The Miami Dolphins 2021 Schedule Starts and Ends with New England

By: Brandon Liguori

Grab some popcorn and a bottle of water, Dolphins fans. Stay away from soda beverages, it is not healthy for you! Okay, I’m not Dr. Oz or anything, but I do have some breaking news: The 2021 schedule was officially released to the public Wednesday night and we now know where, what time and who Brian Flores’ group will face: 

• Week 1 (Sept. 12, 2021)- At New England 4:25 p.m. ET: Brian Flores’ second season as head coach began against these same Patriots a year ago and now Flores’ third season will open in Foxborough, yet again. Expect Cam Newton to start under center for the Patriots, who rushed for two scores in their 21-11 season-opening victory last year. 
  

• Week 2 (Sept. 19, 2021)- Buffalo 1:00 p.m. ET: The Dolphins opened their home portion of the 2020 season vs. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, who were a win away from a Super Bowl appearance in Tampa. Say what you want, but Sean McDermott’s squad is the team to conquer in the AFC East. 
  

• Week 3 (Sept. 26, 2021)- At Las Vegas 4:05 p.m. ET: How stunning was Miami’s Week 16 victory a year ago against Derek Carr’s Las Vegas Raiders? Call it a once-in-a-lifetime win! Trailing 25-23 with 19 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, former Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, facing heavy pressure, heaved a 34-yard pass that was caught by Mack Hollins. The pass then set up a game-winning 44-yard field goal from Jason Sanders as time expired. 
  

• Week 4 (Oct. 3, 2021)- Indianapolis 1:00 p.m. ET: Newly-acquired quarterback Carson Wentz will make an appearance to Hard Rock Stadium four days before I celebrate my birthday. Honestly, this is one of the toughest matches on the home slate, as the Colts present challenges on the offensive and defensive side of the football, too. 
  

• Week 5 (Oct. 10, 2021)- At Tampa Bay 1:00 p.m. ET: If you thought the Indianapolis Colts were Miami’s toughest opponent on the schedule, think again. The defending Super Bowl champions, paced by quarterback Tom Brady, return all 22 starters from their dominating 31-9 victory vs. the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55 this past February. Tua Tagovailoa is going to have to play a perfect, turnover-free football game to give the Dolphins a chance to pull off one of the biggest wins on the schedule. 
  

• Week 6 (Oct. 17, 2021)- At Jacksonville (London) 9:30 a.m. ET: Set your alarms bright and early; London is calling and so is Queen Elizabeth! For the first time since 2017 vs. the New Orleans Saints, Miami is a part of the NFL’s International Series, but London has not been too kind to the Dolphins, as the team has a 1-3 record in four games outside of the United States. Tua Tagovailoa vs. Trevor Lawrence, the first overall pick acquired this past April, will be a very thrilling quarterback battle, too. 
  

• Week 7 (Oct. 24, 2021)- Atlanta 1:00 p.m. ET: It feels like forever ago since the Dolphins and Falcons battled each other (2017- Reshad Jones’ game-clinching interception in the fourth quarter). Matt Ryan still handles the keys to Atlanta’s offense and it is uncertain if Julio Jones will be a Falcon by the time October swings around. A chance to see Kyle Pitts in this one, too and that makes me very, very upset. Ugh, if only Pitts fell to sixth overall in the first round this past April. 
  

• Week 8 (Oct. 31, 2021)- At Buffalo 1:00 p.m. ET: Happy Halloween, Dolphins fans! It’s time to get spooky on the road, as Brian Flores’ group will travel to newly-named Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Stadium, a place that has been frightening for Miami in recent memory. How many of you remember the season finale this past January? Yeah, let’s not really get into that conversation. McDermott’s bunch has won seven of the last eight meetings overall. Ouch. 
  

• Week 9 (Nov. 7, 2021)- Houston 1:00 p.m. ET: There has been a bunch of off-season controversy regarding highly-talented quarterback Deshaun Watson that it is safe to wonder if Watson will suit up in this Week 9 contest at Hard Rock Stadium. A very familiar face, nonetheless, is set to start on the offensive line for first-year head coach David Culley: LT Laremy Tunsil.
  

• Week 10 (Nov. 11, 2021)- Baltimore (TNF) 8:20 p.m. ET: A Thursday night date vs. the 2019 Most Valuable Player in Lamar Jackson and his Baltimore Ravens? This one is going to be a dandy, or at least I hope. Jackson absolutely demolished the Dolphins to open the 2019 regular season, completing 17 of 20 pass attempts for 324 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Ravens to a 49-point (!) victory (59-10), which currently remains as the largest loss under Flores after 32 games. 
  

• Week 11 (Nov. 21, 2021)- At New York Jets (AFC) 1:00 p.m. ET: Miami will get their inaugural look at rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, selected a pick after the Jaguars grabbed their hope-to-be franchise-changing quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and first-year head coach in Robert Saleh. The Dolphins have recently been a bunch of bullies to their division rival, securing a win in six of the last seven contests. 
  
  

• Week 12 (Nov. 28, 2021)- Carolina 1:00 p.m. ET: Sam Darnold in a Carolina Panthers uniform and in the NFC is going to take some time to get fully used to. Maybe leaving Adam Gase and the New York Jets’ organization will turn around Darnold’s career? We will see. Oh, and Christian McCaffrey, one of the most elite running backs in the league, will play in this football game, too. Can Miami’s front seven contain the former Stanford product?
  

• Week 13 (Dec. 5, 2021)- New York Giants (NFC) 1:00 p.m. ET: Keep in mind that this is the extra game placed on the schedule, as the NFLPA came to an agreement during the off-season to add a 17th game. Hosting the Giants for the first time since a Monday night contest in 2015, the Dolphins do not have to worry about Eli Manning or Odell Beckham Jr., but Giants’ Saquon Barkley, set to return after tearing his ACL in Week 2 of the 2020 season, is one key player to watch. 
  

• Week 14 (Dec. 12, 2021)- BYE 
  

• Week 15 (Dec. 18 or 19 2021)- New York Jets (AFC) 1:00 p.m. ET: Whether this game is played on Saturday or Sunday, this should be a win for Flores’ unit. The New York Jets have been unsuccessful in knocking off the Dolphins on their home surface in almost seven (!) years. Fun fact: Geno Smith, yes, Geno Smith was the last Jets quarterback to defeat the Dolphins in Miami Gardens. 
  

• Week 16 (Dec. 27, 2021)- At New Orleans (MNF) 8:15 p.m. ET: I am counting Miami’s Week 6 London contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars as a prime time game, meaning Monday night’s date against the new-look Saints will be the final of three total prime time contests. Now that Drew Brees has officially hung up his cleats after 20 seasons, it will be interesting to see if this is a Jameis Winston start. Do not think I forgot what happened the last time Miami traveled to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on a Monday. It was not a sexy outcome at all and I’ll leave it at that. 
  

• Week 17 (Jan. 2, 2022)- At Tennessee 1:00 p.m. ET: Happy New Year, Dolphins fans! I present to you, the Ryan Tannehill Bowl! That’s right, Tannehill, under center in Miami for seven seasons (including Tannehill’s injury season in 2017), is set to face his former organization for the first time since being dealt to the Titans in March of 2019. This sorta feels like a revenge game for Tannehill, am I wrong?
  

• Week 18 (Jan. 9, 2022)- New England 1:00 p.m. ET: Wait, the Dolphins host New England in the first round of the Wild-Card Round? As much as I wish, that is not the case, as there is now an extra week of football! Miami will put their finishing touches against Bill Belichick’s unit and the ultimate storyline in this match is whether the Dolphins will be preparing for postseason play or not.