Uncommon Preseason Opponents for Dolphins
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Along with the Miami Dolphins 2022 regular season schedule, their preseason schedule has been unveiled and it includes some uncommon opponents.
The one that stands out is the Las Vegas Raiders, who the Dolphins will face in the preseason for the first since 1991 when the teams met in Tokyo, Japan.
The teams will face off Saturday, Aug. 20 at Hard Rock Stadium at 7 p.m. ET.
But it's not just the idea of facing the Raiders that's unusual, it's the distance traveled for a preseason game.
Here's the stat that tells you all you need to know: This will be the first time since 2001 when the San Diego Chargers came to Miami that the Dolphins will face a preseason opponent located more than one time zone away.
The Raiders game will be one of two in the preseason at Hard Rock Stadium for the Dolphins, whose one road game will be at Raymond James Stadium against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET — though it's entirely possible, even probably that Brady won't play in that preseason opener.
The preseason finale also will be against an uncommon preseason opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles.
That game will take place Saturday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. ET.
This will be the 11th preseason meeting between the Dolphins and Eagles, but only the second since 1990. The first took place in Philadelphia in 2017 in the season that ended with the Eagles winning the Super Bowl.
The game against the Eagles will bring together former Alabama teammates Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts.
The Dolphins were 2-1 in the 2021 preseason, losing at Chicago before winning at home against Atlanta and at Cincinnati.
THE DOLPHINS 2022 PRESEASON SCHEDULE
Saturday, Aug. 13 — at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Aug. 20 — Las Vegas, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, Aug. 27 — Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET
JOINT PRACTICES?
Before the first two preseason games, the Dolphins held joint practices with the Bears in Chicago and the Falcons in Miami, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see it happen again this summer.
In particular, it's difficult to envision the Raiders being happy with simply flying from Las Vegas strictly for the game, which is why it would make sense for joint practices before that Aug. 20 game.
The Dolphins also held joint practices with the Eagles prior to their 2017 preseason game and also the last time they faced the Buccaneers, which was in the 2019 preseason at Tampa Bay.
New Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said during our one-on-one interview right before the scouting combine that he liked the idea of joint practices.
"It's something I believe in," McDaniel said. "I know that we've done it here in the past and I don't plan on that changing. I think that players enjoy in camp to have the monotony broke a little bit, but also you end up getting to clinic your own team on various schemes that are different from what you're looking at every week. So it's very beneficial and in multiple ways, and it's something that as long as it continues to be in the best interest of the Dolphins we'll definitely do."
