Playoffs are out of reach, but here’s what is on the line for Dolphins in finale vs. Patriots

When the Miami Dolphins lost their penultimate game of the 2021 season, a demoralizing defeat at the Tennessee Titans, 34-3, it rendered their home finale against the New England Patriots meaningless.

The Dolphins (8-8) were eliminated from playoff contention, and the possibility of a win-and-in scenario in the AFC East rivalry matchup and 4:25 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday was squashed.

But don’t say it’s meaningless to Dolphins coach Brian Flores, who, in addition to always coaching to win, would love nothing more than to stick it to his former organization that he spent a decade and a half with as an assistant coach and scout under Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

Does Flores believe in the notion of finishing a season on a high note? When his five-win 2019 team finished with a win at New England, it sprung the Dolphins to a surprising 10-6 campaign in 2020. After that season concluded with a crushing loss at the Buffalo Bills that kept Miami out of the postseason, the Dolphins then started 2021 with a 1-7 record before a seven-game winning streak brought them back into contention.

“I think it’s always important to put your best foot forward and compete,” Flores said. “That’s what this game is all about. So yes, I think that’s very important.”

There is a pair of two-decade firsts the Dolphins can accomplish with a win over the Patriots (10-6). After Miami topped New England, 17-16, in the season opener in Foxborough, a win would signify the franchise’s first season sweep of the Patriots since 2000, Belichick’s first season at the helm there. The Dolphins could also finish with back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2003.

“The goal is to win the game,” said Flores, who also has the option of getting an in-game look at some younger practice squad players. “We are going to play guys who give us the best opportunity to do that.”

For the Patriots, they have already clinched a postseason berth, but Sunday’s game has significant seeding implications. The Patriots could finish as high as No. 1 in the AFC with a win and as low as No. 7 with a loss. The top-seed scenario is highly unlikely as it requires four other major upsets and could be ruled out by Saturday night with a Kansas City Chiefs win over the Denver Broncos. A Buffalo Bills win Sunday evening against the New York Jets give Buffalo the division title and restricts the Patriots to a wild-card seed of 5 through 7.

There’s a possibility it’s quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s last start with the Dolphins as he concludes his second season. Miami could look into the acquisition of a proven top-tier quarterback like Deshaun Watson, Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson upon season’s end after being heavily linked to Watson trade talks with the Houston Texans around the trade deadline and last offseason.

The same could be said with a number of other Dolphins who are impending free agents — defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, tight end Mike Gesicki and others. Miami is projected to have an NFL-leading $74 million in cap space going into the 2022 offseason.

Dolphins rookie wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who was named the team MVP for the season this past week, is three catches away from breaking Anquan Boldin’s NFL rookie receptions record (101).

Waddle has said he wants to help the team win games over earning a record, and Flores indicated the play calling will not necessarily cater to Waddle early to get the record out of the way. Miami plans to remain in its natural flow offensively.

The Dolphins will get their second of what could be many looks at rookie Patriots quarterback Mac Jones on Sunday. They faced him in his NFL debut in Week 1, and although Miami pulled out the win late, Jones impressed, completing 29-of-39 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown.

Dolphins defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah said this past week that Belichick “found a gem” in Jones.

Said cornerback Xavien Howard: “When I saw him play and the stuff he was doing, I’m like, ‘He’s not a rookie.’ He was doing some stuff like he’s been in the league a little minute.”

Jones, who has completed 67.6 percent of passes for 3,540 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, handled most of the blitzes the Dolphins threw at him Sept. 12 in Foxborough. It left Flores impressed.

“Good command of the offense, poised, good decision-making,” Flores said of Jones. “As an entire offense, it’s complementary to the skill set of each individual player. The run game, the pass game — I think [Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels] has done a great job of putting those guys in good positions to have success. They’ve obviously, with Mac at the helm, done a nice job.”

As opposed to the usual scenarios of an eliminated team negatively impacting its draft position with late-season win, that’s not the case for the Dolphins this year — at least not in the first round.

With Miami’s first-round pick going to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dolphins’ place in the first is tied to where the San Francisco 49ers end up. Dolphins fans can root for San Francisco to get booted from the playoffs in Week 18, clinching a top-18 selection. If the 49ers (9-7), with either a win against the Rams or a Saints loss to the Falcons, reach the postseason, the pick will be upward of that number and can fall back deeper into the round if San Francisco then pulls off an upset in the wild-card round.

The Dolphins go into Sunday healthy while the Patriots have defensive back Kyle Dugger and linebacker Dont’a Hightower out with eight others questionable entering game day.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3G8CGsB