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Miami Dolphins could be eliminated this weekend so root for these teams

By Brian Miller

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 04: Miami Dolphins cheerleaders entertain the crowd prior to the game against New York Jets at Wembley Stadium on October 4, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 04: Miami Dolphins cheerleaders entertain the crowd prior to the game against New York Jets at Wembley Stadium on October 4, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images) /
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In the convoluted NFL playoff picture the Miami Dolphins are still holding on to the potential for a playoff birth but two games today could hurt their chances.

The Miami Dolphins are not playing today but they could get potential good news or bad news depending on how two games play out this afternoon.  The first game is between Washington and Tennessee and if the Dolphins have hopes of getting beyond week 17, they need the Titans to lose.

Miami will then watch as the Chargers play the Ravens this evening. The Dolphins need the Ravens to lose. All of this of course is contingent on the Miami Dolphins winning their last two games. If they don’t beat the Jaguars it doesn’t matter what the rest of the AFC does.

The Dolphins could still win the AFC East and actually host a playoff game. Don’t laugh, well snicker but like you know, don’t jolly St. Nick yourself with a bowl full of jelly. This scenario is pretty far fetched but stranger things have happened this year.

The Patriots would need to lose to the Bills and the Jets in the last two weeks and the Dolphins would need to beat the Jaguars and the Bills. In this case the Patriots and Dolphins tie for the top spot in the AFC East and because they split the season series, the Dolphins would have a better division record and will be hosting a game instead of watching it on t.v.

Again, no bowl full of jelly laughs, just giggles please.

On Sunday the big game to watch is the Colts. Miami needs the Colts to drop one of their two final games.

The Dolphins can be eliminated this weekend and it really wouldn’t take a whole lot for that to happen.

MIA is eliminated from AFC East title contention with:

MIA loss/tie OR
NE win/tie

MIA is eliminated from playoff contention with:

MIA loss OR
MIA tie + TEN win/tie OR
MIA tie + IND win/tie OR
MIA tie + BAL win + PIT win/tie OR
NE win/tie + TEN win + IND win/tie OR
NE win/tie + TEN tie + IND win

The key here is Tennessee and Indianapolis. We can assume that the Bills will lose to the Patriots and the Patriots will win the division yet again, but there is a good chance that both the Titans and Colts win with a better odds that at least the Colts will. Of course nothing matters if Miami doesn’t win on Sunday.

No scenario puts the Dolphins in a position to control their own destiny. If the Dolphins beat the Jaguars and the Ravens, Colts, and Titans all lose the Dolphins would sit in the 6th seed due to a better conference record. That does not guarantee them a spot with a win over the Bills in week 17.

If the above scenario would happen the Dolphins would need at least the Titans to beat the Colts or for the Ravens to beat the Browns. If the Dolphins end in a tie with just the Colts, the Colts advance.

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