Brutal Start And End Of Dolphins Schedule

Brutal Start And End Of Dolphins Schedule

Like every year when the NFL Schedule is released, I look at the Miami Dolphins’ schedule and assess it, good and bad. This schedule is tough, and wins won’t come easily, especially to start the season. The Dolphins open with back-to-back games out west against the Las Vegas Raiders and San Francisco 49ers, followed by the home opener with the Kansas City Chiefs. Then back on the road against the Minnesota Vikings, and then a home game with the Cincinnati Bengals before their early bye week. Honestly, I see the Dolphins starting 1-4 or 0-5. The only game I can see them winning is against the Raiders. 

Then, in the last month of the season, the Dolphins have road games against the Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, and New England Patriots to go with home games against the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, and Chicago Bears. All those teams were in the playoffs last year. 

I knew the schedule would be difficult and wouldn’t be based on last year’s records, as those are overrated. They are playing the AFC West and NFC North in two of the toughest divisions in football. I just wasn’t sure how the schedule would be divided up. It’s smart to have the West Coast games back-to-back. 

The Dolphins don’t have any prime-time games, and I love it. I prefer no prime time, especially given the way the Dolphins have played in stand-alone games over the years, and then have to hear the negativity the next day. 

I don’t like how the Dolphins’ home games in the first couple of months aren’t consistently at 1 pm, as that is a huge home-field advantage. 

I’m not expecting the Dolphins to win a lot of games this year. Honestly, if they win 5 games, I will consider that a success. What I am expecting is the Dolphins’ young core of players to get better each week and fight hard. There will be a lot of growing pains and heartache, but if the Dolphins players grow and get better as the season progresses, it could give the team hope for a prosperous future.  

This is about laying the foundation on the field. It’s about the Dolphins becoming a bigger and more physical team. 

It’s about seeing if Jon Eric Sullivan has the start of something to come with the players he picked in the draft. 

It’s about Jeff Hafley, is he the right person to lead this team, with the structure and discipline it has been lacking for years. 

It’s about the players: do they have the right mentality and resilience when times get tough? There will be a lot of that this year. Also, are these players tough enough, and do they have the start of a new core of players? 

I can’t wait for the season to start because it’s a new day with a new regime, and I want to see how this team is and whether they will come together, even if the losses pile up, especially with the start of the season and the end of the season.