The 2020 Schedule and the Miami Dolphins

The NFL made it official Monday morning when it announced that all games in the 2020 season would be played in the United States.

Given the current circumstances brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, this seemed a given as reports in recent days indicated.

But there is another significant issue that will need to be addressed when the league does release the schedule, which is expected to happen this week.

It deals with the Dolphins and their West Coast games.

The Dolphins' list of road games for 2020 includes Arizona, Denver, Las Vegas and San Francisco.

The issue is that some NFL teams prefer to stay on the road when they have to travel cross-country for consecutive games. For example, the Dolphins stayed in Southern California in 2016 when they played back-to-back road games against the San Diego Chargers and the Los Angeles — they won both games, defeating the Chargers 31-24 and the Rams 14-10.

The Dolphins also spent a full week in Southern California in September 2017 after their home opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was postponed because of Hurricane Irma and they opened their schedule instead against the Chargers in their first season in Los Angeles in Week 2.

But the circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic clearly have made things more complicated this year, as SI Senior NFL Reporter Albert Breer pointed out in his column Monday.

"One question that coastal teams are getting from NFL schedule-makers: Do you still want to have games on the opposite coast set for consecutive weeks so you can stay in between games (a practice many teams have adopted)?" Breer wrote. "On one hand, teams might believe that could be an effective way of quarantining, with players and coaches sequestered amongst themselves. On the other, teams might not want to spend extended periods of time in other parts of the country. It’s pretty relevant this year, with the AFC East drawing both West divisions in the rotation, and the NFC West drawing both East divisions."

Along with the Cardinals, Broncos, Raiders and 49ers, the Dolphins will face the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road along with their three AFC East opponents.

The Dolphins' 2020 home opponents, along with the AFC East teams, are the Kansas City Chiefs, L.A. Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks and L.A. Rams.