The Miami Dolphins playoff odds in 2020 are looking much more favorable this Sunday afternoon, after an impressive sequence of game decisions during week 16 of the NFL on Sunday. Miami kicked off what may be its most beneficial individual week of the season by taking a miraculous victory against the Las Vegas Raiders 26-25 on Saturday night – pushing the team’s record to 10-5 with one game remaining.
But the Dolphins’ playoff chances still depended on victory in Buffalo during the week 17 match; or at least it was until the end of the 13:00 games. Because the Cleveland Browns, who entered Week 16 with a 10-4 record and facing the 1-13 New York Jets, lost 23-16. And the Indianapolis Colts, also entering the 10-4 weekend, dropped to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 28-24 final – exploding a 17-point lead in the second half in the process.
That leaves the Dolphins, as things stand today, as AFC seed number five – no longer on the fringes of the playoff field entering the final week of the season.
The Dolphins will now have four paths to reach the postseason in Week 17:
Defeat Buffalo Bills to move to 11-5
A Cleveland Browns loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers
A Baltimore Ravens loss to the Cincinnati Bengals
A loss of the Indianapolis Colts to the Jacksonville Jaguars
Knowing that they can win and be inside Miami certainly helps the cause. But the Browns will face a Pittsburgh Steelers team that will play Buffalo Bills for second-placed AFC – there will be a lot to play for in Buffalo and Cleveland next weekend for the Bills and Steelers. So, consider the game. And while Miami narrowly lost to Bills in Week 2 without CB Byron Jones in the fray, the Browns lost 38-7 to Steelers earlier this season. The odds suddenly seem much more in favor of the Dolphins.
Oh, right. And as if those added twists weren’t enough for the Dolphins, the Houston Texans lost to the Cincinnati Bengals this afternoon – pushing the first choice of the Miami NFL’s 2021 draft to the first 5 general selections, courtesy of Laremy Tunsil’s trade. The Texans will face the Tennessee Titans in Week 17, who are fighting for the playoffs classification and the AFC southern division title. A Texans defeat next weekend would put the Dolphins in the top 5 in April.
This is a nice bow to give Dolphins a good turnaround in Week 16.