What could go wrong for the Miami Dolphins on opening weekend? Many things, actually.
Miami will face the Daniel Jones-led Indianapolis Colts to open the season. The Colts have not won an opening weekend game in 11 years, and they are only favored by a half-point margin. Still, that means absolutely nothing.
The Dolphins should have a chip on their shoulder and be ready to prove everyone wrong. They have to make a statement early, but one bold prediction may come painfully true.
Daniel Jones predicted to crush Dolphins in Week 1 and crank up the pressure on Mike McDaniel
Ryan Heckman of NFL Spin Zone listed his Week 1 bold predictions, and one includes Miami.
The Dolphins, according to the piece, will be shocked by a three-touchdown performance from the former Giants quarterback on their way to ending the opening weekend streak they have been on.
It isn't too far-fetched if we are being honest. Jones can perform well at times. His issues are inconsistency. There isn't much outside pressure on him to lead the Colts to the postseason, either.
RELATED: Dolphins' next QB might not be who fans expect (and it's probably not Arch Manning)
A lot of what happens on Sunday will come down to three things. One, how quickly the Dolphins can collapse the pocket, forcing Jones to move and throw early — Heckman notes that Miami's pass rush could be a "problem" for Indianapolis.
Two, how quickly Jones can pick up the rush and get rid of the ball, and three, can Jones get enough protection to let his receivers take advantage of the Dolphins' weak secondary?
The prediction of a Colts victory isn't a bad one, but it would send the Dolphins into an early-season nightmare scenario. Miami is trying to rebrand its style of play. Mike McDaniel wants to be more physical at the point of attack and more disciplined.
The entire offseason has been about changing their culture, getting rid of the players who didn't want to get in line. It will all work well if they begin the season with a victory, but if they start out losing badly to Jones and the Colts, the team will quickly lose faith in McDaniel.