Miami Dolphins weekend rooting guide…and there are games on Saturday

The Miami Dolphins will get some help in their playoff chase with these weekend outcomes.

The Miami Dolphins are pushing for a playoff birth with three weeks left in the season and these games are the ones this weekend that matter the most.

With three weeks to go the playoffs are now coming into focus. Miami has almost no shot at the AFC East but now, our attention should turn towards playoff positioning. Miami currently sits in the 7th seed with the Colts in position six and the Browns in position five.

If the playoffs started this week, the games would look like this.

Miami at Pittsburgh

Indianapolis at Buffalo

Cleveland at Tennessee

The Chiefs would have the bye week.

Depending on what you believe the best match-up would be, Miami can advance position by winning out and the Colts and Browns falling. The Dolphins are only a game behind Cleveland for the 5th spot, technically. Both the Browns and Colts are 9-4.

This week’s games will put shed some more light on what we might expect to see when week 17 ends. For now, here is who you should be rooting for and against this weekend.

Miami has to beat the Patriots or they will likely fall out of the “If the season ended today” scenario.

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Lions and Titans

The Titans are leading the AFC South division at 9-4. A loss could put the Colts and Titans into divisional tie-breaking rules and the Titans could fall into the Wild Card team list. In reality, it really doesn’t matter at this point because the Titans would have to lose more than one game. The two teams split this season and the Titans are 4-1 in the division whereas the Colts are 4-4. The tiebreaker would go to the Titans. Still, rooting against an AFC team makes sense but this has little effect on the Dolphins’ playoff chances.

Jaguars over the Ravens

This is an important game for the Dolphins. The Ravens are Miami’s biggest challenger for the post-season and a loss would really help Miami secure the 7th seed later this season, maybe as early as next week if the Dolphins win and other scenarios play out. This game isn’t going to be easy for the Ravens but it shouldn’t be really all that hard either. Gardner Minshew will return to the Jaguars and start at QB this week so that at least is something.

Giants over Cleveland

Can the Giants pull off a big upset? Maybe. I’m starting the Browns defense in my fantasy playoff game this week so we should at least expect the Giants to put a lot of points on the board. Sadly, that is my luck.

The Browns losing could give Miami a boost in the playoff seeding. This game has more importance as well. The Browns have lost twice to the Ravens already this season so if the two end in a tie, the Browns would be eliminated first should the Dolphins, Ravens, and Browns all end up with the same record.

Overall, this is a game to watch as it could directly impact the Dolphins’ playoff situation but nowhere near as much as the Ravens losing to the Jaguars.

Texans over the Colts

Draft pick slotting or playoff seeding? A loss to the Texans would put Miami in a position to climb the playoff seeding ladder but a loss by the Texans improves both the first and second-round draft picks that Miami owns. This is one of those, you pick-em games because the seeding may not be all that much affected by a Colts loss this week, however, in the longer picture, it may help keep Miami in the chase. The Colts have games against Pittsburgh and Jacksonville in the final two weeks.

Denver over Buffalo

For those holding out hope that Miami can still win the AFC East, Saturday will let us know. Denver wins, there is a shot. Bills win and it is over. Regardless, does anyone really root for the Bills? Ever?