The Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints will take the field for Week 16 "Monday Night Football" action and there will be some implications on the line.
Miami arguably is the hottest team in the NFL entering its clash with the Saints, winners of six games in a row and sitting in third place in the AFC East with a 7-7 record.
The Saints entered Monday's tilt off of two consecutive wins -- including a 9-0 shutout win over the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15 -- and also entered Week 16 with a 7-7 record
Here are the three biggest storylines to look out for in Monday's clash:
Playoff implications on the line:
Both the Dolphins and the Saints still are fighting for their playoff lives and Monday's matchup will go a long way. With a win, the Dolphins' record would improve to 8-7 and move into a tie with the Baltimore Ravens for the final playoff spot in the AFC. If the Saints were to earn a win Monday they would move into a tie with the Philadelphia Eagles for the final playoff spot in the NFC at 8-7.
Who is Ian Book?
The Saints' quarterback room certainly has taken a hit. New Orleans has been without starter Jameis Winston as he has been recovering from a torn ACL and also will miss Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian against the Dolphins as both recover from COVID-19. Book is the Saints' fourth-string quarterback and is a rookie out of Notre Dame. He was selected by New Orleans in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Can Dolphins stay hot?
Miami has won six in a row entering Monday night's showdown and has catapulted itself into the playoff hunt. The Dolphins were 1-7 through the first eight weeks of the season with their lone win of the campaign coming Week 1 against the New England Patriots. But now, thanks in large part to the return of Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins have looked like the team many expected them to be early on.
