Dolphins' Playoff Chances Increase Against Joe Flacco, How Miami Can Clinch Wild-Card Spot
The Miami Dolphins' playoff chances have increased over the course of Week 18, according to the latest betting odds. For their must-win game against the New York Jets, the line has moved two points in favor of the Dolphins in light of a quarterback change.
The Jets announced Friday that Joe Flacco will start at quarterback over Mike White. Miami is a three-point favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook. Miami was only a one-point favorite at the start of Week 18 when it appeared that White would be under center for New York in the regular-season finale.
The Dolphins' playoff chances don't only depend on their matchup with the Jets. Miami clinches the AFC's final wild-card spot by defeating New York, along with a loss by the New England Patriots in Week 18. The Patriots visit the Buffalo Bills Sunday.
Miami is expected to start its third-string quarterback in the most important game of the season. Injuries to Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater have thrust rookie Skylar Thompson into the starting role. Thompson is 0-1 as a starter. He's completed 40 of 74 passes for 382 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
Thompson took the majority of Miami's snaps in a 40-17 road loss against New York in Week 6. The 25-year-old was sacked twice and limited to 5.0 yards per attempt.
Flacco went 1-2 as the Jets starting quarterback before Zach Wilson returned from injury and became New York's top signal caller in Week 4. Flacco went 26-of-44 for 307 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 31-30 comeback victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 2. In losses against the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, Flacco had one touchdown pass and three interceptions while the Jets scored a combined 21 points.
The Dolphins have fallen out of the playoff picture by losing five straight games. The Jets are also on a five-game losing streak. The Patriots moved ahead of the Dolphins for the final AFC playoff spot by beating Miami 23-21 in Week 17.
New England is a seven-point underdog in Buffalo. The Bills are in contention for the AFC's No.1 seed and a first-round playoff bye. The Kansas City Chiefs can clinch the No. 1 seed Saturday before the Bills play, but Buffalo would still have a chance to turn a potential AFC Championship Game against Kansas City into a neutral-site matchup by defeating the Patriots.
The Patriots, Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars all have a chance to earn the AFC's No. 7 seed in the final playoff picture.
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