Miami Dolphins predictions: OK, time to take stock of who's picking the Buffalo Bills

The Miami Dolphins missed their shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC last week. Could they lose out on the AFC East title this week against the Buffalo Bills?

The 11-5 Dolphins and the 10-6 Bills will decide the division on Sunday Night Football. Miami has already clinched a playoff spot but would fall to the No. 6 seed if they lose. Buffalo risks falling out of the postseason altogether.

The Dolphins are hoping for a quick bounce-back after being obliterated 56-19 by the Baltimore Ravens. Tua Tagovailoa had Tyreek Hill and got a 100-yard game from rookie De'Von Achane, but receiver Jaylen Waddle and running back Raheem Mostert both missed the game with injuries. On defense, cornerback Xavien Howard left early with a hip injury and pass rusher Bradley Chubb tore his ACL.

The Bills are on a season-saving four-game winning streak. Quarterback Josh Allen completed just 50% of his passes in last week's win vs. the Patriots, but he did run in two touchdowns. Stefon Diggs hauled in six catches for 120 yards and three TDs in the Bills' Week 4 win over the Dolphins, but he has just 17 catches for 127 scoreless yards in the past four games.

So who takes the AFC East? Here's a look at what NFL experts and analysts are predicting:

Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY: Dolphins 23-21

"Miami has lost 10 of its last 11 against the Bills. The Dolphins are super banged up. The Bills are surging with plenty of momentum. Why do I have a feeling that the Dolphins are due to buck the narrative that they’re incapable of beating good teams? Suddenly, the pressure is gone and no one is expecting them to win, at home, in the battle for the AFC East crown. I understand this pick may seem illogical, but if Miami plays loose — something it hasn’t done recently — and if the Bills continue to turn the ball over, the Dolphins could pull off the upset here."

Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Bills 24-20 (Game of the Week)

"The Bills have won four consecutive games to surge into playoff position after a disappointing .500 start through midseason. But they haven't clinched anything thanks to three teams (Colts, Texans, Steelers) staying on their heels at 9-7. They now face a high-stakes opportunity to sweep the Dolphins and take their fourth consecutive AFC East title.

"Buffalo won't pass it up, as it has the overall offensive momentum with James Cook boosting Josh Allen and their defensive making big plays against a rival reeling because of injuries. Tua Tagovailoa will remain shellshocked from the Ravens rout."

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Bills 30-23

"The winner wins the AFC East. The Bills and Josh Allen have dominated Miami in Allen's career, and I don't see that changing here. Look for a big game from Allen against a defense that is banged up. The Bills win it."

Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: Bills 28-20

"Both teams have had their struggles. For Miami, the injuries and last week’s blowout in Baltimore might be too much to overcome."

Safid Dean, USA TODAY: Bills 34-28

"Josh Allen has struggled a bit offensively in his last four games, but there’s something about the Miami Dolphins that turns him into Superman. Allen is 9-2 and accounted for 36 touchdowns in his career against Miami. With a shot at the AFC East and the No. 2 seed, Buffalo sends Miami on the road to begin the postseason amid an epic collapse."

Gennaro Filice, NFL.com: Bills 28-23

Of the five NFL.com pickers, only Brooke Cersosimo went with the Dolphins.

"Yeah, star QB Josh Allen's a little banged up, but by and large, this feels like the healthiest Buffalo has been since September," Filice wrote. "The same cannot be said about Miami. The team's two star edge rushers — Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips — are on injured reserve. The offensive line has been a MASH unit all season. And Wednesday's injury report was a depressingly star-studded list. Long story short, the Dolphins are limping into the playoffs, while the Bills are surging down the stretch with a four-game win streak in tow."

Bill Bender, Sporting News: Bills 28-27

"The winner takes the AFC East. This will be a fun game, too, given the Bills are hot and the Dolphins are coming off a reality-check loss against the Ravens. Bradley Chubb (ACL) is a huge loss for the Miami defense, which also might be without Raheem Mostert and Jaylen Waddle. Buffalo has won four straight, including three one-score games. Tough pick here, but there is still value in the home underdog against the spread knowing the Dolphins are 6-2 ATS there."

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Bills 26-24

"These two teams are going in opposite directions. The Bills have won four in a row and can steal the AFC East title from the Dolphins with a win. The Dolphins got beat up in a 56-19 loss in Baltimore. Miami is dealing with multiple injuries. The Bills need a win to ensure a playoff berth."

John Breech, CBS Sports: Bills 34-24

"The Dolphins could go all-in to try and stop the pass, but that could actually make things worse considering the Bills are averaging 130.7 yards per game on the ground, which ranks seventh in the NFL. The Dolphins have played three teams this season against teams that rank in the top-seven in rushing yards and not only have they gone 0-3 in those games, but they've been outscored by an average score of 45 to 18.6."

Chris Simms, Pro Football Talk: Bills 27-21

Dolphins-Bills odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, January 4.

• Spread: Bills (-3)

• Over/under: 49.5 points

• Moneyline: Bills -165, Dolphins +140

How can I watch Dolphins vs. Bills?

• Time: 8:20 p.m.

• Date: Sunday, January 7

• TV: NBC

• Streaming: Peacock (7-day free trial), fuboTV (7-day free trial), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial)

Dolphins-Bills is the Sunday Night Football game in NFL Week 18. The game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. Sunday, January 7 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Mike Tirico (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst) will be in the booth with Melissa Stark as sideline reporter. Streaming options include fuboTV, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Dolphins schedule

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Dolphins vs Bills predictions: NFL experts pick Week 18 game on SNF