All Dolphins

The Dolphins 2024 Playoff Picture Through Week 15

The Miami Dolphins are all but out of contention after their loss against Houston
Alain Poupart|
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) reacts after being sacked during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) reacts after being sacked during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

In this story:

Miami Dolphins

Yes, it's probably ridiculous to start breaking down playoff possibilities for the Miami Dolphins, considering their 20-12 loss against the Houston Texans on Sunday all but knocked them out of contention.

The loss left the Dolphins with a 6-8 record and tied for eighth in the AFC with the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals, two games out of the third and final wild-card spot.

That last spot currently belongs to the Los Angeles Chargers, who dropped to 8-6 with their 40-17 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. The simplest way of putting things is that the Dolphins will have tiebreaker advantages over just about every team, which means they need to match the Chargers by finishing with two more wins than them in the final three weeks or by winning out and having either the Baltimore Ravens or Denver Broncos lose out.

The Dolphins also can't have the Colts finish at 9-8, otherwise they'd get the tiebreaker with their head-to-head victory against Miami after the Chargers are eliminated in a three-way tiebreaker because of conference record. The Bengals would not be a factor in a tiebreaker involving the Dolphins because of their conference record.

2024 AFC Standings Through December 15
2024 AFC Standings Through December 15 | NFL

The Houston Texans clinched the AFC South on Sunday with their victory against the Dolphins along with the Colts' loss at Denver. In Week 14, the Jets, Browns and Tennessee Titans joined the Patriots, Jaguars and Raiders as AFC teams eliminated from playoff contention.

REMAINING SCHEDULES OF AFC PLAYOFF HOPEFULS

(teams with between five and eight wins)

BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-5) —Pittsburgh, at Houston, vs. Cleveland (combined opponent winning pct. .524)

DENVER BRONCOS (9-5) — at L.A. Chargers, at Cincinnati, vs. Kansas City (combined opponent winning pct. .643)

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (8-6) — vs. Denver, at New England, at Las Vegas (combined opponent winning pct. .341)

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-8) — vs. Tennessee, at N.Y. Giants, vs. Jacksonville (combined opponent winning pct. .190)

MIAMI DOLPHINS (6-8) — at Houston, vs. San Francisco, at Cleveland, at N.Y. Jets (combined opponent winning pct. .310)

CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-8) — vs. Cleveland, vs. Denver, at Pittsburgh (combined opponent winning pct. .524)

PLAYOFF TIEBREAKER PROCEDURES

(to break a tie within a division)

  1. Head-to-head.
  2. Best record in division games.
  3. Best record in common games.
  4. Best record in conference games.
  5. Strength of victory in all games.
  6. Strength of schedule in all games.
  7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  9. Best net points in common games.
  10. Best net points in all games.
  11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
  12. Coin toss.

(to break a tie for wild-card spots)

Two Teams

  1. Head-to-head, if applicable.
  2. Best record in conference games.
  3. Best record in common games (minimum of four).
  4. Strength of victory in all games.
  5. Strength of schedule in all games.
  6. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  7. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  8. Best net points in conference games.
  9. Best net points in all games.
  10. Best net touchdowns in all games.
  11. Coin toss.

Three or More Teams

  1. Apply division tiebreaker to eliminate all but the highest-ranked team in each division prior to proceeding to Step 2.
  2. Head-to-head (apply only if one team has defeated all the others or one team has lost to all the others).
  3. Best record in conference games.
  4. Best record in common games (minimum of four).
  5. Strength of victory in all games.
  6. Strength of schedule in all games.
  7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
  9. Best net points in conference games.
  10. Best net points in all games.
  11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
  12. Coin toss.

Note: After the first Wild Card team is identified, the procedure is repeated to name the second and third teams.

Published
Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

Share on XFollow @PoupartNFL
Home/News