18. Miami Dolphins
Dolphins play Monday vs. Steelers
Ever since the Dolphins decided to mutually part ways with former general manager Chris Grier, they’ve gone on an absolute tear. This is a team that, just a handful of weeks ago, we were talking about as a huge seller at the NFL trade deadline, right?
This is the same Dolphins team that we were discussing the potential of Mike McDaniel getting fired, possibly even in-season, right?
Yes, this is the same team. The team that did entertain trade offers, even sending former first-round pick Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles. They fielded calls on Jaylen Waddle. They’ve lost Tyreek Hill for the season. Yet the Dolphins are quietly in the mix for the postseason right now and are running the ball better than most teams. Oh, and they get De’Von Achane back for Monday night. We’ll see if the pressure of playing under the lights instead of in the dark causes this team to crumble or get everyone’s attention.
17. Baltimore Ravens
After getting their butts kicked by the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving, the Baltimore Ravens decided to return the favor here in the middle of December. The Ravens put forth a rather impressive effort on Sunday afternoon, especially considering how “not themselves” they have been in recent weeks.
This win put the Ravens up to 7-7 on the season and they’ll obviously be right in the thick of things with the Pittsburgh Steelers in that division. If the Ravens’ running game can stay hot and that defense plays the way it did against the Bengals?
They might be cooking with a little something here entering the home stretch of this season. I’m not fully buying into what we saw here on Sunday given how sullen Joe Burrow was coming into the game, but it’s a great potential launching off point in December for a team that’s fighting to stay alive.