The Miami Dolphins have the weekend off after they beat the New York Jets on Friday. With an 8-3 record, they lead the AFC East, but the Buffalo Bills, who are behind them, are just over one game back.
A number of other teams are still taking the field this weekend, and the results of their games will certainly affect Miami’s playoff odds and scenarios with less than half of the 2023 campaign remaining.
Below is our rooting guide for this weekend’s slate of games while the Dolphins enjoy their time away from the gridiron.
Bengals over Steelers
A division matchup between the third and fourth-place teams probably won’t affect too much. However, with not a single team in the AFC North having a losing record, all four teams are still in playoff contention.
Keeping the Steelers from being just a game back of the Dolphins would be for the best.
Buccaneers over Colts
In this interconference battle between the Colts and Buccaneers, Miami should be rooting for Indianapolis to take another loss and fall to 5-6. That would keep them in third-place in the AFC South, and a win for the Buccaneers doesn’t affect them at all.
Texans over Jaguars
The Jaguars, with a win, would keep pace with the Dolphins and keep Miami in the four seed. However, if the Texans win, those teams would be tied in the division, with Houston holding the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Miami would jump up in the conference seeding to at least No. 3.
Broncos over Browns
A win for the Broncos accomplishes two things for Miami. First, it gives Miami a victory over a team with a winning record. Second, it knocks the Browns to 7-4, lowering the difficult of the wild-card spots, if the Dolphins were to lose their place atop the AFC East.
Raiders over Chiefs
The Chiefs, with a win, would pass the Dolphins, once again, in the conference standings. Despite having the same record as Miami, Kansas City holds the head-to-head tiebreaker due to their win in Germany.
Fans, and the team, should be pulling for the Raiders to knock them down a peg.
Eagles over Bills
An Eagles win would knock the Bills down to 2.5 games behind Miami. And, with Buffalo off next week, the Dolphins could expand that lead to three full games.
Chargers over Ravens
The Ravens, with a win, would leap over the Dolphins again in the conference standings, as they’ve yet to have their bye week.
Los Angeles can prevent that, and make Miami’s Week 1 victory over them look a little better.
