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Week 17 of the NFL season will prove to be the ultimate test for the resurgent Miami Dolphins as they face division rival Buffalo Bills for a spot in the playoffs. After a rollercoaster campaign, Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and his men still managed to have a huge turnaround after settling as one of the worst teams in the league last season.
The Dolphins are coming off a nail-biting 26-25 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders thanks to a 34-yard no-look pass completed by veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Wide receiver Mack Hollins eventually caught the long ball, which allowed the Dolphins to gain an additional 15 yards on the penalty. Placekicker Jason Sanders then iced the game with a successful field-goal attempt to seal their 10th victory of the season.
On the other hand, the Bills are fresh from a demolition job against division rival New England Patriots led by Josh Allen's monster performance of 320 yards on 27 of 36 passes completed and four touchdowns.
The Bills' defense also went to work as they buckled down on the Patriots' offense and limited them to a scoreless output in the second half of the game. Buffalo eventually ran away with a 38-9 victory and secured their first season sweep of the Patriots since 1999.
With playoff aspirations at stake, the AFC East divisional showdown will certainly be an exciting game to watch for every football fan. Here are four bold predictions for the Week 17 tilt between the Dolphins and the Bills from the Florida-based squad's standpoint.
1. Tua Tagovailoa will contribute with a TD in the game
Even though Tua Tagovailoa was previously named as the new starting quarterback of the team, it seemed like he has yet to completely earn the trust of head coach Brian Flores. He was often found on the sidelines in crunch time as Fitzpatrick attempted to seal the victory for the Dolphins, similar to what happened against the Raiders last weekend.
Unfortunately, the veteran playmaker won't be available to save him if he comes out with another struggling performance as Fitzpatrick is already ruled out of the game due to a positive COVID-19 case. With no safety net to lean on, Tagovailoa will have to take matters into his own hands and make sure that he is ready for the bright lights come Sunday.
On the flip side, the 22-year-old still managed to showcase his abilities, especially as a dual-threat playmaker in his first professional campaign. Although he isn't as polished yet compared to the other quarterbacks in the league, Tagovailoa can still take the rock to the end zone if he really wants to on most occasions.
Be it a rushing or a passing touchdown, expect that the rookie will be in the mix of things as he aims to prove that he can deliver in high-pressure situations for the Dolphins.
2. Myles Gaskin will lead the rushing attack, exceed 100 yards
Running back Myles Gaskin has recently found himself playing on a groove in the team's last few games. He has yet to exceed 100 rushing yards this season but already came close to achieving the feat back in their Week 13 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals. Gaskin went off with 90 yards on 21 carries as the primary option of the Dolphins' running game en route to a 19-7 win.
The Washington product had another huge performance against the Raiders in Week 16 where he generated 87 yards on 14 touches. He also showed another dimension of his offensive game as he went off for 82 receiving yards and five catches along with two receiving touchdowns for the Dolphins.
Gaskin will once again serve as a huge part of the Dolphins' attack and will look to finally reach the 100-yard mark for the first time this season, especially in a knockout tilt against the Bills.
3. Bills offense will be held under 25 points
The Bills have shown throughout the season that they have a dangerous offense on their side led by MVP candidate Josh Allen paired with a potent wide receiver in Stefon Diggs. However, the two are expected to sit out against the Dolphins as they look forward to having a week's worth of rest heading to the upcoming playoffs.
With the duo's potential absence in the game, the Bills most likely won't exceed 25 points this time around. The team has scored 25 points or more for seven weeks straight, which started from their Week 9 victory against the Seattle Seahawks until Week 16 against the Raiders.
Without Allen and Diggs on the field, it will then be an easier task for the Dolphins to handle and limit them to score below 25 points. At the same time, Flores has also molded the Dolphins into a strong defensive-minded team that can contain opposing offenses at will. The Fins' stifling defense will aim to be in full effect, especially as they limit a Bills offense that won't probably be at its best come Week 17.
4. The Dolphins will earn a tightly contested victory, make the postseason
The Dolphins have failed to find significant success whenever they visit the Bills in Orchard Park, tallying only a single win in the territory since 2012. Nonetheless, Tagovailoa and his team are still expected to hang around and pose a challenge to the Bills squad that has been gaining momentum in recent weeks.
Luckily for Miami, they don't necessarily have to win the game against the Bills to book a trip to the postseason. Having this preconceived notion in their heads could possibly alleviate the immense pressure of playing in a do-or-die game, but the team should also be wary of falling into the deadly trap of being over complacent.
The Dolphins can still sneak into the playoffs with a loss by the Indianapolis Colts against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Another scenario could be a Baltimore Ravens defeat against the Cincinnati Bengals or the Cleveland Browns succumbing to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
However, the Dolphins are still better off winning the game against the Bills to have full control over their destiny and not be left to rely on the fate of other teams. Though it will be hard to pull off especially with a rookie quarterback at the helm, the Dolphins are still looking to make their mark in history and finally return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 on Sunday.
