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          NFL Nation

          Miami Dolphins' 2022 schedule: Early tests will be measuring stick

          • Marcel Louis-Jacques, ESPNMay 13, 2022, 12:35 AM
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              Marcel Louis-Jacques joined ESPN in 2019 as a beat reporter covering the Buffalo Bills, before switching to the Miami Dolphins in 2021. The former Carolina Panthers beat writer for the Charlotte Observer won the APSE award for breaking news and the South Carolina Press Association award for enterprise writing in 2018.

          MIAMI -- The Miami Dolphins' 2022 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Thursday.

          The 2022 NFL season will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 8 with the Buffalo Bills vs. the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. ESPN opens its schedule with Monday Night Football on Sept. 12 featuring the Denver Broncos at the Seattle Seahawks.

          The NFL expanded to 17 regular-season games last season. The final regular-season games for the 2022 season will be played Jan. 8, 2023. The playoffs begin Jan. 14 and continue through Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona.

          Here's what's in store for the Dolphins:

          Schedule

          Sept. 11: vs. New England

          Sept. 18: at Baltimore

          Sept. 25: vs. Buffalo

          Sept. 29: at Cincinnati (TNF)

          Oct. 9: at N.Y. Jets

          Oct. 16: vs. Minnesota

          Oct. 23: vs. Pittsburgh (SNF)

          Oct. 30: at Detroit

          Nov. 6: at Chicago

          Nov. 13: vs. Cleveland

          Nov. 20: Bye

          Nov. 27: vs. Houston

          Dec. 4: at San Francisco

          Dec. 11: at L.A. Chargers

          Dec. 17/18: at Buffalo

          Dec. 25: vs. Green Bay

          Jan. 1: at New England

          Jan. 7/8: vs. N.Y. Jets

          Strength of schedule: 21st, .481

          Biggest takeaway

          The nation will get a good look at the Dolphins. They get two prime-time games and a showdown on Christmas Day with the Green Bay Packers.

          It's also a brutal stretch to start the season with the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers all on the schedule in the first seven weeks.

          Revenge game

          Week 3 against the Bills. The Dolphins were swept in embarrassing fashion by Buffalo last season, and this Sept. 25 matchup is their first shot at beating the reigning AFC East champion in what should be a measuring stick for coach Mike McDaniel's team.

          What the oddsmakers think

          They have the Dolphins' win total at 8.5. On paper, there are seven games that Miami should win if it considers itself a playoff contender -- if it takes care of business in those games and pulls out a couple of swing games, Miami should clear 8.5.

          Bold prediction

          The Dolphins will start the season 8-2. That stretch to start the season will be difficult, but it's also littered with winnable games. If McDaniel's system works and Miami clicks early, it can start the season on a scorching hot note.