MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Here is a game-by-game look at the 2022 Miami Dolphins schedule, released Thursday by the NFL.
New England Patriots (Sept. 11)
Can New England quarterback Mac Jones get his first win against the Dolphins in his home state? He'll have a new target to throw to now with the addition of DeVante Parker, who was Miami's first-round draft pick in 2015. Parker was traded to the Patriots after Miami acquired Tyreek Hill in free agency.
at Baltimore Ravens (Sept. 18)
The Dolphins will face Baltimore for the second consecutive season. Miami's defense stifled Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (who played high school football in Boynton Beach) throughout much of last year's 22-10 victory at Hard Rock Stadium, sacking him four times, intercepting a pass and holding him to just 39 rushing yards. But Miami hasn't beaten the Ravens in Baltimore since 1997.
Buffalo Bills (Sept. 25)
Last September's visit from the Bills was memorable for all the wrong reasons for Miami fans and all the right ones for Buffalo fans. Tua Tagovailoa was injured in the first quarter after fracturing several ribs and had to be carted off the field. The Dolphins were shut out 35-0 and Tagovailoa missed the next three games. The Dolphins haven't beaten Buffalo since 2018.
at Cincinnati Bengals (Sept. 29)
The Bengals and Dolphins have met two of the past three seasons, with Miami winning both, but this should be the first time the top two quarterbacks of the 2020 NFL Draft class meet. The Dolphins didn't "tank for Tua" and beat Cincinnati 38-35 in a 2019 overtime game, allowing the Bengals to secure Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick. Miami drafted Tagovailoa four picks later and has stuck with him despite rumored overtures with Deshaun Watson and interest in Tom Brady. Burrow was injured during Miami's 19-7 victory in 2020, but Tagovailoa went 26-of-39 for 296 yards and a touchdown.
at New York Jets (Oct. 9)
Tua Tagovailoa threw for a pair of touchdowns and 2021 first-round draft pick Jaylen Waddle ran for a 1-yard score when the Dolphins visited MetLife Stadium last November on their way to a 24-17 win. Not that this rivalry needed any fuel for the fire, but Hill surely soured Jets fans when he denied having interest in New York amid reports that a deal was in place before the Dolphins got involved. "I knew I was going to pick Miami no matter what," Hill told reporters.
Minnesota Vikings (Oct. 16)
Miami native Dalvin Cook will make his NFL debut at Hard Rock Stadium, but it's far from unfamiliar to him. The former star running back at Florida State was a perfect 3-0 at Hard Rock Stadium in college, including his final game, when he finished with 145 rushing yards on 20 carries for one touchdown and 62 receiving yards in a 33-32 Orange Bowl victory over Michigan that earned him MVP honors. He's been just as impressive with the Vikings, starting 57 of the 58 games in which he's played, amassing 4,932 rushing yards and 44 total touchdowns (including the playoffs).
Pittsburgh Steelers (Oct. 23 on WPTV)
Brian Flores will make his return to Hard Rock Stadium after being fired by the Dolphins in January. It's sure to be awkward when Flores, who now serves as Pittsburgh's senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach, stands on the opposing sideline after filing a lawsuit against the Dolphins, alleging racial discrimination. Flores spent three seasons as Miami's head coach, leading the Dolphins to a 24-25 record and back-to-back winning campaigns but failing to reach the playoffs.
at Detroit Lions (Oct. 30)
Detroit has had the luxury of having the No. 1 overall draft pick behind center since 2009. After 12 seasons with the Lions, quarterback Matthew Staffford was traded to the Los Angeles Rams last year in a package involving Jared Goff, who was the top pick in the 2016 draft. Goff started 14 games for the Lions last season, passing for 3,245 yards and 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also posted the highest completion percentage of his career (67.2%) and his best passer rating (91.5) since leading the Rams to the Super Bowl during the 2018 season. Although the Dolphins lead the all-time series 7-5, Detroit has won the last three meetings, including a 20-16 victory at Ford Field in 2014.
at Chicago Bears (Nov. 6)
It's been a long time since the Bears have beaten the Dolphins at Soldier Field — 34 years, to be exact. Chicago's last home victory against Miami was Sept. 4, 1988, when running back Neal Anderson and quarterback Jim McMahon each ran for a pair of touchdowns on their way to a 34-7 victory. In fact, that's the only time the Bears have sniffed a home victory against the Dolphins, who are 4-1 all-time in Chicago. Miami fans still proudly boast of the 38-24 "Monday Night Football" victory there in 1985 that handed the eventual Super Bowl champions their first and only loss of the season.
Cleveland Browns (Nov. 13)
Watson and the Dolphins had long been rumored to have had mutual interest while the disgruntled quarterback sat out the 2021 season with the Houston Texans. Ultimately, Watson landed with Cleveland, which gave up first-round draft picks for the next three years to get him. The Dolphins seem content to stick with 2020 first-round pick Tagovailoa, but time will tell whether they made the right call. Cleveland's last trip to South Florida in 2016 resulted in a 30-24 overtime loss.
Houston Texans (Nov. 27)
The Dolphins will host Houston for the second straight season, defeating the Texans 17-9 at Hard Rock Stadium last year to snap a seven-game losing streak. Houston has plenty of question marks at quarterback after the departures of Watson and Tyrod Taylor. The Texans also dropped head coach David Culley after just one season and elevated veteran Lovie Smith, who led the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl and spent the 2021 season as Houston's defensive coordinator. The Texans are 8-2 all-time against Miami, although both losses came during their most recent trips to South Florida (2021 and a 44-26 beat down in 2015).
at San Francisco 49ers (Dec. 4)
First-year Miami head coach Mike McDaniel will face his former team at Levi's Stadium, where he spent the past five seasons as a 49ers offensive assistant. But McDaniel isn't the only one returning to the Bay Area. Former San Francisco running back Raheem Mostert signed with the Dolphins in the offseason. Mostert, who grew up in Florida and played one game for the Dolphins as a rookie in 2015, missed most of last season with a knee injury.
at Los Angeles Chargers (Dec. 11)
This will be Miami's first trip to SoFi Stadium, home to Super Bowl LVI earlier this year. Of course, the Dolphins will be playing the Chargers and not the Rams, so they've got that going for them. The Dolphins will be making their first trip to the Los Angeles area since beating the Chargers 19-17 in 2017, but that game was played at a temporary home for the L.A. teams while SoFi Stadium was being built.
at Buffalo Bills (TBD)
Miami has struggled to win against the Bills on the road for much of the past decade. The Dolphins are 1-9 at Buffalo since 2012. Miami's lone win during that span was in 2016, when a 34-31 overtime victory clinched a playoff berth for the Dolphins despite Buffalo's franchise-record 589 total yards. The Dolphins haven't been back to the playoffs since. The Bills, on the other hand, have made the playoffs four of the last five seasons and won back-to-back AFC East Division championships.
Green Bay Packers (Dec. 25)
Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre was still leading the Packers the last time Miami was victorious at home against Green Bay. The Dolphins celebrated a 28-20 win over the Packers in 2000, one season after the retirement of fellow Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino. This year's game is likely to be the final meeting with Aaron Rodgers behind center. The Packers are 2-1 against Miami with the future Hall of Fame quarterback as the starter. Rodgers lost his first meeting with the Dolphins — 23-20 in overtime at Green Bay in 2010 — but led the Packers to a 27-24 win at Hard Rock Stadium in 2014 and a 31-12 win at Lambeau Field in 2018.
at New England Patriots (Jan. 1)
The Dolphins swept the Patriots last season for the first time since 2000 and have won two of their last three games at Gillette Stadium after a decade of futility in Foxboro. Can they do it again in 2022?
New York Jets (TBD)
The Dolphins have won four straight against the Jets, who haven't notched a victory at Hard Rock Stadium since 2015. The Jets were among the biggest winners during the NFL Draft, nabbing three first-round picks (Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner, Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson and Florida State defensive end Jermaine Johnson II) who could have an immediate impact.