Could This Already Be A Must-Win Game?

The Miami Dolphins will face the New England Patriots on Sunday, looking to end their three-game slide.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tyler Huntley (18) runs with the ball during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins are not facing a must-win game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, but they kind of are.

It's not a "must" game for them because a loss would not eliminate them from playoff contention, which really should be the true definition of "must."

But really, the Dolphins cannot afford to lose this game for many, many reasons.

We can start with the fact that while being 1-4 wouldn't preclude them from being able to make the playoffs, the truth is that none of the 16 teams that have started with that record since the NFL went to a 17-game regular season went on to make the playoffs. Zero. Zip. Zilch.

Yes, there will be a first at some point, but it might be a better idea for the Dolphins not to try to determine how difficult that would be.

Then there's the simple fact that the Dolphins are facing one of the most talent-deficient teams in the NFL, one that clearly is in the middle of a rebuilding project and starting journeyman Jacoby Brissett at quarterback in part because third-overall pick Drake Maye wouldn't have much of a chance to develop in an offense lacking in playmakers and with one of the worst pass-protecting groups in the league.

The Patriots are clearly among the worst teams in the NFL, and they likely won't win many games during the 2024 season.

If the Dolphins aspire to be a playoff team, they can't afford to be among their rare victims — much like the Cincinnati Bengals might rue their shocking loss to New England in the season opener by the time the AFC playoff field is set.

TIME TO GET BACK ON TRACK

The Dolphins' season has gone off the rails a little bit with the concussion that sidelined Tua Tagovailoa, the shaky performances by Skylar Thompson and Tyler "Snoop" Huntley, and most recently, Jaelan Phillips' season-ending knee injury. Still, it's different from the Dolphins, who don't have time to regroup.

Of course, there remains a lot of mystery surrounding Tagovailoa's possible return, which obviously could have a strong impact on whether the season can be straightened out. The Dolphins might not be in this position had they planned ahead for a potential Tagovailoa injury, but that's a different story for a different day that we also already have addressed.

Entering the season, it was deemed crucial for the Dolphins to get off to a good start because of what appeared to be a brutal season-ending six-game stretch. But things change around the NFL, and maybe that stretch won't be so brutal after all if the New York Jets offense doesn't get going if Christian McCaffrey remains sidelined with his Achilles issues, if the Cleveland Browns and Deshaun Watson don't improve, or if the Houston Texans never reach the powerhouse level they were expected to reach in 2024.

In other words, there will be time for the Dolphins to make a run if they get their game in gear and finally get some health luck. Based on what we're seeing on social media, the season isn't already lost, as many fans would have you believe.

But convincing anyone or arguing with a straight face would be difficult. The Dolphins are headed for a short year if they can beat a bad New England team on Sunday.

So, not technically a must-win game, but really a must-win game.