The Miami Dolphins started their season 1-4. The Baltimore Ravens, two weeks later, were 3-4. Now, with Week 13 looming, each is in line to make it to the playoffs.
Dolphins vs. Ravens: Start time, live TV schedule for NFL Week 13 matchup
Each team needs a win to secure its spot in the playoff race.
Two of the AFC’s hottest teams will meet on Sunday with their prospective postseason lives on the line. Miami has won six straight games to rally into a wild card spot and is threatening to make its first playoff appearance since 2008. Baltimore has won three of its last four to take control of the AFC North.
But while both teams are in line to extend their seasons, their grips are tenuous. The Dolphins are fending off a dangerous Broncos team that is likely to win its Week 13 contest with the 2-9 Jaguars. After Sunday’s date in Baltimore, the Dolphins have matchups with the Bills and Patriots woven with easier games against the Cardinals and Jets. A win in Maryland may be paramount to get to the 10 victories Miami will likely need for a postseason invitation.
The Ravens have an identical record as the 6-5 Steelers, but hold serve over the division by virtue of a 21-14 home win in the first week of November. That victory didn’t just come with the advantage of playing within friendly confines — Baltimore also faced a not-totally-healed Ben Roethlisberger, who threw for less than 6 yards per pass attempt in defeat. The rematch takes place in Week 16, and a Steelers win in Pittsburgh would erase the Ravens’ head-to-head advantage and drastically improve the Steelers’ playoff odds with one game to go.
Sunday’s matchup is pivotal for each team, but it may ultimately mean more for a Miami team looking to establish itself as a rising power after years of disappointment. The Dolphins have maxed out at eight wins in a season since winning the East in 2008. A victory in Week 13 and a subsequent run to the postseason would validate Ryan Tannehill as a reliable starting quarterback and prove Adam Gase is more than just a high-trending coordinator.
Tailback Jay Ajayi has been stuck in neutral after gaining 529 rushing yards in three games to spark Miami’s turnaround. In his last three games, he’s totaled only 201 rushing yards on 3.8 yards per carry. His job won’t get much easier on Sunday. Baltimore has held opponents to a league-best 74.9 rushing yards per game this fall.
That stingy defense — the Ravens allow only 18.3 points per game — has been enough to overcome a lackluster offense. Baltimore ranks 24th in the league in points per game, 29th in yards per play, and 29th in yards per rush. Joe Flacco hasn’t been his usual consistent self, throwing nearly as many interceptions (10) as touchdown passes (11) and nearing a career low with a quarterback rating of just 80.4.
For comparison’s sake, that last stat ranks Flacco 29th among the league’s 32 starters.
The most likely Ravens win takes place in a low-scoring slopfest. The Dolphins would prefer to find a way to unleash Ajayi and dial up the 30-plus-point performances that carried them to wins over San Francisco, San Diego, and Pittsburgh. Only one team will get what it wants on Sunday — and it’s likely only one team will retain its playoff spot as a result.
How to watch
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Place: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
TV: CBS
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon, Chris Fischer
Online: Sunday Ticket, CBS All-Access
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