Miami Dolphins game coverage and update: Week 17 at Baltimore Ravens analysis, pre-, in-, and post-game

The Miami Dolphins head to Maryland to face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17, a game featuring the top two seeds in the AFC playoff picture. The winner of this game takes control of the playoff seeding, likely guaranteeing them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first-round bye. The Ravens enter the weekend 12-3, holding on to the first position, while Miami is 11-4 and in the second position.

The Dolphins have the top offense in the league, averaging 411.5 yards per game this season. They have the top passing offense, averaging 275.1 yards, and the fifth-ranked rushing offense with 136.4 yards per game. Miami’s 30.9 points per game is the top scoring offense in the league.

Baltimore has the fifth-ranked offense, averaging 372.1 yards per game, with 21st passing offense (212.4 yards per game) and the top rushing offense (159.7 yards per game). The Ravens’ 27.8 points per game ranks them fourth in the league in scoring offense.

Miami’s defense ranks third overall, allowing 296.5 yards per game this season. They have the 10th-ranked passing defense with an average of 205.7 yards allowed and the fifth-ranked rush defense, allowing 90.8 yards per game. The Dolphins are 13th in scoring defense, allowing 20.9 points per game.

The Ravens enter the game with the fifth overall defense, allowing 297.3 yards per game. They have the sixth-ranked pass defense, allowing 205.7 yards per game and the 12th-ranked rush defense, giving up 103.4 yards per game on average. Baltimore has the best scoring defense in the league, allowing just 16.3 points per game.

Will the top-scoring offense prevail in this game, or will the best-scoring defense in the league shut them down?

The Dolphins and Ravens met last year in a Week 2 contest in Baltimore. The Ravens began the scoring with a 103-yard kickoff return to open the game. Miami scored at the start of the second quarter, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throwing a six-yard pass to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Ten seconds later, the Ravens regained the lead with a 75-yard pass from quarterback Lamar Miller to wide receiver Rashod Bateman. The Ravens then added two more scores before the half, leading 28-7 at halftime.

The Dolphins scored mid-way through the third quarter on a pass from Tagovailoa to tight end Mike Gesicki, but the Ravens answered just before the end of the quarter with a 79-yard run by Jackson. The Dolphins trailed 35-14 entering the fourth quarter.

Miami, despite the deficit, was not out of the game. They scored early in the fourth quarter with a Tagovailoa pass to wide receiver River Cracraft, then added another touchdown four minutes later when Tagovailoa connected with wide receiver Tyreek Hill on a 48-yard score. Two-and-a-half minutes later, Hill caught another pass for a 60-yard touchdown, tying up the score. The Ravens kicked a field goal just before the two-minute warning to take a 38-35 lead. The Dolphins, with just 14 seconds remaining in the game, scored the winning touchdown on a pass to Waddle, giving them the 42-38 victory.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, this game should be another close game. The Ravens are favored by three points, basically giving them the home-field advantage spread. A Dolphins straight-up win is +140 on the moneyline while the Ravens are -166. The point total is set at a combined 46.5 points.

We have all the basics for watching this weekend’s Dolphins at Ravens game. We are also collecting all of our pre-, in-, and post-game coverage for you right here, giving you a one-stop shop for all our game coverage.

Miami Dolphins (11-4) at (12-3) Baltimore Ravens
2023 NFL Week 17

• When: Sunday, December 31, 1 p.m. ET
• TV Coverage: CBS

506Sports.com

• Broadcast Team: Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn
• National Radio Broadcast: ESPN
• National Radio Broadcast Team: Steve Levy, Sal Paolantonio
• Dolphins Radio Network: iHeart Radio (WINZ 940 AM, WBGG 105.9 FM, WTZU 94.49 (Spanish)) in Miami

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AFC East standings (through Week 17 Thursday Night Football):

Miami Dolphins (11-4)
Buffalo Bills (9-6) – 2GB
New York Jets (6-10)* – Eliminated
New England Patriots (4-11) – Eliminated

*Week 17 game complete

Week 17 schedule:
Jets 20 – 37 Browns
Dolphins at Ravens, 1 p.m. ET Sunday
Patriots at Bills, 1 p.m. ET Sunday

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AFC playoff picture (through Week 17 Thursday Night Football):

1 – Baltimore Ravens (12-3, AFC North leader)x
2 – Miami Dolphins (11-4, AFC East leader)x
3 – Kansas City Chiefs (9-6, AFC West leader)
4 – Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7, AFC South leader)

5 – Cleveland Browns (11-5, Wild Card 1 position)x*
6 – Buffalo Bills (9-6, Wild Card 2 position)
7 – Indianapolis Colts (8-7, Wild Card 3 position)

Houston Texans (8-7)
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7)
Cincinnati Bengals (8-7)
Las Vegas Raiders (7-8)
Denver Broncos (7-8)

Eliminated:
New York Jets (6-10)*
Tennessee Titans (5-10)
Los Angeles Chargers (5-10)
New England Patriots (4-11)

x Playoff berth clinched
* Week 17 game complete

Tiebreaks:

• Jaguars over Colts and Texans based on head-to-head results
• Colts over Texans based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Steelers over Bengals based on head-to-head results (division tiebreak); Colts over Steelers based on head-to-head results
• Steelers over Bengals based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Texans over Steelers based on head-to-head results
• Steelers over Bengals based on head-to-head results
• Raiders over Broncos based on head-to-head results
• Titans over Chargers based on head-to-head results

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NFC Playoff Picture (through Week 16)

1 – San Francisco 49ers (11-4, NFC West leader)y
2 – Philadelphia Eagles (11-4, NFC East leader)x
3 – Detroit Lions (11-4, NFC North leader)y
4 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7, NFC South leader)

5 – Dallas Cowboys (10-5, Wild Card 1 position)x
6 – Los Angeles Rams (8-7, Wild Card 2 position)
7 – Seattle Seahawks (7-7, Wild Card 3 position)

Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
Atlanta Falcons (7-8)
Green Bay Packers (7-8)
New Orleans Saints (7-8)
Chicago Bears (6-9)

Eliminated:
New York Giants (5-10)
Washington Commanders (4-11)
Arizona Cardinals (3-12)

Carolina Panthers (2-13)

x Playoff berth clinched
y Division title clinched

Tiebreaks:

• 49ers over Eagles and Lions based on NFC winning percentage
• Eagles over Lions based on strength of victory
• Rams over Seahawks based on head-to-head results
• Vikings over Packers based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Falcons over Saints based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Vikings over Falcons based on head-to-head results
• Falcons over Saints based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Falcons over Packers based on head-to-head results
• Packers over Saints based on head-to-head results