For months we have known who Miami would play in the 2022 season, but Thursday night, we finally found out when the Dolphins would play each team. Here is the Dolphins 2022 schedule and one key storyline for each opponent.
Week 1) Miami vs. New England – Last year, Tua was 2-0 vs. his Alabama understudy Mac Jones. Since the leadup to the 2021 NFL Draft, Tua and Mac have been compared because Mac was Tua’s backup at Alabama before Mac won the National Championship in his only season as the starter. Mac Jones and the Patriots made the playoffs finishing one game ahead of Tua and the Dolphins.
Week 2) Miami @ Baltimore – Baltimore received a nationally televised beatdown In Miami last year on Thursday Night Football. This year Baltimore has the home-field advantage and will look for revenge.
Week 3) Miami vs. Buffalo – Buffalo has dominated Miami in the last seven matchups, and the final scores haven’t been particularly close. Miami hasn’t won a game against Buffalo since December of 2018. Mike McDaniel hopes to do something that Brian Flores could not do in his three seasons as head coach; beat the Buffalo Bills.
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Week 4) Miami @ Cincinnati (Thursday Night Football) – Last time Tua played in a game against Joe Burrow, Joe Burrow’s LSU Tigers outdueled Tua’s Alabama Crimson Tide 46-41. Tua finished with 418 yards, while Burrow finished with 393 yards. Burrow, of course, went on to be the #1 overall pick in the draft while Tua was the 2nd quarterback taken, at #5 overall.
Week 5) Miami @ New York Jets – Miami has won 8 of the last nine matchups, with the lone loss coming in Miami’s “Tank for Tua” 2019 season on a questionable Nik Needham pass interference to set up a game-winning field goal.
Week 6) Miami vs. Minnesota – This game will likely be overlooked as a potential track meet. We know about Miami’s speed on offense with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, Chase Edmonds, Mike Gesicki, and others. Minnesota has a loaded offense with Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, and KJ Osborn. This matchup has the making of a high-scoring game, where the team with the final possession wins.
Week 7) Miami vs. Pittsburgh (Sunday Night Football) – Brian Flores returns to Miami as the Steelers’ defensive assistant and linebackers coach in a nationally televised primetime game. Flores currently has a civil suit filed against the League and Miami Dolphins following his firing after three seasons with the team. Flores has rumored to be the driving force as the one wanting to move on from Tua.
Week 8) Miami @ Detroit – Miami travels to Detroit in a matchup against former coach Dan Campbell. Campbell started his coaching career in Miami in 2010 and was the team’s interim head coach after Joe Philbin was fired in 2015. Campbell then went to New Orleans for a few years before being named the Lions’ head coach. He was a fan favorite, but the team opted not to retain him as head coach instead of going with Adam Gase.
Week 9) Miami @ Chicago – Following Justin Fields first NFL action after a preseason game against Miami last year, Fields famously said, “It was actually kind of slow to me,” in response to being asked about the speed of the NFL game. Miami fans didn’t take kindly to that comment, and Fields went on to struggle in his first NFL season.
Week 10) Miami vs. Cleveland – Miami openly flirted with and pursued Quarterback Deshaun Watson before ultimately deciding against acquiring the controversial quarterback and sticking with the young Tua Tagovailoa. The Browns ended up with the signal-caller. Watson faces a potential suspension, but there is a chance his suspension could be over by the time the Dolphins welcome Cleveland to town.
Week 11) BYE
Week 12) Miami vs. Houston – Before the 2019 season, Miami went all-in on a rebuild. They traded away or released most of the veterans and big contracts on their team. Surprisingly, Miami opted to trade their young franchise Left Tackle Laremy Tunsil. Miami received two first-round picks, a second-round pick, and two players. Chris Grier has magically turned that capital into Noah Igbinoghene, Solomon Kindley, Jaylen Waddle, Jevon Holland, Tyreek Hill, Channing Tindall, Erik Ezukanma, and a 2023 first-round pick.
Week 13) Miami @ San Francisco – San Francisco will welcome back coach Mike McDaniel as the new head coach for the Miami Dolphins. From 2017 to 2021, Mike McDaniel was a coach on San Francisco’s offensive staff under Kyle Shanahan, appearing in 2 NFC Championship games and 1 Super Bowl while coaching the #1 rushing attack. McDaniel spent most of his coaching career working alongside Kyle Shanahan before being named the Dolphins head coach.
Week 14) Miami @ Los Angeles Chargers – Miami will travel to Los Angeles to face off against Justin Herbert and the Chargers. This will be the second matchup between Tua and Herbert (Miami winning the first), who were selected back-to-back in the 2020 NFL Draft. Herbert has had the better NFL career the first two seasons and has quickly become must-watch tv. Tua has successfully won football games but has not put up the same numbers, and highlight throws as Herbert. These two will forever be linked together due to Miami selecting Tua over Herbert.
Week 15) Miami @ Buffalo – Miami is hoping to be in playoff contention in December, and this matchup will likely have a huge impact on Miami’s playoff chances. In 2020 Miami went to Buffalo in week 17 in a “win-and-in” game for Miami but was blown out to end their season. Miami will hope to rid those demons this season.
Week 16) Miami vs. Green Bay (Christmas Day) – This may be the final time Dolphins fans get to see future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has flirted with retirement the last two off-seasons, and how long he continues to play is uncertain. A win against an NFC favorite would be a nice Christmas present for the Dolphins and their fans.
Week 17) Miami @ New England – Last season Miami was 2-0 vs. New England, but New England had the last laugh as they finished a game ahead of Miami in the standings and made the playoffs. The week 17 matchup could dictate which team goes to the playoffs this year.
Week 18) Miami vs. New York Jets – The regular season ends with Miami welcoming the Jets to town. Fans are hoping this will not be the final game of the season, and this has the potential to be a “win-and-in” game for Miami at home.
