Dolphins Set Up Showdown : AFC: Miami beats Seahawks, 24-17, in tuneup for next weekend’s game against first-place Buffalo.

The Miami Dolphins capitalized on big plays and dodged four scoring threats in the second half Sunday for a 24-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks that magnified the importance of next weekend’s game at Buffalo.

Miami (11-3) is one game behind the first-place Bills in the AFC East.

“We’re a pretty good team,” said Dolphin quarterback Dan Marino, who completed 17 of 29 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns against the Seahawks. “I won’t say we’re a great team, but we’re pretty good.

“The big test for us will be next week. If we can win there, we can go as far as we want to go.”

The Dolphins, who have the second-best record in the AFC, clinched at least a wild-card playoff berth a week ago.

If the Dolphins win next Sunday and beat Indianapolis in their final regular-season game Dec. 30, they’ll be the division champions. If the Dolphins lose to Buffalo, they’ll be eliminated from title contention.

The Seahawks (7-7) might be able to land a wild-card berth just by splitting their final games at home against Denver and Detroit. But the loss did considerable damage to the Seahawks’ chances.

“This was like our playoff game because we could decide our own fate,” linebacker David Wyman said. “We thought we could beat these guys. Now we’re going to have to win our last two games and rely on some other teams to help us out to get in the playoffs.”

Miami scored its first two touchdowns in the second quarter on a four-yard pass play from Marino to James Pruitt and a six-yard run by Troy Stradford.

The Dolphins’ final score, late in the third quarter, came on a fourth-and-one pass play from Marino to Ferrell Edmunds that covered 11 yards.

The Seahawks had won four of their past five games by coming up with a big play in the final minute, but there were no late-game heroics against the Dolphins.

“We just had the attitude to keep them out of the end zone,” Miami cornerback Tim McKyer said.

The Seahawks reached the Dolphins’ 30-yard line five times in the second half but scored only on their final possession.

Two drives ended when kicker Norm Johnson hit the left upright with a 34-yard field-goal attempt, then hit the right upright with a 37-yard attempt.

“I probably couldn’t do that again if I wanted to,” Johnson said.

Fourth-quarter threats were snuffed when McKyer and John Offerdahl intercepted passes by Dave Krieg.

“It was a good effort, just wasted,” said Krieg, who completed 21 of 37 passes for 295 yards and one touchdown. “It was disappointing and frustrating to lose to these guys, because we had plenty of opportunities.”

After Seattle scored on a 13-yard pass play from Krieg to Jeff Chadwick with 1:51 left, Miami recovered the ensuing onside kick and then left the Seahawks time for only one desperation pass, which was intercepted.

The Dolphins, who had allowed an average of 191 yards rushing the past four games, limited Seattle to 83.

“The big plays are noticed more,” Offerdahl said. “But our run defense was solid today.”