Miami Must Run the Table Early
The NFL Schedule is out and the Miami Dolphins have a bit of good news that has been desperately needed in the last few weeks. For the most part the schedule does not look that intimidating early on and could really work out to benefit the Phins for a change.
Miami does open against their nemesis The Houston Texans in Houston. Miami has never beaten the Texans at home or away, and after their best season in franchise history their not gonna make a win very easy. Not to mention Miami’s totally new offense and defense which will get their first true test against a stingy defense and powerful offense. As much as I would really love to see Miami trounce the Texans, I don’t see it happening.
After that Miami is home against the Oakland Raiders and NY Jets. Both very winnable games with Oakland coming cross country and the Jets having issues all over and soon a QB soap opera. Then Miami goes back on the road to The Arizona Cardinals and the Cincinnati Bengals. Arizona is definitely a winnable game for the Phins. QB Kevin Kolb as not looked very dependable but they do have a decent defense. The Bengals though are going to be stiff competition this year as they finished strong last season and will have receiver A.J. Green and QB Andy Dalton, so that game is kind of up in the air as a far as I’m concerned. Miami come back home against the St. Louis Rams which should be a win with ST. Louis’s new coaching staff, traveling and honestly not a very strong offense or defense last year, which might change with the draft but not that dramatically. Then a the bye week.
If the Phins can go in to the bye at 4-2 they will be looking extremely good going forward. The next 5 weeks are against the Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, and Seattle Seahawks. Of those 5 only 2 are home, Tennessee and Seattle. No teams play well traveling cross country so Seattle should be not an easy game but definitely give the Phins an advantage. The other 4 games are also winnable and not out of reach by any means. Saying Miami actually pulls out all 5 they are looking at 9-2 going into the real “meat” of the schedule.
The next 5 weeks are not going to be so easy with both New England Patriots games and the San Francisco 49’s. Miami has some serious retribution to get after the whoopin they got at home last year from the Pats. The San Fran game is in San Fran so traveling cross country to play a team that is already a shoe in for the playoffs and a front runner for the Super Bowl is a long shot at best to win. The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Bills are also part of that last stretch but neither pose a serious threat to the Phins. The Jags being led by QB Blaine Gabbert are not exactly scaring anybody these days. Neither is back up Chad Henne, at least he won’t scare any Phin fans. Miami smacked the Bills around the field twice last season and should be able to do the same this year.
Looking back on the schedule Miami has a very good chance to finish the season 11-5, with losses to Houston, Cincinnati, New England(2) and San Fran. That’s if Miami can come out with the same intensity they left off with at the end of last season. Miami must get to December with a winning record if they plan on playing any games in 2013. The month of December does not show too many chances to make a late season run at a wildcard spot or division title. This is all wishful thinking but not too far fetched as long as they make some great draft picks and the new coaching staff properly prepares this team.