Despite the Bye, the Dolphins enjoy a successful week of football
The Miami Dolphins’ season so far has been a resounding success, as the team is currently 1st in the AFC East standings with a record of 6-3. However, going into their week 10 bye, there were some question marks regarding this team. Despite this, the Dolphins are in prime playoff position and look to make some noise the rest of the way. The events of their bye week have catapulted the Miami Dolphins up the standings, putting them in the driver’s seat of the AFC East. From division rivals losing to other playoff contenders floundering, here’s everything that aided Miami’s quest for their first playoff win since 2000.
AFC East Woes
Coming into the 2023-2024 season, the AFC East seemed like the best in the NFL. The Dolphins and Buffalo Bills made the playoffs the year before, the New York Jets added Aaron Rodgers, and the New England Patriots are the Patriots. Now in the week of the Miami Dolphins’ bye, questions have begun to arise for every team, including the Fins. The New England Patriots have floundered all season with a horrific offense, and that rang true in Germany. Despite the defense’s best efforts, the team fell to the Indianapolis Colts 10-6. This loss puts them at 2-8 and prime positioning for Caleb Williams or Drake Maye in the NFL Draft. Bill Belichick’s name has also been brought up by fans as to whether or not he will get fired.
As for the two New York teams of the AFC East, neither fared much better this week. The Jets have struggled offensively under Zach Wilson due to Aaron Rodgers’s injury, and they’re praying that Rodgers recovers. Against the Las Vegas Raiders led by rookie QB Aidan O’Connell (boiler up), the Jets lost 16-12, pushing them down to 4-5 and with an outward shot at the playoffs.
However, the biggest gain for the Miami Dolphins in terms of standings is the Buffalo Bills’ loss. Once Super Bowl favorites, the Bills have flatlined since their convincing 3-1 start. The Bills have gone 2-4 since, with their two wins being incredibly unconvincing against the very bad New York Giants and the mediocre Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their 24-22 loss to the Denver Broncos has some dire consequences. The team is now 5-5 and on the outside looking in for the playoffs. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey has been fired and the Miami Dolphins now have a 2-game lead in the AFC standings despite the bye.
Playoff Pushes
Beyond just the AFC East, the rest of the top of the AFC struggled this week. Both the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars, two teams ahead of the Dolphins in the playoff seeding, lost this week, further muddying the top of the AFC. Playoff hopefuls Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers also lost, seemingly creating a gap between the division leaders and the rest of the pack. This is huge for the Dolphins, who are unfortunately prone to collapses. The cushion provides the team with some much-needed leeway as they hope to bounce back from their Germany loss to the AFC-leading Kansas City Chiefs. The Fins hope to pick themselves back up in Miami against the 5-5 Raiders and build momentum for their brutal late-season schedule.
Main Photo: [Jim Rassol] – USA Today Sports
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