As the offseason has come to a close,  practices training camps starting and the season just being weeks away, we have a good idea of what this Miami Dolphins team is gonna look like. So I decided to go game by game on the Dolphins schedule to try and predict how this season is gonna go for the Dolphins, so let’s get right into it. 

 

Week 1: Dolphins vs Patriots (AWAY) 

To kick off the 2020 season the Dolphins get a rematch with the team they ended their season against last year. That game last season in my opinion was the best game the Dolphins played all season and it was their most important victory. For this team to start last season 0-7 and the cap off the season beating the Patriots in Foxboro, therefore, finishing the season going 5-4, was a moment that me and a lot of Dolphins fans will never forget. That game last year was a very close game with the Dolphins winning 27-24, and call me crazy but I think the Dolphins win this game to kick off the new season. Both of these teams have had a lot of roster turnover in the offseason, the Dolphins remaking their roster in a positive way with multiple high-level free agents and draft picks. While the Patriots lost core members of their team like Kyle Van Noy and of course Tom Brady. Not to mention the Patriots have had 8 members opt out of the season including star linebacker Donta Hightower and safety Patrick Chung. With Cam Newton at the helm and all the negative roster turnover, the Patriots should struggle this season, I expect a Ryan Fitzpatrick lead Dolphins to fully take advantage of those struggles and start the season 1-0

 

Week 2: Dolphins vs Bills (HOME) 

I’m gonna be honest, (and yes I know I could be considered biased) but I’m not falling head over heels in love with Josh Allen and the Bills. Some in the National Media have pegged Josh Allen as a potential MVP candidate and the Bills as a potential 12 to 13 win team but I don’t buy it. Don’t get me wrong the Bills have a great roster but I just don’t trust their Quarterback Josh Allen. Last year Allen threw an “uncatchable ball” 27% of his throws, a league-high by a mile, and at his best last season, the Bills needed everything to break right in order to sneak into the playoffs. Despite all that I still don’t love this game for the Dolphins, the Bills are bringing a majority of their roster back from last season, while the Dolphins like I mentioned, have almost an entirely new roster. Due to everything going on with COVID-19 there are fewer practices and reps then a usual offseason, giving the Bills their chemistry advantage. The game will be close but I think the Dolphins will just barley losing this one putting them at 1-1 

Week 3: Dolphins vs  Jaguars (ROAD) 

This is by far the easiest game of the schedule for the Dolphins this year. The Jaguars are expecting to be the worst team in the league, as they look to win the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. This is the earliest I could see rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa getting the start but I don’t think they’ll give up on Ryan Fitzpatrick just yet. I expect the Dolphins to win this game pretty easily and bounce back from a tough loss against the Bills. Putting them at 2-1

Week 4: Dolphins vs Seahawks (HOME)

This game kicks off the toughest part of the schedule in my opinion for the Dolphins this year. The Seahawks have a top-three quarterback in the game with Russell Wilson and added Jamal Adams on the defensive end this offseason a player the Dolphins are very familiar with. I personally believe the Seahawks are going to be a really good team this year and have the potential to go to the Super Bowl so I don’t give the Dolphins a great shot to win this game despite being at home. It wouldn’t surprise me if this game wasn’t a blowout and the Dolphins made a fight but unfortunately, I think the Seahawks are going to win this game putting the Dolphins at 2-2 through the first quarter of the season. 

Week 5: Dolphins vs 49ers (AWAY) 

This is definitely one of the tougher games on the schedule for the Dolphins,  having to travel all the way to the West Coast to face the defending NFC champions is not an easy task for any team. The 49ers have one of the best defenses if not the best defense in all of the football not to mention they have extremely dynamic weapons on offense like Deebo Samuel and maybe the best tight end in football, George Kittle. Similar to the game against the Seahawks it wouldn’t surprise me if the Dolphins put up a fight but I do not believe the Dolphins will be able to get this victory against the 49ers in San Francisco. Putting the Dolphins at 2-3. 

Week 6: Dolphins vs Broncos (AWAY) 

This game caps off the toughest part of the schedule for the Dolphins this year that I mentioned. Playing in Denver is one of the hardest environments to play in all of the National Football League, even greats like Tom Brady struggled to play there over the years. So it’s hard for me to imagine a very young and new Dolphins team going into Denver and getting a victory especially since I’m so high on the Denver Broncos this season. The Broncos are officially all-in on quarterback Drew Lock and got his great wide receivers in the draft through Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. They also got a new running back in Melvin Gordon who is one of the top backs in the league. Not to mention the Denver Broncos defense is still one of the best in the league. So I believe the Dolphins continue their losing skid and drop a third straight game putting them at 2-4.

Week 7: Dolphins vs Chargers (HOME)

After 3 game losing skid I expect coach Flores to pull the plug on Ryan Fitzpatrick and hand the keys over to rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Now this will not be an easy game for Tua to get his first career start. The Chargers have one of the most talented rosters in the league specifically on the defensive side with two phenomenal edge rushers in Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. Not to mention Derwin James leading their secondary. On the offensive side of the ball is where it gets iffy for the Chargers. They have great weapons such as wide receiver Keenan Allen, running back Austin Ekeler, and tight end Hunter Henry. The Chargers, however, have a huge question at quarterback who knows if Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert will be starting at this point of the season but I personally do not either are great quarterbacks.  The Chargers also have to come all the way from the west coast to the East Coast which is no easy task. I think the excitement and energy of Tua’s first career start will be too much for the Chargers to handle and I think the Dolphins and Tua will get a victory against the Chargers in Miami.  Putting the Dolphins at 3-4. 

Week 8: Dolphins vs Rams (HOME) 

Just like the Chargers the Rams have to go from the west coast and travel all the way to Miami on the east coast to play the Dolphins. While the Rams were in the Super Bowl couple of years ago they are not that same team anymore. They have multiple holes all over their team such as the offensive line, a big question mark at running back, and any inconsistencies all over the defense. I expect the Dolphins to beat the Rams but I do believe it’ll be a close game. Putting the Dolphins at 4-4, halfway through the season. 

Week 9: Dolphins vs Cardinals (AWAY)

The Tua Tagovailoa lead Dolphins will be riding high at this point of the season coming off back-to-back wins against the Los Angeles teams. But a tough challenge will await them against the Arizona Cardinals on the road. It is year 2 of the Kyler Murray Kliff Kingsbury era in Arizona and things are already off to a hot start. The Cardinals got major upgrades in the offseason specifically with the trade of all pro and maybe the best wide receiver in the game and DeAndre Hopkins. The Arizona Cardinals offense will be no joke and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they are top of the league in points scored, maybe second to the Kansas City Chiefs. I don’t think the Dolphins will be able to handle the Air Raid Offense the Arizona Cardinals will bring to them, and I am not sure the offense will be able to keep up. Putting the Dolphins at 4-5. 

Week 10: Dolphins vs Jets (HOME)

This kicks off the easiest part of the schedule for the Dolphins. The Dolphins Jets rivalry will get its first match of the Season here in week 10.  The two teams split the season series last year. While the Dolphins got a lot better in the offseason,  the Jets in my opinion got a lot worse. They traded their best player Jamal Adams to the Seahawks and their star linebacker CJ Mosley decided to opt-out of this season. While I am higher on Sam Darnold than most. I do not believe he can overcome the lack of weapons on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball and poor coaching. I believe the Dolphins win this game pretty easily. Putting them back at 500 at 5-5. 

Week 11: BYE

Week 12: Dolphins vs Jets (AWAY)
 Right after the bye, the Dolphins get another crack at the New York Jets. With an extra week to prepare against an already bad team, I expect the Dolphins to take this one just like they did in week 10 and beat the New York Jets for a second time and sweep the season series. Putting the Dolphins at 6-5

 

Week 13: Dolphins vs Bengals (HOME) 

This game caps off what I believe to be the easiest part of the Dolphins schedule. This game will be highly anticipated because it will be the first-ever matchup between Joe burrow and Tua Tagovailoa the battle of the two quarterbacks first taken in the 2020 NFL draft. I truly believe the Dolphins have a better roster than the Bangles and I think they will have a better record at this point in the season then the Bangles as well. Don’t get me wrong The Bangles definitely have some nice pieces specifically on offense with guys like AJ Green and Joe Mixon, but I believe the Dolphins have the better defense and the better Coach as well. Well, I expect this game to be close because I think Joe burrow will be a great quarterback in this league. I expect the Dolphins to get a third straight victory and handle the Cincinnati Bengals. Putting the Dolphins at 7-5

Week 14: Dolphins vs Chiefs (HOME) 

Dolphins will be feeling good at this point of the season after a third straight victory and a matchup against the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes will, unfortunately, humble them. This game will be super fun to watch because it will be the first matchup of Patrick Mahomes vs Tua Tagovailoa. I do not give the Dolphins a great chance to win this game. The Kansas City Chiefs are the best team in the NFL and they also have the best quarterback in the NFL and Patrick Mahomes. Not to mention other outstanding offensive weapons like Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. I fully expect the Kansas City Chiefs for the Kansas City Chiefs to be at the top of the NFL when this matchup rolls around and like I mentioned earlier the Dolphins will be unfortunately humbled by the Chiefs. Putting the Dolphins at 7-6.

Week 15: Dolphins vs Patriots (HOME) 

Patriots and Dolphins will finally meet again after their week 2 matchup and I expect this game to go almost the exact same way as that game in week two did. With Tua at the helm, I expect the Dolphins offense to look a little different than it did week 2 but I still expect the Dolphins to pull out a narrow victory.  I believe the Dolphins talent on defense will just be too much for the Patriots stagnant offense to handle. I really do believe that this season the Dolphins will sweep the season series from the Patriots for the first time in god knows how long. Putting the Dolphins at 8 – 6

Week 16: Dolphins vs Raiders (AWAY) 

This should be one of the easier games on the Dolphins schedule, while the Raiders are a good team and have talent I think they are the worst team in their division Here and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if it was Derek Carr’s last season with the Raiders. At this point of the season I also expect the Dolphins to be fully in the playoff hunt and this game will be considered a must-win and I believe the Dolphins will pull through and beat the Las Vegas Raiders. I believe the Dolphins receivers DeVante Parker and Preston Williams will be able to exploit the Raiders weak secondary and have a big day in the passing game. Putting the Dolphins at 9 – 6

Week 17: Dolphins vs Bills (AWAY) 

The final game of the season for the Dolphins will not be an easy one as they travel all the way to cold Buffalo in the middle of the winter. I won’t be surprised at all if this game is the deciding factor for who wins AFC East. Unfortunately, I do not believe the cold winter Buffalo will be kind to the Dolphins as I believe they will lose a very close low-scoring game to the Bills. Thus ending the Dolphins season at 9 – 7

All in all, I believe the Dolphins will have a better year than most expect. It would not surprise me at all if they are in the thick of the playoff race or even sneak into the playoffs. I also expect them to compete with the Bills for the division as well. The Tua Tagovailoa factor is all so fascinating,  when will he get in? Who knows. I believe the Dolphins will put him in that week 7 game against the Chargers,  but I could also see him playing as early as week 3 against the Jaguars or as late as week 10 against the Jets. Dolphins fans should be very excited for the season and year 2 of the  Brian Flores era. Last season the Dolphins finished the season  5 – 4 with a very subpar talented roster. It’s going to be so awesome to see how coach Flores does with a lot more talent on this roster. The future looks bright for Dolphins fans… but maybe so does the present.

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