The Miami Dolphins kept their playoffs hopes alive with an impressive win over the New York Jets. Ryan Tannehill excelled at quarterback, while Jets rookie Geno Smith was much less successful -- he was pulled following the first half in favor of Matt Simms.
Dolphins vs. Jets 2013: Playoff chances swing in the AFC East
Miami are still alive, while New York is dead in the water. SB Nation’s blogs focused on the post season.
Al Bello
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Dolphins fans over at The Phinsider are trying to wade through the complicated AFC playoff picture. Right now they’re on the outside looking in, but a lot can change in the final weeks of the season.
The Dolphins’ win moved them to 6-6 on the season and into a tie with the Baltimore Ravens for the sixth, and final, AFC Playoff position. The Ravens hold the tiebreaker over Miami after Baltimore’s Week 5 win over the Dolphins. The Jets, meanwhile, fall to 5-7, and lose the tiebreaker to Miami at this point. The Dolphins will host the Jets for the second half of their home-and-home annual series in Week 17 to finish the regular season.
Tannehill is playing very good football. Now it’s on the team’s coaching staff to work out a way to protect him. The Dolphins did a good job keeping their quarterback upright against the Jets, and they could be dangerous if they can find a way into the postseason.
Playoffs are on New York’s mind too, but there’s an understanding from Jets fans that it’s going to be a lot more difficult. Gang Green Nation outlined why it will be tough for the Jets to make it through.
Making the Playoffs is going to be a Herculean task for the Jets at this point. They are bunched up with a number of teams. The most common way a tie of three or more teams will be broken is with conference record, where the Jets fare quite poorly. With head to head losses against four of the five teams either ahead of or tied with them for the spot, this team loses two way tiebreakers too.
Quarterback play has been a huge issue for the Jets this season. Geno Smith was benched on Sunday, but will continue to start. It’s probably the best move for a team essentially eliminated from the playoffs and trying to make it through 2013.
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