Miami Dolphins game-by-game predictions prior to 2024 NFL schedule release

The Dolphins and their fans are about to finally see Miami's 2024 schedule. The NFL is expected to reveal the full list Wednesday, but here's a sneak preview of Miami's opponents, with predictions for each game.

Home games

Here are the teams Miami will play at home in 2024:

More: NFL schedule: Which Miami Dolphins games are ready for prime-time TV in 2024?

Buffalo

Storylines: A revenge game. The Dolphins had the AFC East title and a home playoff game within their grasp in January. Then the Bills came into Hard Rock, squashed those hopes and walked out with another division title. It left the Dolphins out in the cold. Literally. They headed to Kansas City the next weekend and still haven’t thawed out. Another thing to consider: Of the past 12 meetings between these teams at both venues, the Dolphins have won just once.

Series: Dolphins lead 62-58-1

Last meeting at venue: Bills won 21-14 on Jan. 7 to retain AFC East championship

Trend at venue: Dolphins are 1-4 vs. Bills, winning only in 2022 by 21-19

Prediction: Dolphins 21, Bills 17

New England

Storylines: Much change was needed and much change occurred with this club. Bill Belichick and his frown are gone, replaced by Jerod Mayo. He’s a former Patriots linebacker who already is departing from the paranoia that helped define the Belichick regime by opening rookie camp to reporters. Owner Robert Kraft obviously made the right call when he hired Belichick. This time he’s taking an unusual path, bringing in Mayo before hiring a personnel/GM exec. If his coach and GM can’t work together, the Patriots are in for a bumpy ride.

Series: Dolphins lead 62-55

Last meeting at venue: Dolphins won 31-17 on Oct. 29

Trend at venue: Dolphins have won four straight

Prediction: Dolphins 34, Patriots 20

New York Jets 

Storylines: Owner Woody Johnson opted to bring back coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas in the waning days of the 2023 season. It wasn’t a surprise, but the fact Johnson had to make that announcement says something about the state of the franchise compared with a year ago, when all the hype surrounded Aaron Rodgers and whether the guys in green could overtake Buffalo for the division title. Can Rodgers, 40 and a year removed from action, still make magic?

Series: Dolphins lead 60-56-1

Last meeting at venue: Dolphins won 30-0 on Dec. 17

Trend at venue: Dolphins have won eight straight

Prediction: Dolphins 29, Jets 20

Arizona Cardinals

Storylines: Lots of new faces on the Cardinals after an active free agency followed by a headline-grabbing draft. Joining Arizona is LT Jonah Williams from Cincy, who’ll command $15 million per year. QB Kyler Murray not only welcomes Williams but the fourth overall pick, WR Marvin Harrison Jr., who should make an impact out of the gate. Missouri edge rusher Darius Robinson, another first-round pick, highlights a revamped defensive front.

Series: Dolphins lead 10-3

Last meeting: Dolphins won 34-31 in Arizona on Nov. 8, 2020

Last meeting at venue: Dolphins won 26-23 on Dec. 11, 2016

Trend at venue: Dolphins are 3-1 over past four meetings

Prediction: Dolphins 34, Cardinals 31

Jacksonville Jaguars

Storylines: The Jaguars have made the playoffs once in the past six seasons and have one season with double-digit wins since 2008. Trevor Lawrence provides hope for Duuuuval, throwing to Christian Kirk and TE Evan Engram, but Calvin Ridley is off to Tennessee. Tua Tagovailoa and Miami’s tackles will have to deal with the “other” Josh Allen.

Series: Dolphins trail 6-5

Last meeting: Host Jaguars won 23-20 on Oct. 17, 2021, in London

Last meeting at venue: Dolphins lost 17-7 on Dec. 23, 2018

Trend at venue: Jaguars have played at Hard Rock only three times

Prediction: Dolphins 26, Jaguars 17

Las Vegas Raiders

Storylines: Antonio Pierce impressed enough to warrant shedding the “interim” label from his title and … timeout. Who are we kidding? The week of this game will be all about the return of DT Christian Wilkins to Hard Rock. Only thing is, if he has one of his over-the-top celebrations of a sack or a score, fans aren’t going to see the entertainment value anymore.

Series: Dolphins trail 21-20-1

Last meeting at venue: Dolphins won 20-13 on Nov. 19

Trend at venue: Dolphins have won four of past five

Prediction: Dolphins 23, Raiders 19

San Francisco 49ers

Storylines: Mike McDaniel vs. Kyle Shanahan with the second installment of matching wits after the two head coaches spent years on the same staff in Houston, Washington, Cleveland, Atlanta and San Fran. The Dolphins were cruising along at 8-3 in McDaniel’s first season when the 49ers thumped them 33-17 to start a troubling run for Miami against top-flight competition — a run the Dolphins are still trying to shake.

Series: Dolphins lead 8-7

Last meeting: Host 49ers won 33-17 on Dec. 4, 2022

Last meeting at venue: Dolphins won 31-24 on Nov. 27, 2016

Trend at venue: Dolphins have won two of past three

Prediction: 49ers 27, Dolphins 20

Tennessee Titans

Storylines: By the time this thing kicks off, you can bet the Dolphins will be breathing fire, tired of being reminded of their colossal collapse in the final 4½ minutes against Will Levis and the Titans last year. Anthony Weaver will be calling Miami’s defense this time, so nobody will be wondering after this game why Vic Fangio didn’t call a couple of blitzes — or something — to shake up a stunned unit in those closing minutes.

Series: Dolphins lead 21-19 (includes Houston Oilers games)

Last meeting at venue: Dolphins were stunned late 28-27 on Dec. 11

Trend at venue: Dolphins split past four meetings

Prediction: Dolphins 42, Titans 24

Road games

Here are the teams Miami will play on the road in 2024:

at Buffalo

Storylines: Dolphins head back to their least-favorite stadium. Even worse, we won’t get the see Jalen Ramsey vs. Stefon Diggs. Buffalo traded Diggs, leaving Josh Allen with limited options for targets. Buffalo added FSU’s Keon Coleman with the 33rd overall pick. Curtis Samuel came over and there are ex-Dolphins Mack Hollins and Chase Claypool. Will it add up to an aerial attack?

Series: Dolphins lead, 62-58-1

Last meeting at venue: Dolphins lost 48-20 on Oct. 1

Trend at venue: Dolphins last won 34-31 in OT in 2016. Miami has lost eight straight since.

Prediction: Bills 26, Dolphins 20

at New England

Storylines: Mac Jones, as vanilla a quarterback as you can find, is off to back up Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville. In comes Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick and the anti-Jones. Maye isn’t afraid to put it up, so much so the Patriots’ challenge might be reeling him. Defensively, New England will be happy to welcome back Christian Gonzalez, the cornerback who looked excellent while capturing the NFL’s Rookie of the Month award for September 2023 before injuring a shoulder and missing the rest of the season.

Series: Dolphins lead 62-55

Last meeting at venue: Dolphins won 24-17 on Sept. 17

Trend at venue: Dolphins 3-11 since 2010

Prediction: Dolphins 24, Patriots 17

at New York Jets

Storylines: Bryce Huff and his 10 sacks swapped Jets green for Eagles green. Headed in the opposite direction at edge rusher was Haason Reddick, who had 11 sacks last year. Reddick had four tackles and two tackles for loss in Philly’s 31-17 victory over Miami in 2023. Offensively, the Jets expect to have Aaron Rodgers back for the offseason program following his Achilles injury. This might be a redshirt year for ex-FSU quarterback Jordan Travis, New York’s fifth-round pick.

Series: Dolphins lead 60-56-1

Last meeting at venue: Dolphins won 34-13 on Nov. 24

Trend at venue: Dolphins 3-2 in past five trips

Prediction: Dolphins 17, Jets 16

at Cleveland

Storylines: The Browns sent a package that included three first-round picks to Houston for Deshaun Watson. In return, they got six games out of Watson in 2022 and six more in 2023. An NFL suspension aborted his first season with the Browns; a shoulder injury ended last season. Not to mention, he hasn’t looked like the threat he was in Houston. At least Myles Garrett is still playing like Myles Garrett (14 sacks).

Series: Dolphins lead 12-9

Last meeting at venue: Browns won 41-24 on Nov. 24, 2019

Trend at venue: Dolphins 1-4 in past five trips

Prediction: Dolphins 10, Browns 9

More: Miami Dolphins' 2024 NFL schedule: Look at all these top QB's Miami won't have to play

at Green Bay

Storylines: Jordan Love threw for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns in his first season as the starter in the post-Aaron Rodgers era. Now the Packers say they want to take the training wheels off given it’s another season in the same system. Will a revamped offensive line give Love time?

Series: Dolphins lead 10-6

Last meeting in Green Bay: Dolphins lost 31-12 on Nov. 11, 2018

Trend at venue: Dolphins 1-3 in past four trips

Prediction: Packers 20, Dolphins 17

at Houston

Storylines: The Texans will be a popular pick of everyone tired of going with the Chiefs in the AFC playoffs. Houston has hit the sweet spot with a young team built to win now. Of course, everything revolves around QB C.J. Stroud, who won’t even celebrate his 23rd birthday before the season begins. The Texans made huge moves by trading for Bills WR Stefon Diggs and signing Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter. And, oh yeah: The Dolphins have always had trouble with these guys, even when the Texans stunk.

Series: Dolphins trail 8-3 (does not include games vs. Houston Oilers)

Last meeting at venue: Texans won 42-23 on Oct. 25, 2018

Trend at venue: Dolphins are 0-5

Prediction: Texans 30, Dolphins 24

More: What jersey numbers will the new Miami Dolphins wear?

at Indianapolis

Storylines: Anthony Richardson, the dynamic ex-Gators QB picked fourth overall in 2023, was off to a solid start in his NFL career when a shoulder injury ended his season after only four games. There’s hope in Indy that the Colts have a special talent in Richardson, who can hurt teams with his arm and his legs. He’s already throwing passes during voluntary workouts, a positive sign his surgically repaired AC joint could be fully healed, possibly for training camp.

Series: Dolphins lead 48-28

Last meeting at venue: Dolphins won 16-12 on Nov. 10, 2019

Trend at venue: Dolphins are 4-3 in past seven trips to Indy

Prediction: Colts 29, Dolphins 24

at Los Angeles Rams

Storylines: It’s a matchup of Mike McDaniel vs. Sean McVay, who spent three years on the same offensive staff in Washington. On the field, the matchup to watch will be Rams WR Puka Nacua, who had a mere 1,486 yards as a rookie, against Pro Bowl CB (and ex-Ram) Jalen Ramsey.

Series: Dolphins lead 12-2

Last meeting in L.A.: Dolphins won 14-10 on Nov. 20, 2016

Trend in L.A.: Dolphins have visited L.A. Rams only once since their move from St. Louis

Prediction: Rams 28, Dolphins 23

at Seattle

Storylines: Dolphins LB Jordyn Brooks gets to line up against his old team, but so does Seahawks LB Jerome Baker. Meanwhile, listen closely to the announcers when they talk about the two head coaches during this one. Mike McDaniel is the guy with Miami. Mike MacDonald is running the show in Seattle. Just as well these teams rarely play one another.

Series: Dolphins lead 10-6

Last meeting in Seattle: Dolphins lost 12-10 on Sept. 11, 2016

Trend in Seattle: Dolphins 2-2 in past four trips

Prediction: Dolphins 29, Seahawks 17

Final regular-season record: 11-6

Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal.

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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins record prediction: Complete game-by-game picks for 2024 season