Nothing is easy in the NFL, and the Miami Dolphins need to remember that. Their 2025 season depends on beating the teams they are supposed to and stealing as many as they can from the ones they shouldn't.
In all honesty, there shouldn't be a single game on the schedule Miami can't win, but we know that is not the case. The Dolphins have the talent, but do they have the coaching to hold all the pieces firmly together? That's a big question.
This year, the Dolphins will play several games that should fall in their favor. Easy? That's a word that probably shouldn't be used in the NFL. Dolphins fans know all too well after watching their team lose to the Tennessee Titans the last two seasons and the Indianapolis Colts last year.
The New York Jets should be an easy game, but the history between the two clubs always makes this a hard-fought contest. The Jets have undergone a lot of changes this year.
Those changes could make life easier for the Dolphins, but not easy. The same can be said about the New England Patriots.
If the Dolphins plan to make the playoffs, they can't afford to lose these games.
Four teams the Dolphins absolutely must beat to make a playoff return in 2025
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons could go either way, but they are looking more like a team in transition. There is talent on the roster, but there are still enough question marks that they may not be consistently good. The Dolphins, at least on paper in mid-May, should be able to beat them.
Carolina Panthers
One of the worst teams in the league over the last two seasons, the Panthers are not expected to make big leaps in 2025. While they competed well toward the end of the season, the Dolphins are too good, again on paper, to lose to the Panthers.
Cleveland Browns
Last year, the schedule looked to favor the Browns, but they imploded quickly. This year, they have quarterback issues, running back questions, defensive concerns, and everything in between. It turns out it was an easy win for the Dolphins last year; it should be this year, too.
Indianapolis Colts
It's still hard to believe the Dolphins lost to the Colts last season. Luckily, they get a chance to prove it was a fluke, given Indianapolis' quarterback situation. The Dolphins didn't have Tua Tagovailoa last year. They should beat the Colts if he is available this time.