The Miami Dolphins do not control their own playoff fate, but they control what happens in Week 18 against the New York Jets.
Miami faces a Jets team just waiting to get the season over, and if the Denver Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs, the Dolphins' season will be over, too. Do the Jets have enough fight in them to knock the Dolphins out of the playoff chase, or will they phone it in and leave 2024 behind?
If they beat the Jets, Mike McDaniel will join elite company in the history of the Dolphins. He will join only Don Shula as a coach who was able to pull this off.
Mike McDaniel can make Dolphins history with win in Week 18
With a win Sunday, Mike McDaniel would become the first Miami Dolphins coach to sweep both the Patriots and the Jets in consecutive seasons since Don Shula in 1972-73
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 1, 2025
In 1972 and 1973, the Shula-led Dolphins swept the New England Patriots and Jets in back-to-back seasons. It hasn't been done since, and if McDaniel wins on Sunday, it will put him in select company. Miami swept both teams last year and is one game away from doing it again.
Under Shula, Miami went to the Super Bowl in those seasons, but this year, the Dolphins are just hoping to make it to the playoffs. Fans have taken note of the accomplishment, but they have also been quick to point out that the Jets and Patriots are two of the worst teams in the NFL right now. At least McDaniel is consistent when playing bad teams.
It's a cool little accomplishment, but not something the Dolphins will frame and mount in the team meeting room. Miami has to get better across the board, and both sides of the ball need to have holes filled this upcoming offseason.
Now, if we're talking about the Buffalo Bills being involved as one of those sweeps, we might have a completely different opinion of it. For now, if the Dolphins do make the playoffs, they have to avoid being knocked out in Round 1 by the Bills.