{"id":13848,"date":"2024-12-24T03:48:19","date_gmt":"2024-12-24T03:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=13848"},"modified":"2024-12-24T03:48:19","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T03:48:19","slug":"miami-dolphins-playoff-scenarios-how-to-get-to-the-postseason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=13848","title":{"rendered":"Miami Dolphins playoff scenarios: How to get to the postseason"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Miami Dolphins have not had the regular season they anticipated, but they still have a shot at the playoffs with two weeks remaining. How do they get there?<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
Kevin Nogle\u00a0began writing FanPosts on The Phinsider in 2009 before being added as a contributing author in 2010. He became the managing editor of the site in July 2011. He is a lifelong Dolphins fan and tries to always maintain a level-headed approach to covering the team.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

The\u00a0Miami Dolphins\u00a0have struggled through an inconsistent 2024 season, one in which they have looked more like an also-ran than a contender. Preseason projections saw Miami as a team ready to make a deep playoff run. Instead, they find themselves on the outside looking in with two weeks to play.<\/p>\n

However, while eliminations are happening all around the league, the Dolphins have managed to stave off that fate. Could they find their way into the playoffs for the third-straight season? While they still need a lot of helps, there is a clear path that could land them in the postseason.<\/p>\n

\n

Miami Dolphins playoff scenarios<\/h3>\n

All of the remaining scenarios for the Dolphins involve them winning both of their games. Miami faces the\u00a0Cleveland Browns\u00a0on Sunday, a game in which the Dolphins, according to the FanDuel Sportsbook betting odds as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern on Monday, are\u00a0favored by 6.5 points. In Week 18, the Dolphins face the\u00a0New York Jets, looking to back up their Week 14 victory over their AFC East division rivals.<\/p>\n

The rest of the scenarios all involve other potential wild card teams losing over the next couple of weeks. Miami\u2019s biggest issue is they cannot find themselves in a two-way tie with the\u00a0Indianapolis Colts, who beat the Dolphins in Week 7, giving them the head-to-head tiebreak. Miami can pull ahead in tiebreaks that also include the\u00a0Denver Broncos\u00a0and\/or the\u00a0Los Angeles Chargers\u00a0based on their performance in the AFC this season.<\/p>\n

Scenario 1:<\/h4>\n
    \n
  • Dolphins win out (@ CLE, @ NYJ)<\/li>\n
  • Chargers lose out (@ NE, @LV)<\/li>\n
  • Colts lose\/tie at least one game (@NYG, vs JAX)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Scenario 2:<\/h4>\n
      \n
    • Dolphins win out (@ CLE, @ NYJ)<\/li>\n
    • Broncos lose out (@ CIN, vs KC)<\/li>\n
    • Colts lose\/tie at least one game (@NYG, vs JAX)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Scenario 3:<\/h4>\n
        \n
      • Dolphins win out (@ CLE, @ NYJ)<\/li>\n
      • Chargers lose out (@ NE, @LV)<\/li>\n
      • Broncos lose out (@ CIN, vs KC)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        The Dolphins, if any of these scenarios play out, would likely land as the seventh seed, set to face the second seed in the\u00a0AFC playoff picture\u00a0in the wild card round. If scenario three came to fruition, and the Colts loss (essentially, all three scenarios coming true, Miami could jump into the sixth-seed position, potentially avoiding a wild card matchup with the\u00a0Buffalo Bills\u00a0as the likely second seed.<\/p>\n

        \n

        Miami Dolphins elimination scenarios<\/h3>\n

        Unfortunately, the Dolphins can be eliminated from the playoffs this week, even if they win against the Browns.<\/p>\n

        Miami Dolphins eliminated from playoffs if:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Dolphins lose\/tie OR<\/li>\n
        • Chargers win\/tie and Broncos win\/tie<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
          \n

          AFC Playoff Picture (after Week 16):<\/h3>\n

          1 –\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0(14-1, AFC West champion)+
          \n2 –\u00a0Buffalo Bills\u00a0(12-3, AFC East champion)+
          \n3 –\u00a0Pittsburgh Steelers\u00a0(10-5, AFC North leader)^
          \n4 –\u00a0Houston Texans\u00a0(9-6, AFC South champion)+<\/p>\n

          5 –\u00a0Baltimore Ravens\u00a0(10-5, Wild Card 1 position)^
          \n6 –\u00a0Los Angeles Chargers\u00a0(9-6, Wild Card 2 position)
          \n7 –\u00a0Denver Broncos\u00a0(9-6, Wild Card 3 position)<\/p>\n

          Indianapolis Colts\u00a0(7-8)
          \nMiami Dolphins\u00a0(7-8)
          \nCincinnati Bengals\u00a0(7-8)<\/p>\n

          Eliminated from playoffs:<\/strong>
          \nNew York Jets\u00a0(4-11)
          \nCleveland Browns\u00a0(3-12)
          \nJacksonville Jaguars\u00a0(3-12)
          \nTennessee Titans\u00a0(3-12)
          \nLas Vegas Raiders\u00a0(3-12)
          \nNew England Patriots\u00a0(3-12)<\/p>\n

          ^ Playoffs clinched<\/em>
          \n+ Division championship clinched<\/em><\/p>\n

          Tie breaks:<\/em><\/p>\n

            \n
          • Steelers over Ravens based on AFC record<\/em><\/li>\n
          • Chargers over Broncos based on head-to-head results<\/em><\/li>\n
          • Colts over Dolphins and Bengals based on AFC record<\/em><\/li>\n
          • Dolphins over Bengals based on AFC record<\/em><\/li>\n
          • Browns over Jaguars based on head-to-head results; Divisional tiebreak: Jaguars over Titans based on head-to-head results; Four-way tie: Browns and Jaguars over Raiders and Patriots based on AFC record.<\/em><\/li>\n
          • Jaguars over Raiders and Patriots based on AFC record; Divisional tiebreak: Jaguars over Titans based on head-to-head results<\/em><\/li>\n
          • Titans over Raiders and Patriots based on AFC record<\/em><\/li>\n
          • Raiders over Patriots based on AFC record<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            The Miami Dolphins have not had the regular season they anticipated, but they still have a shot at the playoffs with two weeks remaining. How do they… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13849,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\nMiami Dolphins playoff scenarios: How to get to the postseason - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=13848\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Miami Dolphins playoff scenarios: How to get to the postseason - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Miami Dolphins have not had the regular season they anticipated, but they still have a shot at the playoffs with two weeks remaining. 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