Miami, FL
Dolphins playoff picture: Scenarios, chances for Miami to make postseason
Is Lamar Jackson the clear front runner for NFL MVP this year?
Mackenzie Salmon reacts to some blind stats between some of the front runners of the NFL MVP race.
Sports Seriously
The Miami Dolphins weren’t considered serious playoff contenders after starting the season with a 2-6 record.
However, the Dolphins have gone 5-2 in their last seven games to emerge as a potential wild-card threat in the AFC. Their path to the postseason isn’t easy, but if Mike McDaniel’s squad can keep winning, it might have a chance to go to the playoffs for a third consecutive year.
Miami isn’t in control of its own destiny. To make the 2025 NFL playoffs, it must win out and receive help from several teams.
How can the Dolphins make the playoffs? Here’s a look at their postseason chances as the final weeks of the 2024 NFL season unfold.
Dolphins playoff chances
The Dolphins have a 16% chance to make the playoffs, according to The Athletic’s playoff prediction model. That ranks as the second-lowest chance among the four AFC teams vying for the conference’s No. 7 seed.
Dolphins playoff odds
The Athletic’s model is much more optimistic about the Dolphins’ chances than DraftKings Sportsbook. DraftKings lists Miami with +1600 odds to make the postseason. That gives the Dolphins an implied probability of just 5.88% to qualify for the playoffs.
What needs to happen for Dolphins to make playoffs?
The Dolphins need three things to happen to make the playoffs. They are as follows:
That represents the Dolphins’ only path to a postseason appearance.
Dolphins remaining schedule
The Dolphins don’t have an overly difficult finish to the 2024 NFL season. They are playing against the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets in the final two weeks of the season. That gives Miami the sixth-easiest schedule league-wide entering play on Sunday, Dec. 29.
However, both of Miami’s games are on the road in outdoor stadiums. That could hurt the team’s chances of winning if the weather is inclement.
The team is also expected to be without Tua Tagovailoa in Cleveland due to a hip injury, so the team will need backup quarterback Tyler Huntley to guide it to a win to stay alive in the NFL playoff race.
Below is a full look at Miami’s schedule:
Broncos remaining schedule
The other good news for the Dolphins is that the Broncos have a difficult matchup to close out the 2024 NFL season. Denver is scheduled to host Kansas City in Week 18. The Chiefs have a 15-1 record and beat the Broncos in a tightly contested 16-14 Week 10 matchup.
That said, it isn’t clear whether the Chiefs – who clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed on Christmas with a 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers – will play their starters in the final week. If not, that could make Denver’s path to a playoff-clinching win a bit easier.
As such, Miami’s postseason fate may ultimately rest in the hands of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
Below is a look at Denver’s schedule:
Colts remaining schedule
Here’s where things get problematic for the Dolphins. They need the Colts to lose, but Indianapolis has the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL.
The Colts are playing against the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars, who have a combined 5-25 record, over the final two weeks of the season. They will be favored in both of those games despite having to start backup quarterback Joe Flacco against the Giants with Anthony Richardson (back, foot) injured.
So, unless the Colts lose to one of the NFL’s worst teams, the Dolphins won’t be able to make it into the postseason, even if the Broncos stumble.
Below is a full look at Indianapolis’ schedule:
Dolphins potential playoff opponents
The Dolphins can only be the No. 7 seed in the NFL playoffs if everything breaks right for them. That leaves Miami with only two possible opponents to face. They are as follows:
The Bills have the inside track to the No. 2 seed in the postseason and can wrap it up with a Week 17 win over the Jets. The Dolphins are 0-2 against the Bills this season, losing by a combined score of 61-37.
AFC playoff picture Week 17
AFC
- Kansas City Chiefs (15-1, AFC West winners, No. 1 seed)*
- Buffalo Bills (12-3, AFC East winners)*
- Baltimore Ravens (11-5, AFC North leaders)*
- Houston Texans (9-7, AFC South winners)*
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6, wild card No. 1)*
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, wild card No. 2)*
- Denver Broncos (9-7, wild card No. 3)
In the hunt: Cincinnati Bengals (8-8), Indianapolis Colts (7-8), Miami Dolphins (7-8).
NFC
- Detroit Lions (13-2, NFC North leaders)*
- Philadelphia Eagles (12-3, NFC East leaders)*
- Los Angeles Rams (10-6, NFC West leaders)
- Atlanta Falcons (8-7, NFC South leaders)
- Minnesota Vikings (13-2, wild card No. 1)*
- Green Bay Packers (11-4, wild card No. 2)
- Washington Commanders (10-5, wild card No. 3)
In the hunt: Seattle Seahawks (8-7), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)
An asterisk (*) denotes teams that have clinched a playoff spot. Teams that have clinched division titles are noted accordingly.
Miami, FL
Hundreds of Caribbean flights canceled, leaving travelers stranded at Miami International Airport
Travel disruptions continued Sunday at Miami International Airport after hundreds of flights to and from the Caribbean were canceled, leaving passengers stranded, separated from their luggage, and scrambling to salvage vacation plans.
The Federal Aviation Administration closed airspace in and around Venezuela following the reported capture of Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, triggering a ripple effect across Caribbean travel routes.
By Sunday, long lines had formed inside MIA as travelers waited hours to track down luggage that had been sent ahead — even though their flights never took off.
“As you can see, there’s a lot of people, and apparently thousands and thousands of bags,” said Jennifer Heimann, who was traveling from Tampa.
Heimann and her family were scheduled to sail on a catamaran in the British Virgin Islands. Their flight to St. Thomas was canceled, but their luggage still made the trip.
“They said, ‘Your bags are in St. Thomas,’ and I said, ‘Wait — our bags are there and we’re not?’” Heimann said. “We can’t even get a flight until Thursday, and they just sent the bags ahead.”
The family is now renting a car to drive back to Tampa and hoping their luggage eventually finds its way home.
Similar frustrations were echoed by other travelers across the terminal.
The Cookson family, traveling from Tyler, Texas, had their flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico canceled just before they were set to board a cruise.
“They’re shipping our bags out to the Caribbean and not allowing us to retrieve them,” said Pamela Cookson. “We don’t know when we’re going to get our luggage.”
American Airlines says it added six additional flights out of Miami, bringing the total to roughly two dozen extra flights and nearly 5,000 additional seats to help impacted customers. Even so, many passengers told CBS News Miami the earliest rebooking available wasn’t until Thursday.
Susan Daniel, traveling from Little Rock, Arkansas to St. Croix, said the delays forced her family to make last-minute arrangements.
“We had to Uber, leave our bags, get an Airbnb, then come back today, take another Uber, and stand in this long line just to hopefully get our bags and our computers — everything we need,” Daniel said.
Some travelers reported waiting hours in one line, only to be directed into another long wait for their luggage. Others tried to make the best of the situation.
“Guess we’re vacationing in Miami now for three days or something like that,” said Jake Boylin, who was traveling from St. Louis. “Then going back home and rescheduling the trip.”
The next unanswered question for many travelers: whether they’ll be reimbursed for canceled trips, hotels, and cruises.
Travel experts advise passengers to keep all receipts and documentation in case refunds or reimbursements become available.
Miami, FL
Miami-Dade sheriff’s deputy opens fire on vehicle after altercation during traffic stop, officials say
An investigation is underway in Northwest Miami-Dade after the sheriff’s office said a deputy opened fire after an altercation occurred during a traffic stop on Sunday night.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, a deputy received an alert about a stolen vehicle Sunday evening and eventually located the vehicle in the area of NW 17th Avenue and NW 95th Street in West Little River and conducted a traffic stop.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said that as the deputy approached the vehicle, an altercation began, and the deputy opened fire, striking the vehicle.
That vehicle then fled the scene and was located nearby.
The sheriff’s office said a gun was located inside the vehicle, and the driver fled the scene.
That person is still at large as of early Monday morning, officials said.
The deputy was not injured in the incident, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has taken over the investigation.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
Texas requires students learn about ‘perils of communism’ in sweeping new curriculum overhaul
Redistricting battles brewing across the country as parties compete for power ahead of 2026 midterms
New York Republicans call for independent fraud investigation following Minnesota revelations
Studs and Duds: Lions’ Stars Deliver Strong Effort
Philadelphia Eagles to play San Francisco 49ers in NFL playoffs. Here’s what you need to know.
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Dan Bongino officially leaves FBI deputy director role after less than a year, returns to ‘civilian life’
Hundreds march in silence to honour Crans-Montana fire victims
Here’s a partial list of U.S. elected officials opposing Trump’s invasion of Venezuela
Crans Montana organises solemn march for the victims • FRANCE 24 English
Trump says US will ‘run’ Venezuela • FRANCE 24 English
-
World7 days agoHamas builds new terror regime in Gaza, recruiting teens amid problematic election
-
Indianapolis, IN1 week agoIndianapolis Colts playoffs: Updated elimination scenario, AFC standings, playoff picture for Week 17
-
Business1 week agoGoogle is at last letting users swap out embarrassing Gmail addresses without losing their data
-
Southeast1 week agoTwo attorneys vanish during Florida fishing trip as ‘heartbroken’ wife pleads for help finding them
-
World1 week agoSnoop Dogg, Lainey Wilson, Huntr/x and Andrea Bocelli Deliver Christmas-Themed Halftime Show for Netflix’s NFL Lions-Vikings Telecast
-
Politics1 week agoMost shocking examples of Chinese espionage uncovered by the US this year: ‘Just the tip of the iceberg’
-
World1 week agoPodcast: The 2025 EU-US relationship explained simply
-
News1 week agoRoads could remain slick, icy Saturday morning in Philadelphia area, tracking another storm on the way