Root, Root, Root For This Team
Even an 11-5 Dolphins team is not guaranteed a playoff spot. That means that even if we win out, we still need a little help.
I have broken down the playoff scenarios, and based upon my projections of which teams are sitting pretty and which ones are giving us a run for our money, here is a list of some teams we need to root for this weekend. These wins/losses give the Dolphins the best chance to make the cut at the end of the season:
Was This Really Necessary?
Miami Dolphins @ St. Louis Rams
Winning good. Losing bad.
Root for Miami.
Marginal Impact
Denver Broncos @ New York Jets
Of course, we hate the Jets. So, unless a twist of fate means we must root for them, we always root for whomever is playing the Jets. Fortunately, a Broncos win would improve our outside chances of winning the AFC East. It also looks like the Broncos are going to take the West no matter what they do, so we are insulated against their record.
That said, the Broncos are going to be the underdogs here.
Root for Denver.
Are You Ready For Some Fool’s Ball?
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots
You should watch this game just because you are a fan of the game.
The Steelers are 8-3 with the top defense in the country against both the run and the pass. Of course, the Patriots come into the game, on the upswing, with the 7th ranked offense overall. It will be worth watching when these two squads face off on the field.
As far as who we want to win, we’ll go ahead and jump on the Steelers bandwagon. In second place in the AFC North, the Ravens are 7-4 right now, with a game coming up against the Steelers in a couple of weeks. With their record, the Ravens could easily fall to 8-7 amid a run against the Redskins, Steelers, and Cowboys. And if the Steelers win their division, their record is not our concern.
Oh, and there is that Patriots team. We just hate them. We hate them and their winning ways and they are pretty much guaranteed nine wins. So, let us hope that the games that they can lose, they do lose.
Root for Pittsburgh.
Throw Up a Prayer
(A few games where the odds are stacked against us.)
Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are horrible. At 1-9 they might not even make an NCAA bowl game. But, they are playing the Ravens who, sitting in the same division as the Steelers, look like they might be a Wild Card contender at 7-4. We root against other Wildcard contenders.
Root for Cincinnati.
Indianapolis Colts @ Cleveland Browns
The Browns are ranked 27th in the league in overall offense and overall defense. That means they are lucky to be 4-7. Now they get to face off against a 7-4 Colts team that has games against Cincinnati (groan) and Detroit to follow. Again, we’re looking to root against the Wild Card contender here.
Root for Cleveland.
San Francisco 49ers @ Buffalo Bills
The 49ers are fortunate to reside in the worst division in the NFC. They are overachieving at 3-8 and are about to face a Bills team that sat at the top of the AFC East early in the season. We have to hope the Bills (6-5) are looking past the 49ers and getting ready to host the Dolphins at home.
Root for San Francisco.
So there it is, your guide on whom to root (and pray) for this Sunday. Even if only the Dolphins’ game goes our way, it is not a big deal. There are plenty of games left and I am optimistic that if we win out Miami will be in the postseason. So let us concentrate our cosmic energy and think positive thoughts.
After all, if they don’t win it’s a shame.