Miami Dolphins hope bye will be as good as it was for Jets and Patriots

The Miami Dolphins are the last team in the AFC East to have a bye week and if they are lucky, they might get one similar to last week when the Jets and Patriots took the week off.

The AFC East is the top division in the NFL with all teams being above .500. That was matched this past weekend when the Commanders beat the Eagles and got back to .500. Still, the AFC East remains the only NFL division with all four teams above that mark.

Last weekend the Patriots and the Jets didn’t need to play football so they watched Sunday unfold instead. We know that Bill Belichick watched the Bills and Vikings game because he complained about the lack of coaching ability to challenge a play under two minutes. He is right. The pass to Gabe Davis was incomplete.

While the Jets and Patriots watched, the Dolphins beat the Browns and gained a 1/2 game on their division rivals but the big win for the Dolphins, Jets, and Patriots was the loss by Buffalo. The Bills dropped back and that has opened the door for all four teams to make a run for the division title.

The Bills currently sit at 6 wins and 3 losses, tied with the Jets who have the same record. The Patriots remain one game back.

Nov 13, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) fumbles the snap trying to clear the end zone resulting in a recovery by the Minnesota Vikings to score a touchdown in the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports /

This weekend will be interesting. Do you root for the Jets or the Patriots?

The Jets will play the Patriots on Sunday and if the Jets win, they will be tied with the Dolphins but in reality, they will have a 1/2 game lead given the head-to-head record. A Patriots win would put New England one game behind Miami with six wins.

If the Bills lose and Jets both lose, the Dolphins would hold a clean one game lead over all three division rivals with games on the schedule against each of them remaining.

Buffalo will host the Browns and while we should be thinking this is a walk for the Bills, there are reports that Orchard Park, NY could see as much as four feet of snow between now and Sunday night which means the game could be played in weather that puts the game on the ground and not in the air.

Some speculate this could put the game in favor of the Browns who have a stronger running game but the Dolphins were able to hold the Browns rushing attack down and the Browns couldn’t stop Miami’s, giving up a few yards shy of 200 on the day.

This year, there is a four-team chase for the division and any of the four teams are in position to potentially take it. A loss by New England to the Jets will make it much harder for the Patriots to get back into division or playoff talk. As it stands now, all four teams would make the postseason if it started today. Here is a look at the remaining schedules for each team.

Aug 26, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick walks the sidelines during a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

Miami Dolphins

Houston Texans – Week 12
@ San Francisco
@ Los Angeles Chargers
@ Buffalo Bills
Green Bay Packers
@ New England
New York Jets

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns – Week 12
@ Detroit
@ New England
Jets
Miami Dolphins
@ Chicago Bears
@ Cincinnati Bengals
Patriots

New York Jets

@ New England
Chicago
@ Minnesota Vikings
@ Buffalo
Detroit
Jacksonville
@ Seattle
@ Miami

New England Patriots

New York Jets
@ Minnesota Vikings
Buffalo Bills
@ Arizona
@ Las Vegas
Cincinnati
Miami Dolphins
@ Buffalo

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