The Cleveland Browns won’t make the playoffs this season.
Even so, they could play spoiler.
The Miami Dolphins are still hanging onto the hope of making the playoffs.
Unfortunately, they won’t have some key contributors out there.
Their three best offensive players, QB Tua Tagovailoa (hip), WR Tyreek Hill (wrist/rest), and WR Jaylen Waddle (knee), are all listed as questionable.
Dolphins injury report: Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle all questionable to play vs. Brownshttps://t.co/odDfZRr5Je pic.twitter.com/1ipBPcObPr
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) December 27, 2024
Notably, OT Terron Armstead (knee), S Jordan Poyer (knee/finger), and WR Dee Eskridge are also questionable right now.
The Dolphins don’t depend on themselves to make the playoffs.
They could even be eliminated on Sunday without playing.
They hung onto their postseason hopes by taking down the San Francisco 49ers last week, but they need two teams to lose on Saturday to keep those playoff hopes alive.
If both the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos beat the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals, respectively, they will clinch postseason berths, leaving the Dolphins out altogether.
If that’s the case, chances are that Mike McDaniel won’t even look to risk his star players by sending them out there on the road in a seemingly meaningless game.
There’s no need to put them in harm’s way.
Needless to say, neither of these teams expected to be in this position at this point in the season, but the only thing harder than winning in the NFL is doing so year after year.
NEXT: NFL Insider Issues Strong Warning To Browns About Deshaun Watson
