playoff hopes

[masterfins]

I won't call this a must win game, because there are many games left,...but this is a need to win game.  Home game for Miami, Buffalo short on QB's, and the Pats up next, a playoff team needs to win games like these.

Miami   31

Buffalo 17

[Sunstroke]

I'm sticking with my 8-8 preseason call. Hope I'm wrong though...

[Brian Fein]

I see 10 wins.  I think that's the most realistic expectation at this point.  But, you can steal a win against either Pats or San Diego or Cincy, you can get to 11.  Just as easily, you can drop a game against one of the poorer teams, of course.

Sorry, but the Chargers and Bengals (both home games) are "should win" games in my mind.  Neither team is lighting the world on fire, and the homefield will push it to our advantage.  I don't think they lose either of those games.

The bigger challenges will be Patriots (2x), @NYJ and @Steelers.  None of those are gimme games.  I also see 10 wins, but the ones you gotta steal are one of those four (@ Jets or Pats at home seem most likely).

And, oh yeah, not choke off any of the other games you're counting as wins.

[dolphins4life]

Here's the way things stand as of now for the second wild card

Jets 4-3
Chargers 4-3
Dolphins 3-3
Bills 3-4
Ravens 3-4
Browns 3-4
Steelers 3-4
Titans 3-4

This team's playoff hopes are not over by a long shot

[Dave Gray]

While not OVER, I consider this team done.  I know it's only one game, but Buffalo at home was a game you needed to win to get to your needed win total.  It's unlikely that we'll make it up against harder teams.

[EKnight]

This. I still think Miami finishes below .500 for the year. Last year at 4-3 you guys were having the same discussion and they shit the bed against the Colts, Titans, and Bills, and never recovered. -EK

I stand by this. I think 10-6 is never going to happen. Miami now has 7 remaining games against teams .500 or better, and they couldn't beat a team that was 2-4 at home. -EK

[Brian Fein]

The Dolphins would need to win minimum 10 games to make the playoffs and that's only if they own tiebreakers.  You probably need 11 to qualify in this AFC.

That means they need to go through the next 10 weeks only losing three games.  And two of those are against New England.

If they can steal one against the Pats, it gets easier.  But given the strength of schedule and considering the recent o-line play, I don't see how they can put together 7 of 10 wins. 

So, to me, the only way to the playoffs is if New England falters and you beat them (and the Jets) twice each, and win the AFC East.

Playoffs are pretty much out of the question, unless they can petition the league to move to the NFC real quick.

[MikeO]

I stand by this. I think 10-6 is never going to happen. Miami now has 7 remaining games against teams .500 or better, and they couldn't beat a team that was 2-4 at home. -EK

But they did beat Indy (a team Den, Seattle, and SF lost too) on the road...your point?

Any given Sunday that's why they play the games!

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

But they did beat Indy (a team Den, Seattle, and SF lost too) on the road...your point?

They have ONE quality win - Indy.

They beat two crappy teams -- Falcons and Browns

They lost to two crappy teams -- Bills & Ravens.

They lost to one good team - Saints.

That ain't solid. 

[MikeO]

They have ONE quality win - Indy.

They beat two crappy teams -- Falcons and Browns

They lost to two crappy teams -- Bills & Ravens.

They lost to one good team - Saints.

That ain't solid. 

Only 6 games played of a 16 game season They didn't make the schedule. And I wouldn't call the Ravens "crappy". This is a conversation you have after Week 17...not before Week 8 games!!!

By this same logic the Pats have 1 quality win too (Saints). So we are on par with the top in in our division when it comes to "quality wins"

[Pappy13]

They have ONE quality win - Indy.
They beat two crappy teams -- Falcons and Browns
They lost to two crappy teams -- Bills & Ravens.
They lost to one good team - Saints.
That ain't solid. 

I disagree that the Falcons, Browns, Bills and Ravens are all crappy teams. None of them are elite teams but probably only the Bills was a game that Miami SHOULD have won. That being said, no they aren't a solid team, they are a young team still finding their way, but losses to crappy teams can happen to even solid teams, this passed weeks NE/NYJ game is proof of that.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

By this same logic the Pats have 1 quality win too (Saints). So we are on par with the top in in our division when it comes to "quality wins"

But they haven't lost half the games they played against teams with a .500 record or worse. 

[MikeO]

But they haven't lost half the games they played against teams with a .500 record or worse. 

splitting hairs since only 6 games have been played by the Fins (7 for NE). Far too early for this type of analysis. Too much of the season still to go

[EKnight]

Discussing "quality wins" at all is nonsense. NFL = BCS. Strength of schedule is in no way a predictor of winning the Superbowl or even making the playoffs. The 2002 Bucs, 2006 Colts, and 2007 Giants were in the bottom third of the league in strength of schedule. How many "quality wins" did they have? On the other side, the 2003 and 2004 Pats were in the top 10 in the league in strength of schedule. How many "quality wins" did the Pats have? There is no correlation between "quality wins" and whether a team is going to go deep into the playoffs.  -EK

[Dave Gray]

Discussing "quality wins" at all is nonsense.

I agree.  Short of Jacksonville and maybe Tampa, all teams in the NFL are in the same talent level, more or less.  Any week is lose-able and going (especially on the road) to beat a team is worth something.