Veteran Calais Campbell Sends Message to Dolphins Before Must-Win Browns Matchup

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Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell offered a message to his team through the media before the Week 17 matchup versus the Cleveland Browns.

The Miami Dolphins need help to make the 2024-25 NFL postseason. Either the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos must lose both of their games and the Indianapolis Colts have to lose once for the Dolphins to earn a playoff spot.

But if the Dolphins get that help, it won’t mean anything if they don’t also win their last two games.

That was essentially the message Dolphins veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell delivered through the media on December 27.

“We control what we can control,” Campbell said, via The Palm Beach Post’s Joe Schad. “We’ve got to focus on what we’ve got to do.

“Hopefully the football Gods bless us.”

The Dolphins will visit the Cleveland Browns on December 29.

Dolphins Could Be Eliminated From Playoffs Before Week 17 Kickoff

Incredibly, six of the NFL’s 16 Week 17 matchups will take place before Sunday, December 29. Both the Chargers and Broncos will play on Saturday, December 28.

That means the Dolphins’ playoff hopes could be finished before Campbell and the rest of the team even takes the field in Week 17. If the Chargers and Broncos both win, the Dolphins will be eliminated from playoff contention.

The Chargers will visit the 3-12 New England Patriots. On paper, there isn’t much hope that the Chargers will lose that game. If there’s any edge the Patriots have, they’ve beaten the Chargers in five of their last six meetings at Foxboro.

However, the Chargers defeated the Patriots on the road last December 6-0.

The Broncos will face the Cincinnati Bengals on the road. Similar to the Dolphins, the Bengals are holding onto slim playoff hopes. But they are a better team and should be far more motivated than the Patriots.

Interestingly, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters on December 27 that he won’t be watching either the Chargers or Broncos game. But it’s safe to say he will know the results, and thus whether Miami can still earn a third straight playoff berth before the Dolphins-Browns matchup.

Calais Campbell Clinging to Hope of a Super Bowl Run

As a rookie, Campbell appeared in the Super Bowl following the 2008 season. But that was the last time he played in the big game. He’s played in two championship games since then, but both were losses.

Seeking another opportunity at a Super Bowl has motivated Campbell, particularly in the second half of this season. He explained to The Athletic’s Zak Keefer that after he remained with the Dolphins after the NFL trade deadline on November 5, he was going to “do everything” in his power to turn around Miami’s season.

Since the trade deadline, the Dolphins own a 5-2 record. That run has kept them alive in the playoff race.

To stay in the race after Week 17, the Dolphins need help. But they must also end their dubious losing streak in cold weather games. Miami has lost 11 consecutive contests in games that take place in 40-degree weather or colder.

The Dolphins will play in Cleveland on December 29 and then end the regular season at the New York Jets on January 5. There is no scenario where the Dolphins can make the postseason without winning both games.