Miami Dolphins Week 1: Key Stats You Need to Know
Week 1 of the NFL is officially in full swing. Wednesday’s Super Bowl rematch is in the rearview mirror after some late-game lapses cost the New England Patriots.
Part of what makes Week 1 worth following is that it can be a somewhat reliable indicator of which teams will make the playoffs. Historically, teams that drop their first game of the season have just over a 25 percent chance of making the playoffs. There are some outliers, of course, though, as the Patriots reached the Super Bowl last year after losing their Week 1 game.
Now the Miami Dolphins almost certainly won’t make the playoffs in 2026, but with their game against the Las Vegas Raiders around the corner, what better time to look at some Week 1-specific Dolphins stats?
First off, Miami has a better Week 1 record this decade than some might think or remember. The Dolphins are 4-2 in season openers since 2020, with wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024, the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023, and the New England Patriots in 2022 and 2021. They won a lot of those games by just the skin of their teeth, however, as three of those victories came by a combined six points.
Zooming out to the Dolphins’ Week 1 record over the last 10 campaigns, it’s an equally respectable 6-4. But as is human nature, fans dwell on the losses, and the last time Miami played a season-opener, it got annihilated.
In a game that was equal parts terrible offense and terrible defense for the Dolphins, they scored just eight points while allowing the Indianapolis Colts to tear them up for 33. Quarterback Daniel Jones played phenomenally against the Dolphins’ weak secondary, while Tua Tagovailoa floundered with two interceptions compared to only one touchdown thrown.
The Dolphins hope to avoid a similar outcome when they do battle against the Raiders on Sunday, and all signs point to a competitive game.
