The Miami Dolphins are one of three teams vying for the last spot in the AFC playoff bracket. The path to that No. 7 seed isn't easy, though. For now, the 9-7 Denver Broncos are in line to take the last wild card berth.

According to The Athletic's NFL playoff projections, the Dolphins have the second-highest chance to make the postseason among the three eligible AFC teams, sitting at 21%. The Broncos (72%) have the highest, and the Bengals (7%) have the lowest.

The Miami Dolphins are clinging to their playoff lives as they head into Week 18. They'll need to defeat the New York Jets on the road to keep those slim chances of reaching the postseason going, and they'll likely have to do that without their starting quarterback.