Sunday’s loss towards the San Francisco 49ers was a disappointing one for the Miami Dolphins, particularly for the reason that Kansas City Chiefs additionally misplaced, that means the Dolphins would’ve been as much as No. 1 within the AFC had they received.
Instead, the 33-17 defeat bumped Miami (8-4) all the way down to second within the division and No. 6 within the AFC playoff image. The division-rival Buffalo Bills now lead the AFC East and the convention.
But every part the Dolphins need to accomplish remains to be in entrance of them. And, in truth, a loss to an NFC opponent isn’t as consequential on the finish of the season in the case of postseason tiebreakers.
Regardless, at 8-4, the Dolphins are two video games in entrance of the primary groups out of the AFC playoffs, the 6-6 New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers, with 5 video games left.
As it stands after Sunday, the Dolphins have an 87 % likelihood of constructing the playoffs, in response to FiveThirtyEight.
Where the actual postseason implications come are within the subsequent two weeks.
First, towards the Chargers, a type of groups hoping to maintain their playoff hopes alive, at SoFi Stadium on Sunday evening. Winning at Los Angeles, impartial of different Week 14 outcomes, lifts the Dolphins’ playoff likelihood all the way in which as much as 97 %. A loss, and that determine is all the way down to 75 %.
If Miami wins back-to-back video games towards the Chargers and Bills — once more, impartial of different outcomes — its playoff possibilities skyrocket as much as larger than 99 %. Plus, there’s the bonus of the Dolphins reinserting themselves atop the AFC East with a season sweep of Buffalo. They’d have a 71 % likelihood of profitable the division at that time, and that secures a top-four seed and residential playoff sport.
It was a quiet Dolphins locker room after Sunday’s loss at Levi’s Stadium, humbled by a loss to third-string quarterback Brock Purdy after knocking out Jimmy Garoppolo early. But coach Mike McDaniel is inspired that his workforce will reply after dealing with a high protection and playoff contender on the highway.
“As frustrating as it was, I think that we are well-equipped and we have the guys in the locker room that, collectively, will take this piece of adversity and get better from it, and that’s the objective,” McDaniel stated. “The biggest thing I wanted from this game is to really go out there and feel a playoff-type atmosphere and do everything that they could to try to win that game. When you do that, I think you can actually — win or lose — you can actually get better from it.”
Said defensive lineman Christian Wilkins: “If we want to be the team we can be and want to be, you have to have experiences like this.”
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is aware of he must be considerably higher after lacking on a number of throws in a subpar 18-of-33 efficiency for 295 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, which got here on back-to-back passes in a pivotal second-half stretch.
“This is nothing for us to worry about, but it is an opportunity to get better from,” Tagovailoa stated.
He and the Dolphins should reduce down on turnovers (4 at San Francisco), get higher on third downs (0 for 7) and get the run sport going (33 yards on eight carries).
Tagovailoa’s well being might be monitored this week after backup Skylar Thompson entered for him as a result of ankle harm Tagovailoa obtained therapy for all through the week. He stated he got here out of the sport bodily “as good as I can be” however the workforce and medical workers will “assess some things.”
The Dolphins are additionally hopeful to get left sort out Terron Armstead again into the lineup after he missed Sunday’s loss to a pectoral pressure.
This story might be up to date.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com