The Dolphins returned to the practice field today ahead of Monday night's showdown with the Geno Smith led New York Jets. Unfortunately, there were a few notable absences.
WR Mike Wallace didn't participate for undisclosed reasons. He was dealing with a calf injury last week, but the team won't release an injury report until tomorrow.
MLB Koa Misi did not practice either. He's been dealing with an ankle injury all season long, and was in and out of the Denver game.
CB Jamar Taylor wasn't at practice. Taylor left last week's game with a shoulder injury, and will miss at least three weeks according to reports. This is good news seeing as initial reports thought he would miss the rest of the season.
As for some good news...
CB Cortland Finnegan did participate in practice today, which is good news for a Miami defense in dire need of some support at the cornerback position. Finnegan hasn't played since the Detroit game, but could return this week. We'll know more as Monday gets closer.
TE Charles Clay practiced as well today after missing Sunday's game with a hamstring injury.
The Dolphins will return to practice tomorrow for just a half day, as Joe Philbin will let players go home early for Thanksgiving.
AFC PLAYOFF RACE
Miami's loss on Sunday wasn't great, but what made it worse was what happened with the rest of the AFC...
Cleveland won. San Diego won. Baltimore won. Buffalo won. Cincinnati won. In-fact, the only two AFC teams that lost (in the wild card race) were Miami and Kansas City (alright, Houston too).
This made Miami's path to the playoffs all the more difficult. Right now they sit at 6-5, and in possession of 10th place in the AFC. Here's how the entire playoff picture looks as of today:
5. Kansas City 7-4
6. San Diego 7-4
7. Baltimore 7-4
8. Pittsburgh 7-4
9. Cleveland 7-4
10. MIAMI 6-5
11. Buffalo 6-5
12. Houston 5-6
As you can see, it's one big ol' miss right now in the AFC. Luckily, the Dolphins may have a bit of an advantage when it comes to their schedule, mainly because the three teams in front of Miami all reside in the same division, which means they'll beat up on each other before it's all said and done.
Baltimore still has to play Cleveland. Pittsburgh still has to play Cincinnati twice. The Browns still have the Ravens and Bengals left.
On top of that, San Diego still has a brutal schedule in front of them—at Ravens (7-4), vs. Patriots (9-2), vs. Broncos (8-3), at 49ers (7-4), at Chiefs (7-4)— as do the Chiefs— vs. Broncos (8-3), at Cardinals (9-2), vs. Raiders (1-10), at Steelers (7-4), vs. Chargers (7-4).
The Dolphins, as I told you last month, just finished their gauntlet part of the year, and they came out of it at 2-2, something else I told you was critical.
Miami's schedule now looks a little easier, as they get the Jets twice, Minnesota, Baltimore, and New England.
As I see it, for the Dolphins to have a shot at making it, they can ill afford very many more losses.. In fact, anything less than a 4-1 finish may not be enough. How they get those four wins is up to them, but in looking at the schedule, it's obvious where the wins will come easiest— sweeping the Jets, and beating Minnesota.
That leaves New England and Baltimore. IF Miami takes care of business in the other three games they should only have to win of these two games. Neither will be easy, but with Baltimore at home I expect that to be more of a must win for the Dolphins then the New England game.
Regardless, we're at the point in the season where you absolutely cannot look ahead, something Miami could do this week with the Ravens looming next. However, I don't see this team doing that after coming off Sunday's loss.
As Joe Philbin said today, there's still a lot of football left to played. The Dolphins must win Monday night's game (and they should). With many of the wild card teams playing each other this weekend (Cleveland @ Buffalo, San Diego @ Baltimore), and some others facing tough opponents (Kansas City vs Denver, Pittsburgh @ New Orleans), the Dolphins could very well be right in the thick of things once again come Tuesday morning.
Thanksgiving Day picks coming up tomorrow.
[UPDATE: It's tomorrow, and I don't feel like creating a new post.. So here they are:
Lions, Cowboys, Seahawks.]
Happy Thanksgiving!
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