What are the Dolphins' chances of making the playoffs entering Week 8?
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins only have two wins after six weeks of football. That would usually be enough to kill a team's chances of making the postseason, but that isn't the case.
Miami will host the Arizona Cardinals at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday and in many ways, it is a must-win game. Dropping to 2-5 will make it that much harder unless the Dolphins can run the table for the rest of the season.
There is good news, however. Miami is far from out of the postseason chase and is getting franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa back on the field.
A win this week will keep Miami pacing the Buffalo Bills. This is an important caveat because the Dolphins will travel to Buffalo in Week 9. If they fall another game back of the division leader, the chances of winning the AFC East will become nearly impossible, barring a Bills collapse.
Dolphins have a 26 percent of making the playoffs entering Week 8
According to The Athletic's projections, the Dolphins still have a 26 percent chance of making the playoffs, although their chances of winning the AFC East sit at just six percent.
AFC playoff picture entering Week 8
Playoff teams
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-0)
- Houston Texans (5-2)
- Baltimore Ravens (5-2
- Buffalo Bills (5-2)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)
- Indianapolis Colts (4-3)
- Denver Broncos (4-3)
In the hunt
- Los Angeles Chargers (3-3)
- Cincinnati Bengals (3-4)
- Miami Dolphins (2-4)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)
- New York Jets (2-5)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)
- Tennessee Titans (1-5)
- Cleveland Browns (1-6)
- New England Patriots (1-6)
The loss to the Indianapolis Colts hurt the Dolphins' chances. The Colts were the seventh seed in the AFC and now have a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Dolphins. Still, Miami is in striking distance, and the Colts are not a very good team despite last week's win.
As things stand, the Colts and Denver Broncos currently would be the AFC's wild-card teams. The Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals are both one game ahead of the Dolphins, with three, while the Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets all have two wins.
There is a lot of football left to be played, but this season clearly will ride on Tagovailoa's return and success. If he can lift the team, the Dolphins could go on a big run, but there are several key games still on the schedule, including Buffalo next week and two games against New York.