| With all due respect to the players the New England | | | | Week 11: Thursday, Nov. 18, Chicago, 8:20 PM |
| Patriots, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills have added | | | | Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28, at Oakland, 4:05 PM |
| this offseason – OK, I probably shouldn't include the | | | | Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, Cleveland, 1:00 PM |
| Bills – there was no bigger potential impact move in | | | | Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, at NY Jets, 4:15 PM |
| this division than the Dolphins trading for Broncos wide | | | | Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, Buffalo, 1:00 PM |
| receiver Brandon Marshall. | | | | Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, Detroit, 1:00 PM |
| Behind Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, the Dolphins | | | | Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, at New England, 1:00 PM |
| were fourth in the NFL in rushing last season on their | | | | The NFL betting lines are ranked right in the middle of |
| way to a 7-9 record one season after winning the | | | | the 32 teams in strength at a tie for 16th with an |
| AFC East. But they were 20th in yards per game | | | | opponents' 2009 winning percentage of .500 (128-128). |
| passing under Chad Henne, and the Dolphins had just | | | | There are eight games against playoff teams from |
| 15 touchdown passes (27th in the NFL) and 29 | | | | last year. Miami plays eight road games and six will be |
| completions of more than 20 yards, which was better | | | | against 2009 playoff teams. |
| than only the inept Cleveland Browns. | | | | Miami needs to learn to start fast. Last year the |
| Miami had 331 completions last year, and Marshall had | | | | Dolphins were 0-3 out of the gate. In 2008, they were |
| nearly a third of that by himself with the Broncos after | | | | 0-2 to start. And in 2007 the Fins were 0-13. Miami has |
| another All-Pro season with 101 catches (record 21 in a | | | | to win at Buffalo to open the season because then |
| game) for 1,120 yards and 10 TDs despite missing the | | | | the schedule gets downright scary for a while. |
| season finale due to a team-issued suspension. | | | | However, the Bills thumped Miami at Ralph Wilson |
| Marshall did have offseason hip surgery but should be | | | | Stadium last year. Actually the 31-14 score was |
| fine by the opener. The Fins haven't had a 1,000-yard | | | | misleading as Buffalo scored 24 unanswered points, all |
| receiver since 2005. | | | | in the fourth quarter. |
| And look for Williams and Brown – the latter who is | | | | Weeks 2 through 9 will likely determine Miami's season. |
| reportedly near 100 percent after last season was cut | | | | They have the Vikings (NFC title game last year), Jets |
| short by an injury – to have big seasons because | | | | (AFC title game last year), Patriots (AFC East champs |
| both are in the final years of their contracts. | | | | last year), Packers (NFC North favorites this year; |
| The Dolphins did lose Jason Ferguson, Joey Porter and | | | | playoff team last year), Steelers (likely playoff team |
| Jason Taylor, among others, off their defense from | | | | this year and which beat the Fins in Week 17 last |
| last year, but added the top free agent linebacker on | | | | year), Bengals (reigning AFC North champs), Ravens |
| the market in Arizona's Karlos Dansby. Perhaps the | | | | (playoff team last year, AFC North favorites this year). |
| biggest addition was coordinator Mike Nolan from | | | | If there's a tougher stretch for any team in the league, I |
| Denver, as this team will now be much more | | | | don't know one that could compare. And I'm not even |
| aggressive on defense. Cornerbacks Vontae Davis | | | | including two very possible playoff teams in Weeks 10 |
| and Sean Smith both started games as rookies and | | | | and 11 in the Titans (beat Miami last year) and Bears. |
| should be much improved as sophomores. The Miami | | | | That's a lot of teams at the top of the NFL Power |
| defense ranked just 26th in the NFL last season, giving | | | | Rankings. |
| up 24.4 points per game. | | | | So that's the bad news. Here's the good: In Weeks 12 |
| WagerWeb lists Miami's over/under for NFL season | | | | through 16, the Dolphins play teams that were a |
| win totals at 8.5. Let's break down the 2010 Miami | | | | combined 27-53 last year with only the Jets having a |
| Dolphins schedule and the football picks: | | | | winning record. And Miami beat the Jets twice in 2009. |
| Week 1: Sunday, Sep. 12, at Buffalo, 1:00 PM | | | | Hard to see the Fins winning in the elements in New |
| Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, at Minnesota, 1:00 PM | | | | England to close the year out, however. This will be |
| Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, NY Jets, 8:20 PM | | | | the ninth time in 11 seasons the Dolphins end on the |
| Week 4: Monday, Oct. 4, New England, 8:30 PM | | | | road. It's not a good thing that Miami's final two games |
| Week 5: BYE | | | | against the other AFC East contenders, the Jets and |
| Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, at Green Bay, 1:00 PM | | | | Pats, both likely will be in very cold weather. |
| Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 24, Pittsburgh, 1:00 PM | | | | I think that rough midseason stretch kills this team's |
| Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31, at Cincinnati, 1:00 PM | | | | playoff hopes and the Fins go 8-8. Miami is +300 to |
| Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, at Baltimore, 1:00 PM | | | | win the AFC East, but it simply isn't better than the |
| Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 14, Tennessee, 1:00 PM | | | | Pats or Jets. |