Dolphins playoff chances helped and hurt by week 17 schedule
1:00pm – Ravens @ Bengals
The Ravens need to win this game and get help. If they lose, they need all of the other teams still alive for the #6 seed to lose too (which is unlikely). The Bengals, meanwhile, still have a shot at the #2 seed and a 1st round bye (if the Patriots lose). A win also means that the Bengals ensure themselves at least the #3 seed. That’s important because it means they will host one of the 4 remaining playoff hopefuls instead of the 11-4 Chiefs. The Bengals hate the Ravens and would love nothing more than to eliminate them.
It helps the Dolphins that this game is played at 1:00pm because the Bengals will be playing hard, hoping to earn the #2 seed because the Patriots game does not start until 4:25pm. One of the Dolphins paths to the playoffs is a win AND a Ravens loss. So the timing of this game and the fact that the Bengals should be playing hard, helps the Dolphins.
1:00pm – Browns @ Steelers
This game doesn’t mean much to the Dolphins. But if the Steelers win, they need the Chargers, Dolphins, and Ravens all to lose. If that happens, the Steelers claim the #6 seed.
4:25pm – Chiefs @ Chargers
The Chiefs have locked up the #5 seed and they’ll be traveling Wild Card Weekend. Where they’re going, we won’t know until Sunday night. BUT, when faced with similar situations, Andy Reid has rested some of his players. The Chiefs have nothing to gain from winning this game, so there is a good chance their starters won’t be playing the entire game. The Chargers, meanwhile, need to win to have a chance. BUT, the Chargers will already know by the time their game kicks off if they are still alive for the playoffs.
Why? Because the Dolphins and Ravens games will be over with by the time this one kicks off. The Chargers need the Dolphins and Ravens to both lose (or tie) AND the Chargers need to win. If the Dolphins and Ravens both win, the Dolphins only way into the playoffs will be courtesy of a Chargers victory, which would force a 3 way tie for the 6th spot (which the Dolphins win). But if the Chargers know they are eliminated, they might not be playing as hard as possible, yet the Dolphins would need them to win to get in. This is not the ideal scenario, but it is possible. This is how the week 17 schedule hurts the Dolphins.
4:25pm – Bills @ Patriots
This game has no impact on the Dolphins except for the fact that it’s late start time will mean that the Bengals will be trying to win their game, not knowing the result of this game. If the Patriots somehow lose this game, they could fall out of the #2 spot and they could fall all the way to the #4 spot.
So there you have it, all of the scenarios. The Dolphins need to take care of their business and hope that the Bengals play hard and that the Chiefs don’t! Most think the Dolphins path to the playoffs is the most likely of all scenarios. BUT, most of us thought they would be able to handle the Bills on Sunday. How did that turn out? The Dolphins need to forget about the embarrassing Bills loss and turn all of their attention to the Jets. If I had to bet, my guess would be that the Dolphins get the help they need……but they’ll need to win to hold up their part of the playoff equation. If the Dolphins get the help they need from the Bengals or Chargers, but lose to the Jets, I will be inconsolable on Monday….it won’t be pretty. I would love, for the first time in the history of PhinNation.com, to write a story about how the Dolphins are getting ready for a playoff game. We’ll just have to see how it all shakes out on Sunday. Get ready because it’s going to be a crazy day!
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