When the 2024 season schedule was released, the Miami Dolphins had a tough road down the stretch of the season. Two games in particular stood out. The Browns and the Jets to wrap up the season.
After the Dolphins lost to the Texans on Sunday, their chances of making the postseason took a big hit and that has now led the NFL to make some changes.
Many fans circled the game against the Browns, a Sunday Night Football matchup with one of the best offenses against the defending Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett, and a resurging Browns team that would be challenging for their own division title in 2024.
None of those expectations came to reality, and now, the NFL is doing their entire fanbase a solid by flexing the Dolphins-Browns Week 17 game out of primetime. I'm not sure many Dolphins would want to risk more nationally televised embarrassment. Miami hasn't played well in primetime this season.
The game will now be played in the 4 p.m. ET slot, but not even in the more coveted 4:25 p.m. position. This game is probably going to be a good matchup between the teams, but there is nothing likely to be played for. If the Dolphins, by some miracle, can still be in the playoff chase, there may be more interest, but the NFL, by making this move, doesn't see that as a likely possibility.
NFL does not believe Dolphins can make the playoffs after flexing them out in Week 17
If the NFL doesn't see Miami potentially playing for a playoff spot, there is some speculation that the Chargers and Patriots game that same weekend could be moved to Saturday. The Patriots are playing for nothing, but the Chargers should be.
On paper, that wouldn't exactly be much of an exciting game, but with the playoffs at least in play for one team, it is more intriguing than watching the Browns and Dolphins battle for draft seeding.
Miami will host the 49ers this week, then head to Cleveland before finishing out the disappointing season against the Jets. The bleeding of 2024 is almost over for fans.