6 toughest Miami Dolphins games on the schedule are not all on the road

Week 9: Dolphins at the Buffalo Bills

Every game in Buffalo is tough. When Week 10 rolls around, the two teams will have completed their head-to-head schedule for the season. This is one of the earliest Miami and Buffalo will have finished their season against each other.

The importance of this game can't be overstated. While there are plenty of games to be played after this one, both teams will have to rely on help from other teams should they lose this game. The Dolphins have only beaten Buffalo once while Tua Tagovailoa has been the starter, and this year, the Dolphins should be the better team, but this game will not be easy at all. Despite the changes on the Bills' roster, they are still a physical football team, and Anthony Weaver needs to match that style with his defense as well.

When the 49ers travel to face the Dolphins in late December, it will be Miami's final home game of the 2024 season unless they host a playoff game. Miami will face two NFC teams in the final six games. While those are typically less important given the tie-breaking scenarios in the NFL, this year, a single loss could be the difference between a division championship and watching the playoffs from home.

San Francisco is coming off a tough Super Bowl loss. They are riding their fortuitous luck of drafting Brock Purdy, but he still has more to learn. Despite taking the team to the Super Bowl last year, he didn't shoulder the team. The 49ers are well-coached and built to win. It will be the second time in Mike McDaniel's career that he has faced his former team and mentor, Kyle Shannahan. He lost the first one. This year's game could be one of the toughest on the schedule.