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What to know about the Dolphins and the NFL’s 2022 schedule release
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) runs for a runs for a primary down through the fourth quarter of an NFL soccer recreation in opposition to the New England Patriots at Arduous Rock Stadium on Sunday, January 9, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (David Santiago Photograph / Miami Herald)
dsantiago@miamiherald.com
The NFL, kings of TV programming, has by way of the years turned its schedule launch day right into a multiweek tease of particular person video games, culminating with Thursday’s official announcement of all 272 video games at 8 p.m.
It started on the NFL Draft, the place the league introduced the season’s first “Thursday Evening Soccer” matchup: Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. The league then introduced the 5 video games that can be performed abroad for its annual worldwide sequence. And every morning main as much as Thursday’s reveal, the NFL has introduced choose video games with assist of broadcast companions ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC.
Listed here are 5 issues to know earlier than the Dolphins’ 2022 schedule is introduced.
Who’re the Dolphins enjoying at dwelling?
Together with divisional dwelling video games in opposition to the Buffalo Payments, New England Patriots and New York Jets, the Dolphins host the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Inexperienced Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Houston Texans. 4 of those opponents — Buffalo, New England, Pittsburgh and Inexperienced Bay — made the playoffs final season.
Who’re the Dolphins enjoying on the street?
Along with their away video games in opposition to divisional opponents, the Dolphins will journey to play the Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, and San Francisco 49ers. Together with Buffalo and New England, Cincinnati and San Francisco made the playoffs final season.
What number of prime-time video games will the Dolphins have?
NFL guidelines enable groups to be scheduled for as many as 5 prime-time video games. Final season, the Dolphins acquired two — a Thursday night time dwelling recreation in opposition to the Ravens and a Monday night time street recreation in opposition to the New Orleans Saints. The group additionally acquired a standalone recreation when it traveled to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
One standalone recreation the Dolphins might get in 2022 is a Thanksgiving matchup with the Lions. A latest Los Angeles Occasions article detailed the process by which the NFL schedule is made and it was revealed that as a result of the Lions are internet hosting a group on CBS this yr, they need to play an AFC group, in line with broadcast guidelines. The 2 choices for the Lions’ opponent, in line with the article, are the Dolphins and the Payments.
Regardless, as a 9-8 group coming off a fifth consecutive season with no postseason look, the Dolphins should not anticipated to obtain the max 5 prime-time video games. Nonetheless, with a brand new head coach, upgraded offense and intrigue in polarizing third-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins could possibly be an attention-grabbing choose for networks. An evening-time matchup with a divisional rival just like the Payments or Patriots is an intriguing choice. So are video games with the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers, which might pit Tagovailoa in opposition to 2020 draftmates Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert.
Are the Dolphins enjoying abroad once more?
The Dolphins, who’ve a big following in the UK, performed the Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2021 however gained’t be touring abroad in 2022. The NFL beforehand introduced the 5 worldwide video games this season: Vikings-Saints (London), Giants-Packers (London), Broncos-Jaguars (London), Seahawks-Buccaneers (Germany) and 49ers-Cardinals (Mexico).
How is the opponent for the Dolphins’ seventeenth recreation chosen?
The 2021 season was the league’s first with a 17-game regular-season schedule. The brand new collective bargaining settlement allowed the homeowners to implement a seventeenth recreation over 18 weeks as soon as a brand new media rights deal was signed. Because of this, the preseason has additionally been decreased from 4 video games to a few. The additional recreation features a matchup with an opponent from the alternative convention.
Final season, the Dolphins hosted the NFC East group that completed with the identical division standing the earlier yr (Giants). This season, the Dolphins will journey to play the NFC West group that completed with the identical standing in 2021 (49ers). In 2023 and 2024, the group will face an opponent from the NFC North and NFC South, respectively, after which the rotation begins over. Annually, the seventeenth recreation will alternate between dwelling and street video games.