What do the Dolphins need to make the playoffs? Miami's Week 15 scenarios explored

The Miami Dolphins’ hopes of making the playoffs were hurt by their loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 13. The Fins can, however, consider themselves back in the running following their victory over the New York Jets in Week 14.

The Dolphins had an outside chance of qualifying for the postseason going into Sunday's game, but they preserved that hope with an overtime win.

With a 6-7 record, the Dolphins can consider their chances of making the postseason slim but realistic.

Dolphins playoff scenarios after going 6-7

The Miami Dolphins will most likely need to win the next four games and hope for other teams' assistance to make it to the playoffs. Their chances will be buoyed if the Indianapolis Colts lose at least one of their final four games and either the Denver Broncos or the Baltimore Ravens lose two of their last four.

The Dolphins are squarely behind the Broncos and Colts in the AFC playoff picture, both of whom had byes in Week 14. However, they have tied Indy's 6-7 record and gained a game on Denver with their most recent victory over the Jets.

The Dolphins know they have no control over their fate because the Broncos are still the conference's seventh seed, and the Colts have the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over Miami. But in any event, they will still have to win out to keep their hopes alive.

The Dolphins' late charge to make the playoffs will continue next Sunday when they face the Houston Texans on the road. They will then play the injury-plagued San Francisco 49ers (6-7) in Week 16.

After that, they will square off against the Cleveland Browns (3-10) on the road before they finish the regular season with a game against the Jets (3-10). The games appear winnable for a team that has won four of its last five.

Miami Dolphins' playoff scenario explored

The Miami Dolphins will only win two of their remaining four games and finish with an 8-9 record, according to Sportskeeda's Playoff Predictor. This is worrying, considering the high expectations that were put on them prior to the season. They would just miss out on the playoffs, finishing just one spot below the Los Angeles Chargers, who will take the final playoff spot in the AFC.

Sportkeeda's Playoff Predictor

Miami would finish second in the AFC East, behind the Buffalo Bills, who have already won the divisional crown after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13, according to the predictor tool.

Sportkeeda's Playoff Predictor

The Dolphins would probably need to win all four of the games they have left and hope for favorable results from a number of other games to have a better chance of qualifying for the playoffs, given the present state of the AFC playoff picture.