It's only mediocre. Winning and losing in equal parts to reach a .500 record is not ordinarily a mark of distinction in sports.
But for the 2020 Miami Dolphins, getting to .500 would be a milestone. An accomplishment.
An optimist might even see it as a turning point.
That's what the Dolphins have before them now as they carry their 2-3 record into Sunday's home game against the New York Jets.
The Dolphins are favorites in this game. That's different because they have never been odds-on favorites before any game Brian Flores has been their coach.
And with the Jets looking like a franchise on fire with an 0-5 record, it stands to reason the Dolphins should win this one. At least, most "experts" believe they will.
You know where a win would put the Dolphins? Sources close to math indicate Miami would be at .500.
The magic .500.
Not quite winning, granted. But no longer just losing.
Getting to .500 on Sunday means the Dolphins would have won three of their last four games. And they would have two more consecutive home games after a bye next week to improve on that .500 mark.
This could be something. Not that Miami players are getting comfortable or complacent with an accomplishment they have not yet manifested.
"I think we can always _ I mean we're 2-3 _ so we can always point to that and just point to the fact that we still don't have a winning record," quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "There's a fine line for us between carrying some of that momentum over and being excited about the way that we played and trying to build on it _ and like you said, the word complacent or patting yourself on the back and being happy with last week and not focusing on what we need to focus on this week.
"So we've made this week a lot about us and getting better on the practice field and continuing to take those next steps to just get better as an offensive unit, defensive unit and obviously as a team."
A little history lesson now:
George Wilson's Dolphins never got to .500 cumulatively during his years with the team. Of course, Wilson was working with an expansion team.
But for a fleeting seven days in mid-September of 1968, Wilson's Dolphins were 1-0 before which means those guys got to .500 before this team has.
The problem for that long-ago club is it then lost eight consecutive games. Those fledgling Dolphins never got close to .500 again.
And, yeah, Wilson was gone after 1969.
Don Shula's Dolphins?
The only time the NFL's winningest coach was under .500 for his career in Miami was after the first game he coached in 1970 because the Dolphins lost to Boston (New England now).
But Shula's club won the next four games and finished that first season with 10 wins. And Shula's career totals never fell below .500 again. Not even close.
The latter-day Dolphins?
Cam Cameron never got to .500 in his lone season as Miami's coach.
Joe Philbin, who never enjoyed a winning season during his 40 games as Miami's head coach, actually got to .500 and above multiple times during his tenure. But, obviously, he was not able to sustain success.
There were good times during Adam Gase's tenure. The Dolphins were 10-6 and made the playoffs in 2016.
They were 4-2 to start the 2017 season, despite not having starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
And they were 3-0 upon Tannehill's return in 2018 and even 4-2 after he injured his shoulder and missed more time that year.
But obviously Gase's final two teams faded badly and his time came to an end.
So what would these Dolphins getting to .500 on Sunday mean, tangibly?
First, it would solidify Fitzpatrick as the starting quarterback at least until the second week of November. Because Flores, barring bizarre circumstances, isn't benching his quarterback on a bye week after a win.
So no Tua Tagovailoa amid the team success.
Getting to .500 would also signal there's improvement being made in multiple areas.
And that may sound obvious, but it definitely applies to a secondary that might suddenly have addressed the communications issues that troubled it earlier. It might also suggest an improved running game to balance out an offense so far heavily reliant on the pass.
"Just like everything else, we've got to improve the running game, play action, red zone, two-minute. We're working on it on a daily basis," Flores said. "Those guys are working hard along with the offensive line, the fullbacks and tight ends, getting the blocking where we need it and running it better.
"I think we've ran it effectively in some instances; but we can be better overall. That's the case in really a lot of areas, offensively, defensively and in the kicking game."
Getting to and perhaps above .500 might also show the coaching staff is growing.
Flores, with perhaps only a couple of exceptions, put together a very young staff with limited NFL experience for 2020. They struggled the first couple of games.
But they have gotten it closer to right in two of the past three games.
Part of that is understanding the capabilities of individual players and then highlighting those capabilities while trying to mask their weaknesses. That comes from familiarity with the roster.
It's not 100% yet but it is seemingly getting better.
The fact the Miami Dolphins might finally be at .500 again by late Sunday is proof.
