This week, the NFL released the 2025 schedule, and while there was a whole production show for it everywhere, I couldn’t personally care less. Just give me the schedule and see what it is.
This year, the Miami Dolphins are going in with the bar low; not many expect anything from them. That’s fine with me, and there is good reason for it, considering how the team went south in a hurry last year, especially when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went down.
They needed to rebuild this team in certain areas, especially on the defensive and offensive lines, to get younger. I think they did that. How it plays out when they hit the field will be interesting. I know the Dolphins have holes, especially in the secondary, but every team has holes. Nobody has a roster where there are questions.
However, with the Dolphins returning some key players on defense from injury, Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, with some young, talented players like Kenneth Grant and Chop Robinson, I think the Dolphins defense has a chance to be better. On offense, it will be about keeping Tagovailoa healthy and seeing how Patrick Paul and Jonah Savalinaesa develop on the line.
I think the offense will get back on track, not necessarily putting up big numbers, but with more consistency. I know this team is younger, but they needed some younger players instead of older players at the end of their careers.
The schedule looks nice, the way I see it. I’m not crazy about the five prime-time games because of the Dolphins’ history lately, but it is what it is, and hopefully, this team can perform better. The opener against the Indianapolis Colts on the road is winnable. They played each other last year, and the Dolphins should have won that game even without Tua, but key turnovers hurt them, which was a theme last year in certain games. The Colts have uncertainty at quarterback despite the talent they have. It could be a chance for the defense front seven to feast on them.
Then, 3 of the next four games in the division, starting with the Thursday Night game at Buffalo against the hated Buffalo Bills, who own us. This wasn’t a game I was thrilled about in prime time, but what are you going to do?
Hopefully, the Dolphins will have a better showing in primetime against them, unlike last year. They have home games against the New York Jets and the New England Patriots, and both teams have new head coaches, so it could take those coaches time to get their teams in order, which could be an advantage for the Dolphins, as well as being at home. The Patriots are getting a lot of hype with new head coach Mike Vrabel, and some feel they have passed the Dolphins in the division.
I don’t believe that.
If the Dolphins can win 3 of these games, it would be good for them.
The Dolphins will then have three out of four road games against the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, and Atlanta Falcons, with a home game against the Los Angeles Chargers sandwiched in there. Those road games aren’t that tough. The Panthers are an up-and-down team.
The Browns got crushed by the Dolphins last year in Cleveland, and they have no answer at quarterback.
The Falcons are overrated and going in with a second-year quarterback. I feel like the Dolphins should be able to win those games.
The Chargers could present some problems, as their coach, Jim Harbaugh, likes to set the tone with tough, physical football. This will be a good test to see if the Dolphins can handle that.
The most brutal stretch comes before the bye week, when the Dolphins play the Baltimore Ravens in a Thursday night prime-time game, the Bills rematch, and the international game in Spain against the upstart Washington Commanders.
Those are three playoff teams from a year ago, and it will be a test for the Dolphins. I’m not sure how they will match up, but if there was a point in the season to find out how your team is then this is the stretch that could make or break the team. I like the bye week in November.
The Dolphins then close the season with the New Orleans Saints at home. They start December at the Jets, have a Monday Night game at the Pittsburgh Steelers, have home games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and end the season at New England. This isn’t a difficult stretch. The Jets, Saints, and Steelers, especially the Saints and Steelers, have a clear starter at quarterback. Derek Carr just retired from the Saints.
The Steelers haven’t tried to get a quarterback this year. They typically win with defense and running the football, but you will only go so far if you don’t have a quarterback. Going to Pittsburgh in December is tough, but it’s not daunting. If they get things going, the Bengals can beat anyone in the NFL and be a contender. The Buccaneers have been to the playoffs the last couple of years, but aren’t an elite team. Going to New England is always tough in December/January. I know the Dolphins have three cold-weather games, and people will say the Dolphins can’t win those. I disagree, and maybe I’m delusional about that.
Call me crazy, but I really believe that if this team is healthy, they can win at least 10 or 11 games with this schedule. I know a lot can happen, and people aren’t high on this team, and I understand why, but that doesn’t mean the Dolphins can’t surprise people. I think with the bar being set low, the Dolphins can turn things around.
I know this roster isn’t perfect, and head coach Mike McDaniel is being questioned about his country club atmosphere with him entitling players. Still, after a humbling 2024 season, maybe this motivates this team and puts their best effort forward. Sometimes you must take a step back, like last year, to move forward. I can only hope this team will do that, but if healthy, I’m optimistic.
