The Miami Dolphins are finally back to .500 for the first time since September after back-to-back wins moved the team to 8-8 with one week left to play. They need an unlikely Kansas City Chiefs win in Week 18 to have a shot at the playoffs, but a victory against the New York Jets on Sunday would guarantee a fifth straight winning season, regardless.
Winning six of their last eight games may prove too little, too late, though. The Dolphins’ 20-3 win against the Cleveland Browns kept the team in the mix for the postseason, but it didn’t do much to dispel narratives or convince experts that Miami should be one of the 14 teams in the playoffs.
Here’s where experts rank the Dolphins heading into Week 17:
- USA Today: 19th (last week: 21st)
- ESPN: 18th (last week: 17th)
- NFL.com: 18th (last week: 18th)
- Yahoo Sports: 16th (last week: 16th)
- Pro Football Talk: 18th (last week: 20th)
- CBS Sports: 18th (last week: 22nd)
- Bleacher Report: 18th (last week: 18th)
- Sports Illustrated: 17th (last week: 13th)
Miami will face the 4-12 New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday in a Week 18 regular season finale.
