What Kind of Help Did the Dolphins Get in Week 13 (And How Remote Are the Playoff Chances)?

The Miami Dolphins continued their winning streak in Week 13, but they didn't receive all the help they could have gotten from the rest of the NFL results — and they still need a whole bunch of it to entertain any hopes of what would be maybe the most remarkable playoff berth in franchise history.

The Dolphins now find themselves with a 5-7 record and remain in 11th place in the AFC standings, just one game behind two non-division-leading teams (Kansas City and Pittsburgh), two games behind the Houston Texans and three games behind the three teams currently tied for the three wild-card spots (the L.A. Chargers, Indianapolis and Buffalo).

The Dolphins still would have to jump four places to make the playoffs, which is awfully difficult when those teams regularly are facing each other in the final weeks of the regular season.

It's why the Dolphins' playoff chances remain so remote, even if they were able to run the table with five more victories to close the season — on the road against the New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots sandwiched around home games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Based on The Athletic's "playoff simulator," the Dolphins currently still have a less than 1 percent chance of making the playoffs. The number wouldn't even change if the Dolphins defeated the Jets and Pittsburgh to get to 7-7, and would go to a whopping (sarcasm) 2 percent with another victory against Cincinnati to make it 8-7 on the season.

Even closing the season with five more wins, which would make it a season-ending eight-game winning streak the Dolphins still would have only a 13 percent chance of making the playoffs. With a 4-1 finish, the Dolphins would have no better than a 7 percent chance if that one loss came against Tampa Bay, but a less than 1 percent chance if the loss came in any other game.

The bottom line is the Dolphins are still mathematically alive, but they have practically no margin for error and still need a lot of help.

They actually got a little bit in Week 13, but could have used more as we revisit.

THE TEAMS THE DOLPHINS MOST WANTED TO SEE WIN IN WEEK 13

1. Tennessee (vs. Jacksonville), Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Before the game: The Jaguars are one of the teams the Dolphins might have to jump in the AFC standings, so here's hoping Cam Ward can get some help in this one to pull off the upset.

The game: The Titans are just a really bad team, and that was one upset that never had a chance from the start.

2. Dallas (at home vs. Kansas City), Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET

Before the game: This is an interconference matchup, so the clear choice is the Cowboys, and maybe there's some hope here after their impressive comeback victory against the Eagles on Sunday.

The game: This was the latest example of the Chiefs coming up short when they always delivered last year, with Kansas City falling to 1-6 this season in games decided by seven points or less.

3. Las Vegas (at L.A. Chargers), Sunday, 4:15 p.m. ET

Before the game: Maybe a new offensive coordinator can help bring some life to the Raiders offense and Maxx Crosby can have a field day against the suspect Chargers tackles.

The game: Justin Herbert left the game early with a hand injury, but quickly return and this was a 7-7 game at halftime, but then we saw why the Raiders are now 2-10.

4. Cincinnati (at Baltimore), Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET

Before the game: The Bengals will have Joe Burrow back and might even be able to make a run at the AFC North title, but that division might not have any wild-card teams.

The game: This outcome might have signaled a free-for-all forthcoming in the AFC North, with the Bengals perhaps putting themselves in position to win the division but more importantly reducing the chances of a wild card team among the Steelers-Ravens-Bengals group.

5. Indianapolis (vs. Houston), Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Before the game: These are two teams that are ahead of the Dolphins in the standings, but Houston will be easier to catch.

The game: Houston is a bit similar to the Dolphins in that it got off to a really bad start, but the Texans now are on a four-game winning streak thanks to the best defense in the NFL.

6. Washington (vs. Denver), Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

Before the game: Not exactly sure why the NFL didn't flex out what looks like a boring matchup, and it might be that the Broncos already are out of reach for Miami, but it's still an AFC-NFC game, so go Commanders.

The game: Again, it's not like it ever was realistic for the Dolphins to catch up to Denver. This turned out to be a wild game with a fantastic finish.

7. N.Y. Giants (at New England), Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET

A win by the Patriots here will eliminate the Dolphins from contention for the AFC East title, but that's pretty much a given anyway.

8. Pittsburgh (vs. Buffalo), Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

Before the game: This actually is a close call, but the Dolphins can make sure to hand the Steelers a loss when the teams meet December 15, plus Pittsburgh has a brutal finishing schedule.

The game: We've pretty much now reached the point where we can safely say that the AFC North isn't going to get a wild-card spot.

REMAINING SCHEDULES OF AFC PLAYOFF HOPEFULS

Teams listed in current order of standings:

1. Denver Broncos (10-2) — at Las Vegas, Green Bay, Jacksonville, at Kansas City (TNF), L.A. Chargers

2. New England Patriots (10-2) — N.Y. Giants (MNF), bye, Buffalo, at Baltimore, at N.Y. Jets, Miami

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4) — Indianapolis, N.Y. Jets, at Denver, at Indianapolis, Tennessee

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-6) — Pittsburgh, at Cincinnati, New England, at Green Bay, at Pittsburgh

5. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) — Philadelphia (MNF), at Kansas City, at Dallas, Houson, at Denver

6. Indianapolis Colts (8-4) — at Jacksonville, at Seattle, San Francisco (MNF), Jacksonville, at Houston

7. Buffalo Bills (8-4) — Cincinnati, at New England, at Cleveland, Philadelphia, N.Y. Jets

8. Houston Texans (7-5) — at Kansas City (SNF), Arizona, Las Vegas, at L.A. Chargers, Indianapolis

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) — at Baltimore, Miami (MNF), at Detroit, at Cleveland, Baltimore

10. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6) — Houston (SNF), L.A. Chargers, at Tennessee, Denver (TNF), at Las Vegas

11. Miami Dolphins (5-7) — N.Y. Jets, at Pittsburgh (MNF), Cincinnati (SNF), Tampa Bay, at New England

THE TEAMS THE DOLPHINS MOST WANTED TO SEE WIN IN WEEK 13

REMAINING SCHEDULES OF AFC PLAYOFF HOPEFULS

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