All Dolphins

Dolphins 2020 Schedule Game-by-Game Breakdown

The Miami Dolphins will open the 2020 season at New England and finish it at Buffalo. We examine those games and every one in between

Alain Poupart

Here's a quick game-by-game breakdown of the Dolphins' 2020 schedule, including the series history and some early betting odds (courtesy of Bet Online).

It's worth noting that the Dolphins are favored in only three of their 16 games at this time, with one game at pick 'em.

WEEK 1, SEPT. 13, MIAMI AT NEW ENGLAND, 1 p.m.

Series history: Dolphins lead 56-53 (including playoffs)

Early line: Patriots by 6 1/2

Summary: This game will mark a return to Gillette Stadium, where the Dolphins closed out the 2019 season with their stunning, playoff-altering upset of the Patriots. Perhaps more importantly, this game will mark the debut of new Patriots starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham and maybe that of Tua Tagovailoa as well.

WEEK 2, SEPT. 20, BUFFALO AT MIAMI, 1 p.m.

Series history: Dolphins lead 61-50-1 (including playoffs)

Early line: Bills by 3

Summary: The Bills will enter the 2020 season as the favorites to win the AFC East title, but their hopes very well may depend on the continued development of quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills swept this series last season when the Dolphins defense had no answers for Allen.

WEEK 3, SEPT. 24, MIAMI AT JACKSONVILLE, 8:25 p.m.

Series history: Series tied 4-4

Early line: Dolphins by 1

This is one of the rare games where the Dolphins are favored at this time, even though it's always a tough challenge to go on the road in a Thursday night game. It's clearly a rebuilding situation for the Jaguars, who are rolling with Gardner Minshew as their quarterback.

WEEK 4, OCT. 4, SEATTLE AT MIAMI, 1 p.m.

Series history: Dolphins lead 10-5

Early line: Seahawks by 4

Summary: It's always a challenge for a West Coast team to play at 1 p.m. game on the East Coast, though this one certainly won't be easy for the Dolphins if only for the mere presence of Russell Wilson.

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WEEK 5, OCT. 11, MIAMI AT SAN FRANCISCO, 4:05 p.m.

Series history: Dolphins lead 7-6

Early line: 49ers by 11 1/2

Summary: This is the game where the Dolphins are underdogs by the most points at this time. The defending NFC champion 49ers once again should be led by its suffocating defense.

WEEK 6, OCT. 18, MIAMI  AT DENVER, 4:05

Series history: Dolphins lead 12-6-1 (including playoffs)

Early line: Broncos by 5

Summary: Just like the Dolphins, the Broncos finished strong in 2019 and there's plenty of hope they can carry that over behind second-quarterback Drew Lock, especially with the additions of some weapons on offense, like running back Melvin Gordon and rookie first-round pick Jerry Jeudy.

WEE 7, OCT. 25, L.A. CHARGERS AT MIAMI, 1 p.m.

Series history: Dolphins lead 18-16 (including playoffs)

Early line: Pick 'em

Summary: This might end up being a battle between first-round picks Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, but whoever plays quarterback for the Dolphins will have a tough task before the Chargers could have one of the top defenses in the NFL in 2020.

WEEK 8, NOV. 1, L.A. RAMS AT MIAMI, 1 p.m.

Series history: Dolphins lead 11-2

Early line: Rams by 3

Summary: The Dolphins will be facing a Rams team not only traveling for a 1 p.m. Eastern time start but also coming off a Monday night game in Los Angeles. The Rams have undergone a lot of changes since they went to the Super Bowl, but they're hoping quarterback Jared Goff can lift the offense.

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WEEK 9, NOV. 8, MIAMI AT ARIZONA, 4:25 p.m.

Series history: Dolphins lead 9-3

Early line: Cardinals by 5

Summary: The Cardinals offense could have something really special if 2019 first overall pick Kyler Murray continues to develop. The Cardinals brought in elite wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in the offseason to help him out, and they also have former Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake back for his first full season in Arizona.

WEEK 10, NOV. 15, N.Y. JETS AT MIAMI, 4:05 p.m.

Series history: Jets lead 54-52-1 (including playoffs)

Early line: Dolphins by 1 1/2

Summary: The Dolphins face old coach Adam Gase in the first of back-to-back games against the Jets. They'll also be seeing ageless running back Frank Gore, who the Jets just signed to complement Le'Veon Bell.

WEEK 12, NOV. 29, MIAMI AT N.Y. JETS, 1 p.m.

Series history: Jets lead 54-52-1 (including playoffs)

Early line: Jets by 3 1/2

Summary: Gase will be in only his second year with the Jets, but there's going to be pressure on him to deliver in 2020 and one thing he can't afford is to get swept by his former team. The Dolphins won handily at home last year and easily could have won at MetLife Stadium.

WEEK 13, DEC. 6, CINCINNATI AT MIAMI

Series history: Dolphins lead 17-7

Early line: Dolphins by 3 1/2

Summary: The Tua-Burrow battle? With Andy Dalton gone from Cincinnati, Joe Burrow should be the starter from Day 1 for the Bengals. There isn't quite that kind of certainty when it comes to Tua Tagovailoa, though there's a distinct chance he'll be in the lineup by December. The chance for a rematch of their shootout from last year just might have been what the schedule-makers had in mind when they decided to put this game in December.

WEEK 14, DEC. 13, KANSAS CITY AT MIAMI, 1 p.m.

Series history: Dolphins lead 16-14 (including playoffs)

Early line: Chiefs by 7 1/2

Summary: The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs come to Hard Rock Stadium and slowing down Patrick Mahomes will be the first priority for the Dolphins. Of course, that's easier said that done when you consider all the options the Chiefs have on offense, a group that now includes first-round running back Clyde  Edwards-Helaire.

WEEK 15, DEC. 20, NEW ENGLAND AT MIAMI, 1 p.m.

Series history: Dolphins lead 56-53 (including playoffs)

Early line: Patriots by 2 1/2

Summary: The game last year at Hard Rock Stadium in Week 2 was an aberration because the Dolphins have played the Patriots tough at home in recent years, with five wins in six seasons before the ugly game last September. By this time, Stidham will be well into his first year as a starting quarterback, so the New England offense figures to be tougher than handle than in the opener.

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WEEK 16, DEC. 26 OR 27, MIAMI AT LAS VEGAS, TBD

Series history: Raiders lead 20-18-1

Early line: Raiders by 4

Summary: The Dolphins will mark their first-ever trip to Vegas (for an NFL game, that is), though they won't know until at least halfway through the season whether this game will be played Saturday, Dec. 26 or Sunday, Dec. 27. In either case, the Dolphins will be facing a Raiders team that, despite plenty of offseason speculation, still has Derek Carr at quarterback.

WEEK 17, JAN. 3, MIAMI AT BUFFALO, 1 p.m.

Series history: Dolphins lead 61-50-1 (including playoffs)

Early line: Bills by 8

Summary: This is completely weird to write, but maybe the Bills will not need this game because they will have clinched the AFC East by then. Then again, maybe things don't go as smoothly for Buffalo as expected and the Bills need a win to make the playoffs. Or maybe they're out of the playoff picture altogether. The more likely scenario is the Bills need the game and the weather is bad (because it's January in Buffalo).

 

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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