Miami Dolphins schedule predictions

Hey guys, we are still wading through the offseason doldrums in the world of Miami Football, but that just means it's time for some predictions, I already have assembled my Training Camp Depth chart, and am assuming that it stays the same and Garrard starts off the season as the starter, Moore as 2nd string and Tannehill as the 3rd string QB. With that in mind, I'm going to go through each game and give my projected output for that game. So, let's get started, open the article for the full schedule prediction.

Week 1: 1 PM @Houston Texans
The Phins open up the season against the tough Texans, who are priming up for a potential super bowl run. The Texans bring in a tough passing attack featuring Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson, along with one of the best running attacks in the nation with Arian Foster leading their RB stable. Garrard and the offense will do a good job keeping up, but the high-powered offensive attack of the Texans, combined with their top pass defense will make it tough for us to win this one out. Our run defense will do well this game, but it still won't be enough to win.

Projected Score: Dolphins 20 - Texans 37

Week 2: 1 PM vs. Oakland Raiders
After yet another loss to the Houston Texans, the Dolphins head back home for a much easier matchup against the Raiders. They still have Carson Palmer, and a good running game led by Darren McFadden, but overall, they are not as tough as the Texans and their defense leaves much to be desired. The Dolphins have had their way with the Raiders in the past, and I expect that to continue. In the blistering heat, with their black uniforms, the Raiders will be gassed out soon enough, and a tough rushing attack led by Reggie Bush, Daniel Thomas and Lamar Miller, that will just happen sooner. I expect a 100 yd game from both Bush and Thomas, and a decent showing from Miller as well as the high-powered passing offense takes a back seat. Expect a clock-controlling, bruising game.

Projected Score: Raiders 17 - Dolphins 24

Week 3: 1 PM vs New York Jets
The Jets have had locker room issues before, and that will continue and get even worse this year with the inclusion of polarizing QB Tim Tebow. The lack of offensive weapons and an aging and declining defense should make this an easy win as the running game takes over once again. I expect Anothony Fasano, Charles   Clay, Reggie Bush and Micheal Egnew to have a good showing receiving as Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie shut down the already weak WR corps. Despite this, the Phins win out this time in a blowout win led by Reggie Bush and David Garrard.

Projected Score: Jets 10 - Dolphins 34

Week 4: 4:15 PM @ Arizona Cardinals
It is yet unknown who will be the starting QB for the cardinals, but either way, Larry Fitzgerald should help them pull out a win in this one. I don't know why I think the Cardinals will win, but I just have a feeling that the Dolphins will have trouble with the Cardinals. The game will go right down to the wire, but I think the Cardinals pull this one out in a very close game, winning by only a field goal. Expect the Dolphins defense to shut down the run, but the Cardinals' passing offense will win this game. In addition, I think this is the game David Garrard's back gives out. Garrard had a back injury that has a high risk of recurring, and I think it is only a matter of time until his back can't take it anymore. I see Garrard getting injured late in this game and being placed on injured reserve as Matt Moore once again takes over, but doesn't play much.

Projected Score: Dolphins 13 - Cardinals 16
Matt Moore is now starting QB due to David Garrard being placed on IR.

Week 5: 1 PM @ Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are looking to take the next step this year, and the dynamic duo of Andy Dalton and AJ Green will play a big part in that. The Bengals already have a good defense, and expect them to win out on this one as Matt Moore adjusts to the starting role. Defensive Coordinator Kevin Coyle's knowledge of the Bengals' defense will help us in this one, but their offense will just be too much. I expect Matt Moore to have a poor showing on this one, continuing his habit of taking sacks and fumbling the ball, but still throws a TD, along with Daniel Thomas and Reggie Bush each adding a TD of their own. Andy Dalton ends up with 3 TDs, along with a Bengals TD from RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

Projected Score: Bengals 34 - Dolphins 27

Week 6: 1 PM vs. St. Louis Rams
The Rams and the Dolphins were considered front runners for the Jeff Fisher race, but the Rams won that. Fisher will now head down to Miami to face off against the team he spurned. The Dolphins will be primed and ready, with Matt Moore wanted to prove himself after losing to the Bengals. Sam Bradford and co. will give a decent competition on offense, but the Phins pass rush will be eating up that weak O-line. The lack of dynamic threats, combined with the weakness of that defense should help Matt Moore redeem himself after a tough loss, as the Phins win this one via blowout. Jeff Fisher will head back to St. Louis wondering whether he really made the right choice picking the Rams, and any Dolphins fans that may have thought Fisher was a better choice than Philbin will be silenced.

Projected Score: Rams 10 - Dolphins 43

Week 7: Bye Week
The Phins have a bye week this week, so let's take a look at the season so far, and how it is going. While the Dolphins are at .500, with 3 wins and 3 losses, they are still in the wildcard picture, and are doing better than most people expected. I think the Dolphins will be 3rd in the AFC East however, with the Patriots and the Bills ahead of them, even though the Bills only ahead by a game. There is still hope for a playoff appearance under Matt Moore, who took over week 4 for and injured David Garrard. Let's take a look at my projected stats thus far.
QB:
David Garrard: 4 games, 6 TDs, 5 INTs, 58% completion, 1000 passing yds, 75 rush yds, 1 rush TD
Matt Moore: 2 games, 4 TDs, 3 INTs, 56% completion, 500 passing yds, 3 fumbles
HB:
Reggie Bush: 400 rush yds, 5 rush TDs, 275 rec yds, 2 rec TDs
Daniel Thomas: 300 rush yds, 3 rush TDs, 50 rec yds
Lamar Miller: 100 rush yds, 75 rec yds, 1 rec TD
WR:
Brian Hartline: 350 rec yds, 2 rec TD
Davone Bess: 275 rec yds, 2 rec TDs
Chad Johnson: 150 rec yds
Roberto Wallace: 75 rec yds, 1 rec TD
TE:
Anthony Fasano: 75 rec yds, 1 rec TD
Charles Clay: 100 rec yds, 1 rec TD
Micheal Egnew: 75 rec yds

Week 8: 1 PM @ New York Jets
The Dolphins come out of the bye week with an away game at MetLife stadium against the Jets.After dominating the Jets last time we played them, I expect another victory for the Dolphins here. The Jets locker room will have been split in two as Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow both continue to struggle. I expect them to come into this game with only 1 win so far, and they don't do themselves many favors here, struggling all day. The Jets will try to establish the run, which will prove impossible against the tough Phins run defense, and there will be few opportunities for Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow to do much. Expect the Phins to finish off the series with a full sweep of the Jets

Projected Score: Jets 13- Dolphins 21

Week 9: 1 PM @ Indianapolis Colts
The Dolphins head out to another easy away game against Andrew Luck and the Colts. Matt Moore will still be starting at this point, but will struggle this game, despite getting the win. Luck will do his best, and his TEs will have a big day, but the Dolphins defense will stop their offense from doing much else. The Dolphins offense has a mediocre showing, but that is good enough on a day where the defense is almost completely shutting their offense down. Expect a low-scoring victory on this game.

Projected Score: Dolphins 13 - Colts 3

Week 10: 1 PM vs Tennessee Titans
The Titans come to town this week, led by Chris Johnson and new QB Jake Locker, and they, like the Dolphins, will be in wildcard contention. The Dolphins are coming fresh off of two victories, and are looking to get another here, but the Titans pull out in this one. Chris Johnson and Jake Locker have big days, while Matt Moore struggles against the Titans defense. The two teams will be about evenly matched, but the Titans pull out in this game, knocking the Dolphins down to a 5-4 record, and keeping their wildcard hopes alive.

Projected Score: Titans 30 - Dolphins 21

Week 11: 8:20 PM @ Buffalo Bills
The Dolphins head to upstate New York for their one primetime game against the rival Bills. Both the Dolphins and the Bills will be in playoff contention at this point, and they will both be competing for 2nd place in the division and a wildcard spot. The Bills pash rush will give Matt Moore trouble all day, as he throws a couple of costly INTs, and has a couple of his usual fumbles, giving Buffalo easy opportunities. Ryan Fitzpatrick struggles, but Fred Jackson, CJ Spiller and Stevie Johnson bail him out as the Buffalo offense has a good day. After this game, the Dolphins will start to assess whether Matt Moore is really the best option, as they are, for the most part, out of playoff contention with a loss in this crucial must-win game. Coach Philbin and Sherman decide that Matt Moore isn't the best option, playing poorly 3 weeks in a row, and decide Ryan Tannehill is ready to be thrown into the fire. Honestly, after this game is pretty much the best time to do it. The Phins have a mini-bye week, with 10 days before their next game, and their next game is not a very tough one anyways, so they decide to bench Matt Moore for the remainder of the season, electing to go with the rookie instead.

Projected Score: Dolphins 20 - Bills 34
Ryan Tannehill takes over for a benched Matt Moore as the starting QB after this game.

Week 12: 1 PM vs. Seattle Seahawks
This will be Ryan Tannehill's first career start, and it should be a comfortable one. The Seattle Seahawks come down to Miami, and will already be gassed after a VERY long flight (Seattle to Miami is the longest flight possible for an NFL team). The Dolphins, on the other hand, will have had 10 days of rest, and will be ready for this game. Matt Flynn and Ryan Tannehill will be the starting QB, so the fans will have a chance to see whether the Phins made the best choice by taking Tannehill. On the other hand, Flynn will be looking for revenge after the Dolphins low-balled and spurned him. Expect a big day from Ryan Tannehill, who throws 3 TDs and 1 INT in his first career start AND first career victory.

Projected Score: Seahawks 17- Dolphins 31

Week 13: 1 PM vs New England Patriots
Ah, the (not so) joyous yearly match against Tom Brady and the Patriots. Barring a Tom Brady injury, the Pats will already be well on their way to an AFC East title, while the Dolphins will be facing must-win games every week as they come in at a measly 6-5. Ryan Tannehill did well in his first game, and expect that to continue against a terrible Pats defense. But the Pats will end up beating us with the same philosophy they always win by, "Defense doesn't matter, you can score as much as you want. You just can't win if we score more than you." While this philosophy will eventually come back to bite them, this is not the game where that happens. Both Tannehill and Brady have big games, but, as usual, Tom is just too good, and this high-scoring game is handed to the Pats.

Projected Score: Patriots 44- Dolphins 34

Week 14: 4:05 PM @ San Francisco 49ers
After a high-powered loss against the Patriots, the Phins head far west to take on the Pats' polar opposite. The 49ers rely on tough defense to win games along with a get-the-job-done kind of offense. San Fran will be looking to claim the NFC West, and the 6-6 Dolphins will be facing yet another must-win game if they want to claim that prized wildcard spot. The 49ers defense will give Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins offense a hard time as Tannehill has the first poor game of his NFL career, throwing INTs and taking sacks. The 49ers offense will be mediocre but, as usual, will get the job done en route to victory. The Dolphins will go back under .500, and will be almost completely knocked out of playoff contention.

Projected Score: Dolphins 10 - 49ers 24

Week 15: 1 PM vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
After two tough losses, the Dolphins come home to a relatively easy matchup. Don't get me wrong. These are definately not the hapless Jaguars of old, but, compared to powerhouses like the Pats and the 49ers, they seem like a cakewalk. Chad Henne will most likely be starting by this point, and will be looking for revenge against his former team. As usual, Henne has some great flashes, and has some costly INTs. Tannehill goes back to the way he was playing against the Pats and the Seahawks, throwing TDs and getting good yards. Henne will leave this game with a loss in Miami, something he is all too accustomed to, as we all know. The Dolphins work themselves back to a .500 record, and will face two divison games that, if won, will get them a wildcard spot.

Projected Score: Jaguars 20 - Dolphins 31

Week 16: 1 PM vs. Buffalo Bills
Last time the Dolphins played the Bills, Matt Moore led us to an embarrassing loss in front of a national audience. This time, the Dolphins get a second chance, and Ryan Tannehill can lead them to victory. I see both the Dolphins and the Bills coming into this game with a 7-7 record, and the winner of this game having a chance at the playoffs, while the loser will stay home. Because of how crucial this game is to both teams, I see this game being moved to primetime due to the NFL's flex scheduling. If this happens, then the Dolphins will have a second chance to show the national audience what they have in this rematch. I see Ryan Tannehill and Reggie Bush having big games as the Bills struggle offensively against a Dolphins team that is focused and knows whats at stake. Expect a win from the Dolphins at home in this game.

Projected Score: Bills 20 - Dolphins 27

Week 17: 1 PM @ New England Patriots
Ahh, yet another (not so) joyous matchup against our (not so) beloved friends up north. The Dolphins head north for a freezing cold game against the Patriots with a wildcard spot at stake. The Patriots will have already clinched the AFC East and will be fighting for a 1st round bye, so they will not be too interested in letting the Dolphins win this. The cold weather, long flight and the toughness of the Patriots will cause Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins to lose this one, knocking them out of the playoffs and ending our season with an 8-8 record and a lot to build off of. Ryan Tannehill will have a good game, as he has been having, but it, once again, won't be enough against the New England offensive powerhouse.

Projected Score: Dolphins 28 - Patriots 37

Season in review
The Dolphins end off the season with a grand total of 3 starting QBs, and 8-8 record, some struggles, some success and a whole lot to build off of. In his few starts, Ryan Tannehill takes advantage of every opportunity, showing Dolphins fans that he can be the savior of this franchise, meaning the Dolphins can go ahead with building around him and he can continue improving. The Dolphins rushing game finishes off strong, and Daniel Thomas shows great improvement from his rookie year, which prompts Reggie Bush to leave via free agency. The Dolphins defense retains their spot in the top 10, and the secondary comes together under Kevin Coyle. here is a look at some of the final (projected) stats:

QB:
David Garrard: 4 games, 2-2 record 6 TDs, 5 INTs, 58% completion, 1,000 passing yds, 75 rush yds, 1 rush TD
Matt Moore: 6 games, 3-3 record, 10 TDs, 10 INTs, 56% completion, 1,100 passing yds, 7 fumbles
Ryan Tannehill: 6 games, 3-3 record, 13 TDs, 7 INTs, 59% completion, 1,300 passing yds, 150 rush yds, 2 rush TDs
HB:
Reggie Bush: 900 rush yds, 8 rush TDs, 400 rec yds, 4 rec TDs
Daniel Thomas: 800 rush yds, 7 rush TDs, 100 rec yds, 1 rec TD
Lamar Miller: 250 rush yds, 200 rec yds, 1 rec TD
WR:
Brian Hartline: 900 rec yds, 6 rec TD
Davone Bess: 600 rec yds, 4 rec TDs
Chad Johnson: 300 rec yds, 2 rec TD
Roberto Wallace: 250 rec yds, 2 rec TD
TE:
Anthony Fasano: 200 rec yds, 3 rec TD
Charles Clay: 250 rec yds, 4 rec TD
Micheal Egnew: 200 rec yds, 2 rec TD


Defensive highlights (sacks/INTs):
Cameron Wake: 14 sacks
Jared Odrick: 7 sacks
Randy Starks: 4 sacks
Paul Soliai: 1 sack
Olivier Vernon: 4 sacks
Koa Misi: 2 sacks
Karlos Dansby: 1 sack
Kevin Burnett: 2 sacks
Vontae Davis: 1 sack, 4 INTs
Sean Smith: 5 INTs
Richard Marshall: 2 INTs
Jimmy Wilson: 1 sack, 2 INTs
Reshad Jones: 1 sack, 3 INTs
Chris Clemons: 1 INT

And that concludes this post. Be sure to visit again for more Dolphins and Heat info and leave comments below for any questions/concerns. Thanks for reading.