Beat the New York Jets and have the New England Patriots lose to the Buffalo Bills.
That’s it.
That’s what the season comes all the way down to. That’s what it is going to take for the Miami Dolphins to qualify for the AFC playoffs, figuring out whether or not they head to a postseason for the primary time since 2016 and third time since 2001 or in the event that they full arguably the franchise’s worst collapse to finish a daily season.
It will all be settled with a pair of 1 p.m. kickoffs — the Dolphins (8-8) in opposition to the Jets (7-9) at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday whereas the venue’s scoreboards will seemingly be holding observers abreast with the rating to the opposite sport of curiosity, kicking off on the identical time in Orchard Park, N.Y.
It’s no secret the streaky Dolphins — of three- and five-game profitable streaks adopted by equal shedding streaks this season — are reeling and now have one remaining likelihood to avoid wasting a season that when appeared so promising.
Miami completed November 8-3 and tied with the Bills atop the AFC East, holding the tiebreaker on the time for the division lead. Since, 5 straight losses: First, back-to-back defeats on the West Coast in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers; staying on the street, they misplaced in snowy Buffalo on a last-second area objective; dwelling for the primary time in a month, they have been defeated by the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day and misplaced quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a concussion within the course of; lastly, a New Year’s Day defeat to the Patriots in Foxborough, Massachusetts with backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater exiting with a finger damage.
“To get a win after that shows the type of strength that you’re looking for,” stated coach Mike McDaniel of the prospect of rebounding in a regular-season finale. “I believe it’d be a win that they’d be happy with, and it’s a win that would transition us to having an extended season and getting one other alternative to play collectively.
“So it’s the most important game of the season, and when you play those type of games, you need to reverse engineer and say, ‘What’s the desired outcome? Okay, how do we get there?’ And it’s not by worrying about how big a deal it is.”
The Dolphins want to ensure their rookie quarterback and seventh-round choose doesn’t assume it’s too huge a deal. Skylar Thompson is thrust into the beginning function with fellow quarterbacks Tagovailoa and Bridgewater injured. Tagovailoa stays in concussion protocol, set to overlook a second straight sport. Bridgewater then harm his pinky finger on his throwing hand final Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
“I can’t say that this is the exact situation that I imagined, but I’m definitely not mad about it,” stated Thompson, the Kansas State alum making his second profession begin in a must-win for his group. “I’ve got a great opportunity here ahead of me that is something I’ve always worked for and dreamed for my whole life. I put a lot of time into this game and to get to this point, and to see it kind of play out this way is very exciting for me.”
Thompson isn’t on the lookout for an over-simplified model of McDaniel’s offense as a way to discover success Sunday, however like several backup quarterback, his job should merely be to not lose the sport for his group.
“I don’t have to be a hero. I’ve just got to be Skylar Thompson,” he stated. “That’s what I’m excited to go do, is to go out there, smile, have fun and play the game that I love.”
Helping him do this would be the star extensive receiver duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at his disposal. Either certainly one of them can flip brief catches into chunk performs — or get open down the sector.
Thompson also can profit from practising all week because the starter, far more snug circumstances than having to enter a sport with a starter taking place. Hill, the seven-time Pro Bowl choice, has confidence within the rookie primarily based on the week of drills collectively.
“Skylar had guys flying around catching passes, being deliberate in and out of the huddle,” Hill stated. “I’m really looking forward to Sunday and watching him play in this game.”
The three earlier instances a backup quarterback has been known as upon to begin for Tagovailoa, he has been unable to complete the sport wholesome. To that time, the Dolphins are hopeful Bridgewater, who made progress all through the week in how a lot he was in a position to throw with the dislocated pinky finger, might be obtainable in an emergency function behind Thompson. Miami additionally signed veteran quarterback Mike Glennon to the observe squad.
The safety for the quarterback could possibly be a difficulty with Pro Bowl left sort out Terron Armstead uncertain to play after not practising all week with toe, pectoral, knee and hip accidents. With Kendall Lamm additionally uncertain, it’s prone to imply Greg Little begins at left sort out. Geron Christian was claimed off waivers from the Chiefs this week and practiced with the group Friday as he nonetheless didn’t have his personal locker at group amenities.
Some optimistic damage information for the Dolphins comes within the expectation that cornerback Xavien Howard and outdoors linebacker Bradley Chubb will be capable to go well with up in opposition to the Jets after each missed final week’s loss on the Patriots — Howard after banging knees in observe final week and Chubb with hand and ankle illnesses.
That ought to present the protection a lift because it goes in opposition to a subpar Jets offense that can flip to 37-year-old Joe Flacco to begin after Mike White, the previous South Florida highschool standout at University School, harm his ribs in observe. New York, already with guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and sort out Mekhi Becton on injured reserve, additionally has three different linemen — tackles Duane Brown and George Fant and guard Nate Herbig — out.
If the 2 outcomes the Dolphins want on Sunday happen, so long as the Chiefs beat the Raiders on Saturday, Miami would journey to Buffalo within the wild card spherical of the playoffs in a No. 2-vs.-No. 7 matchup. If the Chiefs lose and Miami will get in by means of its personal win and the Bills’ win over the Patriots, the Dolphins go to Kansas City subsequent weekend.
There is not any phrase but on if Tagovailoa would be capable to return from concussion protocol subsequent week for a playoff matchup.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com