The Miami Dolphins can reach the playoffs Sunday, but it sure doesn’t look likely.
If the Dolphins beat the New York Jets, they’ll improve to 9-8. That’ll only be good enough for a wild card berth if the 9-7 Denver Broncos lose to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. What makes that two-result scenario so improbable is that neither Tua Tagovailoa nor Patrick Mahomes are expected to play in Week 18.
The Dolphins are expected to put their season in the hands of Tyler Huntley, who is in line to start his fifth game of the season. The good news for Miami is that after struggling in his first three starts back in October, Huntley put together a strong performance last week against the Cleveland Browns. Even without Tagovailoa, a road victory against the 4-12 Jets is manageable.
Much less encouraging are the Chiefs’ chances against the Broncos.
On Friday, Kansas City announced that Mahomes and several other key players — including Travis Kelce and Chris Jones — aren’t likely to play Sunday.
Chris Jones, Patrick Mahomes, Trent McDuffie, Nick Bolton, Kareem Hunt, George Karlaftis, Travis Kelce, Justin Reid, and Drue Tranquill are doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Broncos.
Isiah Pacheco, Jawaan Taylor, Mecole Hardman, and Jaylen Watson are out.
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 3, 2025
With the three-time Super Bowl MVP out of action, it’ll be Carson Wentz who is tasked with keeping Denver from reaching the postseason.
Wentz, 32, was once an MVP candidate early in his career with the Philadelphia Eagles. But after leading the league in interceptions in 2020, his final season with the Eagles, Wentz has settled into an NFL journeyman role. The Chiefs are his fifth team in as many years.
During the 2023 season, Wentz started a Week 18 game for the Los Angeles Rams when they opted to rest their starters. While he led LA to a 21-20 win against the San Francisco 49ers, he did so against a team that also started its backups.
Wentz won’t get the same luxury against a Broncos squad that will be fighting for its playoff life. That’s why the 15-win Chiefs are an 11-point underdog.
The playoffs aren’t impossible for the Dolphins, but their chances rest on a pair of backups putting together vintage performances Sunday.
