(A bit of a different read to break up the sweaty OTA interviews... )
My wife recently asked me when would be a good week to travel with her sister next fall. We have two little ones, and whomever is home alone is in for little relief until the merciful sound of keys-in-door.
My answer was any time between 10/15 and 12/11- really, any time. During that span, the Dolphins will be predicted to win one game. And half of the lines will likely be 4+ against us. Have you looked at next year's schedule? I mean, really looked at it? on 10/15 we are in ATL. On 10/22 we get a reprieve, home against the Jets. Then we travel to Baltimore, something of a house of horrors for us. Then home to Oakland, the team that might have had the one seed in the AFC last year but for an untimely injury. After that we travel to Carolina, take a Bye, go to New England in the gathering cold, are home to Denver, and then home to New England.
Don't get me wrong; I am excited to see how we stack against the best in the business. I believe we will be a good football team. I also believe that Denver and Baltimore may be in serious decline, and that any game against the Patriots is winnable. However, I still look at that stretch in the season and recognize why Vegas thinks the Dolphins stand a good chance of being sub .500 this season.
Put another way, we open H TAM, @ LAC (does anyone else think Clippers), @NYJ, NO (neutral), H TEN. We had better plan on taking all five if we want to be alive in late December. And our last three games are hardly a favor, with trips to BUF and KC in the snow likely in the offing.
So buckle up, Dolphins fans. The NFL has done us no favors. But I like our team, and I glad to get the chance to watch us play a playoff schedule. I just may earn some husband points somewhere in the middle.
Jay Lopez
My wife recently asked me when would be a good week to travel with her sister next fall. We have two little ones, and whomever is home alone is in for little relief until the merciful sound of keys-in-door.
My answer was any time between 10/15 and 12/11- really, any time. During that span, the Dolphins will be predicted to win one game. And half of the lines will likely be 4+ against us. Have you looked at next year's schedule? I mean, really looked at it? on 10/15 we are in ATL. On 10/22 we get a reprieve, home against the Jets. Then we travel to Baltimore, something of a house of horrors for us. Then home to Oakland, the team that might have had the one seed in the AFC last year but for an untimely injury. After that we travel to Carolina, take a Bye, go to New England in the gathering cold, are home to Denver, and then home to New England.
Don't get me wrong; I am excited to see how we stack against the best in the business. I believe we will be a good football team. I also believe that Denver and Baltimore may be in serious decline, and that any game against the Patriots is winnable. However, I still look at that stretch in the season and recognize why Vegas thinks the Dolphins stand a good chance of being sub .500 this season.
Put another way, we open H TAM, @ LAC (does anyone else think Clippers), @NYJ, NO (neutral), H TEN. We had better plan on taking all five if we want to be alive in late December. And our last three games are hardly a favor, with trips to BUF and KC in the snow likely in the offing.
So buckle up, Dolphins fans. The NFL has done us no favors. But I like our team, and I glad to get the chance to watch us play a playoff schedule. I just may earn some husband points somewhere in the middle.
Jay Lopez