Are the Dolphins being set up for another late-season letdown?

The Miami Dolphins have a soft opening, and a tough dismount when it comes to the 2024 NFL schedule.

Is that setting South Florida’s NFL team up for yet another late-season collapse?

Miami’s 17-game schedule is comprised of complicated games against the team’s three AFC East rivals, games against the entire AFC South and NFC West, two of the NFL’s most watered-down divisions, along with opponents that finished 2023 in the same second-place standing in the AFC North (Cleveland Browns) and West (Las Vegas Raiders) and NFC North (Green Bay Packers).

Here’s the Dolphins’ full regular-season schedule, with a breakdown of each opponent:

Week 1, Sept. 8 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (1 p.m., CBS): Tua Tagovailoa has taken a loss to Trevor Lawrence the last two times they have met. The first was the 2018 college football championship game, with Lawrence leading Clemson to the mountaintop. The second was a 2021 loss in London when Lawrence was a rookie playing for Urban Meyer. The Jaguars hold the series lead 6-5. Dolphins 24, Jaguars 21.

Week 2, Sept. 12 vs. Buffalo Bills (8:15 p.m., Prime Video): At this point Josh Allen should be paying child support to South Florida because he has been the Dolphins’ daddy his entire NFL career, only suffering two losses. The Dolphins have lost 11 of their past 12 against the Bills, and the last one cost Miami the AFC East championship in 2023. But this is a different Bills team, one that features stripped-down weaponry on offense. Bills 32, Dolphins 21.

Week 3, Sept. 22 at Seattle Seahawks (4:05 p.m., CBS): The Dolphins face a rebuilding Seahawks team beginning an era minus Pete Carroll. That means there’s going to be a transition for head coach Mike MacDonald and quarterback Geno Smith, who is learning a new offense. Seattle is known as one of the most hostile environments to visit in the NFL, so don’t be surprised if crowd noise creates challenges for Miami’s offense. Seahawks 27, Dolphins 21.

Week 4, Sept. 30 vs. Tennessee Titans (7:30 p.m., ESPN): There are so many losses to the Titans the Dolphins need to avenge. There was last year’s debacle, which saw the Dolphins blowing a two-touchdown lead with three minutes remaining in the game, at home. But in 2021 the Titans, which were led by Ryan Tannehill, extinguished Miami’s chances of advancing to the playoffs with a win that clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Expect defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver to apply the heat on quarterback Will Levis, who lacks experience. Dolphins 34, Titans 28.

Week 5, Oct. 6 at New England Patriots (1 p.m., FOX): Bill Belichick’s gone, and the New England Patriots are officially embarking on a rebuild with new coach Jerod Mayo, who played and coached under Belichick. The Dolphins will face Jacoby Brissett or rookie quarterback Drake Maye as the team’s starter, and a defense lacking bite. Even in Foxborough, this should be the easiest game on Miami’s schedule. Dolphins 28, Patriots 17.

Week 6, BYE

Week 7, Oct. 20 at Indianapolis Colts ( 1 p.m. FOX): These old AFC East rivals meet again for the first time in three years after the early bye week. This is Miami’s first game in Indianapolis since 2019, which was a win for the Dolphins courtesy of a late interception from Nik Needham. Miami has typically struggled containing dual-threat quarterbacks so Anthony Richardson will present some unique challenges. Dolphins 20, Colts 14.

Week 8, Oct. 27 vs. Arizona Cardinals (1 p.m., FOX): The Dolphins have had a tremendous amount of success against the Cardinals, owning a 10-3 all-time record. Kyler Murray is a year removed from the ACL injury that has impacted him for most of the past two seasons, but outside of Marvin Harrison Jr. and tight end Trey McBride he doesn’t have much weaponry to work with. Dolphins 30, Cardinals 21.

Week 9, Nov. 3 at Buffalo Bills (1 p.m., CBS): Orchard Park is a tremendously hostile environment for the Dolphins in late November and December, when chances of snow storms are high. Good thing this November game shouldn’t feature a frigid environment. If healthy, safety Jordan Poyer will be returning to Highmark Stadium, where he shined as a starter. Miami will need a big day from the Dolphins defense to even out this AFC East series. Dolphins 31, Bills 28.

Week 10, Nov. 11 at Los Angeles Rams (8:15 p.m., ESPN): This is the third consecutive season the Dolphins visit SoFi Stadium, but the past two opponents were the Chargers. The retooling Rams should present an even stiffer challenge, even without Aaron Donald, who retired this season. The Dolphins have won five in a row against the Rams, the last loss coming in St. Louis in 2001, and are 12-2 overall against the Rams. Rams 28, Dolphins 24.

Week 11, Nov. 17 vs. Las Vegas Raiders (1 p.m., CBS): Former Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who signed with Vegas in free agency, makes his return to Hard Rock Stadium on the visitors’ sideline. This game would present more of a challenge to Miami if Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell weren’t the Raiders best options at quarterback. Dolphins 32, Raiders 17.

Week 12, Nov. 24 vs. New England Patriots (1 p.m., CBS): By this time in the season Maye’s head will be spinning, or the game will be slowing down for the former North Carolina standout the Patriots drafted third overall. And if it’s Brissett starting for New England then consider this game a layup because he hasn’t scared an NFL opponent in years. Dolphins 30, Patriots 14.

Week 13, Nov. 28 at Green Bay Packers (8:20 p.m., NBC): After pinning these two marquee teams against each other on Christmas Day two years ago, they will share a nationally televised night game on Thanksgiving this year. This is the first meeting of Tagovailoa and Jordan Love, the 2020 first-round draftees who are often compared with each other. Packers 24, Dolphins 21.

Week 14, Dec. 8 vs. New York Jets (1 p.m., CBS): Miami swept a lackluster New York Jets team by a combined 51 points last season, but Aaron Rodgers wasn’t playing in those games because of the Achilles he tore in last year’s season opener. Rodgers, the NFL’s oldest player, is finally back, and it will be interesting to see if he’s still playing at an MVP level, and if his body can hold up to the pounding that comes with today’s game. Rodgers will actually turn 41 earlier during the week. Dolphins 28, Jets 17.

Week 15, Dec. 15 at Houston Texans (1 p.m., CBS): The Texans made a surprising run to win the AFC South last season behind the arm of C.J. Stroud, who must repeat his sensational rookie campaign to prove he’s a legit elite QB in today’s NFL. Stroud has an arsenal of weapons that has typically given Miami challenges, and it doesn’t help that this game is on the road. Dolphins 30, Texans 27.

Week 16, Dec. 22 vs. San Francisco 49ers (4:25, CBS): This is another mentor vs. mentee showdown considering McDaniel and Kyle Shanahan grew up together in the NFL, working for Mike Shanahan, Kyle’s father, and McDaniel was with the son for five different spots. If things go well these two fairly similar teams could meet in the Super Bowl. 49ers 21, Dolphins 17.

Prediction: 21-17 Loss

Week 17, Dec. 29 at Cleveland Browns (8:20 p.m., NBC): The Dolphins organization coveted Deshaun Watson for a full season, before Brian Flores was fired and the team firmly recommitted itself to Tagovailoa. That led to Watson ending up getting traded to Cleveland. This will be Tagovailoa first shot at getting revenge from a quarterback who privately coveted his team. Dolphins 24, Browns 23.

Week 18, Jan. 4 or 5 at New York Jetss (TBD): The Dolphins closed the past three regular seasons at home on a rotation of the AFC East’s three divisional opponents. This time they finish on the road at MetLife Stadium, and expect there to be playoff implications to this season finale. Could New York be where the 2024 season goes to die? Jets 17, Dolphins 14.

Final record: 11-6