Dolphins 2009 Schedule

The Miami Dolphins have officially been screwed by the Patriot loving NFL employees and schedule makers. The new schedule looks like this:

Week 1- @ Atlanta
Week 2- Indianapolis
Week 3- @ San Diego
Week 4- Buffalo
Week 5- NY Jets
Week 6- Bye
Week 7- Saints
Week 8- @ NY Jets
Week 9- @ New England
Week 10- Tampa Bay
Week 11- @ Carolina
Week 12- @ Buffalo
Week 13- Patriots
Week 14- @ Jacksonville
Week 15- @ Tennessee
Week 16- Houston
Week 17- Pittsburgh

Analysis:
The first 3 games are against non-division teams. Sadly, all these teams had a winning record last season, and all made the playoffs. You can argue that San Diego had a down year with LT injured and will be much more dominant this year with LT back to full health. At the same time, you can argue that Indianapolis lost a future Hall of Fame coach, and may struggle to adapt to a new system both offensively and defensively, but there's only so much struggling Peyton Manning can do. Atlanta on the other hand is a team that like Miami, had an unexpectedly great season and will only get better with Ryan at the helm.

(Hopeful) Predictions for first 3 games:
Week 1- Win over Atlanta
Week 2- Loss against Indianapolis
Week 3- Win over San Diego

If this is the case after the first three games, it will be a successful start to the season.

Weeks 4 and 5 are against Division rivals, making these games fairly important.

Week 4, we play the Bills, whom have arguably added another WR to burn our secondary. T.O. may bring a ton of issues into the locker room, but when he steps on the field, he's a great WR. In addition, Evans tends to have great games against the Miami secondary, a secondary which may have more holes this year than it did last year entering the season thus far. Nonetheless, I think that between Sparano on the sidelines, and CP10 leading us on the field, Miami will manage the clock and beat Buffalo.

Week 5, we play the... ugh... the Jets... New QB, New Coach, new systems. Don't get me wrong, I DO NOT want to underestimate this team, but I just don't see them being ultra competitive this year. The... ugh... Jets.. (get the theme..)will be playing wholeheartedly during week 5, and any team can beat any team on any giving week, except the 2008 Detroit Lions, ask our very own 2007 Dolphins. So it's important to maintain focus, but the Jets won't be ready just yet, and Miami should prevail.

(Hopeful) Predictions for Week 4/5/6
Week 4- Win over Buffalo
Week 5- Win over NY Jets
Week 6- Bye

Now, this is not bad at all, this sets us up with a 4-1 record through the first 5 games of the season.

Week 7 is against the Saints, who's pass heavy offense led by the magnificent Drew Brees will be too much for Miami's secondary, whether or not they draft a corner or even two. The Saints have too many offensive weapons, and if healthy, Miami's defense will be too vulnerable.

Week 8/9 Jets again, same result. Then the NFL's bride to be, the New England Patriots. They'll have Brady back. Welker, Moss, Maroney healthy, Galloway, and their million weapons... god I hate em all... At this point in the season, this may be the make or break game for Miami in contention of the AFC crown. Unfortunately, I have Miami suffering the loss to a healthy (key) Patriots team.

(Hopeful) Predictions for Weeks 7-9
Week 7- Loss to Saints
Week 8- Win over Jets
Week 9- Loss to Patriots

Now that puts us at 5-3 for the year, and considering we hold the NFL's toughest schedule, I would not be quite dissapointed. Specially if we are in a nice position to make the playoffs.

Week 10/11/12 are not extremely difficult weeks. We face Tampa Bay, who failed the playoffs last year because they choked real bad at the end of last season. They'll have a new coach, a new offense/defense and a new coaching approach. They'll have a new QB, no Joey Galloway, and a heavily aged defense who will no longer be capable of completely dominating like they used to a couple years back.

We also face Carolina. Carolina can be explosive between DeAngelo Williams and Steve Smith, but they have many injury issues year in and year out. If they're healthy, they'll be tough to beat.

Week 12 we face Buffalo and their dual WR threats. This time, they'll be victorious, playing at home, likely by that time, winter kicking in, and Miami not used to playing in those conditions.

(Hopeful) Predictions for weeks 10-12
Week 10- Win over TB
Week 11- Loss to Panthers
Week 12- Loss to Buffalo

Week 13 is against New England, and they usually split the season series, so I'll give this one to Miami.

Week 14 is against Jacksonville. Jacksonville has dropped Taylor, so Jones-Drew now has all the workload. They also have a QB competition working up since Garrard had such a down year. The defense has lost its dominance from 3 years back. They're in rebuilding mode whether they like it or not, and Miami should handle them without much of a problem.

Week 15 is the complete opposite. So the Titans lost Haynesworth. They remain one of the more dominant teams in football and if Collins falters, Young is healthy and will likely be more than ready to take over.

(Hopeful) Predictions for weeks 13-15
Week 13- Win over Pats
Week 14- Win over Jags
Week 15- Loss to Titans

So Miami, with the toughest NFL schedule holds in their hands, at 8-6 a shot at controlling their own destiny.

Week 16 is against Miami's kryptonite, Houston, and this year, the kryptonite expires, and Miami will win. A couple of Miami's losses to Houston have been simply because of underestimating them and because its been early, so CP10 wasn't full on understanding of the playbook. During week 16, an important week because of the playoff race, Miami takes Houston, by a wide margin.

Week 17 on the other hand is against possibly the best defense in football, and an offense that can on get steadier. Pittsburgh should easily handle Miami.

(Hopeful) Predictions for week 16-17
Week 16- Win over Houston
Week 17- Loss to Pitts

So Overall, that gives Miami a 9-7 record.

Will that make the playoffs? Possibly, possibly not, the Pats missed it with an 11-5 record last year.

My point is, screw the schedule, lets face these teams with the Heart of a Champion... stare them in the face, don't back down, and if we go down, go down fighting!!! Let that be the theme for our season!