Why the Dolphins Could Fare Surprisingly Well Down the Stretch of the Season

Why the Dolphins Could Fare Surprisingly Well Down the Stretch of the Season

The Miami Dolphins are mathematically eliminated from the AFC playoff race, so they now have little, if anything, to play for. However, they still have three games remaining in their 2025 regular season that they have to suit up in. In a few days’ time, they will take on the Cincinnati Bengals before wrapping up their 17-game slate with battles against the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

With the Patriots and Buccaneers in the playoff hunt to wind down the campaign and a now-healthy quarterback Joe Burrow playing for Cincinnati, Miami is staring at a daunting late-season schedule. The question is, will the Dolphins be able to play spoiler in some of these games and steal multiple wins?

While things are looking bleak for Miami on paper, the team may very well surprise some folks and cap off the season faring better than expected. Starting with the Bengals, Burrow is an all-world talent, but his return to the field hasn’t helped their fortunes in the win column. Cincinnati has lost its last two games and is fresh off an embarrassing 24-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Additionally, though the Buccaneers will be highly motivated to win their upcoming game against Miami for the sake of clinching their division, they’ve been reeling of late. They’re on a two-game losing streak as well and have dropped games to inferior competition in that span (New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons).

Even the Patriots are looking a lot less invincible than they did a few days ago. They blew a 21-0 lead to the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 14 and floundered down the stretch in their first game in a while against a legitimately good team.

Not that it will matter at all that much, but fans of the team shouldn’t be surprised if Miami adds a few more wins to its total before the season’s end.