As the Miami Dolphins continue to gel and improve as a football team this season, one can’t help but begin to shift their gaze to the start of the 2021 calendar year — specifically when the NFL holds their upcoming slate of playoff games. Could the Dolphins really be a surprise participant in the postseason in year two of the Brian Flores era? A lot of that is going to be determined by health, by the play of rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa and inevitably a few lucky bounces of the ball.
But it is possible. Probable? Not yet, although the Dolphins odds for a run at the postseason are certainly swelling depending on where you look. One such resource, ESPN’s Football Power Index, currently clocks the Dolphins with nearly a 40% chance to make the postseason this year as the team braces to play their eight game of the season.
FPI simulates each remaining game on the schedule thousands of times and tallies the average end result. Dolphins fans are likely to enjoy the latest forecasts, which peg the Dolphins to win an average of 8.4 games on the season. So again, one lucky bounce of the ball could take that average projection and boost Miami to 9 wins, in which their odds would certainly sit higher than 40%. And it isn’t just odds to win a wildcard spot, either. The Dolphins currently hold a 15.2% chance to win the AFC East division as things currently stand as well — and with a head to head game left remaining against the Bills, Miami may be on a collision course for a winner take all clash with the Bills in Week 17.
Those hopes are aided by Buffalo’s strength of schedule between now and then; as it is significantly more difficult than what Miami has left on their plate.
This is, of course, a lot of speculation. We’d be better off taking it one day and one week at a time, just like Brian Flores preaches to his players.
