2015 Miami Dolphins Schedule: Full Listing of Dates, Times and TV Info

The Miami Dolphins have made plenty of headlines this offseason, and now they get to turn their attention toward the actual season with the release of their 2015 schedule. 

Miami finished 8-8 last year but battled for playoff position until it lost three of the last four games, including a blowout loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and a 13-point loss to the New York Jets. If the Dolphins are going to contend for the postseason in 2015, they will have to finish on a much stronger note than they did in 2014.

Navigating the AFC East certainly won’t be easy considering the Patriots are the current kings of football and the Buffalo Bills hired Rex Ryan and added a litany of new players.

Miami added a fairly potent weapon of its own, though. Enter defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who is arguably the most destructive defensive force in the entire league. He could single-handedly transform the defensive front and lead what promises to be a talented group. 

Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel painted an enticing picture for Miami fans:

As for the offense, Miami traded wide receiver Mike Wallace and watched wide receiver Brian Hartline sign with the Cleveland Browns. However, it acquired wide receiver Kenny Stills and tight end Jordan Cameron, so the passing game should still put up some solid numbers. 

Here is a look at the schedule that the newly acquired Dolphins will face this season.

Week	Date	Opponent	Time (ET)	TV
1	9/13	at Redskins	1 p.m.	CBS
2	9/20	at Jaguars	4:05 p.m.	CBS
3	9/27	vs. Bills	4:25 p.m.	CBS
4	10/4	vs. Jets	9:30 a.m.	CBS
5	BYE
6	10/18	at Titans	1 p.m.	CBS
7	10/25	vs. Texans	1 p.m.	CBS
8	10/29	at Patriots	8:25 p.m.	CBS
9	11/8	at Bills	1 p.m.	CBS
10	11/15	at Eagles	1 p.m.	CBS
11	11/22	vs. Cowboys	1 p.m.	FOX
12	11/29	at Jets	1 p.m.	CBS
13	12/6	vs. Ravens	1 p.m.	CBS
14	12/14	vs. Giants	8:30 p.m.	ESPN
15	12/20	at Chargers	4:25 p.m.	CBS
16	12/27	vs. Colts	1 p.m.	CBS
17	1/3	vs. Patriots	1 p.m.	CBS

Analysis

The first thing that jumps out about the schedule is the trip to Wembley Stadium to face the Jets. While it remains to be seen if that ends up being a critical game in the AFC East, the fact that it is in London is something of a novelty for Miami.

Elsewhere, Miami plays the entire AFC South, which could be a favorable break from the scheduling gods. Yes, the Indianapolis Colts are very good and figure to be one of the best teams in the AFC, but the rest of the division leaves plenty to be desired on paper. Games against the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars will all be seen as winnable contests by Dolphins fans.

Miami plays the NFC East in interconference clashes, which is better than facing the NFC West. The Dallas Cowboys are fresh off of a playoff season, and the Philadelphia Eagles are typically contenders, but Washington and the New York Giants struggled last year. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if Miami won at least three of those games if the defense fulfills its potential. 

The Dolphins also play two crucial AFC games at the San Diego Chargers and home against the Baltimore Ravens.

While the schedule presents some winnable games and some challenging ones (such as the annual two showdowns with the Patriots), Miami’s ultimate record will fall on the shoulders of the run defense and quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s progression.

Miami was a disappointing 24th in rushing yards allowed per game last year, which is why the addition of Suh was so critical. He will occupy multiple blockers at once and free up his teammates to make plays. An improved performance in that category is mandatory for a successful season.

As for Tannehill, the Dolphins were 17th in passing yards per game in 2014, although he showed signs that he turned the corner by throwing for a career-high 4,045 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Former NFL executive Bill Polian discussed how important this season is for Tannehill, per Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

"

He's going to be very familiar with the offense now. He's familiar with the NFL. He's probably in a position where he feels comfortable about being able to manipulate defenses and know exactly who is going to be open in what situation without having to think about it. It becomes muscle memory. There should be very few things that will confuse him at this point.

He's been trending up every year and you should expect he's be up again. But you've got to have good people around him, and the most important thing for a young quarterback is the running game. 

"

Miami fans hope Tannehill continues to trend upward against this schedule.

Pivotal Matchups

Billie Weiss/Getty Images

If the Dolphins harbor any dreams of winning the AFC East, the clashes with the Patriots stand out. It is difficult to see anyone knocking New England off its perch, but the only way to do so is by picking up some head-to-head victories against Tom Brady and company.

The showdown with the Cowboys is also notable, especially for Miami fans who don’t get to watch their squad play “America’s Team” very often.

However, that is a game against an NFC opponent, which is why contests against the Ravens, Chargers and Texans are all far more important in terms of actually making the playoffs as a potential wild-card team. All three of those squads could realistically be involved in the race for the postseason, and head-to-head victories would go a long way toward getting the Dolphins into the playoffs this season.

Miami’s record against those three teams, as well as its fellow AFC East squads, will likely determine if the 2015 season is a success or a failure.