Why the Miami Dolphins have a favorable 2024 schedule
The Dolphins were 7-2 at home last season, but it was an upset loss to Tennessee and a regular-season finale loss to Buffalo that cost them the AFC East.
Then Miami didn't have a home playoff game and it was -30 degrees with the wind chill in Kansas City and, well, you know what happened next.
Everyone knows Miami's path to a Super Bowl is through home playoff games at Hard Rock Stadium. And there are reasons to believe at least one home game will happen next season.
One good reason? Well, Miami has a favorable schedule.
We'll start with opponent win percentage. And, yes, rosters change and coaches change and luck happens, good or bad.
But Miami's 2024 opponent win percentage is 24th strongest in the NFL.
AFC East rivals Buffalo, New England and New York all have tougher slates.
All three of those teams face more +.500 opponents than Miami.
Buffalo and New York will face more playoff teams from last season.
It stinks that Miami finished second in the AFC East, behind Buffalo.
Bills uncommon opponents tougher than Dolphins
But that means that Miami's uncommon opponents with the Bills are an advantage.
The Dolphins play three second-place finishers and Buffalo faces three first-place finishers.
Miami will play: at Cleveland, at Green Bay, Las Vegas.
Buffalo will play: at Baltimore, at Detroit, Kansas City.
The Dolphins avoid facing both participants in the last AFC Championship Game as well as an NFC Championship Game participant.
Yes, we realize is may be cold in Cleveland and/or Green Bay.
Other potential weather-impacted road games could include: at New York, at New England, at Buffalo and at Seattle.
So, no, it's not perfect, but at least at Indianapolis will be played in a dome.
Maybe Miami will catch a break and at least a few of those potential cold-weather games will come in September or October.
NFL International Series: Dolphins dodge road trip
Because Miami was assigned Brazil as a designated international market, it was thought they might have to travel there for a game in 2024.
But the Dolphins will avoid international travel next season, which can prove a bit taxing physically and mentally.
Miami is slated to play seven of 17 games against teams that made the playoffs in 2023: Buffalo (twice), San Francisco, Houston, Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland and Green Bay.
The four non-divisional road games in that group are at Houston, the Rams, Browns and Packers.
Those opponents - a combined 40-28 in 2023 - are solid but they're not quite as daunting as Miami's 2023 road opponents Philadelphia and Baltimore, as well as Kansas City in Germany.
It will be important for Miami to win the AFC East in 2024, securing home field entering the playoffs.
The Dolphins have been among the NFL's top teams at home in recent years. And of the eight opponents Miami season ticket holders will see next season, only three teams - Buffalo, San Francisco and Jacksonville - had a winning 2023 record.
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: The Miami Dolphins 2024 schedule: The built-in advantages
