Mike McDaniel sitting Tua Tagovailoa could be stroke of genius for Dolphins

Somehow, the Miami Dolphins are within reach of the playoffs. After securing their sixth victory in eight contests in Week 17, reaching the postseason isn't only attainable but well in the range of outcomes.

With a 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns, the Dolphins improved to 8-8. Moreover, the Denver Broncos' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals closed the gap to the AFC's third and final Wild Card spot. But the best part is Miami handled their business on the road sans franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was inactive due to a hip injury.

Mike McDaniel sitting Tua Tagovailoa could be a stroke of genius for the Dolphins

When Tagovailoa was downgraded from questionable to doubtful ahead of the game, it felt like any chance the Dolphins had of making the playoffs vanished. However, that couldn't be further from the case. Miami is in the thick of the hunt and further entrenched themselves by beating the Browns, plus they gave their star signal-caller additional rest time.

In Tagovailoa's relief, backup passer Tyler "Snoop" Huntley filled in admirably. The latter completed 22-of-26 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown, adding 52 yards and an additional score via the ground on seven carries. Meanwhile, the former sat back, relaxed and avoided the well-chronicled "can't play in cold weather" allegations. Most importantly, the Dolphins won and kept their season alive.

The Indianapolis Colts, another direct threat to Miami, were eliminated from contention following a crushing upset defeat at the hands of the New York Giants. In retrospect, Week 17 was a perfect storm for the Phins, making their bold decision to err cautiously with Tagovailoa brilliant.

In a must-win road clash with the Browns, the Dolphins protected Tagovailoa from himself, which paid dividends. To no avail, the 26-year-old reportedly tried to gain clearance for this pivotal matchup. Nonetheless, Miami was ostensibly rewarded with good karma for prioritizing the health and safety of their player(s).

Miami not only escaped unscathed in this instance but greatly benefitted. The attention now turns to whether Tagovailoa will be available when the Dolphins face the New York Jets in Week 18.