While Dolphins sit home, they could gain some ground in AFC East
Dolphins (3-2 overall, 0-0 division)
Yup, the Dolphins still haven’t played a division game, but that will change next week after their bye. The Dolphins will play the Bills and Patriots in consecutive weeks before hosting the Bengals on Thursday Night. Three games in 12 days will be tough, but if the Dolphins can go 2-1 in that stretch, it will set them up nicely for a playoff run. Last week, the Dolphins played poorly (especially the offensive line), so we can only hope they’re making some changes during this bye week so that we see some improvement next weekend against Buffalo.
Bills (2-3 overall, 0-2 division)
The Bills aren’t terrible and they’re certainly no pushover. They have a rookie QB and their defensive line has been playing better than last year. Last week, they lost to the upstart Browns (3-2) on Thursday Night. This week, they welcome in the Bengals (3-2) in a game that they’ll probably lose. I don’t see the Bills being a playoff contender, but that won’t stop me from rooting against them this weekend.
Other games of rooting interest:
Lions @ Browns – The Browns are 3-0 after trading away Trent Richardson. They’re 3-2 on the season and although I don’t expect them to be there at the end of the season, it would be nice if the Lions can knock them off this week.
Packers @ Ravens – Another AFC/NFC showdown where the Dolphins will want the the NFC team to win. The Packers would do the rest of the AFC a favor if they can knock off the defending Super Bowl Champs this week.
Rams @ Texans – I don’t think the Rams have a shot in this game, but I’ll still root for them to knock off the Texans.
Titans @ Seahawks – The Titans will be without Jake Locker and will be traveling to Seattle, the toughest place to play in the NFL. After a tough loss to the Colts, I expect the Seahawks to bounce back this week and help out the AFC playoff contenders.
Colts @ Chargers – This is one of those games where I don’t know who to root for. The Colts are 4-1 and the Chargers are 2-3. A loss by the Colts would bring them closer to where the Dolphins are, so I’ll probably root for the Chargers. But, a Chargers win would bring them to .500 and give their season some hope.
So there you have it, a rundown of who to root for this weekend while our Dolphins sit back and relax. As much as I hate a Dolphins-less weekend of football, my heart and nerves were ready for a break. It also helps build the excitement for next weekend’s game against the Bills. Myself and Miami Jules will be at that game, so if you’re going, let us know!
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