Seahawks at Dolphins -- Week 12

Where: Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla. (grass, outdoors)

When: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox)

Spread: Seattle by 2.5

Forecast: Mid-70s, 8 mph winds

2012 records -- Dolphins (4-6, AFC East: 1-2); Seahawks (6-4, NFC West: 0-3)

Past results: Two most recent meetings -- Nov. 9, 2008: Dolphins 21, Seahawks 19; Nov. 21, 2004: Seahawks 24, Dolphins 17. Series record: Dolphins lead 9-4.

What matters: A seventh defeat and fourth straight overall would basically end any chance the Dolphins have at the postseason. Miami also has a team loaded with veterans in the final year of their contracts and another lackluster defeat could lead to many of them tuning out first-year coach Joe Philbin, who has had an up-and-down season.

Who matters: Rookie QB Ryan Tannehill has hit the wall. Tannehill completed 14 of 28 passes for 141 yards with a touchdown against three interceptions in a mid-week loss at Buffalo. Overall, the rookie has completed 58.1 percent of his passes for 2,120 yards with six touchdowns against 11 interceptions this season. Meantime, DE Cameron Wake has regained his form, recording at least one sack in six of his past seven games. The former Penn State standout has 9.5 sacks to go with 34 tackles this season.

Key matchups: LB Karlos Dansby is playing through multiple injuries, including a torn biceps and a dislocated finger, but still has been a stable force for a struggling defense. The former Auburn star has 76 tackles this season, including three for loss, to go with a sack. He will have a tough time containing Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch, who has rushed for 1,005 yards with five touchdowns go to with 14 catches for 137 yards this season. Lynch has scored two career touchdowns against Miami.

Injuries of note: The team is the healthiest it has been since training camp. Only LB Austin Spitler (ankle) missed practice on Thursday as everyone else was a full participant.

Inside stuff: Tannehill is struggling to find passing lanes against base defenses. The first-year signal caller has the NFL’s second-worst completion percentage (55.2) against four or fewer rushers, according to ESPN Stats and Information. Tannehill has been sacked 10 times and thrown five interceptions against such fronts this season.

Stat you should know: 1. Touchdown for the Dolphins offense over the past 10 quarters. The Miami attack has become stagnant and the play calling very conservative as the unit continues to struggle.

Looking ahead: This is a must-win for Miami. The schedule has consecutive games against the Patriots and 49ers on tap. A fourth-straight loss would basically eliminate the Dolphins from the postseason conversation and have the team focusing on building toward next year. With so many veterans in the final year of their deals, there could be significant discontent in the locker room if young players take their snaps.

Prediction: Seahawks 23, Dolphins 10

For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Miami Dolphins from blogger Dave Carey, follow @CBSDolphins