Dolphins clinch playoffs in thrilling fashion against Cowboys

The Dolphins' 11th win clinched at least wild card berth.  Miami now has two chances to clinch the AFC East title with a win.  The first is next Sunday at the Baltimore Ravens.  Regardless of whatever the Ravens do on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers, the winner of Miami-Baltimore will assume the AFC's top seed with one week to go in the season. 

Should Miami not win against Baltimore and Buffalo beats New England at home next week, that would set up a winner takes all matchup with the Bills at Hard Rock Stadium for the AFC East title on January 7.  

According to Tyreek Hill after the game, making the playoffs is a relatively insignificant accomplishment for where the Dolphins want to go. 

"Nobody's going to remember the Miami Dolphins making the playoffs when February comes around," Hill said.  "It's always about winning the big game, and that's where our mind is right now.  We know that we've got the team to do it." 

Miami's playoff berth is their second in a row, but only the team's fourth since the end of the 2001 season.  Miami won the AFC East in 2008 but lost their playoff opener against Baltimore 27-9.  They made it as a wildcard team in 2016 before losing 30-12 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.  

Now the goal will be to clinch the AFC East and try to deliver the team's first playoff win since defeating Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 23-17 on December 30, 2000.  

And Dolphins fans hope that's just the start of a big January run for a team looking to break a lot of playoff futility.