The Weird Week 18 Schedule … And How It Could Impact the Dolphins

The NFL has but to finalize its Week 18 schedule, however has introduced the 2 Saturday video games.

And one in every of them was an odd alternative and it may not directly impression the Miami Dolphins’ quest to sneak into the playoffs.

The Dolphins are actually 8-8 following their fifth consecutive loss, a 23-21 setback in opposition to the New England Patriots, and can make the playoffs in the event that they defeat the New York Jets of their finale AND the Patriots lose in opposition to the Buffalo Payments. at Highmark Stadium.

And that is the place the odd schedule alternative comes into play.

NEW NFL SCHEDULE FOR 2022 SEASON

For the primary time, the NFL has added two Saturday video games within the last week to go together with the earlier stand-alone Sunday night time sport.

To get as many followers watching as attainable, the thought all the time has been to schedule for nationwide TV a matchup with main playoff implications for each groups.

To that finish, it is simple to know the selection of Tennessee at Jacksonville for the Saturday night time sport as a result of the winner will take the AFC South title and the No. 4 seed within the AFC playoffs and the winner can be out — until three particular outcomes occur for the Jaguars to get into the playoffs even with a loss.

However the alternative for the 4:30 p.m. sport Saturday of Kansas Metropolis at Las Vegas was odd  for a few causes, the primary being that the Raiders have already got been eradicated from playoff rivalry.

Kansas Metropolis is in rivalry for the No. 1 seed within the AFC and at present holds that spot with a half-game lead over the Buffalo Payments, who play Monday night time at Cincinnati.

THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS FOR THE DOLPHINS

If Buffalo loses at Cincinnati, Kansas Metropolis will clinch the highest seed by defeating the Raiders, a probable situation contemplating the Chiefs opened as 10-point favorites, in accordance with BetOnline.

Below that situation, Buffalo and Cincinnati could be locked into the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, with the groups tied with 12-4 information however the Bengals getting into the ultimate Sunday with the tiebreaker edge.

That might put the Payments ready to face New England — keep in mind, the Pats should lose for Miami to make the playoffs — with at stake solely the distinction between the second and third seed.

A Cincinnati win Monday night time would clinch the AFC North title for the Bengals, who play host to Baltimore within the finale.

The principle distinction between ending with the second and third seed within the AFC means having home-field benefit within the divisional spherical — once more, below this situation — ought to Buffalo and Cincinnati meet within the playoffs.

It’s totally attainable the NFL will schedule the New England-Buffalo and Baltimore-Cincinnati on the similar time, by which case one would possibly count on some scoreboard watching.

On the different finish of the situations is the likelihood that Buffalo may clinch the No. 1 seed within the AFC earlier than the Payments face New England, and that may occur due to Kansas Metropolis’s Saturday sport.

That might occur if the Payments defeat Cincinnati on Monday night time and the Raiders upset the Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium — and whereas the purpose unfold is massive, let’s not overlook that Las Vegas took the 49ers to additional time Sunday.

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FOR EVEN MORE COVERAGE ON THE MIAMI DOLPHINS, CHECK OUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’S MIAMI DOLPHINS PAGE ON SI.COM

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WHAT WOULD THE BILLS DO?

In making an attempt to determine how Buffalo would (or wouldn’t) make the most of its front-line gamers within the occasion the sport in opposition to New England turns into strictly for second or third place within the AFC, all we have now to do is return two years.

And the Dolphins ought to keep in mind this properly.

Within the 2020 season, the Payments and Steelers have been each 12-3 after 15 video games with no shot of catching Kansas Metropolis for the highest seed.

Going through the Dolphins in Buffalo, the Payments used their common lineup to start out the sport. Matt Barkley changed Josh Allen at quarterback for Buffalo’s first possession of the third quarter — after Miami had scored a landing to chop Buffalo’s result in 28-13.

Buffalo gained the sport, 56-26, and earned the second seed.

Backside line: It might determine the Payments would use their front-line gamers in opposition to New England even when all they’d at stake was touchdown the No. 2 seed, however definitely is likely to be inclined to start out pulling some gamers both with a snug lead or if Cincinnati acquired out to an enormous lead in opposition to Baltimore on its strategy to securing that No. 2 seed.

In any occasion, it definitely was out of character — and really unusual — for the NFL to place Kansas Metropolis within the Saturday afternoon window given the ramifications of the end result of their sport.

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