Miami Dolphins 2023 NFL schedule has a road to 13 wins: Predicting week by week
By Brian Miller
The 2023 NFL schedule has finally been released and now we know the "when to go with the who" the Miami Dolphins will be playing, so naturally, we can predict the season better.
I wonder what would work better, a Magic 8-Ball, a crystal ball, maybe a EA Sports Madden simulation. Maybe we should just throw darts at the wall and take a guess. In other words, there is no set way to predict a seasons worth of football but who has that ever stopped?
With the quality of teams in the AFC and the quality of quarterbacks in the AFC, the Dolphins will probably have to get to at least 11 wins this year to make the playoffs. In fact, it might take 13 victories to win the AFC East
Week 1: Miami Dolphins at L.A. Chargers
The Miami Dolphins couldn't get better luck to start the season, a west coast trip, fully rested, coming off the end of pre-season with an extra week to get ready...it is a perfect scenario for Miami and an opportunity.
Miami will not travel any further west this year as all of their remaining away games are on the East Coast sans the Chiefs game which is in Germany.
Last year I think the Chargers got a little lucky given the fact Tua Tagovailoa was playing after a concussion clearance and he was erratic throughout the game. This time around, the Dolphins should have their starting QB fully healthy and I think the Chargers are going to have a fit trying to cover McDaniel's speedy offense.
On paper, this should be a good game for both teams and playoffs could eventually come into play. The Dolphins need to beat the Chargers and show that last year was just a fluke. Vic Fangio's defense should give Justin Herbert fits and keep him guessing.
Prediction - Miami wins.
Week 2: Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
The Miami Dolphins shouldn't worry about the Patriots this year. New England may have gotten a little better but there are still holes on both sides of the ball and the quarterback position may be the biggest issue the Patriots have.
The Dolphins, as they did early in the season, should be putting pressure on the Patriots to beat them in the running game, something that Fangio should have fixed. The Dolphins lost last year to the Patriots but didn't have Tua Tagovailoa late in the year, if Tua is healthy, this game will be a lot easier.
This week 2 matchup in primetime is perfect for the Dolphins who will not have to travel to New England later in the year when the weather could be much worse. With nice weather, a national stage, and something to prove, this game should be a Dolphins victory.