Breakdown: Rookie head coach Adam Gase's first season with the Miami Dolphins won’t be easy. The Dolphins have the 11th toughest strength of schedule that begins right away with two very rough road games against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 and the New England Patriots in Week 2. This is a brutal way to start and Miami could be waiting a while for its first victory. The Dolphins also have two additional games out west against the San Diego Chargers Nov. 13 and Los Angeles Rams Nov. 20 in back-to-back weeks. The NFL did Miami a favor here. The Dolphins have the option to stay out west for two weeks to eliminate the fatigue that comes with making a pair of lengthy trips.
"Super Mario" reunion tour: Mario Williams spent four seasons with the Buffalo Bills before being released this offseason. Williams underperformed with five sacks last year, and the Bills were not willing to keep his $19.9 million cap number for 2016. The Dolphins signed Williams to a two-year, $17 million contract, and he will get to play his former team twice. The first meeting against Buffalo will be at home Oct. 23, and the second game will be on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Williams should be fired up to play against his former team, because he was not happy with Buffalo’s defensive scheme last year and how he was used.
Fast start needed: The Dolphins are in the midst of a seven-year playoff drought, and one of the common themes is the team’s inability to get off to a fast start. Miami is just 11-22 (.333 winning percentage) in September games since 2006. The Dolphins have been slow starters for a majority of the past decade and must reverse that trend to have a chance to be competitive this season. Miami's September schedule this year includes games against Seattle, New England, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. Three of those four teams made the playoffs last season.
Strength of schedule: 11th, .516
Dolphins Regular-Season Schedule (All times Eastern)
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 11, at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 18, at New England, 1 p.m.
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 25, Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Week 4: Thursday, Sept. 29, at Cincinnati, 8:25 p.m.
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 9, Tennessee, 1 p.m.
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 16, Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 23, Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 6, N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 13, at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 20, at Los Angeles, 4:05 p.m.
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 27, San Francisco, 1 p.m.
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 4, at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 11, Arizona, 1 p.m.
Week 15: Saturday, Dec. 17, at N.Y. Jets, 8:25 p.m.
Week 16: Saturday, Dec. 24, at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 1, New England, 1 p.m.