Dolphins playoff path gains clarity. Here are the six ways Miami can make postseason
The Los Angeles Chargers’ win against the Denver Broncos on Thursday night left the Dolphins with several paths to make the playoffs.
If the Dolphins lose at home against San Francisco on Sunday (4:25 p.m., CBS), they would be eliminated from playoff contention. In fact, any Dolphins loss in their final three games would eliminate them from contention.
But if the Dolphins (6-8) win their remaining three games (home to San Francisco, at Cleveland and at the Jets), they can make the playoffs in any of these six scenarios:
▪ Two Denver losses and a Colts loss.
▪ Two Chargers losses and a Colts loss.
▪ Two Denver losses and two Chargers losses.
▪ Three Baltimore losses and a Colts loss.
▪ Three Baltimore losses and two Denver losses.
▪ Three Baltimore losses and two Chargers losses.
The Chargers (9-6) close at New England and at Las Vegas.
The Ravens (9-5) play Pittsburgh, at Houston and Cleveland.
The Colts (6-8) finish with Tennessee, at the Giants and Jacksonville.
The Broncos (9-6) play at Cincinnati and then home to Kansas City.
Provided the Dolphins remain in contention entering Week 18, it would help the Dolphins if the Chiefs have something to play for in their finale at Denver. The Chiefs have a two game lead over Buffalo for the No. 1 seed but the Bills own the tiebreaker.
And Buffalo has the easier remaining schedule (Patriots, Jets, at Patriots). The Chiefs play Houston, at Pittsburgh and at Denver.
The Dolphins could move as high as the sixth seed in multiple scenarios.
Miami would win tiebreakers against Baltimore, the Chargers and Denver and also against Cincinnati, which has the same record as the Dolphins. The Dolphins would lose a tiebreaker to the Colts by virtue of their October loss to Indianapolis.
This story was originally published December 19, 2024 at 11:36 PM.
