With the unveiling of the upcoming 2014 schedule, and its funny how everyone acts so surprised about who each team is playing. The only thing that should be new and revealing is when and where the Dolphins play a certain team. Its no surprise that the Dolphins are playing the AFC East teams twice, all the NFC North teams, and all the AFC West teams, this was all predetermined months ago.
Quick glimpse at the schedule shows that the Dolphins will finally open the season at home at 1pm, under a hopefully sweltering Miami sun against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. It would be the perfect time, first game of the season, at home, in conditions optimal for our players, for the Dolphins to steal a game against the rival Patriots. After that the next three games are definitely winnable games. The Bills swept us last year, so even though they are a middle of the road team, they poise a tough, but winnable match-up for us. The Chiefs, to me are an over-rated team that we will have the benefit of being able to face them at home. The Raiders have actually signed a lot of quality players, however, they have a murderous flight traveling from Oakland to London, and with the massive time change the Phins should be able to win on pure luck of the draw.
Then they have an early bye that will lead into a home game against Philbin’s former Packers, followed by an away game against a tough Bears team. Then they go away to Jacksonville to mostly likely face a Rookie QB (but not really that far away), then face a rejuvenated Philip Rivers and the Chargers at home. The next quarter of the season we have to go to Detroit to play against Reggie Bush and a powered up turf offense, then home against the Bills, followed by a suicide mission into the Rockies in Denver, and then a Monday night dog fight (I originally did not even mean to refer to Michael Vick, but when I reread it I had to point this pun out) against the hated Jets. The last quarter of the season we play three home games starting with the Ravens, whom we seem to get closer to beating each season, but still haven’t gotten over the hump yet. Then we travel to what is most likely going to be a winter wonderland setting in New England, followed by the last two games at home against a Peterson led Vikings team, and ending off with whatever QB the Jets have on the roster for the last game.
Most sports gambling sites have the Phins odds at finishing the season at a mediocre 8-8. This is a pretty fair prediction, and I would say any where from 6-10 wins this season is pretty much going to be the end of the season tally. But again this is all predictions, because the draft has not even begun or concluded, and there is always significant injuries to key players around the league before and during the season. So as usual, Phins fans should look at this upcoming season and schedule, hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.