The Miami Dolphins were in seventh place in the AFC before their Week 10 loss to the Green Bay Packers. In a week in which the New England Patriots also lost, the Dolphins were in a prime position to make up ground in the AFC East, potentially moving to within a game of the perennial division champions, while also continuing to position themselves for a Wildcard spot - if everything else had remained the same, but the Dolphins had beaten the Packers, they would be in the sixth position right now, inside the playoff cutoff and in great shape heading into their final six games.

Instead, they again looked outmatched throughout the day, continued a streak of touchdown-less play from the offense (nearly 2.5 games now), and hurt their chances at making the playoffs. The AFC race for the Wildcard is tightening, with more teams looking like contenders, while the Dolphins, in a position to contend, head into their bye week simply trying to find answers to so many questions. They are not out of it, but they do not look like they are in it right now, either.

According to Five Thirty Eight, the Dolphins currently have just an 11 percent chance of making the Playoffs. That is down from a 21 percent chance before last week’s loss.

There should not be a lot of changes in the Dolphins’ positioning next week, with the team on their bye week. Their chances of making the playoffs will be impacted, however, as teams playing elsewhere across the league will be impacting the Wildcard hunt. All of the AFC East is on the bye simultaneously, so Miami will not see the Patriots either pull further away or come closer during the week.

AFC Playoff Standings

Currently, the Kansas City Chiefs hold the top spot in the AFC, followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, with the New England Patriots and Houston Texans rounding out the division leaders. The Wildcards are held by the Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Tennessee Titans are seventh based on a tie-beak with the Bengals, with Cincinnati holding the better conference winning percentage. The Dolphins are the last of the teams at or above .500, sitting in the eighth position.

1 - AFC West leader - Kansas City Chiefs (9-1)
2 - AFC North leader - Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-1)
3 - AFC East leader - New England Patriots (7-3)
4 - AFC South leader - Houston Texans (6-3)
5 - Wildcard - Los Angeles Chargers (7-2)
6 - Wildcard - Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)

7 - Tennessee Titans (5-4)
8 - Miami Dolphins (5-5)
9 - Baltimore Ravens (4-5)
10 - Indianapolis Colts (4-5)
11 - Cleveland Browns (3-6-1)
12 - Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6)
13 - Denver Broncos (3-6)
14 - Buffalo Bills (3-7)
15 - New York Jets (3-7)
16 - Oakland Raiders (1-8)

Tiebreaks used: Bengals Win Tiebreak over Titans based on AFC win percentage; Ravens win tiebreak over Colts based on AFC win percentage; Jaguars win tiebreak over Broncos based on AFC win percentage; Bills win tiebreak over Jets based on head-to-head results

NFC Playoff Standings

The Los Angeles Rams remain in the top spot, with the New Orleans Saints behind them. The Chicago Bears are third and the Washington Redskins are fourth, rounding out the division leaders. The Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings have the two Wildcard spots right now, with the Green Bay Packers on the wrong side of the cutoff in seventh.

1 - NFC West leader - Los Angeles Rams (9-1)
2 - NFC South leader - New Orleans Saints (8-1)
3 - NFC North leader - Chicago Bears (6-3)
4 - NFC East leader - Washington Redskins (6-3)
5 - Wildcard - Carolina Panthers (6-3)
6 - Wildcard - Minnesota Vikings (5-3-1)

7 - Green Bay Packers (4-4-1)
8 - Atlanta Falcons (4-5)
9 - Seattle Seahawks (4-5)
10 - Dallas Cowboys (4-5)
11 - Philadelphia Eagles (4-5)
12 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6)
13 - Detroit Lions (3-6)
14 - Arizona Cardinals (2-7)
15 - New York Giants (2-7)
16 - San Francisco 49ers (2-8)

Tiebreaks used: Bears win tiebreak over Redskins based on Nfc Win Percentage; Falcons win tiebreak over Cowboys and Seahawks based on NFC win percentage (Division tiebreak eliminated Eagles); Seahawks win tiebreak over Cowboys based on head-to-head results (Division tiebreak eliminated Eagles); Cowboys win tiebreak over Eagles based on head-to-head results); Buccaneers win tiebreak over Lions based on NFC win percentage; Cardinals win tiebreak over Giants based on NFC win percentage