The Dolphins’ bid to spoil home field hopes in New England just got a major boost from elsewhere in the NFL

Miami may not get the Patriots’ best for long on Sunday.

Kyle Crabbs — NFL National Writer
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The Miami Dolphins have one more left. Miami started this season ice cold, finding troublesome ways to give away games left and right. That included a Week 2 contest against the New England Patriots, where De’Von Achane stepped out of bounds on a would-be touchdown in the final moments and New England escaped with a 33-27 win in South Florida.

The seasons that have unfolded since could not be further apart. The Patriots have reeled off a massive win streak and have now clinched the AFC East, knocking the Bills off the top of the division for the first time in six years. Miami has endured a comedy of errors. Blown leads, public spats, a quarterback benching. You name it. New England will play on after Sunday afternoon, while Miami will not — but Miami’s bid for a little revenge could be getting a boost from a fellow AFC rival.

Patriots’ hopes for the No. 1 seed in the AFC ride on a backup quarterback facing Denver

New England needs a win and a Denver Broncos loss to seize the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye. They’ll certainly be motivated to play the Dolphins at 100% with those stakes on the line. But New England’s hopes for a Denver loss ride on the Los Angeles Chargers — and they have nothing to play for. Accordingly, they’ve already ruled starting quarterback Justin Herbert out for Sunday’s contest in Week 18. New England will need a Chargers team who is locked into a wildcard seed and more interested in sitting their quarterback to preserve his health going into the postseason to knock Denver off this Sunday despite the Broncos needing a win of their won to retain the AFC’s home field advantage.

If the Broncos defense gets after Chargers backup Trey Lance (who will he even really be playing with if the Chargers are already sitting Herbert?) on Sunday, how long will the Patriots be motivated to keep pushing before deciding their extra rest and bye could actually be the Week 18 contest against the Dolphins? A win like that isn’t necessarily fulfilling for Miami and the Dolphins, of course, are a team with enough flaws that they’re not guaranteed a win just because the Patriots yank some guys from a game if the help they need elsewhere becomes out of reach. Shame on them if they assume otherwise.

Miami is going to need to come into their game with their mind right and with nothing to lose — they’re playing with house money. But if they do that and then the Patriots’ hopes for home field fizzle on the scoreboard throughout the game, it could help to further the cause for Miami’s season to go out with a bang in Foxborough.

2025 AFC Playoff teams entering Week 18

  1. Denver Broncos: 13-3
  2. New England Patriots: 13-3
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars: 12-4
  4. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7
  5. Houston Texans: 11-5
  6. Los Angeles Chargers: 11-5
  7. Buffalo Bills: 11-5

    Baltimore Ravens (8-8) would win AFC North with Week 18 win over Pittsburgh

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