Assuming quarterback Tua Tagovailoa can keep wholesome and large receiver Tyreek Hill regains the shape that led to eight straight Professional Bowl appearances earlier than final season, this mid-season matchup on Thursday Night time Soccer guarantees to be a shootout.
Week 11 vs. Washington Commanders
This 12 months, Miami and Washington will meet at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for the NFL’s first ever common season sport in Spain.
When the groups final met in 2023, the Dolphins beat Ron Rivera’s Commanders, 45-15. After changing Rivera with head coach Dan Quinn in 2024, Washington made all of it the best way to the NFC Championship sport, the place the crew ultimately fell to the Tremendous Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Quinn’s final journey to the large sport got here in 2016 when his Atlanta Falcons misplaced a heartbreaker to Invoice Belichick’s New England Patriots in Tremendous Bowl LI. Again then, Quinn had a 33-year-old offensive assistant named Mike McDaniel, who took over because the Dolphins’ head coach in 2022. This 12 months, he’ll look to go 2-0 in opposition to his former mentor.
Week 16 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Passing information beware when Cincinnati receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins be a part of Hill and Jaylen Waddle for a primetime matchup on Sunday Night time Soccer. Chase led the league with 127 receptions for 1,708 yards final season, whereas Higgins earned a four-year, $115M contract extension with 911 yards and 10 touchdowns in solely 12 video games.
Higgins helped the Bengals beat the Dolphins, 27-15, with 124 yards and a rating when the groups final met in 2022, the 12 months quarterback Joe Burrow completed because the league’s fifth-leading passer and helped lead Cincinnati to Tremendous Bowl LVI.
Final season, Burrow led the NFL with 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns however did not take his crew to the playoffs. Notoriously gradual starters, the Bengals went 1-4 to start out the common season however went 5-0 to finish the 12 months.
With this 12 months’s sport falling in late December and the NFC South champion Buccaneers scheduled for Week 17, the Dolphins ought to have their arms full in what may very well be a vital sport in opposition to the Bengals.
