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The Miami Dolphins were one of the most improved teams in the NFL last season, as head coach Brian Flores took the team to a 10-6 record and on the verge of the postseason. Miami handed the keys of the franchise to Tua Tagovailoa -- giving him more receivers by adding Will Fuller in free agency and Jaylen Waddle in the first round of the draft. Miami also revamped its offensive line and defensive front in the draft and added Jason McCourty in the secondary -- not to mention the abundance of first-round picks general manager Chris Grier added by trading down from the No. 3 overall pick this year. The Dolphins rebuild is well ahead of schedule as the franchise are contenders for the AFC East title. 

Here's a full rundown of the Dolphins 17-game schedule, including key matchups and a season prediction:

2021 Dolphins schedule

WeekOpponentDateTime (ET)Network

1

at Patriots

Sept. 12

4:25 p.m

CBS

2

vs. Bills

Sept. 19

1 p.m.

FOX

3

at Raiders

Sept. 26

4:05 p.m.

CBS

4

vs. Colts

Oct. 3

1 p.m.

CBS

5

at Buccaneers

Oct. 10

1 p.m.

CBS

6

at Jaguars (London)

Oct. 17

9:30 a.m.

CBS

7

vs. Falcons

Oct. 24

1 p.m.

FOX

8

at Bills

Oct. 31

1 p.m. 

CBS

9

vs. Texans

Nov. 7

1 p.m.

FOX

10

vs. Ravens 

Nov. 11

8:20 p.m.

FOX/NFLN/Amazon

11

at Jets

Nov. 21

1 p.m.

CBS

12

vs. Panthers

Nov. 28

1 p.m.

FOX

13

vs. Giants 

Dec. 5

1 p.m.

FOX

14

BYE WEEK

15

vs. Jets

Dec. 18/19

TBD

TBD

16

at Saints (MNF)

Dec. 27

8:15 p.m.

ESPN

17

at Titans

Jan. 2

1 p.m.

CBS

18vs. Patriots Jan. 91 p.m.CBS 

Dolphins key games

  • Week 2 vs. Bills: The Dolphins and Bills are the two best teams in the AFC East and are the favorites to battle things out for the division title. Buffalo knocked Miami out of the playoffs last season in Week 17 with a 56-26 thumping in Orchard Park. The Dolphins haven't beat the Bills since 2018. If Miami wants to win the division for the first time in 13 years, the Dolphins have to beat Buffalo. 
  • Week 18 vs. Patriots: New England typically has a difficult time down in Miami, as the Dolphins have won three of their last four games in Hard Rock Stadium. The Patriots are much improved and will look to disrupt the AFC East race. This game is crucial for Miami if the Dolphins wish to win the division title. 
  • Week 10 vs. Ravens: The last time Lamar Jackson went down to Miami, he threw for five touchdown passes en route to his MVP season. This Miami team is much better and will be a true test on how good the Dolphins are -- squaring off against one of the league's best teams. This game will be one of the most exciting of the NFL season.

Dolphins toughest matchup

Week: 5 | Date: Oct. 10 | Time: 1 p.m.
Opponent: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Dolphins defense going up against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers will be the biggest test of Miami's season -- and a potential swing game in the division. If Miami can find a way to win in western Florida against the defending Super bowl champions, that's a huge step toward the Dolphins winning the division. 

Dolphins projected win total

2021 record prediction: 11-6

The Dolphins have one of the youngest and talented rosters in the league, and added to their talent pool with Jaylen Waddle and Jaylen Phillips in the first round. Despite playing in the tough AFC East, the Dolphins schedule was easier than expected. Not playing any "cold weather games" until Jan. 2 is a huge advantage for Miami, especially with the development of Tua Tagovailoa. This is a playoff team with a chip on its shoulder.