The idea of the Miami Dolphins being to land a playoff spot in 2025 remains more of a pipe dream than anything else, but it's still mathematically possible if they stack up winds in the final six weeks of the regular season and get some outside help.
While they couldn't do anything regarding the former during their bye this weekend, they really didn't get much outside help from teams that were facing the other AFC playoff hopefuls in Week 12.
The 10 teams currently ahead of the Dolphins in the AFC standings combined to go 5-3, but two of the losses came in games matching two AFC playoff hopefuls (IND-KC and BUF-HOU). The only AFC playoff hopeful to lose against an NFC team or a team below Miami in the standings was the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Dolphins are 11th in the AFC standings, two full games behind Pittsburgh, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans, and three games behind three other playoff contenders currently holding wild-card positions.
This clearly indicates the microscopic margin of error with which the Dolphins will be operating the rest of the 2025 season because it likely will take a 10-7 record to make the playoffs and the Dolphins already have seven losses.
Miami also potentially might have a chance of making the playoffs with a 9-8 record, as they did in 2021, and that would require five wins in the team's final six games.
But the Dolphins will need some help along the way, and Week 12 was not a good weekend in that vein.
**REVISITING THE WEEK 12 ROOTING GUIDE**
----------------------------------------
**1\. Chicago (vs. Pittsburgh)**
**Before the game:** The Steelers currently lead the AFC North, but the Baltimore Ravens are hot on their trail and the Dolphins need some Pittsburgh losses (along with winning at Acrisure Stadium on December 15, of course).
**The game:** This was a back-and-forth affair, with the Bears walking away with a 31-28 victory. Good result.
**2\. Arizona (at home vs. Jacksonville)**
**Before the game:** The Jaguars could end up being in the mix among AFC wild-card teams, so let's root for former Dolphins backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett after he put up massive numbers (albeit in a loss last week against the San Francisco 49ers).
**The game:** This one was frustrating because Arizona had chances, but the Cardinals failed to get more than one pass off at the end of regulation and then went for a bizarre deep shot on a have-to-have-it fourth-and-4 in overtime to lose 27-24. Bad result.
**3\. N.Y. Jets (at Baltimore)**
**Before the game:** The Ravens figure to be part of the wild-card mix in the AFC if they don't overtake the Steelers in the North and their head-to-head victory against the Dolphins could prove problematic down the stretch.
**The game:** Baltimore was sluggish and trailed at halftime before taking control in the second half. Bad result.
**4\. Indianapolis (at Kansas City)**
**Before the game:** While both teams are playoff contenders, we'll assume at this time the Colts are going to win the AFC South, so they're not really a factor as far as the Dolphins are concerned. Giving K.C. one more loss would be good for Miami.
**The game:** This also was very frustrating because the Colts led 20-9 and then had the ball twice in the fourth quarter while leading but instead went three-and-out on their final four possessions. Ugh. Bad result.
**5\. Buffalo (at Houston)**
**Before the game:** Based on the teams' records and the closing schedules, the Dolphins would seem to have a lot better chance to catch the Texans than the Bills in the standings, so let's put division rivalry aside for this one. Besides, the Dolphins have Houston's third-round pick in the 2026 draft, so the worse their record, the better for Miami.
**The game:** The Texans not only pushed back the Bills in this one, but showed why their top-ranked defense could make them a factor down the stretch and another team with which Miami has to contend. Not a great result.
**6\. Cincinnati (vs. New England)**
**Before the game:** The Dolphins really aren't likely to catch the Patriots in the standings, but they'll have to win against Cincinnati anyway to have any shot at the playoffs, so why not give New England a third loss here?
**The game:** With New England's 26-20 victory, the Patriots have a magic number of 1 to eliminate the Dolphins from contention for the AFC East title, which would leave them with only a wild card as a possibility. The Patriots did lose prized rookie tackle Will Campbell to a knee injury in the game, though. Bad result.
**REMAINING SCHEDULES OF AFC PLAYOFF HOPEFULS**
-----------------------------------------------
Teams listed in current order of standings:
1\. New England Patriots (10-2) — at Cincinnati, N.Y. Giants (MNF), bye, Buffalo, at Baltimore, at N.Y. Jets, **Miami**
2\. Denver Broncos (9-2) — at Washington (SNF), at Las Vegas, Green Bay, Jacksonville, at Kansas City (TNF), L.A. Chargers
3\. Indianapolis Colts (8-3) — Houston, at Jacksonville, at Seattle, San Francisco (MNF), Jacksonville, at Houston
4\. Baltimore Ravens (6-5) — Cincinnati (TNF), Pittsburgh, at Cincinnati, New England, at Green Bay, at Pittsburgh
5\. Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) — Las Vegas, Philadelphia (MNF), at Kansas City, at Dallas, Houson, at Denver
6\. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4) — at Tennessee, Indianapolis, N.Y. Jets, at Denver, at Indianapolis, Tennessee
7\. Buffalo Bills (7-4) — at Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, at New England, at Cleveland, Philadelphia, N.Y. Jets
8\. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) — Buffalo, at Baltimore, **Miami (MNF),** at Detroit, at Cleveland, Baltimore
9\. Houston Texans (6-5) — at Indianapolis, at Kansas City (SNF), Arizona, Las Vegas, at L.A. Chargers, Indianapolis
10\. Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) — at Dallas, Houston (SNF), L.A. Chargers, at Tennessee, Denver (TNF), at Las Vegas
**11\. Miami Dolphins (4-7) — New Orleans, N.Y. Jets, at Pittsburgh (MNF), Cincinnati (SNF), Tampa Bay, at New England**
### **More Miami Dolphins Coverage:**