The Miami Dolphins are long shots to make the playoffs. They are actually longer than long shots if we are being honest.
Miami's chances of making the postseason are a modest 16% if they run the table in the final four weeks. It currently sits at 1%, so when Bleacher Report released a "nightmare scenario" for all 32 NFL teams, fans should have expected the worst.
Instead, the scenario they believe would be a nightmare might actually be a dream for fans; it may not amount to much, but it is something to smile about and build upon.
Bleacher Report says Dolphins making the playoffs would be a nightmare
According to BR, the Dolphins would slide into the postseason, get bounced in round one, and lose draft position. Yet they are not seeing the broader picture; the nightmare isn't real. Making the playoffs after the start they had would be terrific.
Draft position is no longer important to Miami. They are going to pick in the middle of round one regardless of how they play out their final four games. Making the playoffs would only drop them around six to eight spots.
In a draft that isn't front-loaded, the Dolphins are not missing out on much in the front of the draft. They are not going to take an early quarterback, and their needs are all over the roster. Whether they are picking in the low-20s or the mid-teens, they are going to be able to fill a hole with similar talent.
In this case, making the playoffs would save Mike McDaniel's job, and it would send a message to the players that this team can win without a high-powered passing attack. For the fans, it's a win-win situation that no one expected.
It's nice to think Miami has a chance, but it isn't realistic at this point. They need to knock off the Steelers this week and still have games against the Bengals and Buccaneers. They may get lucky and face a Patriots team in Week 18 that is sitting their starters, but with so many other teams needing to lose, right now is not the time to discuss nightmares. Fans have lived that all year long.