The Dolphins are quickly nearing the end of the 2019 season and there are several pivotal games on the Week 15 schedule that will help determine Miami’s final order in the standings — not just with their own pick, but also with the picks belong to Pittsburgh and Houston in the 1st-round as well. It’s coming down to crunch time and every game counts. So here is what the Dolphins need to root for in order to maximize their draft capital for next April’s NFL Draft.
Dolphins vs. Giants
Miami needs: A Miami win
Huh? How? Wouldn’t a Dolphins need a loss to move up in the order? If we’re calling it how it is, Miami’s odds of passing Cincinnati are pretty non-existent. The Bengals play the Patriots today and therefore will enter next week’s showdown with Miami with a minimum of a 2-game lead with two games to play.
But the Giants? They’re 2-11. If the Dolphins are going to have any hope at snatching up Joe Burrow in the NFL Draft, their best best is now for the Giants to stumble the rest of the way and catch the Bengals — who are just one game worse than New York but do not have a strength of schedule advantage.
Texans vs. Titans
Miami needs: A Tennessee win
The Titans are the Dolphins’ best friend right now. As things currently stand, Tennessee is 2 wins over Houston in the next 3 weeks away from winning the AFC South and pushing the Texans to the fringe of the 2019 playoff picture.
Houston missing the playoffs would net Miami an additional 1st-round pick inside the top-20, which should be the goal entering Week 15 as both Houston and Pittsburgh currently sit inside the top-6 in the AFC.
Bills vs. Steelers
Miami needs: A Buffalo win
Tonight, we are all Bills fans. A Buffalo win paired with a Titans win also pushes the Steelers to the fringe of the AFC playoff picture and would give Tennessee a record vs. the AFC tiebreaker advantage over Pittsburgh. The Steelers finish against the Jets and Ravens, who are probably facing the prospect of starting Robert Griffin III in place of Lamar Jackson in the Week 17 showdown. That makes tonight a must win for Buffalo if the Dolphins are to see the Steelers pushes out of the postseason picture.
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