The NFL schedule is official for the 2023 season, and now is a time of high anticipation and bold predictions.
The Miami Dolphins are coming off a 9-8 season in 2022 where they earned the seventh and final wildcard spot. Despite having to start third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson, Miami hung tough against the favored Buffalo Bills.
The Dolphins should feel they can improve upon last season and contend for a championship in 2023. The last two offseasons have made it clear that their goal is to win now.
With the news of the finalization of their schedule, here are a few takeaways:
Favoravble away schedule
The Dolphins have the luxury of playing nine games at Hard Rock Stadium to eight away games. One of the team’s away games is against the Kansas City Chiefs in Germany which should be a split crowd.
The inclement weather games in December are mild. No trips to Buffalo, New England, New York or the Midwest in December is a sigh of relief for Dolphins fans. The only two away games in the final month of 2023 are in Washington (Week 13) and Baltimore (Week 17). Four out of their last five games are at home.
No Thursday night games
Playing on Thursday Night Football often throws a rift in a team’s season by cutting in half the amount of rest and practice time.
Miami played one Thursday night game last year, and it couldn’t have gone worse, as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was carted off the field in the second quarter with a concussion, and the offense managed to put up only 15 points.
Evading a Thursday night game in 2023 will allow for a more consistent practice routine during the season.
The Dolphins do have one Friday game on Christmas Eve against the Jets in New York. This is still a fast turnaround, but not quite as daunting as a primetime Thursday atmosphere.
Starting early opponents
The Dolphins’ first five games are going to be telling of just how good they are. Three of their first five opponents made the playoffs a season ago, and all had better records than the Dolphins.
Miami opens the season at home against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers had a 10-7 record a season ago and earned the top wild card spot in the AFC. Competing with Kansas City in the AFC West magnifies every game for the Chargers, so you know they’ll be ready.
Week 4 will be a divisional showdown in Buffalo against the Bills. The Bills took two of the three games they faced the Dolphins in last year, including the playoff win. Stealing a win in Buffalo early in the year would be a major factor as the standings start to take shape.
Week 5 against the New York Giants will feature head coach Brian Daboll, former Dolphins offensive coordinator. Quarterback Daniel Jones is coming off a career year under Daboll. In his fourth season, Jones played in and won his first playoff game on the road against the Minnesota Vikings. The Giants are another team looking to take a leap forward, so Miami will have their hands full.
Playing both Super Bowl teams
The Dolphins will square off against both the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. These will be good measure-up games for the Dolphins to see how they compete against the best.
Week 7 will be a Sunday Night primetime game at Lincoln Financial Field for a highly anticipated matchup between the Eagles and Dolphins. The famous Alabama teammate quarterbacks, Jalen Hurts andTagovailoa, will square off for the first time in their careers.
The Week 9 matchup against Kansas City is the first time that wide receiver Tyreek Hill will go against his former team. This game was originally supposed to be played in Kansas City, but it was announced the game was moved to Germany when the schedule came out.
Trips to Europe can be difficult for teams, but avoiding Arrowhead works in the Dolphins’ favor. They’ll enter the bye week after this matchup, giving them plenty of time to rest after the long trip.
Winnable stretch following the bye week
The Dolphins have a Week 10 bye after playing the Chiefs in Germany. At this point, the Dolphins will have been battle tested and fans will know if they’ve made the anticipated leap. The second half of the schedule doesn’t look nearly as threatening.
The first five opponents following the bye week had below .500 records a season ago. This is a stretch that could propel the Dolphins to the top of the AFC. If Miami can enter the bye week with two or fewer losses, there’s a strong chance they’ll be competing for home-field advantage in the AFC.
Crucial Week 18 matchup
The final games of the season are always crucial in determining playoff teams and seeding. The Dolphins should expect to be a comfortable playoff team competing for home-field advantage.
The final game in Week 18 is against the rival Buffalo Bills at home. Buffalo has dominated the AFC East recently, winning it each of the last three years. Despite their success in the regular season, they’ve not yet made a run to the Super Bowl. Miami is looking to take the division crown for the first time since 2008.
Both of these teams expect to be serious contenders in 2023, and one will have to step over the other to earn one or more home playoff game(s).
