The Miami Dolphins have finally hit a much needed bye week. When Miami returns to action next week, they will face the Houston Texans and then hit the most challenging portion of their schedule. But before we get there here’s a convenient rooting guide for Miami Dolphins fans for the bye week action.
Sitting at 7-3, the Dolphins find themselves atop the AFC East with seven games left. However, the weather is starting to change, spelling danger for this warm weather team, led by a warm weather quarterback. With the week off, Dolphin fans can turn their attention towards rooting against Miami’s interconference foes.
Miami Dolphins Rooting Guide
Buffalo Bills vs Cleveland Browns
The Miami Dolphins rooting guide starts with a game that’s a bit… murky in terms of rooting interests. Your rooting interest in this game varies on your expectations for Miami. Do you think Miami can survive this tough upcoming stretch and stay above Buffalo in the division? If that’s the case, then it’s Cleveland all day.
A loss would put Buffalo at 6-4, giving Miami a better record, tie-breaker, a better division record, a better conference record, and the edge in common opponent games because of last week’s win against this same Browns team.
However, let’s play the numbers game here. After the Texans, the Dolphins will face a six-game stretch that features the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, and New York Jets. Only one of those teams presently sits below .500 — and that team has Aaron Rodgers.
What is the likelihood of Miami coming out of that stretch 5-1 or 4-2? The Dolphins may very well be competing for the Wild Card. If that is the case, Cleveland falling to 3-7 and losing the tiebreaker would make it nearly impossible for Cleveland to catch Miami. One less team to worry about come January is never a bad thing.
Philadelphia Eagles vs Indianapolis Colts
This one is pretty simple: Root for the Eagles. With Philadelphia finally dropping a game on Monday, they serve no interest to the Miami Dolphins anymore. The Indianapolis Colts on the other hand, still find themselves in the thick of the wild card race.
Any NFC team beating an AFC opponent is a win for Miami. The Dolphins don’t face the Colts this season and play in a much stronger division. That gives the Colts an opportunity to gain the tie-breaker. Ensuring Miami has a better overall record is imperative.
New York Jets vs New England Patriots
All signs here point to a Patriots win being the most beneficial for the Dolphins. Miami has already beaten the Patriots and New England has a worse record. A Jets loss would put both New England and New York at four losses, which is helpful for the Dolphins, who will not be able to claim head-to-head tiebreaker over the Jets this season.
Baltimore Ravens vs Carolina Panthers
Another NFC vs AFC matchup here leads to an easy rooting interest for the Dolphins. The Baltimore Ravens saw a 21-point lead evaporate to Tua and company in September, giving Miami a tiebreaker advantage over the Ravens. The Ravens are another team in the thick of the AFC, and losing to an out-of-conference opponent only gives the Dolphins a bigger advantage
Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos
This game has little to no meaning for Miami, but there is still a slight rooting interest. A Raiders victory would put both clubs at 3-7, which would make it extremely hard for them to catch the Dolphins. However, a 4-6 Broncos team would still have a puncher’s chance. Miami fans should be rooting for the Raiders in this one.
Cincinnati Bengals vs Pittsburgh Steelers
While it seems obvious on the surface, figuring out who to root for is quite tricky in this game. On one hand, the Bengals are a team who could be competing with Miami for positioning — whether it’s as a division winner or a Wild Card team.
On the other hand, would it be more beneficial for Miami to have the Bengals win the North so the Dolphins are competing with the Ravens for the Wild Card, whom they already have a win against? That all depends on what you think the Dolphins’ chances of winning the AFC East are. If you think the Dolphins will come out of this tough stretch and relinquish first place, you should be rooting for the Bengals to win the AFC North.
Kansas City Chiefs vs Los Angeles Chargers
Our final game is another that differs based on where you think Miami finishes in the division. An AFC East champion Miami Dolphins team would absolutely love for the Chiefs to drop this game, as the two teams battle for the number one spot in the conference and the illustrious first round bye.
However, a Wild Card Miami Dolphins team will be rooting like hell for the Chiefs this weekend. The Chargers are a team who finds themselves right in the thick of the Wild Card race. The Dolphins have an opportunity to gain a head-to-head advantage over them in December, and the Chiefs adding a loss to Los Angeles’ schedule would be even more beneficial.