Miami Dolphins’ playoff odds increase. And rookie defensive linemen make their case
The Miami Dolphins’ playoff odds went up Tuesday without a single game played.
NFL owners on Tuesday unanimously agreed to expand the playoffs from 14 to 16 teams — or 7 to 8 teams per conference — if meaningful regular-season games are canceled because of COVID-19.
That seems more and more likely, considering testing last week detected 16 coronavirus cases spread across nine clubs.
At least one of those cases was on the Miami Dolphins, who on Friday placed wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. on the reserve/COVID-19 list and were without five coaches — including at least one who tested positive — Sunday because of COVID-19 protocols.
That group of missing coaches includes defensive coaches Gerald Alexander, Austin Clark and Marion Hobby. All three were supposed to speak to reporters Tuesday; none was made available.
“This is hard,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Everyone is making sacrifices to keep the season on track.”
Goodell added the league’s priority is to complete a 256-game schedule in 17 weeks and to hold the Super Bowl in Tampa on Feb. 7, 2021, with fans in the stands.
The Dolphins are one of several teams currently following the NFL’s intensive protocols, which includes mandatory remote meetings and deep facility cleaning. The team is permitted to practice when players return to Dolphins headquarters Wednesday, but has decided to hold a closed walk-through instead.
The Dolphins are also in the thick of a spirited playoff race after winning five of their last six games. They would be the AFC’s seventh seed if the season ended today, tied with three other clubs at 5-3. If the field expands to 16 teams, the Dolphins would likely only need to finish ahead of one of these three teams to get in: the Raiders, the Browns and the Colts.
Of that group, Cleveland and Las Vegas have a slightly easier remaining schedule, while Indianapolis has the NFL’s fifth-hardest remaining slate.
The likelihood of a 16-team postseason increases as cases around the country continue to spike and as clubs get past their bye.
Had the Dolphins been unable to play against the Cardinals as scheduled last week, the game would have either been made up in a newly created 18th week, or the NFL would have canceled the game altogether.
Tuesday’s resolution, which stipulated that playoff matchups will not be reseeded in a 16-team format, would only take effect if one or more games involving teams with a chance to make the playoffs is canceled.
PERSONNEL NOTES
▪ The Dolphins’ rookie defensive linemen — Raekwon Davis and Jason Strowbridge — played decently Sunday.
Strowbridge, a fifth-round pick, made his NFL debut and logged 12 defensive snaps; Pro Football Focus rated him 10th among the 18 Dolphins who played defensive snaps on Sunday.
“There were some good things; there’s some things that we can correct,” defensive coordinator Josh Boyer said of the North Carolina product.
Meanwhile, Davis has played somewhat better after a slow start.
“Both of those guys are working hard to [improve] and we need to continue to get them better as we go,” Boyer said.
Pro Football Focus rates Davis and Zach Sieler 83rd and 84th, respectively, among 100 interior defenders, though Sieler’s play seems better than that. Christian Wilkins is ranked 72nd. Davon Godchaux — who’s out for the season — ranks 91st.
▪ Linebacker Elandon Roberts — who combined with Sieler on a key third-down stop that preceded Arizona’s missed late field goal — has made a handful of big plays during this four-game winning streak after struggling early in the season.
“He really studies about as hard as you possibly can,” linebackers coach Anthony Campanile said. “That’s why we wanted him here. He prepares relentlessly every week. [Those big plays are] just a byproduct of that.”
Campanile said the value of offseason linebacker additions Roberts and Kyle Van Noy — two former Patriots — extends beyond their production.
“Kyle is incredibly bright; he has a high IQ in general, but really a high football IQ,” Campanile said. “He’s really been helpful for a lot of the younger guys in terms of day-to-day talking to them, schematics within each game plan.”
▪ Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, on Salvon Ahmed’s first NFL game, which included 7 carries for 38 yards, a strong 5.4 per carry:
“He had some good plays and he had some things he’s got to work on. He’s got some things that we’ll have to improve upon and get him better at. He does show some explosion. It was good to have that and be able to see a short run turn into a longer run with that burst that he has, to be able to get on the edge. I think he’ll improve.”
Ahmed’s 38 rushing yards were the most by a Dolphins rookies in his NFL debut since Jay Ajayi had 41 against Buffalo in 2015.
Jordan Howard — who filled in for injured Myles Gaskin and Matt Breida last week — now has just 33 yards on 28 carries this season but his four touchdowns are tied for 17th most among running backs.
▪ Sunday’s Dolphins-Arizona game was seen in 13.4 percent of Miami-Fort Lauderdale homes with TV sets, the Dolphins’ highest local rating of the season. Dolphins games typically have been drawing ratings in the 8 to 11 range in the past two seasons. About 17.7 percent of South Florida homes were tuned in for Miami’s game-winning drive.
Here’s my Tuesday piece on a key looming issues with the Marlins’ young hitters.
Here’s my Tuesday piece on Duke’s Vernon Carey Jr., who auditioned for the Heat last week, and his famous father’s comments on his son.
Here’s our Tuesday piece on what Chan Gailey said about Tua Tagovailoa.
This story was originally published November 10, 2020 at 5:03 PM.
