Both the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins are outside looking in at the playoffs going into Week 16 of the NFL regular season. These two teams face off in primetime on Monday Night Football, hoping to keep their playoff dreams alive. Both teams sit at 7-7 on the season. The Dolphins might have a harder path as eight teams are fighting for the last three playoff spots in the AFC. The Saints are realistically contending with four teams for the last two spots in the NFC. It is going to feel like a post-season game on Monday Night Football as the Saints and Dolphins make their final playoff push.
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Saints and Dolphins Playoff Hopes Could End on Monday
For the New Orleans Saints, a loss on Monday might not immediately end playoff hopes, but it will certainly damper greatly. The four teams competing for those last two spots in the NFC have difficult games coming up as well. The San Francisco 49ers have to play the Tennessee Titans. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings have to face the Los Angeles Rams. All teams in these matchups are fighting for playoff seeding. Nine wins might get the last wild card in the NFC, but 10 wins will almost assuredly do it. New Orleans could reel off three straight wins to end the season with the schedule. Two of the last three games for the Saints are at home, including this week’s primetime game. Their last two games are against divisional, but beatable, teams in the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons.
On the other hand, the Miami Dolphins are likely in must-win territory. In their division, the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots both hold better records, although they face each other this week. For the wild card spots, five teams have a record of 8-6. Two of these 8-6 teams do face each other this week, the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. There are also three other teams at 7-7 on the year while the Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-6-1. It is a complete log jam at the back of the AFC standings currently. The Dolphins will have to worry about their own games. Just keep winning and let the chips fall. A win on Monday Night Football will help the Dolphins stay afloat. Dropping to 7-8 on the season will likely end the Dolphins playoff hopes, especially with the Titans and Patriots still on the schedule.
Matchups for the Saints and Dolphins
The Dolphins offense will have to deal with a Saints defense that is finally getting healthy. As shown last Sunday in their upset win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Saints defense can be dominant. With their health returning, the Dolphins running backs will face one of the best rushing defenses in the league. The Saints allow a meager 3.8 yards a carry and have surrendered just 10 touchdowns all year to opposing rushers. Against the pass, the defense is still respectable. The Saints are tied for 15th in yards per attempt through the air but hold quarterbacks to the seventh-lowest completion percentage. The Dolphins offense is just ranked 20th in total scoring for the year, which will not make things easier for them against this stout Saints defense.
New Orleans will have to face a very stout defense themselves. The Dolphins pass defense is the fifth-best against quarterbacks, allowing under a 61% completion percentage on the year so far. They are also tied for ninth in yards per attempt by opposing teams. With Taysom Hill starting for the Saints though, this might mean more designed runs instead of trying to attack this strong secondary for the Dolphins. The Dolphins are the 18th ranked team against the rush, allowing 4.3 yards a carry. This will definitely be a strength on weakness for the Dolphins and Saints. Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, and Hill will all be involved in the rushing attack for the Saints. The Dolphins will need to slow down these rushers on Monday to win the game.
What to Expect on Monday Night Football
This week’s game between the Saints and Dolphins will feel like a playoff game for both teams trying to finish this late-season push to the post-season. Expect a low-scoring, grinding game as both of these defenses are playing well. The Dolphins have allowed just 12 points per game in their last three. Oddly enough, the Saints have allowed the exact same in their last three games, just 12 points per game. On offense, the Saints are scoring just under 19 points per game in their last three. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are scoring right at 26 points per game. Tua Tagovailoa will have to stay accurate against the Saints defense and use his legs to avoid the pass-rush. Taysom Hill and the Saints rushers will have to take advantage of the matchup strength. The Saints hope to get their starting two tackles back for the game which will help. Low scoring, hard-hitting football should be on the docket Monday as these teams try to keep playoff hopes alive.
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