16. Miami Dolphins (LW: 15)
If there’s one thing New England does extremely well, it’s exact revenge. After the Dolphins began the season with a 13-point victory against the Patriots, there was a sense that maybe the tide of the AFC East had shifted. When they met again on Sunday, New England ensured that no such transition had occurred. With Miami’s loss – its second consecutive and third in its last four games – the team has effectively surrendered its edge in the AFC playoff race, and will likely be eliminated this week. The formerly stout defense from the first half of the season has since been compromised, and the Dolphins – perhaps originally operating from a position of a sneaky sleeper – have simply failed to meet their raised expectations.
