Dolphins, Ravens Appear on Collision Course

The Miami Dolphins game at Baltimore on Dec. 31 is subject to flex scheduling

There can be no doubt left that the Miami Dolphins game against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 31 will have major ramifications for the AFC playoff picture.

But there is a question, three weeks before the fact, as to exactly the game will be played.

The game at M&T Bank Stadium currently is scheduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff, but considered it could wind up determining who gets the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, it's difficult to envision it remaining in that smaller-spotlight television window as a regional game.

But if it does get moved, does it go to the national doubleheader slot at 4:25 p.m. or does it become the Sunday night matchup?

While the Dec. 24 game of New England at Denver is locked in and can't be flexed, the same doesn't apply for the Sunday night game of Dec. 31, which currently is slated to be Green Bay at Minnesota.

While it's clear that Miami at Baltimore is the marquee matchup on the schedule that day, there are two factors that could prevent the game from being moved to prime time.

The first is that Green Bay at Minnesota will be a game with playoff implications, as both teams currently hold the final two NFC wild-card spots behind the 10-3 Philadelphia Eagles. Additionally, Green Bay has a pretty good national following.

The second, and perhaps even bigger reason, the game wouldn't get moved to the 8:20 p.m. kickoff time has to do with CBS wanting the game for itself.

As part of the new flex scheduling rules for 2023, each network is allowed to protect one game every week from being moved to another network, and the thought when the schedule first came out was that CBS would want to protect Cincinnati at Kansas City on that day.

It's why CIN-KC initially was the game slated to be the national doubleheader game. But Joe Burrow is on IR and the Chiefs have slipped a bit (even though they're still likely to win the AFC West title), and it's difficult to argue it's a more appealing matchup than Miami at Baltimore — Patrick Mahomes or not.

So it very well could be that CBS will protect the MIA-BAL matchup and make it its feature game that day, i.e., the national doubleheader game at 4:25 p.m. ET.

The final call on what happens here, per flex rules, has to be made no later than six days earlier, which would fall on Christmas Day.

While things can change, the best guess from here at this time is that the Dolphins-Ravens matchup indeed will get flexed, but to 4:25 p.m. and not to prime time.

DOLPHINS-RAVENS HAVE TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW

The Miami-Baltimore matchup was going to be intriguing regardless of playoff implications because of what happened at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 2 last season.

In case you need a reminder — though we highly doubt it — Tua Tagovailoa tied a franchise record with six touchdown passes when the Dolphins rallied from a 35-14 third-quarter deficit to pull out a thrilling, improbable 42-38 victory.

Tua passed for a career-high 469 yards on that day, with Tyreek Hill catching 11 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns, and Jaylen Waddle finishing. with 11 catches for 171 yards and two scores, including the game-winner in the final minute.

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson had a big game himself in a losing cause, passing for 318 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 119 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown that gave Baltimore that 35-14 cushion in the final minute of the third quarter.

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