While the NFL has yet to unveil its 2024 regular season lineup or signal when fans can expect an announcement, fervent speculation is already swirling about details such as the number of prime-time slots allocated to various teams, including the Miami Dolphins.
Amidst the mix of conjectures grounded in team popularity and prospective success next season, there are emerging hints regarding specific key dates for the Dolphins.
A CLOSING CHALLENGE: DOLPHINS VERSUS JETS ON THE ROAD?
Commencing with the season’s climax, particularly the Dolphins’ week 18 showdown, historical scheduling patterns offer some insights. In adherence to the scheduling strategy adopted since 2010, this game is predetermined to pit the Dolphins against an AFC East rival.
Over the 14 years this scheduling model has been active, the Dolphins have encountered every conceivable final-week matchup, save for a road game against the New York Jets. Despite the teams locking horns in the season’s last week on four occasions during this period, each game was hosted in Miami.
Factoring in that the Dolphins have wrapped up their season on home turf for the last three years – against the Buffalo Bills, the Jets, and the New England Patriots respectively – a game in New York could be due, bringing a fresh twist to their season finale tradition. Yet, it’s worth noting the NFL’s history of assigning Miami five consecutive home finales between 2013 and 2017, signaling that a continuation of this trend wouldn’t break any precedents.
TAYLOR SWIFT’S STADIUM TAKEOVER
Another strong possibility is the Dolphins playing away or having their bye week during Week 7, influenced by none other than music icon Taylor Swift. Scheduled to perform at the Hard Rock Stadium for three consecutive nights from Friday, October 18, through Sunday, October 20, Swift’s concert series all but guarantees the Dolphins will not have a home game during this weekend. It also seems highly unlikely for the NFL to schedule a prime-time home game for the Dolphins on the eve of Swift’s performance series kickoff.
Historically speaking, an early-season bye has been uncommon for the Dolphins in recent years, with their last such scheduling in 2019 during Week 5. Interestingly, in 2020, the Dolphins’ bye was pushed to Week 7, but that was a byproduct of schedule reshuffling mid-season due to COVID-19 disruptions, rather than initial planning.
As the NFL community awaits the official 2024 schedule release, these insights provide a glimpse into the strategic nuances and external factors that influence the complex orchestration of the season’s games, underscoring the blend of tradition, expectation, and adaptability defining the process.