Ryan Tannehill leads the Miami Dolphins into M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday looking to extend their winning run to seven games.
December football is finally here, the most important time of the season as we find out which teams are in position to challenge for the playoffs.
The Dolphins sit second in the AFC East and travel to face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13 of the regular season and another win would certainly put them in contention for a playoff spot.
As for the Ravens, they have picked up recently. Their bye week couldn’t have come at a better time in Week 8 and they have won three of their last four games since then.
Ravens look to retain top spot in AFC North
John Harbaugh’s side lost four straight before that and a chance of finishing top of the AFC North, let along a playoff spot, looked very unlikely.
Fast forward to their current predicament, they sit top of their division after going back to basics and look set to challenge the Pittsburgh Steelers for top spot.
Last Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals showed how far they have come in the space of five weeks, and the way the game ended was pretty smart too.
Seconds remained. The Ravens looked set to pun, but Sam Koch kept the ball, every Bengals player was held back and in the end the punter was forced out for a safety.
A loophole in the rulebook was found. However, they face a stronger test in the in-form Dolphins this weekend and you could call it a must-win game for both teams.
Dolphins look to extend winning run
The Jay-train is arriving in Baltimore. Can Jay Ajayi do what he does best against the league’s second ranked defense? We will soon find out.
The running-back has 847 rushing yards this season and seven touchdowns and has been formidable in the winning run, and is scored against the San Francisco 49ers last weekend.
Tannehill threw for 285-yards and three touchdowns in the 31-24 win, but the Dolphins are ranked 21st on defense and are conceding 21.8 points on average in their games.
Can Tucker repeat Week 12 heroics?
Whether Joe Flacco and his offense can exploit that is another question, but against the Bengals last week, he stepped up when his team needed him to.
Breshad Perriman caught the only touchdown pass of the game, while kicker Justin Tucker kicked three field goals past the 50-yard mark and his longest was from 57 and would have made it if he kicked it from 67.
The game is bound to be a close, and tense, game in the North on Sunday afternoon, and whoever comes out of this one as the victor, they stand in a good position to go and make the playoffs.
Injury Report
Kamar Aiken (thigh) is questionable for the game, but Harbaugh said he would “be fine”, while Lorenzo Taliaferro (hamstring), Crockett Gilmore (hamstring) and Alex Lewis (ankle) are out.
Javorius Allen (NFI) is doubtful, and Jimmy Smith (back) is the only other player on the list listed with a game status, he is questionable.
Mike Pouncey (hip) is out of the game in Baltimore, while Xavien Howard (knee) is doubtful.
Branden Albert (wrist), Kiki Alonso (hamstring), Jermon Bushrod (calf), Kenyan Drake (knee), Jelani Jenkins (knee/hand), Earl Mitchell (back), DeVante Parker (back) and Laremy Tunsil (shoulder) are all listed as questionable.