The Miami Dolphins enter Monday’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a minimal chance of making the postseason, even if they win out. After the results from Sunday’s Week 15 slate, those slim chances diminished.
Miami is now in a position where a loss to the Steelers would officially eliminate them from playoff contention. That would mean the Dolphins would miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Miami Dolphins’ Playoff Hopes
Despite their 2-7 start, Dolphins players have embraced having “delusional” playoff hopes. Dolphins outside linebacker Bradley Chubb said, “So we all believe. We’re all, in a sense, delusional about what we can be.” The team embraced Chubb’s mindset and won four straight games following the comments made by the Dolphins captain.
Unfortunately, perhaps delusion isn’t enough to sneak Miami into the postseason. The results of Week 15’s Sunday slate of games didn’t help Miami, in fact, it nearly left them for dead. In order to make the playoffs, Miami will need help from teams who are already eliminated. But first, the Dolphins must focus on taking care of business in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have won 23-straight Monday Night Football games at home, and if Miami doesn’t put an end to that streak, they’ll be eliminated from contention.
Losing the game against Pittsburgh would mean Miami would be eliminated prior to Week 18 for the first time since the 2021 season. That 2021 season bears some resemblance to this current season, as that Dolphins team started 1-7 before winning seven straight games. A loss to the Titans on the road in Week 17 officially knocked Miami out of the playoff race on that occasion. It also meant head coach Brian Flores lost his job despite winning eight out of his final nine games in Miami.
With a win, the Dolphins would guarantee entering Week 16 with something left to play for. With a loss, the Dolphins season would officially be lost.
Potential Ramifications
For the Dolphins, the stakes are high. Even if they miss out on the postseason, players and coaches are fighting for their jobs. As mentioned before, Brian Flores lost his job following the 2021 season despite rallying the team and finishing with a winning season. Unlike Flores, Mike McDaniel hasn’t clashed with the owner, which is a big reason why he has remained the coach this year. Going forward, it’s been said he could ‘save his job’, but that would require Miami finishing strong.
Reportedly, McDaniel has some job security, but it may not extend beyond the year. Even with a loss, the odds are owner Stephen Ross will allow McDaniel to finish out the year. But, with a new general manager set to come in, a loss and an elimination could all but seal his fate, even if action isn’t taken immediately.
Perhaps the biggest player with something to play for is quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He’s had a disappointing season, and has even publicly said he’d “like to throw it more.” If the Dolphins lose against Pittsburgh, and he struggles yet again in the cold,it wouldn’t be surprising if the Dolphins turned to backup Zach Wilson for the final three games of the season. Wilson is set to be a free agent after the season, and Miami would do well to see what they have with him if they have nothing to play for down the stretch.
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