Dolphins (6-9) vs. Buccaneers (7-8), Sunday, 1 p.m., FOX
Latest line: Buccaneers are favored by 5 1/2 points
Dave Hyde, Sports Columnist (Season record: 5-10): Buccaneers 27, Dolphins 24
Maybe it’s as easy as Baker Mayfield vs Quinn Ewers. Like the Dolphins, Tampa Bay isn’t the team it wanted to be. But this game has playoff consequences for the Bucs, so there’s the difference.
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Chris Perkins, Dolphins Columnist (Season record: 8-7): Buccaneers 24, Dolphins 14
It’s hard to predict a victory with Quinn Ewers at quarterback. Plus, the defense is coming off one of its worst performances and it won’t have safety Minkah Fitzpatrick again. Oh, yeah, the Bucs need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive, while the Dolphins have no playoff hopes.
David Furones, Dolphins Writer (Season record: 7-8): Buccaneers 24, Dolphins 20
It’s a guessing game with which version of the Dolphins comes out. Quinn Ewers looked fine in his debut as a starter, but he didn’t get much help around him as the team collapsed in the third quarter against the Bengals last week. The Dolphins are playing for pride at this point, while the Buccaneers are still alive for an NFC South crown, so they need this game more and it might show on the field.
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Kathy Laughlin, Sports Editor (Season record: 6-9): Buccaneers 27, Dolphins 17
It’s hard to see this one going Miami’s way after the dismal Bengals put such a hurt on the Dolphins last week. The reeling Buccaneers won’t even be thrown off by the hot temperatures at Hard Rock Stadium.
Keven Lerner, Assistant Sports Editor (Season record: 12-3): Buccaneers 27, Dolphins 17
The reeling Buccaneers have lost six of their last seven games, but still control their own playoff destiny. If they win their final two games against Miami and Carolina, they will win their fifth straight division title. But if they lose to the Dolphins and the Panthers beat the Seahawks this weekend, the Bucs will be eliminated. Facing elimination, I don’t see Tampa Bay losing to Miami. A loss also could cost coach Todd Bowles his job.
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Steve Svekis, Assistant Sports Editor (Season record: 7-8): Buccaneers 26, Dolphins 17
The Bucs are in a free fall, but are still alive, and desperate. While Baker Mayfield has been a shell of himself since injuring a shoulder against the Rams, Tampa Bay should still have enough against a Dolphins team that looked in free fall last week against the Bengals.