NFL playoff picture: What does Dolphins-Patriots mean for AFC playoff standings

The NFL opens Week 17's Sunday slate with a huge AFC East showdown. The Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots face off at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro with significant playoff implications for both teams. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET and the Patriots are a field goal favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook due to Tua Tagovailoa's absence. The Dolphins QB is sitting out the game due to a concussion and Teddy Bridgewater is starting in his place.

Dolphins playoff picture

Miami is 8-7 and sits in seventh place in the overall AFC standings. The Bills clinched the AFC West and so the Dolphins' only playoff shot is as a wild card. They are a game back of the sixth-place Chargers and a game up on the Patriots, Jets, Titans, and Steelers.

Miami can clinch a playoff berth with a win and a Jets loss. If the Jets win and the Dolphins lose, New England would take over the final playoff berth for the time-being, while Miami would drop behind seventh-place New York.

If the Dolphins and Jets both win this weekend, their Week 18 meeting could determine the final playoff berth. New York won the Week 5 matchup and would secure the head-to-head tiebreaker with a win or tie in Week 18.

Patriots playoff picture

New England is 7-8 and leads the tiebreakers with the Jets, Titans, and Steelers. They swept the Jets in their head-to-head series, which provides that edge. They have a better conference record than the Titans and Steelers to give them the edge there.

The Patriots are eliminated from playoff contention with a loss. They would move into seventh place if they beat the Dolphins.

Tiebreaker implications

This implicates the head-to-head, division record, and conference record tiebreakers.

  
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