As it has become increasingly apparent that the Miami Dolphins would be firmly planted in the thick of the AFC playoff race through December, Dolphins fans have begun to course through the remaining schedules of the teams to find the proper scenarios to see materialize. If there were to be a Dolphins’ playoff berth courtesy of a combination of game results, it has been uncovered by Miami fans. But with two weeks remaining in the 2020 regular season and Miami currently clinging to the 7th and final playoff spot in the AFC, there is no clear and obvious blueprint for a rooting guide for Dolphins fans.
That is, of course, except for the Dolphins running the table to finish the season at 11-5. If that happens, they’re in, no matter what.
But finding playoff scenarios with the Dolphins sitting at 10 wins is complicated at best. Miami would need to hope for a team like the Cleveland Browns to lose their final two games; including one this weekend against the New York Jets. A Baltimore Ravens loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 would do the job as well; and while that may feel possible after Cincinnati upset Pittsburgh last night on Monday Night Football, that is still a long-shot.
Two Indianapolis Colts losses would do the trick as well, although one would need to come against Jacksonville and the other against Pittsburgh — and that result would actually be more of a detriment to the Dolphins than anything. Why? Because the Buffalo Bills are jostling with the Steelers for AFC playoff positioning. The Bills won’t catch the Chiefs for the No. 1 seed, but the Bills can clinch the No. 2 seed in Week 16 with a win over New England and a Steelers loss to Indianapolis.
So Miami should be rooting for a team they’re directly contending with to defeat a team ahead of them in the standings for hopes of drawing a softer lineup from the Bills in Week 17 — which Buffalo is only likely to do if they have the 2-seed locked in ahead of the game against Miami.
Keeping up?
This is why the playoff scenarios for the Dolphins are so complex. Yes, Miami doesn’t need to run the table to get in. But it would sure make this mess a lot easier to deal with in the process if they did.