look like a rookie. Ever since that game, his play has improved immensely.

In week two against the Oakland Raiders, Tannehill was 18/30 for 200 yards and one touchdown, in a win for the Dolphins.

Week four against the Arizona Cardinals, the Dolphins lost the game, but it certainly wasn't Tannehill's fault. He was 26/41 for 431 yards in a loss against the Arizona Cardinals. That performance, started to gain him notice around the NFL.

Last week performance at home against the St. Louis Rams, might have been his most efficient game as a pro. He was 21/29 for 185 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Miami made a wise choice by drafting Tannehill.

"He's got tremendous poise, he throws with accuracy, he's not making mistakes, and he's doing a great job in that offense," Fisher said. "He and coach Sherman obviously are on the same page, and I think there's a great future."

Tannehill's rating might be only 70.4, but the Dolphins wouldn't be in first place without him.