Miami Dolphins AFC East week 14 recap

Dolphins cheerleaders perform during a time out: Photo by Brian Miller
Dolphins cheerleaders perform during a time out: Photo by Brian Miller /
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The Miaimi Dolphins needed some help last weekend and they got a little bit of it as the season winds down to its final three weeks of the regular season.

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Last weekend didn’t end until Monday night when the Patriots and Ravens faced off on MNF but a couple of games impacted the Dolphins that keeps the team in the hunt for the post-season. Of course nothing matters at all if Miami can’t win their final three games.

New England Patriots:  11-2

Barring a cataclysmic three weeks, the Patriots are locks to win the division once again. Their lead is simply too big and if the Dolphins had any chance of the division it ended on Monday night when the Patriots held off a late game surge by the Ravens when Tom Brady hit Chris “7-11” Hogan for a deep touchdown to ice the game.

At this point it really doesn’t matter what happens with the Patriots regarding wins but it’s very safe to say it’s o.k. to root for them this weekend against the Broncos. The team Miami is tied with for the final wild card spot.

Miami Dolphins: 8-5

The Dolphins played a slop fest game on Sunday but a lot of that had to do with torrential downpours. Still they managed to stay one step ahead of Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals. Aided by a blocked extra point return for two points, the Dolphins held off the Cardinals late game surge and took home victory on an Andrew Franks field goal as time expired.

Of course the news out of that win was tempered by the realization that Miami will almost certainly be without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill for the remainder of the season with a sprained ACL. What happens next will be on the shoulders of Matt Moore.

This week the Dolphins face the NY Jets in New York where temperatures will be frigid and the Jets will be looking to once again squash hopes of a Dolphins post-season appearance.

Buffalo Bills: 6-7

Time is running out for the Bills to get to .500 let alone to 9-7 which might be what is needed to save Rex Ryan’s job. The Bills are a mess at the moment and there is real worry about this weekends game against the Cleveland Browns who have not won a game all year.

The Bills have issues at almost every position right now because no one is playing at their level. A stout defense has already cracked and the Bills running game is almost non-existent anymore. If the Bills lose on Sunday it might be Ryan who leaves on Monday.

New York Jets: 4-9

The Jets finally got a win on Sunday and may have taken themselves out of a top five draft position. This week the Jets are home against the Dolphins and will be starting Bryce Petty in place of Geno Smith who replaced Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Jets are looking for someone who can lead the team.

While it’s not being openly talked about yet, Jets head coach Todd Bowles could be coaching his last few games but winning on Sunday would deliver an almost critical blow to the Dolphins post-season chances and the former Dolphins interim head coach would love to see that happen. Getting his team to play better would be something that he needs if he wants to keep his name off the hot-seat conversations.