Dolphins 2024 Week 13 Rooting Guide

The Miami Dolphins will need help to make an unlikely run to the playoffs.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel paces the sideline during a game against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, November 28, 2024, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won the game, 30-17. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins' hopes for a playoff push this season took a hit with their 30-17 loss against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving night, but that doesn't mean the door has been shut.

The Dolphins are 5-7 heading into their final five games: at home against the New York Jets, at Houston, at home against San Francisco, at Cleveland, and at the Jets.

THE DOLPHINS AND THE AFC STANDINGS

The Dolphins currently are tied for ninth in the AFC standings with the Indianapolis Colts, two full games behind the seventh-place Denver Broncos.

Before the Sunday games of Week 13, it still appears we're looking at three tiers of AFC teams, with six teams that look like they will likely or almost assuredly make the playoffs: the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, and Los Angeles Chargers.

Six teams — the New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets and Cleveland Browns — don't look like they have much of a shot at making the playoffs.

This leaves four teams likely competing for that final AFC playoff spot: the Dolphins, Broncos, Colts, and maybe the Cincinnati Bengals, despite their 4-7 record.

The Dolphins got a little bit of help last weekend when the Indianapolis Colts lost against the Detroit Lions, but they'll need more down the line, including this weekend.

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

Cleveland (at Denver), Monday, 8:15 PM ET

The Broncos are the team that looks most likely to get in the Dolphins' way of the playoffs. The Browns are coming off a night victory in the snow against the Pittsburgh Steelers, so maybe they can do it two games in a row.

Atlanta (vs. L.A. Chargers), Sunday, 1 PM ET

This one is pretty easy, and the Falcons will have an advantage here facing a Chargers team going across the country after a Monday night game.

New England (vs. Indianapolis), Sunday, 1 PM ET

The Colts could be a problem, not because they're a great team, but because they close the season with games against Tennessee, the New York Giants and Jacksonville. This is where the Dolphins would love a big outing from Drake Maye and a down one from Anthony Richardson.

Philadelphia at Baltimore, Sunday, 4:25 PM ET

The Ravens have alternated this season between looking like a team that doesn't know how to finish and one that's a Super Bowl contender. It's still difficult to envision them not making the playoffs, but clearly the play here is going for the NFC contender.

San Francisco at Buffalo, Sunday, 8:20 PM ET

The Bills will clinch their fifth consecutive AFC East title with one more win, and if it's not this game, then it will be another one. But why not root for the wildly improbable possibility of a Bills season-ending crash?

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, Sunday, 1 PM ET

This is a bit of a tough one because the Bengals have the talent to go on a run down the stretch, and the Steelers have a schedule that could lead to a massive slid, with games remaining against the Eagles, Ravens and Chiefs. Because of the big gap between the teams' records it's more likely that Cincinnati could make a run, so this gives the nod to rooting for the Steelers here.

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THREE OTHER GAMES WITH A SLIGHT PREFERENCE (BUT NO BIGGIE)

Jacksonville (at Houston), Sunday, 1 PM ET

Not anticipating a Jaguars upset here, but there's nothing bad about a Houston loss here in the event of an unexpected late-season collapse.

Washington (vs. Tennessee), 1 PM ET

The Titans have a really good defense, but their offense isn't good enough to mount any kind of a long winning streak.

Seattle (at N.Y. Jets), Sunday, 1 PM ET

Again, there's zero reason to expect anything close to a season-ending winning streak for the Jets, but we're including it here anyway because it's an AFC-NFC matchup.

WEEK 13 GAMES OF NO CONSEQUENCE TO THE DOLPHINS

These are games for Dolphins fans to watch for pure enjoyment or fantasy football because they don't involve AFC teams or have future draft implications.

But here's the rest of the Sunday slate, in the interest of thoroughness:

• Arizona at Minnesota, Sunday, 1 PM ET
• Tampa Bay at Carolina, Sunday, 4:05 PM ET
• L.A. Rams at New Orleans, Sunday, 4:05 PM ET

Additional reading:

-- Breaking down the goal-line failure

-- Dolphins-Packers Week 13 instant takeaways

-- Dolphins-Packers five biggest storylines ... and how they played out