On Christmas Day, NFL games continued, and the atmosphere heated up even further as the regular season neared its close. Each game could influence playoff standings, amplifying the sparks of competition and tension.
The Kansas City Chiefs hosted their third consecutive home game in a crucial do-or-die battle; however, this time, the opponent was not their divisional arch-rival—
but the Miami Dolphins from the AFC East.
During the 1980s season, the Miami Dolphins, led by legendary quarterback Dan Marino, was undoubtedly one of the League's top teams. However, since the millennium, due to the strong emergence of divisional arch-rivals, the New England Patriots, the Miami Dolphins had been mired in a prolonged slump, unable to find their direction.