The Miami Dolphins are going to make sure they send the Cincinnati Bengals a late vacation ticket this week. Because after bad will and bad blood spread earlier this month when these two teams met, the Cincinnati Bengals gave the Dolphins one of the biggest gifts this holiday season – a disturbing victory over Houston in Week 16 over the Miami Dolphins’ first scheduled draft pick higher in the 2021 NFL draft pick.
With a week left to play, the Dolphins pick from Houston is currently the overall 3rd pick in the NFL Draft 2021, positioning them to draft an elite talent or then swap another treasure chest and to collect with the permission of a trade as a QB-hungry team tries to make noise.
But there is one more week left to play – and here are the possibilities to choose from.
The ceiling
We teased the possibility that this pitch would end up in the top three last week, with the following criteria:
A Bengali win over Houston in Week 16
A loss of Texans in Week 17 for Tennessee
A win in Carolina over the last two weeks (@ Washington and vs. New Orleans)
A Falcons win over the last two weeks (@Kansas City and @Tampa Bay)
But it appears that the strength of the scheme-breaker between Houston and Atlanta turned in Houston’s favor in Week 16, and Miami therefore already has the leading position based on draft connections. However, this margin is razor-sharp – and the league’s results, apart from just the Houston game next weekend, could be affected if it stays against the ceiling. But it will not be higher than third place if it is all said and done.
The floor
Good news, Miami! When we did this exercise last week, the top 15 were overall choice for this draft pick. Thanks to Houston’s latest loss to Cincinnati, it has now been selected as an overall top-10 pick. We looked at all the potential teams that Houston could succeed in the order based on wins and losses, and when we were to predict a Houston win against the Titans next Sunday with losses elsewhere across the board, the choice of the Texans ranked No. 9 overall thanks to PlayoffPredictors.com.
Miami will have a top-10 pick as part of their return for Laremy Tunsil.
Expected outcome
The Texans have a tough draw next weekend – they play the Tennessee Titans, who are 10-5, and play for a division title amid their race with the Indianapolis Colts. There is plenty to lose and after 40 lost to Green Bay in the snow, the Titans are probably looking for blood. They will bring Houston a demoralizing defeat against the Bengals, and we expect the Titans to win it. And with the loss in hand, the Texans will not only ensure Miami a choice in the top 10, it will end as mathematically as possible:
Number 3 overall.