Week 10 of the 2024-25 NFL season concluded and with only seven matches left for most teams, the playoff picture is becoming clearer. The race for a spot in the postseason is heating up and after the week 10 results, some teams are lagging.
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The Rams are one of them as they tasted their fifth defeat of the season, losing 23-15 to the Dolphins. Miami, on the other hand, won their third game of the season, keeping their marginal hopes of making the playoffs alive.
Unlike the NFC North, where teams are flying high and three of four teams remain in contention, the NFC West has struggled with consistency.
Surprisingly, Kyler Murray and the Cardinals lead the West division, being 6-4 and the only team from the division with a sure spot in playoffs if the season ends today.
Last year’s Super Bowl runner-ups, are 5-4, and are on the bubble, with a 57% chance. As per the NFL, the Rams’ defeat sees them go down one spot in bubble contention. They are 4-5 now, with merely 13% of making the postseason. Their defeat, however, pushed the Seahawks up in the race at the 10th spot with a 13% chance.
Meanwhile, in the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills sit comfortably at the top with an 8-2 record and with 99% of making playoffs. The Dolphins’ win puts them second in the division and they are now hovering around the 10th spot in contention with a 10% chance.
Can the Rams and Dolphins make the playoffs from here and what would they need to do to keep their hopes alive?
The Rams and Dolphins need to win at least three games
Both Miami and the Rams have less than a 15% chance of making the postseason right now. Rather than thinking about confirming a place in those wild-card spots, they need at least three wins immediately just to stay in the hunt for a spot. Even then it might not be enough. They would need a lot of results to go their way.
The Rams are 4-5 and third in the division. With more games to go from here, they can still make the post-season. They were 3-6 last season at this point but Sean McVay pulled them out of that mess. They finished 10-7 in the end though they had already made the playoffs in week 17.
The LA side has to win at least 5 more games from here, with three of those wins coming against the divisional rivals. They have some easy winnable fixtures- like the Patriots, Jets, and the Saints.
Fixtures against the Bills and Eagles will prove to be even more challenging. While their defense has stepped up in recent weeks, the offense has stagnated.
Stafford didn’t throw a single TD pass against the Dolphins. He has thrown an interception in six straight games. They are 23rd in 3rd down conversions.
As for the Dolphins, they are 3-6 in the season, with Tua just returning back in action. The win puts them 1.5 back of the Broncos for the AFC’s seventh seed. Only three have made the playoffs after a 2-6 start to make it to the postseason.
Miami needs to go into week 13 with a 5-6 record by winning against the Pats and the Raiders before taking on Green Bay on Thanksgiving. After that they play the Jets twice and the Browns. A win over the contenders like the Texans in week 15 would be crucial for them. The road ahead for both teams is challenging, will they be able to pull through?
