This special time of year has come. The period in the calendar when family, food and football come first; And this year, between the NFL and the College Football Playoff, big games will be televised almost every day.

For the Dolphins, their showdown on Sunday in Cleveland will be an opportunity to keep their playoff hopes alive. Miami needs two wins and some help to return to the postseason for the third straight year.

A win would put Miami back at .500 for the first time since Week 2. A loss by the Broncos or Chargers on Saturday, coupled with a win by the Dolphins, would keep Miami’s playoff hopes alive heading into Week 18.

To find the winner’s circle, the Dolphins will have to solve one of the NFL’s most talented defenses, led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett and three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward. Ward holds opposing pass catchers – typically the No. 1 player on a given team – to a passer rating of just 82.2 when targeted.

Then there’s Garrett. He has recorded double-digit sacks in each of the last seven years and has been named NFL All-Pro five times, with a sixth expected to follow in 2024. He poses arguably the biggest challenge of the season for Miami’s star left tackle Terron Armstead, who held the title. San Francisco’s star pass rusher Nick Bosa was left out in last week’s 29-17 win over the 49ers Hit against quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

It’s obvious that the ball needs to get away from Ward quickly and probably. It also stands to reason that the solution to such a game plan could be tight end Jonnu Smith, who last week became the franchise single-season record holder for receptions (76) and receiving yards (802) by a tight end .

“With Jonnu, it’s kind of endless,” Tagovailoa said. “If he needs to attack the ball with a big body, he can do that. If he needs to use his hands, he can do that too. If you just allow him to get the ball in his hands, he’s super dangerous with the ball.” “

Quick passing solutions often also mean goals for the running back. De’Von Achane just had 190 yards rushing and was an impactful player for Miami in both the running and passing games.

On the other hand, the Browns will likely use Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback for the second straight season. Thompson-Robinson was selected in the fifth round by the Browns last year, making his fifth start in his career. In his 13 games, he has thrown one touchdown compared to nine interceptions and averaged just 3.9 yards per attempt.

It’s imperative for the Dolphins to make life difficult for the young quarterback, as they have done the last two weeks. Houston quarterback CJ Stroud and San Francisco signalman Brock Purdy passed for just 444 yards against Miami and scored 37 points in those two contests.

If the Dolphins can beat the Browns and win against the Jets next week at MetLife Stadium, they would have their fifth straight winning season. The last time it happened was when Miami won seven straight seasons from 1997 to 2003.

Be sure to check out the injury report and the team’s official social media accounts 90 minutes before kickoff to see who is active for the game.

Watch the game live on CBS on Sunday, December 29 at 4:05 p.m. ET, listen on the Dolphins Radio Network and check out the latest coverage on Game Center.