Twas the Night Before Christmas....

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house…..

Merry Christmas, Dolphins fans! I hope Santa puts all the gifts on your list under your tree this year. However, there are many of you who might just find coal in your stocking!

Our Miami Dolphins are coming off a win. I don’t want to call it impressive, but a win is a win in the NFL. The victory at home over the San Francisco 49ers kept the Dolphins slim playoff hopes alive. If it were a win and in scenario, I would feel a lot better about our playoff chances, but we all know that is not the case.

While many fans would like to see the Dolphins just pack it in and play for a better draft position, I’m not one of them. Every time the Phillies take the field, I want a win, and right now, I want everything else to happen that would allow for the Dolphins to return to the postseason, where we know anything can happen.

So, I’ve put together my week 17 wishlist for Santa because I’m on the nice list this year!

The first thing I’m looking for under the tree is a Pittsburgh Steelers win over the Chiefs on Christmas day. Should Kansas City win, they will clinch the first-round bye and home field throughout the playoffs, meaning Mahomes and company will likely rest during week 18. Why does this matter? The Chiefs play Denver in their season finale, and the Dolphins need to see Denver lose their two remaining games. It’s imperative to have the Chiefs playing for something in week 18.

After unwrapping a Steelers win, I’ll search under the tree for a Bengals victory over Denver on Saturday. I’m not a Burrow and Chase fan but this week I will be in their corner. The Bengals are technically in the hunt, so they, too, still have postseason aspirations. The good and the bad about this game being played on Saturday is that should Denver win, then Miami will be eliminated, and we will all know that before the Dolphins’ game on Sunday. A Cincinnati win, though, keeps the dream alive. I think Burrow and crew get it done at home.

Assuming the aforementioned happens, next on my wishlist is the NY football Giants of yesteryear to attend Metlife Stadium on Sunday. The Colts have the easiest remaining schedule of those teams still “in the hunt.” If they win out, they eliminate the Dolphins. Having the Giants and Jaguars left to play may be the biggest hurdle for the Dolphins to clear. Can the Giants find some magic on Sunday? I highly doubt this present will make it in my stocking this week.

Let’s be honest, we all get gifts we don’t like. This is one of those cases. A Buffalo win over the Jets is a must. If you want to call it that, this gift goes with a Kansas City loss. A Bills win keeps them in the hunt for the overall number one seed (gag). Should the Bills lose against the Jets, then KC clinches, and Mahomes, Kelce, Jones, and company get the week off in week 18 against the Broncos.

Finally, and most obviously, the Dolphins will need to take care of business in Cleveland. The Phins have opened as 6.5-point favorites on the road. The long-term weather outlook looks to be what some might consider mild for later December in Ohio, with high temperatures looking to be around 38 degrees. More than likely the Dolphins will be facing an offense led by Dorian Thompson-Robinson. DTR struggled to do anything last week, throwing for just 157 yards and having two interceptions against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Dolphins should have no issues taking care of business in this one.

Will we get what we are looking for? Who knows, but I will say I’ve started next year’s list already, and needing help from other teams late in the season is not on it.

Merry Christmas, everyone, and here’s to a safe and happy holiday season to all!