The Miami Dolphins (11-6) head into the postseason to face the Kansas City Chiefs (11-6) in the AFC Wild Card. The game will kick off on Saturday, January 13 at 8:00 p.m. ET at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa finished the regular season with the most passing yards in the NFL with 4,624. This is the first time a Dolphins player has led the league in passing yards since Dan Marino back in 1992.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill finished with the most receiving yards (1,799) in the league and tied for the most touchdowns this season (13) with Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans. It is the first time a Dolphins player has ever led the NFL in receiving yards.
Time to bring it. #MIAvsKC pic.twitter.com/jV0ynjZJuu
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) January 12, 2024
The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a win against the Los Angeles Chargers, 13-12.
The Chiefs entered Week 18 as the AFC West champions for the eighth consecutive year.
The Chiefs got off to a hot start early by forcing a fumble on Chargers quarterback Easton Stick, which was recovered by safety Mike Edwards and returned for a 97-yard touchdown. After a field goal from kicker Harrison Butker to give the Chiefs a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, the Chiefs would be held off the scoreboard until late into the fourth quarter.
The Chargers would score 12 unanswered points, all from kicker Cameron Dicker. He attempted and made all four of his attempted field goals giving the Chargers the lead, 12-10.
Chiefs quarterback Blaine Gabbert led the Chiefs down the field into field goal range where Butker made a 41-yard field goal with 49 seconds remaining, giving the Chiefs the lead to secure the win.
Entering the postseason, the Dolphins are looking to win their first playoff game in 23 years, while the Chiefs look to defend their title as the reigning Super Bowl Champions with a win at home.
Own this moment. #MIAvsKC pic.twitter.com/NRC3TGy0yQ
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) January 13, 2024
The Dolphins and Chiefs have met three times in the playoffs, with Miami winning all three in 1971, 1990 and 1994. Miami has three road playoff wins in franchise history and only one since 1972. The Dolphins’ last road postseason win was in 2000 at Seattle.
Entering the playoffs, the Dolphins and Chiefs have ranked amongst the top in both offense and defense throughout the regular season. The Dolphins finished first in total offense (401.3) this season, while the Chiefs finished ninth (351.3).
Defensively, the Dolphins finished 10th in total defense (318.3), while the Chiefs finished second (289.8). The Chiefs defense is fourth in passing defense (176.5) and second in scoring defense (17.3) and sacks (57).
These two teams last met in Week 9 in Frankfurt, Germany, during the NFL International Series. The Chiefs came away with the win, 21-14.
The Chiefs have won 10 of their last 12 home playoff games dating back to 2019. Led by two-time Super Bowl Champion quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs hope to continue their postseason success and claim their third Super Bowl win in the past five years.
The Chiefs offense has struggled protecting the ball recently. Mahomes finished the season with a single-season high 14 interceptions and three lost fumbles.
In the final six games of the regular season, the Dolphins had a +7 turnover margin, which is tied for second in the league during that span.
The Dolphins enter the postseason with an 11-game takeaway streak, the longest active streak in the NFL. No other team has a streak longer than six games.
Consistent execution 👊@WingfieldNFL’s 3️⃣ keys to #MIAvsKC pic.twitter.com/TNYTdmsT8A
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) January 12, 2024
Make sure to check out the Injury Report and see the status of the players ahead of gametime and check Miami Dolphins social 90 minutes before kickoff for inactives. Also, remember to test your knowledge in this week’s Dolphins Trivia.
Watch the game live on Saturday, January 13 at 8:00 p.m. ET on Peacock, or on WTVJ NBC 6 in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market, and listen on the Dolphins Radio Network and view the Game Center for the latest coverage.