Miami Dolphins 2021 schedule: It is finally here so make your plans

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - NOVEMBER 3: A Miami Dolphins cheerleader performs prior to the NFL game against the New York Jets on November 3, 2019 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Dolphins defeated the Jets 26-18. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - NOVEMBER 3: A Miami Dolphins cheerleader performs prior to the NFL game against the New York Jets on November 3, 2019 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Dolphins defeated the Jets 26-18. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Miami Dolphins 2021 schedule and the rest of the NFL finally have their dates. It’s a bit late but that just added excitement to the mid-May dulldrums!

Throughout the day fans have been clinging to hope that a leak would surface and in some cases, there were a few. Now we know for certain. The Dolphins will indeed start and finish the 2021 campaign against the New England Patriots.

Miami will visit the Patriots in week one and the Patriots will come to Miami in week 18, yes week 18 as the schedule has been expanded by one game! The in-betweens of the schedule have been a bit sketchy all day long but we now have definitive knowledge!

First, let’s look at the home schedule.

Miami will face the Bills in week two for the second year in a row followed by the Colts on October 3rd. They will have the Falcons in week 7 and the Texans in week 9. On November 11th, the Dolphins will host the Baltimore Ravens in a Sunday night Hard Rock primetime match!

Miami will return home in week 12 to face the Panthers followed the next weekend hosting the Giants in week 13. They will host the Jets in week 15 and finally the Patriots in week 18.

Miami will only have two consecutive games at home back to back that are not separated by a bye-week and will play four of their final seven games at home.

On the road, the Dolphins will face the Raiders in Las Vegas week three and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers led by Tom Brady in week six. The Dolphins will stay on the road and head to London for their International Series game against the Jaguars.

Miami will come home without a bye week to face the Falcons at home as we mentioned above. They will then travel to Buffalo in a game that should see mild weather! Miami’s final winter game will come in week 11 against the Jets and that is still in November.

Jan 14, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. (19) reacts against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. (19) reacts against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Down the stretch, the Dolphins will travel to New Orleans in week 16 and Tennessee in week 17.

Miami will get a late-season bye-week that will come in week 14.

Overall, the Dolphins will play twice back-to-back at home weeks 9 and 10 and 12 and 13. They will play back-to-back road games twice as well. Weeks five and six include the trip to London and weeks 16 and 17.

Seeing the schedule on paper now, this is a favorable schedule for Miami but is front-loaded with out-of-the-gate contests against the Patriots, Bills, Raiders, Colts, and Buccaneers.

The Dolphins will only get two primetime games. The first, a Thursday night game against the Ravens, and then again against the Saints on Monday Night Football. They will play at 4:25 in week one and 9:30 a.m. in London. Miami has only one other 4:00 game, that will come in week three against the Raiders.