Phin Phanatic
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Five things that should be on Dolphin fans’ Christmas lists

By Neil Patrick Healy

ORCHARD PARK, NY - DECEMBER 17: Salvon Ahmed #26 of the Miami Dolphins celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on December 17, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY - DECEMBER 17: Salvon Ahmed #26 of the Miami Dolphins celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on December 17, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 18: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on prior to an NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the New England Patriots at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 18: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on prior to an NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the New England Patriots at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) /

Stocking stuffer: Miami Dolphins see Ravens, Patriots, and Jets keep trending down

Wishing ill on others during the holidays is normally a good way to land on Santa’s naughty list. It’s not just the holidays, though. It’s the final push to the playoffs for the Dolphins, and there isn’t room for everyone.

The Dolphins control their playoff destiny at the moment. They win these three games and they’re in. It would be nice, however, if the Dolphins had some help. This is where being a hater comes in handy. The Ravens, Patriots, and Jets are all still vying for the playoffs in one way or another. The Ravens are the No. 5 seed, the Patriots are just outside the playoffs at No. 8, and the Jets are sliding down the standings at No. 10.

For Baltimore, the arrow is pointing down. With quarterback Lamar Jackson out for the third straight week and backup Tyler Huntley questionable, it’s a real possibility that the Ravens lose to the lowly Atlanta Falcons. The following games are a showdown with the rival Pittsburg Steelers and a Week 18 finale against the Cincinnati Bengals. If the Ravens win Sunday, they clinch a wildcard spot, but if they drop a couple of games and the Dolphins keep winning, it could shuffle the standings in the Dolphins’ favor.

The Patriots are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in one of the craziest ways in the history of the NFL. Sitting at 7-7 and with home games against Cincinnati and Miami before finishing on the road against the Bills, it’s possible that New England ends the year on a three-game losing streak and loses six of its final seven games. The Dolphins’ playoff ticket isn’t officially punched yet, so the Patriots losing would be some nice insurance.

After a promising start, the Jets are now 7-8 and are trending down thanks to injuries and inconsistent play from the quarterback position. They travel to Seattle, a sneaky-tough game despite Seattle’s regression, and finish the season at Miami. The status of quarterback Mike White will be the key for the Jets in the final two weeks, but if he can’t get cleared to play, the Jets could finish on a six-game losing streak.

The schedule broke well for the Dolphins in terms of whom the other playoff hopefuls will face. If the Dolphins handle business, there’s nothing to worry about, but there’s nothing wrong with some extra help, is there?

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