Let's talk playoffs

[dolphins4life]

The Key is the AFC west

Three teams in that division have seven wins.

The Dolphins need to overtake one of them.

The best candidate might be the Broncos, since they have to play NE. 

None of the Dolphins' remaining opponents is a powerhouse, except New England, and it's possible they could be resting their starters in Week 17.

[Spider-Dan]

Those AFCW teams have many remaining games against each other.

And Bill Belichick doesn't rest his starters.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Playoff stays.com puts the chances at 1 in 3.

BB doesn't rest healthy starters but BB might plays the game differently if it is not must win. But last nights lost to Sea, increases the chance the game will be meaningful for Ne

[dolphins4life]

He has the past two seasons for the last game of the season.

Denver is the most realistic team the Dolphins can hope to overcome.

They play the Patriots.

Tennessee poses a threat too, because they own the tiebreaker over the Dolphins.

Gase should be telling his team to take it one game at a time, like they did in 2008. 

[DZA]

Lets not talk about playoffs

[fyo]

^ Agree.

[Dolfanalyst]

I think it's certainly fine to talk about the playoffs, but this team is possibly only two plays away in the past two games from being 3-6.

The Drake return against the Jets and the Alonso pick-six against the Chargers were possibly game-savers for the Dolphins.  They overcame poor play in the passing game against the Jets, and a ridiculous number of weighty penalties against the Chargers.

The team might make the playoffs nonetheless, but the next developmental hurdles for the Dolphins will be making its offensive passing game more consistently good (and that doesn't mean it has to be as good as it was against San Diego -- something less, but much better than the performance against the Jets, would suffice), and keeping from giving other teams advantages via unforced errors (penalties).

The Dolphins need to get themselves to a point where they can beat teams in a fashion other than a nail-biter, because they won't always benefit from the sorts of plays I mentioned above.  It's certainly too much to ask to expect routine game-saving kickoff and interception returns for touchdowns.

[Sunstroke]

I think it's certainly fine to talk about the playoffs, but this team is possibly only two plays away in the past two games from being 3-6.

I think it's certainly fine to talk about being 3-6, but this team is possibly only one radioactive meteorite away from developing super powers and never losing another game...

[Tenshot13]

I think it's certainly fine to talk about the playoffs, but this team is possibly only two plays away in the past two games from being 3-6.

...and they are two plays away in the beginning of the season from being 7-2.  If ifs and buts were candy and nuts...

[Dolfanalyst]

...and they are two plays away in the beginning of the season from being 7-2.  If ifs and buts were candy and nuts...

And that's precisely my point -- those nail-biter games aren't always going to go your way.  The goal is to have games that aren't nail-biters, where you win convincingly.

They haven't had a one of those this year.

[Phishfan]

^^^ The Steelers was pretty convincing.

[MaineDolFan]

This team has 5 wins. This is like discussing how to spend lottery winnings after buying a ticket.

Let's see 10 or 11 and I'll play ball.