Dolphins Schedule Spotlight: Thursday Night at Home

Six of the Miami Dolphins' previous Thursday night games had been played away from Hard Rock Stadium

The Dolphins defeated Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in a Thursday night game in 2021. / BILL INGRAM /THE PALM BEACH POST / USA

The Miami Dolphins will be back on Thursday Night Football in 2024 after a one-year absence, but with a nice change this time.

The Dolphins will be getting that game at home, in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills in an early AFC East showdown.

If that sounds like no big deal, consider that six of the Dolphins' last seven Thursday night game were played on the road, the one exception being a 2021 matchup against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens that the Dolphins won 22-10.

WHAT RECENT NFL HISTORY TELLS US ABOUT BEING AT HOME ON THURSDAY NIGHT

While some Dolphins fans bemoaned the fact the Dolphins' September home game against Buffalo being placed in prime time negated some of the weather-related advantage Miami otherwise would have enjoyed, there is clearly a benefit to getting them at home on the short week.

Not counting the Week 1 game between Detroit and Kansas City because this didn't involve a short week, the home team went 11-5 in Thursday night games last season, though that record was 7-9 the year before.

Here's the stat from last season that bodes particularly well for the Dolphins, though.

There were five Thursday night matchups last season between two teams that made the playoffs in 2022, and in every instance the home team won. A perfect 5-0 record.

Those included the Philadelphia Eagles defeating the Minnesota Vikings, the San Francisco 49ers over the New York Giants, the Bills over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Ravens over the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Dallas Cowboys over the Seattle Seahawks.

That's something to keep in mind when the two 2023 playoff teams match up at Hard Rock Stadium on the night of Thursday, Sept. 12.

THE DOLPHINS IN HOME THURSDAY NIGHT GAMES

The Dolphins have an 8-9 overall record in Thursday night games, but it includes an impressive 6-2 mark at home.

Miami has won its last three Thursday night home games, starting with the 2013 Halloween game against the Bengals that became known as the "Wake-Off" for Cameron Wake winning the game in overtime for the Dolphins with a sack of Andy Dalton for a safety.

The last Miami loss in a Thursday night home game came in 2010 when the Dolphins had to start third-string quarterback Tyler Thigpen because of injuries to Chad Pennington and Chad Henne and were shut out by the Chicago Bears, 16-0.

Here's the full rundown of Dolphins Thursday night home games:

2021  BALTIMORE       W 22-10

2014  BUFFALO            W 22-9

2013  CINCINNATI       W 22-20 (OT)

2010  CHICAGO             L 0-16

1990  NEW ENGLAND W 17-10

1981  PITTSBURGH     W 30-10

1980  SAN DIEGO         L 24-27 (OT)

1979  NEW ENGLAND W 39-24

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