Miami Dolphins face only one winning team in 2nd half of season
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins are riding a two game winning streak into this weeks match-up against the New York Jets. With nine weeks remaining in the season the Dolphins slim hopes of a turnaround hinges on the play of every player.
Miami sits at 3-4 in the AFC East but in the overall AFC conference standings the Dolphins are 10th which puts them four spots out of the final Wild Card spot. No, I’m not talking playoffs. Not even insinuating the playoffs. Instead, it’s time to take a look at the final nine games and the records of those teams.
Of the nine teams remaining on the Dolphins schedule, only one, the Patriots currently have a winning record. That will likely change for a few teams as those games come close.
New York Jets:
The Dolphins play a 3-5 NYJ team this weekend and will face them for a 2nd time late in the season. The Jets are not playing very good football right now but they have a stout run defense which could curtail the efforts of Jay Ajayi and Adam Gases new love of running the football.
San Diego Chargers:
The Chargers are currently 3-5 but they are playing much better than their record indicates. They simply beat themselves in the 4th quarter and Miami fans can relate to that. The Dolphins will travel to San Diego and likely stay on the West Coast for the following game.
L.A. Rams:
The Rams are 3-4 and while at times they have looked really good they more often than not look really bad. The Dolphins will have their hands full with a solid running game and a stout defense but if they can continue winning, they could leave California with two more wins.
S.F. 49’ers:
The Dolphins will face their third California team in a row but this one will be played the weekend after Thanksgiving in Miami. The 49’ers are a mess and that doesn’t look to change much by the time the team travels to South Florida. They have one game in the victory column thus far in 2016.
Baltimore Ravens:
The Dolphins have faced the Ravens so many times the past few years that you would think they were a division team. The Ravens are 3-4 and struggling in the AFC North but they seem to know how to play the Dolphins.
Arizona Cardinals:
The Cardinals were supposed to be the team to beat in the NFC but instead they have opened the first half of the season with 3 wins and a tie. The Cardinals could improve as the season continues or they could get hammered with injuries and their season would just collapse. The Dolphins at least benefit from being at home.
NY Jets:
The 2nd go around records mean nothing as both teams play each other hard.
Buffalo Bills:
Hard to say where the Bills will be at this point of the year but at .500 right now they are trending downwards.
New England Patriots:
The only team left on the Dolphins schedule with a winning record. At 6-1 the Patriots will likely have the playoffs and the division locked up by the time the two teams meet and possibly home field advantage. Bill Belichick does not rest his starters.