This is what they mean when they say that the NFL is the most unpredictable league across all of sports. A week after getting decimated by the Baltimore Ravens, while their opponents handily took care of the mighty Kansas City Chiefs, the Miami Dolphins were able to pull out a humiliating victory over the Buffalo Bills.
A potential contender for the Super Bowl, Buffalo was decimated 30-13 by a team that had just two wins on the season so far. While it certainly put a dent in their armor, it also opened the door for an unlikely, but not impossible, scenario for the Dolphins to make it back into the playoff mix.
Can the Dolphins Sneak Into the Playoffs?
Currently, it is challenging to envision a scenario where Miami regains its place in the postseason conversation. After a Week 1 blowout, this team has been counted out virtually the entire year, and for good reason.
A controversy, whether from the locker room or from a Tua Tagovailoa press conference, seems to always be around the corner. Additionally, injuries have decimated the roster, most notably with Tyreek Hill injured for the season.
As a result, conversations around the team potentially tearing it down completely have repeatedly made the rounds. Already, general manager Chris Grier, who had been with the organization since 2000, was let go before the trade deadline.
More changes could be on the way, either now or in the near future. But the game against Buffalo could renew hope for the franchise. After playing them tough the first time around, the Dolphins were thoroughly dominant in Week 10 against the Bills.
Holding a 16-0 lead at one point in time, they were better in every facet of the game, leading to a 30-13 blowout victory. When breaking down the game, though, the fine print between the two teams was extremely close.
But one extra turnover for the Bills (3 vs. 2) and 32 extra yards lost to penalty (67 vs. 35) ended up being the most significant difference of the game. It also increased the problems for the team twofold.
Their own hopes of winning the division took a major hit, especially with the New England Patriots, who already hold a head-to-head victory, having registered a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for an 8-2 record, compared to Buffalo’s 6-3.
For Miami, the win brought them to 3-7 on the year. As a result, their hopes of getting to the playoffs weren’t fully eliminated. But in an AFC that remains ever competitive, they still don’t have a very high chance in the game.
According to PFSN’s Playoff Predictor, which takes the current record and strength of schedule into consideration, they have a miniscule 1.40% chance of making it to the postseason. By comparison, their odds of securing the first overall pick is higher, at 2.70%.
For the part of the fan base that is still clinging on to hope, it has to be a case of something is better than nothing. But, seeing the Dolphins in the playoffs is more a pipedream than a potential upset in the 2025 season.
