Drive Time: Breaking Down the 2023 Miami Dolphins Schedule

play them. We're gonna look at the matchups, the unique schedule, quirks, primetime games, rest time, all of that pertinent schedule information from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the Draft Time Podcast. Maggie Gaffs. Let's go ahead and first start as we do on this podcast. You probably heard it by now, but in case you're getting your news here on Drive Time, let's go ahead and rip off the Dolphins twenty twenty three schedule. It

is out, It is glorious, and it begins here. Cue the music. On the road for the first couple of games September the tenth, week one at the La Chargers at four to twenty five Eastern Week two on the road in New England on September seventeenth for an eight to twenty kickoff. That's right, Primetime football, Sunday Night football. Alright, Sunday Night Dolphins and Pats Broncos. Week three, nine to twenty four, one o'clock for the Dolphins home opener against Denver.

We go to Buffalo Week number four for October first at one o'clock to face the Buffalo Bills, and then a couple of home games. Week five on October the eighth against the New York Giants at one o'clock here at hard Rock Stadium. The following week, October fifteenth, Carolina Panthers cut the town for a one o'clock kickoff. Week seven, back on the road for some more alright Sunday ninth Eagles on the road eight twenty on October twenty second.

October twenty ninth the Patriots at home one o'clock kickoff from the trip to Germany. Week number nine for the Kansas Chiefs, a nine to thirty am kickoff in the East, Week tens the bye week Week eleven, that's November the nineteenth, Las Vegas at one o'clock, a couple of road games, the Jets on Black Friday three o'clock kickoff, the Washington Commanders on December third at one o'clock in the East.

Three home games, Titans at home for Monday Night Football on December the eleventh, the Jets at home for one o'clock on December the seventeenth. Week sixteen, the Cowboys on Christmas Eve at four to twenty five on the road in Week seventeen in Baltimore that's on New Year's Eve one o'clock kickoff, and Week eighteen against the Buffalo Bills that is TBD. So that is your schedule. If you want to see the entire thing in a written format, go to social, go to Miami Dolphins dot com, go

wherever the hell you want. You can find it pretty much anywhere. Here's some quick thoughts before a breakdown each game for you all here, West Coast trip out of the way early. I love that you can acclimate better to a new time zone and a six hour flight in a week one game better than any time of the year unless you're coming off of bye. But that's essentially what this is. Also, one road game after December third,

that sounds nice. Not a whole lot of cold football out there, and you want to be playing your best ball late, right. This team is tough to beat at home, and I know we always want the early season miserably hot games, but coming from the north down here, when you're in snowy twenty five degree weather, that eighty degrees can be just as tough as the September humidity. The only time we are home the same time as the Hurricanes University of Miami are weeks five, eight, and eleven.

It feels like it's been five or six games per year the last couple of years, just three this year, and this is purely cosmetic, although I do think the quality of the field. It's always nice to have a good quality field, especially have a track team like we have here. But all those Dolphins home games with Hurricanes season over means we finally get to see a lot more painted field the aqua end zones, which as a former amateur grounds crew member in my backyard, I love

seeing that. Three of the first four games on the road is difficult, although I would argue it's not the toughest part of the road schedule. We haven't had a lot of Sunday night games in the past either two of those. This year, we've also got five Island games, games where the only game on television at that time tells you how this team is viewed from my ratings

and expectations perspective. Not to mention the four to twenty five kickoff versus Dallas on Christmas eth I'll probably go out to the entire country and a good chance for the Week one game with a late kickoff there as well. So why don't we go ahead and get into this and breakdown each game? Strap in gonna be a long podcast. I've got a lot to cover here. I'll reiterate this for Week one against the Chargers at four to twenty

five Eastern time. First off, i hate not playing Sunday Opening Day at one o'clock, but it is what it is, and I'll reiterate this. It's best to get this trip out of the way from jump. I'll be curious see how McDaniel and his staff want to do this, But typically the longer trips they see the team travel on Friday compared to the usual Saturday. But coming off the long break between that final preseason game and the season opener,

you've got options. I think the storyline here is pretty clear, right, fifth pick in the draft, sixth pick in the twenty twenty draft, to a tongue of ilew Justin Herbert. Both teams found their franchise quarterbacks in that draft on back to back picks. They're going to compete on the same field for years to come. The series right now tied at one apiece for those selections, So we get the rubber match here early on in the first game of the new season. They're working on a new offense with

Kellen Moore. We're working on new defense here with Vic Fangio. So who can acclimate to their new scheme? Quicker is a good week one type of question. Typically we hear that defenses are ahead of offenses early on, right, So I like that we have the continuity on offense where they might be trying to figure it out still in their first game. As far as personnel, the Chargers did nothing or next to nothing, I should say on the veteran market, just Eric Kendricks, only big sign they had

in free agency. Some fun potential matchups here. They are built differently than the Dolphins from a receiver perspective. We have the speedy, shifty guys. They have the trees that can go up and make the plays. They added Quinton Johnson in the first round, the massive wide receiver from TCU. So you look at the makeup of their skill players, it's rebounders and contesting catch guys. Man, we struggled with

it last year. Williams came back from that game or for that game, I should say, and made a bunch of contested catches down the field. We also sacked Justin Herbert a handful of times. That's a key for me.

Plaster to those big receivers who rely more on contested catches than separation and really get after the quarterback and if they're going to throw those contested balls this time around, with this defense that puts more eyes in the quarterback and has more playmakers like a Jalen Ramsey, you open up the opportunity for more interceptions, which that quarterback will give you opportunities for those here and there. They'll get a bunch of parts back on their offensive lines. That's

a fun matchup. I think Rashaun Slater versus Bradley Chubb or Jalen Phillips off that left side of the offensive lines a great one. Corey Linsley is back in the middle and man him against Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler. Sure is fun. They had Zion Johnson last year at a guard spot and that produced the best game of the year for Christian Wilkins. Man he whipped him in that one. I expect to make a year or two jump, But just think about Christian against young offensive lineups the interior.

Besides Corey Lensley up in the air right now for the Chargers. They also add some speed at the second level with Kendricks and Henley Dyon Henley Go Koug's. They were one of the bottom run defenses in the NFL last year, but largely because of their injuries. So though they should have back you know Sebastian, Joseph Day, Morgan Fox, Austin Johnson, their d line was like our cornerback room last year, just too many injuries. The thing I'm most looking forward to, and this is where I really love

the offensive staff that we have. This was the game plan that got the best of us right like. They played their press funnel, really clamped those intermediate routes with trail technique and forced us to throw too different spots in the field. We missed a couple of deep shots we had, like the one that Tyreek lost in the lights. That was a chance to really open up that defensive

system and it didn't happen for us. But what I find really fascinating here is that we've got Vic Fangio on staff and Brandon Staley got his start under Vic Fangio. So now you have a defensive coordinator who created the defense that they're going to run against Tua and this offense. That sounds like a good chance and possibility to crack that puzzle. I did see and Vic having lunch that did in lunch, and that was kind of cool to see.

But as far as the offensive staff goes working on that tape for multiple weeks of prep, I like the opportunity they have to really solve something that got the best of them last season. With our coaching staff having the entire summer to plan for that game, I just trust them over almost any other coaching staff to do that. So Week one fun matchup, and it gets more fun in week two because you get primetime football. Hey, al right, Sunday night, where are you? Week two at the Patriots

Sunday Night eight to twenty kickoff. Second straight opponent that we'll see with a new offensive coordinator and system and play caller. I mean, it's gonna be better than it was last year. It can't be any worse, so the same idea of continuity on offense really carries over here. Traditionally, playing the Patriots earlier is I guess the preferred option.

Their December record with Bill Belichick is unmatched, as they are a team who typically uses that early portion of the year to find their identity and then they become super tough to beat. And although that hasn't been the case in recent years, the idea of how they build their teams at the course of the year, you'd rather playing early than late, and both our Patriots games are

before Halloween. I'm wondering if these games will finally follow a different script this time around, given the vast personnel chains we've had. But it didn't last year, so maybe it won't. But going back a few years now, every single matchup with these damn guys is one that features like three or four less possessions you typically get in

an average game. They usually have relatively high third down conversion rates and low red zone rates as the two teams played that bend but don't break style, and then we find out who could pull away in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins typically get those ones, the early season ones especially, but I'm inclined to think that if we can change this time around, given the philosophical scheme shift on defense.

Not to mention the firepower of this Dolphins offense, but I also tend to think that Bill Belichick's always gonna find a way to cook up something to limit high powered offenses and their chances. Like maybe they're gonna get their yards, but he finds a way to keep them off the scoreboard for you know, a big total because of limited possessions and good red zone defense, and they find a way to keep the game close then try

to win in the margins. I thought the doll defense matched up well with the Patriots offense a year ago, and I think it could this year again. You know, Mac Jones wants to get the ball out fast, and they want to compliment that with a power running game that could control the clock and play with that style of defense they have. We did a good job getting pressure on him in both games, created some takeaways and

limited point production. I remember seeing the deciding score in that loss was a touch defensive touchdown from Kyle Duggart, right, So can't have that happen again. I look at the way their roster is constructed, and I tend to think that the answer to that is no, the game script

will not change that much. I mean, Ramandre Stevenson is their best skill player for my money, and behind an offensive line with massive bodies like Trent Brown and Michael and Wentu against a defensive system that has traditionally played lighter boxes. The obvious answer here for them is a run, heavy attack that shortens the game. And of course things tend to not play out how you expect them to, and that's why we'd love this league. But I tend to think that you'd be naive to look at this

matchup and not have that jump off the screen. You how can you combat that? Some other fun potential matchups on the other side, again always critical get their edge weapons blocked. Matthew Judon and josh Uja provide a challenge that way, so for you know, Tron Armstead, potentially Austin Jackson getting those guys blocked up and then just locating Kyle Dugger on every single play fun chess match there between he and Tungo Bai looa their defensive line versus

our offensive line. From a play style standpoint, between Gotchaw, Barmore, Dietrich, Wise, Lawrence guy against our guys in the interior like Connor and Rob and you know potentially Liam there. That's a fun matchup. And this is a game where you know Miami on paper has a better roster, but you never know in these division games on the road primetime going

to be a fun one to watch. Week three, the home opener versus the Denver Broncos, the last time that Broncos came to Miami this early in the year is one of my all time favorite games and the first game in the career of Mike McDaniel multiple occasions. I've talked with him about that in the pod and the pressers we've had with Mike McDaniel here, and he remembers

that game very well. And Denver's one of the more I guess tame climates in terms of the extreme temperatures in the country, So that's something they're going to have to be really cognizant of in terms of their hydration and prep going into the game. Plus, if the Finns start hot and get those first two wins and are two to zer, coming back to this game, hard Rock Stadium is going to be absolutely rocking. I love this

game for the home opener. Sean Payton's gonna have two games under his belt as the headman there for Denver, and we should get an idea pretty early if last season was a blip on the radar for Russell Wilson or if it was more of the norm heading into the starting gate of the twenty twenty three season. I

don't know. We'll see it. We'll see how he bounces back from that tough year with their staff is entirely new, so they'll have two games to get their feet wet before this one early window kickoff for a West Coast Mountains time zone team is always in favor of the home team as well. Eleven am body clock for those guys in this weather, in this temperature, it's a tall order and with a new staff that means new personnel.

They signed thirteen free agents and you could probably project at least five of those guys as new starters between Zach Allen, Marquez, Callaway, Mike Mcglincheesch samajip Rihime and Ben Powers. We'll see about Javonte Williams he comes back. If it's not Williams, that running back room is, it's not a lot there. That's a rebuilt offensive line, So their community

is gonna be key against our ferocious pass rush. They'll get Garrett Bowles back and have Mike mcglinche as the tackles for an offensive line that really struggled last year to keep Russell Wilson upright. Some fun matchups here, that's one. If that's not better, they won't be either. But I think this offense does have some potential. Our corners versus the receivers was fun. I love Jerry Judy's game. You know, Cortland Sutton's a good player, Tim Patrick's a fun player,

kJ Hamler, Marquez Callaway, very underrated receiver corps there. They've been super solid on defense, really going back to the Fangio days of being there. Baron Browning is a guy to watch. You got to id that guy every single snap from the offensive line perspective. And then how about Patsartan versus Tyreek and Jalen that's as Marquee as it gets. Kawan Williams probably the other cornerback to start, but then they drafted Riley Moss and I can't really find a

better nickel option than him. And like Channing Crowder once said, if you got Zach Sayau and Channing Crowder, you're gonna go after Channing Crowder. So maybe some slot matchups there for Jalen and for Tyreek and then finally Justin Simmons. You gotta have to mention Himhen we talk about the Denver Broncos. What a great matchup between he and two a tongue bai loa and trying to manipulate the middle of the football field. One more game here before our

first break. Let's go week number four at the Buffalo Bills one o'clock kickoff up there in Orchard Park or Ralph Wilson or wherever the hell they play their games. Massive early season divisional showdown. Here. You still just won against Buffalo in Buffalo, and you have a chance to come back home in week eighteen and sweep those guys. Sign me up for that. Was there a better rivalry in the NFL last year than Buffalo Miami? Three games that came down to the wire either the team could

have won either of those three games. The fan base dispute about playing conditions like I saw a beat guy saying, like, what a good resolution here? The Dolphins come here early, don't face the snow, and the Bills go there late, dont to face the sun? Like since when did we stop wanting elements in football games? That's so weird to me. Whatever, you know, whatever. I just think the season's more fun

when the classic rivalries are back. I think we have both of them this year with Buffalo and the Jets. I like the way we match up from a stylist six standpoint, and you saw it in both the playoff game and Week fifteen. Now they made a change at DC, but Sean mcdermot's principles have always been the same, and we highlight the importance of Tarron Johnson and their defense.

They stay almost exclusively in the nickel package and that forces him to come down and play the run, and he does it well, but it puts him at a disadvantage when we go with alec Ingold and just basically have a blocking specialist go wipe out a nickel cornerback. That's why Miami ran for so many yards in those games last year. I think both teams are talented, well coached, and excel in the areas that really decided football games. Buffalo did some work on their offensive line after Josh

Allen got hit way too much last year. That guy's got to stop taking those hits. Man, he gets blasted almost weekly and he gets up, but like one day, you know, he probably won't. I think they'll probably try to find ways to make him less involved because of that. Because again, no player makes up more of a team's offense than Allen. He's a leading passer, the biggest rushing threat they have for them. It's going to be critical

to identify who the next option is on offense. I'm talking beyond Stefan Diggs because also he's the NFL leader and target share since he was traded a Buffalo back in twenty twenty. Is that Gabe Davis, who looks more like a three or four right now, is at Dalton King Kid a rookie is at Dawson Knox. The fact that two of those guys are tight ends to me speaks to the importance for Miami to have such depth

and flexibility. They need to be able to compete in three different ways to just win in their own division. Buffalo potentially a twelve personnel based team. New England a very run heavy operation. The Jets have a roster to really spread things out and go up tempo, high volume passing attack. That's three completely different offenses inside of our own division. Some fun potential matchups there mentioned Ingle versus Tarn Johnson, Connor Williams and Rob Hunt really got the

best of at Oliver last year. To Ron Armstead versus Von Miller's awesome Jalen or X versus Stefon Diggs Hide Employer versus Tua. We could go on and on here for the entire thing. I think these are two of the best football teams in the NFL. Let's go ahead and take our first break rate there and come back on the other side and check in with Week number five. That's next Drave Time podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation. It's schedule released day Week

number five. The Dolphins will host the New York Giants at one o'clock Eastern. We didn't get a chance to see Daniel Jones back in twenty twenty one. He's now the man there with a big contract a year two with Brian day Ball, surprise playoff run and a huge upset in the wild card round. That's a well coached team. Man to me, the coaching staff there is really what drives that engine, and they turned it around after a rough,

rough decade there. I go back to the staff though, because you know, day Ball took an offense that doesn't have a lot. Go look at the receiver corps, their running back room beyond Saquon Barker, it's just not a lot there. They did get Darren Waller, if he can stay healthy, it's a big get for them, but just not a lot of you know, big time playmakers on the offense. And really same story on the defense. For

the most part. They have some stars like Dexter Lawrence, but I think wink Martin Dill was the one that got that defense really crankin last year. I just think they maximize their talent with the coaching staff and a week schedule, and their task is to repeat that, which can be tough. I mean, it's tough to follow up a great performance one year with another the next in the same category. But they are certainly in a much better spot than they were before. The arrival of day Ball,

Martin Dale and Joe Shane, etc. Etc. Again, fun potential matchups. Dexter Lawrence. It begins with him. You have to get him blocked on the interior. That defensive line in general is the strength of the team between Leonard Williams, Ashawn Robinson, Vernon Butler. They added Bobby o'kariki, who I think is a great fit to run and chase behind that defensive line. That's my way, too early key for the game. Don't

let their front seven wreck the shop. But a team like that coming here for a home game, these are games you have to win. Week six, another one of these games at home Panthers one o'clock kickoff. Is it gonna be Bryce Young or is it Andy Dalton? There's no way it's Andy Dalton. It's a new coaching staff with Frank Reich, which I just love that fit there. Of course, a new head coach often means new staff

in general. So we see our fifth of the first six games the new coordinator and second of the six with a new head coach. I think this is one of the teams that has improved the most this offseason. They've been really through the Ringer at the quarterback position post Cam Newton. I mean from Teddy Bridgewater is Sam Darnold to Baker Mayfield to PJ. Walker. They just have ran multiple guys out there. They didn't work out for him, But even if Bryce Young has the typical rookie struggles,

they've added a ton of talent around him. I mean, Miles SAMs is a great get. Adam Thieln will see if he has much left in the tank there. Von Bell on defense some fun potential matchups. I always look at the opposing secondary first. Here with what we have a receiver man, this is a good one. J C. Horn's a stud fun reunion game there with he and Cam Smith as well. I mentioned Bell, He and Jeremy

Chin's a fun safety combination. CJ. Henderson kind of found his footing in Carolina after not working out in Jacksonville. Dante Jackson one of the better slots in the game. They add Eric Rowe and Jamie Robinson as well to that safety group. It's a good secondary, and their offensive line has tons of potential too. I think Ike Akwanu is going to be a premier left tackle and he gets a big test in this one with our edge group in front of our home crowd. Really curious to

see how this team looks. They can run the football too, man, they had that game against the lines last year with a couple of hundred yards in the ground. That's also one of our strengths though, stopping the run. So this is a fun under the radar matchup here for me, especially the two Bama quarterbacks who weren't teammates, but they were at the same school, which always has a certain lineage Week seven on the road in Philly for Sunday Night football. I mean, for my money, these are the

two best rosters in the NFL. Every single matchup you look at down to the fact that the quarterbacks were teammates in college. We heard Brandon Graham say during media row last year at the Super Bowl that he and the Eagles expected, after those joint practices for it to be a Philly Miami Super Bowl. And just what does this tell you about how the Dolphins are perceived now? To get this team on Sunday Night football. It's a

premier matchup, man, and the fun potential matchups. I mean, we've got Russell Wilson, Josh Allen, and Daniel Jones on the schedule prior to this game, but there's no one like Jalen Hurts in terms of run of the football. I'm excited for that test. I'm excited for the opportunity to go into one of the more raucous environments in the NFL for a night game before the weather gets too wonky, you know, potentially. Coach always talks about opportunities.

This is a great measuring stick to get yourself prepared for important December and January football. I don't think we have to examine the matchups here. It's just good across the board. The Dolphins have to stop the run obviously, then you got Deavante Smith and aj Brown to deal with. I think the Dolphins are in that same category as well, where they're gonna have to deal with our offensive speed and what we can do on defense and the way

we rush the passer. This could be a game where you look back at the end of the season and say, damn, there were fifteen Pro Bowls on the field that night in Philly, Week eight, the New England Patriots at home, and that's it for the Patriots game. One o'clock kickoff. We already broke this one down It's sandwiched between, in my opinion, the two toughest games in the schedule, So don't sleep on the Patriots and week number eight, hopefully you have them swept prior to Halloween. Week number nine

in Kansas City. It's not in Kansas City. It's versus Kansas City and Frankfurt. It's a Chiefs home game for a nine to thirty am kickoff. And if the Philly game was a good test run for December and January football, this one might be even better. The international crowds, You're definitely gonna bring it. You almost have that neutral field site feel like you might have in a championship game maybe one day, the defending champs. For my money, with

the best quarterback of all time. I know it's earlier say that, but my eyes also work, and I think Mahomes is as revolutionary, if not more than Dan Reno. Obviously, Tyreek playing against his old teammates is a marquee draw. I'm loving that fun banter back and forth of he and Chris Jones. That's what football is all about to me, some fun potential matchups. You got to get him blocked.

Chris Jones, the Chiefs team building has been so impressive post Mahomes contract, post Malone Holmes even before that too, but they actually paid him. They understood that you have to make concessions at various spots for that big quarterback contract, right. I love how they built up around Mahomes' skill set for Tua, it's a quick release, phenomenal processing and accuracy. So let's go get him playmakers who maximize that. For

Mahomes a master creator, an exemplary off script guy. So let's focus on the line and when they cover up our skill guys, which they have not invested a lot beyond Travis Kelce. And it's not a great group and there were some struggles last year, but Mahomes finds a way man and he buys time and they let him do his thing behind a really good offensive line. I

mentioned Dolphin's Eagles with my favorite rosters. The Chiefs are right there as well, but to me, the quarterback surplus is what pushes them way up there because the rest of the roster it's good, but it's not like on that level, but the quarterback is the equalizer for them. I think you have to be happy about not having to go to Arrowhead and then the Chiefs have a longer albeit slightly longer trek overseas for this game. Week number ten is the buye. It's a great time for

a buye, right in the middle of the season. Week number eleven, well, I mean it depends like it depends on when you are the most injured. That's the best time to have a buy. But Week eleven is home for the Las Vegas Raiders for a one o'clock kickoff. I think the Raiders offense has a chance to be pretty good, and I'm really curious see how they adapt Jimmy g into that scheme because obviously they're going to

tailor things to his skill set. But it's not like he's a stranger to Josh McDaniels, but his scheme the last like five or six years was different, very different. But they did work together before, and frankly, I still think the twenty sixteen performance against US was the best of Garoppolo's career before he got injured in that Week two game back then. But how they incorporate that with a power run game and the defending rushing Champ and Josh Jacobs, those are keys for US in this game.

Controlling the point of attack and getting bodies to that part of the field and to Josh Jacobs and getting him to the ground. If the Dolphins can control the line of scrimmage and all the other stuff won't matter a whole lot, So that would be a focus. I'd have to think in this game. On the other side, finding a way to get Max Crosby blocked and then

worry about the rest. Look, this is months away from a general matchup standpoint, but you probably commit a couple of guys to him and plan to win one on ones elsewhere. They've put some resources into that defense. It's been a work in progress. It's not been good for a while now, but they have some players on that

side now. It all starts with the pass rush of Crosby and Chandler Jones and then the seventh overall pick in the draft, and Tyree Wilson could see this game featuring some points, lots of firepower on either offense, some fun potential matchups there. Adams Myers and Renfros as good as it gets, so as Ramsey x Caterer Cam and need him and all those guys, and then our tackles versus their edge rushers, keeping our quarterback upright, always a big key there. Short week on the road is tough.

Week twelve at the Jets for Blackfriy a football three o'clock kickoff. We split this series a year ago. Both games for US were with an awfully banged up roster. Same for them in the finale obviously, and by the way they are, like I saw them post a video of the Week five win last year, like, it's really weird when you lost Week eighteen to put us in the playoffs to our third string quarterback with our thirst

ring quarterback playing in the first game. Two. I digress, But obviously a lot is different now with Aaron Rodgers in town. How quickly does he get acclimated and that offense get clicking? Can they repeat? There? Still our defensive

performance from twenty twenty two. Both teams followed very similar trajectories last season with really strong starts, although remember their games were against like Mitch Trubisky and Brett Rippin, Like it was a just a row of not great quarterback play and they found their way to like a seven and four record. They started playing some other teams and it went the opposite direction, kind of like Miami in a certain sense, they're not the quarterback thing, but just

losing games. But you have to imagine that both teams in December are going to be in contention for this game, and this is maybe the secondary best equipped to match up with the offensive weaponry that we have. The matchup off the perimeter is the main event. Man Tyreek and Jalen versus Sauce and DJ Reid's good on good on good. We didn't get a see two at the controls for this matchup last year, which is why you didn't sweep

them in my opinion. Hopefully different story this year. Both teams have a new system on one side, our defense their offense. Where the first game got off the rails for Miami was when the obvious passing situations arose late in that game and their defensive line just pinned their ears back and made a big impact via the pass rush.

But our running game was really working in both instances, and that's going to be a big key against a Robert solid defense at plays so aggressive and penetrates so well. Use that aggressiveness against them and get them off balance. That's what this misdirection offense can do some fun potential matchups here. I mentioned our receivers versus their corners using that aggressiveness against them. Our front did work against their offensive line last year, but they've also added reinforcements and

they get guys back from injury. They got to get Mackay Beckton going. They got to find out if Dayne Brown's the guy or if Max Mitchell can come back from injury and solidify his spot on the starting line. Rogers is not as nimble. I'm not gonna scramble as much as he used to, but he still can take off. But that said, you watched the Packers tape when they had breakdowns. He was getting down and protecting himself because

they couldn't block for him very well last year. And that's kind of what the Jets have to figure out how to get that done. And if you consistently win those pass rushes, he's not going to go justin fields on you. You can shut them down, kind of like Miami shut the Packers down for large periods of that game last year. On Christmas Day, they also brought out a bunch of receivers. I like me Cole Hardman, the other ones. I could take her leave, but Hartman's a

good signing. That's The fun matchup to me is Rogers versus Fangio. They've had some great battles in the past when Vick was in Chicago. Looking forward to that here, and then Quinn versus our interior are rob Hunt two of versus Slaw Rayqwan draws potentially a rookie center with Joel Tipman there incredible lengths. That's a fun like long

arm matchup. Gonna be fun, games man. Let's go ahead and take our last break right there and come back on the other side and do weeks thirteen through eighteen. That's next Draft Time podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation. Segment three. We have six games left, although two of those are repeat, so really four games to break down here, starting with Week thirteen at the Washington Commanders for one o'clock kickoff. It'll be

important through this stretch to stay on task. What I mean by that is you got so many marquee games in the schedule to not lose sight of games like this where you have a roster that wasn't very competitive last year, and last year was last year, so we'll see what happens. But you're gonna have these roles in the schedule where you see games that you're supposed to win, right, and I use air quotes there, But it's gonna be so important for the Dolphins this year to not let

those games creep up on them. I actually like this Washington roster a whole lot. I don't think it's over stepping to say they have probably the most unproven quarterback room in the league. Sam Howell. It was a fifth round draft pick two years ago and he played well on spot duty, but it's a tiny sample size. I like the conviction you have in him, I suppose, but I don't know. We'll see if it works out for him.

Jacoby Brissetts there the backups, they do have that experience, but either way, they're gonna be thrown to an awesome skill group because the fun potential matchups here. There aren't seven receivers I would take over Terry McLaurin. I love Curtis Samuel, I love Johan Dottson, A big fan of Diamie Brown, and then of course Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson. They're kind of loaded, man, and they really fortified their

depth on the offensive line as well. So if Howell is the guy like, if they are the ones that know more than all of us, then this could be a surprise playoff. Team defense is pretty damn good too. We've got to match that firepower on offense, and you've got to get Deron Payne, Jonathan Allen, Montes, sweat, Chase Young, all those boys up front blocked. This is an underrated roster and I might pick them as a surprise in the NFC if they make a surprise move a quarterback.

Otherwise I won't, But I digress Week fourteen. But up Monday Night football, Titans at the Dolphins, eight to fifteen, kickoff from hard Rock Stadium. Times are a change in in Tennessee? Well maybe Taylor lewan is gone. That rhymes Dereck Henry is what's the word that the riseid of Henry? He's still there. He wasn't traded like many thought he might be. But same story with Ryan Tannehill, though they

did draft Will Levis in the second round. So it bears pondering who's going to be under center come week fourteen. We'll see man like that. AFC South is wide open, so I wouldn't count the Titans out because of Mike Grabel. To me, he's the ultimate feather in the cap as a coach that can play this physical brand of football and kind of zig where everybody else SAgs and and find ways to win games close like that with a

roster and a veteran quarterback like Tannehill. But if it goes south on them and they come into this game at you know, I don't know, four and eight, then maybe it's Will Levis. You know, it probably is Will Levis at that point. So this is a game where it tests your ability to adapt your approach on a week to week basis, because they're probably gonna run the ball down your throat or try to some fun potential matchups.

David Long reunion game here, and you know him and Mike Rabel had some not so great end of the season parting words for each other, So I think he'll be fired up for that one. And he's the kind of player that will be so well studied on their tendencies that they're gonna have to change all their signals. I mean they would anyway, but I just like his

ability to give us some intel there. I think the biggest way or the biggest thing you look at the Titans here is that they annually have a pretty good defense, even though the rosters don't really suggest it. But Kevin Bayerd Justin Simmons, you've got to find those guys pre snap and find a way to get them block and get them taken care of. They're very good players. Week fifteen, the Jets come back here. That's a one o'clock kickoff.

I broke the matchup down on the road contest by a long shot, the closest of the divisional matchups, and that there's only two games between our meetings with the Jets, And the schedule is always about when you play a team right, And obviously we can't know how it's going to play out, but when the games are this close together, you get a higher likelihood that the two teams are

like similar than they were from the previous matchup. If they're in September and December, you might have two completely different squads from terms of your injury report, how guys are playing like teams change, but playing two times in four weeks, it's kind of probably gonna be most of the same team, if that makes sense. Week sixteen versus the Cowboys at home on Christmas Eve for twenty five kickoff the Dolphins and Cowboys in a holiday has a

certain ring too, isn't it? Leon Lett game? And we're going to treat this one is Dallas is loaded, man. I think they got more weapons for Deck on the offense. Their line was awfully banged up last year, so they get a fresh start there. They also made a change of offensive coordinator, which I don't think. I think it's a a backwards move or lateral at best. I like

Kellen Moore. Brian Schottheimer's in for him though, and we heard Mike McCarthy say I want to run the ball to rest the defense like it's twenty twenty three, bro. Some fun potential matchups here. It's why I'm glad we get the Titans before this, because I think Dallas will try to assert their will on the ground this year. Tony Pollard's a terrific player. I love the Brandon Cooks addition, and when the Cowboys offense gets rolling, that defense takes off.

So big game here for our defense to handle that in our offense to get some points as well. Micah Parsons is one of one, like you got to locate that guy because he moves everywhere and you just if he's gonna line up off the right side of our offensive line, you better give him some help because this guy can can change the game and make it look routine. They've also got Trayvon Diggs in the back end, so protecting the football gonna be key in this one, as

it always is. Week seventeen at the Baltimore Ravens one o'clock kickoff there Week two last year, so the second game of the year, the penultimate game this year. Some cool cemetry there and what a shootout that game was. Back to the scene of the crime the way, It's gonna look a lot different this time around, most likely maybe some snow we'll see, and then really the only real cold weather game on here for the most part. I mean, Washington could be cold, the Jets could be cold,

but we'll see. And these are two teams who were dominant last year in healthy. Lamar hasn't finished the year the last two years, so we'll see if he makes it this far. You know, I hope for his sake he does. But I love they have him long term. I love their backup with him and Dobbins and all

the speed they have back there. But man, you've got three teams during this stretch that want to pound the rock, and again, what better way to get ready for playoff football where teams tend to lean on the ground game a little bit more some fun potential matchups here. I think the second Dary went healthy is a good matchup for our skill groups. I'm also very fascinated by our linebackers versus the many run looks they can feature with you know, Jerome and David Long and Duke Riley and

the like. It's a new offense, but you'd be crazy to not build the run game around Lamar Jackson. So it's just say another team on the schedule that preps you for the potential January slate that we want to get to. Right on the other side, this might be the most firepower they've had. A receiver and tight end.

You know, Odell Beckham comes in as a Flowers comes in Mark Andrews though the tight end is the straw that stirs the drink, and his ability, paired with the run game is so tough for defenders to maintain I discipline because he does so much work in the running game, but they can sneak by your second level with play action. It's tough to deal for deal with. It's a fun couple of matchups here late Week eighteen versus the Bills TBD.

We broke down the matchup in the first contest obviously has the potential for the biggest game that weekend with two Saturday slots a Sunday night football slot available. I mean, you never know, but I would have to think this game is one of the higher likelihoods of winding up in primetime. Imagine playing the Bills in Week eighteen for the division at home? Can you imagine that would be

absolutely electric? Also, I always like playing really good teams the last week of the season because in the potential event they have things locked up, you might get a backup quarterback. I think a team with no playoff results to play for can be more dangerous than a team

who's already locked into their playoff seeding. So the ideal situation here right is that we have the division locked up, and maybe we're competing for the one seed, and the Bills are locked into the five seed and can improve upon that they play the following week where we have a win for us, we give us the week off. I guess more ideal is you have the one seed locked up. But I'm just laying out potential scenarios here

for y'all, and that's it. I'll do another bit on the schedule on the Saturday episode of the podcast, which, by the way, that's the next episode. We're gonna replace the Monday podcast with Saturday because we have two days of rookie mini camp and we'll also hear from those rookies. So a Saturday edition of the Draft Time podcast replacing Monday's podcast. With all that said, that's gonna be my

time start booking those trips, start getting those tickets. I want to hear from you on social which game or games are you going to tell us which road trips you're going to be making, And for the out of town fans, which games you're booking for your South Florida vacations. I have to imagine you out of town folks are quite fond of the December schedule because it quite literally

is paradise down here that time of year. All right, you all please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcast Leave us at writing, leave us a review. You can follow me on Twitter at LinkedIn NFL. Follow the team at Miami Dolphins check out the Fish Tank podcast with Seth and Juice. Check out the YouTube channel for Dolphins Today and Dolphins Media availabilities as well. Last, but not least, Miami Dolphins dot com. Until next time, Finns Up, Caroline Cameron, Daddy, He's coming. Holy