The Bills in Toronto.

The 49ers without Frank Gore.

No Tom Brady.

And the AFC West and NFC West as their divisional draws.

Still, now they have put themselves in position to earn it.

It's hard to envision the Patriots losing to the Cardinals at home or the Bills in Buffalo.

So the Dolphins must win out.

Here's some of what bears watching...

1. Chad Pennington in bad weather. He played in the Meadowlands for the first eight seasons of his career, so he found ways to adjust to the conditions. Still, that swirling wind in the Meadowlands presents a problem.

2. Where's Ted Ginn, Jr.? The Dolphins' "equal opportunity offense" has taken the spotlight off of him. But his only big game this year came against a cornerback playing on a bum knee. Can he make another game-changing play before it's over?

3. The running game. If the Chiefs and Patriots control the ball for 40 minutes, they'll score more than nine points. Again, bad weather requires a consistent ground game.

4. Remember 2002? The Dolphins were 9-5 and had leads against a weak Minnesota team and a Patriots team that would miss the playoffs. They blew both games. This team is not as talented, but is more tough-minded.