The way too early 2024 season prediction for the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins will play the entire NFC West this coming year including the NFC Champion 49ers.

If the Dolphins are going to shed the "can't beat good teams" label, it may begin with how they do against the NFC West. The Dolphins will travel to Seattle as well as Los Angeles to face the Rams.

Los Angeles Rams - The Rams made the playoffs in 2023 but quickly got bounced like the Dolphins. The biggest challenge for the Dolphins will be the road trip. I would expect Miami to face both the Rams and Seahawks in back-to-back weeks to lessen the burden of cross-country travel.

Miami should match up well with the Rams. Both teams will undergo natural change during the offseason. While I think Miami can win this game, I think the NFC West away games are split. I have Miami losing this one.

Seattle Seahawks - The Seahawks changed head coaches and Pete Carroll's NFL career came to an unceremonious end. There will be a lot of change in Seattle and the Dolphins shouldn't have a problem winning in the upper Northwest.

Arizona Cardinals - The Cardinals started to look like a football team again last year but they are still a year or two away from making a serious run. The Dolphins should win this one.

San Francisco 49ers - The 49ers are coming off a Super Bowl loss but still have a young team they are building. This is a good football team and could be Miami's biggest non-AFC East test. For now, given everything being equal, the Dolphins will likely lose this game.

I have the Dolphins going 5-1 against the AFC East and 2-2 against the NFC West. A 7-3 record is a good start.