Will the absence of Tyreek Hill change the way the Miami Dolphins run their offense? It should, and while it could be for the better, as fans, we may not see a huge difference until later in the season.
Hill made an impromptu appearance at the Dolphins' facilities this week to cheer on his teammates and motivate them to stay on task. This week, Miami will travel to North Carolina to take on the Panthers in Charlotte.
At this pivotal point in the season, almost every game now comes with a "must-win" label, but Miami is in a good position to begin climbing back into the race for the postseason. The next five games will be critical.
Predicting the next 5 games for the Miami Dolphins after losing Tyreek Hill to a season-ending injury
Miami finds itself one game out of last place in the AFC East, but three full games behind the Buffalo Bills for the division lead. Miami won't face its division rivals again until later in the season, making the next five games of the season important.
Dolphins simply can't lose to the Panthers in Week 5
The Panthers continue to search for an identity, much like the Dolphins. They have a young quarterback they continue to hope will become their franchise, but he isn't making those strides yet.
Defensively, the Panthers are struggling, and their best running back will miss Sunday's contest. If the Dolphins can't win on the road in Charlotte, their season may as well turn from trying to win to trying to get through it. This one is a game Miami should win.
Prediction: Dolphins win 38-10
Chargers will present a big challenge for Miami in Week 6
Forget about the Justin Herbert vs. Tua Tagovailoa noise that we will hear leading up to the game. The Dolphins have to beat a good football team, and while the Chargers may not be great, they are playing better than Miami.
The Dolphins will get them at 1:00 EST on a trip from the West Coast. That is a brutal mix for L.A. The key for Miami will be their defense and how well they can slow Herbert and the Chargers' rushing attack.
Jim Harbaugh is a skilled coach who will design a game plan to neutralize Miami's top athletes. This one is going to be more about Mike McDaniel vs. Harbaugh, but it will be shouldered by each team's defenses.
Prediction: Chargers win 28-27
Browns shouldn't cause the Dolphins problems in Week 7
The biggest question is who will be the quarterback by the time Miami heads to Cleveland? Dillon Gabriel will make his first start in Week 5, but if Gabriel struggles, will they pull him for Shedeur Sanders?
The best part of the Browns is their defense, but that unit isn't playing as well as they should be, either. This is another game the Dolphins should win, even with the current state of the roster.
Prediction: Dolphins win 28-13
Traveling to Atlanta could be a trap game for the Dolphins in Week 8
The way Michael Penix is playing, there is no guarantee that the Dolphins would be playing against him four weeks from now; it could be Kirk Cousins. The Falcons are not a bad team, but they don't consistently play well.
They will give the Dolphins a challenge, but again, this is a game the Dolphins should win and must win if they want to keep pace in the AFC. I can also see this game getting away from them. It will be much closer than it needs to be.
Prediction: Dolphins win 24-23
Everything changes when the Dolphins face the Ravens in Week 9
At home or in Baltimore, the Dolphins will face a demanding schedule as they enter the second half of the season. The Ravens begin the start of that stretch.
Baltimore is struggling now, but this is too good a team to see that continue. Can Miami beat them? Of course, they can, but they have to be playing good football by then.
The Dolphins should enter this game with a winning record. If these predictions hold up, a showdown with the Ravens in primetime could see Miami with four or maybe five wins entering this week. Still, it's hard to see Miami pulling this one out until we see them consistently playing better.
Prediction: Ravens win 45-21