Game-by-game breakdown of the 2022 Miami Dolphins season

vs. New England Patriots (1 p.m., Sept. 11)

This is the third consecutive year the Dolphins open against the Patriots. The wrinkle this time is the Pats have spent much of the week in South Florida thinking they’ll get acclimated to the heat and humidity, as if anyone gets used to it. DeVante Parker returns, only he’ll be in Patriots red, white and blue. Winning in Mike McDaniel’s debut would be a nice start to the AFC playoff chase.

At Baltimore Ravens (1 p.m., Sept. 18)

The Lamar Jackson Bowl? Now that Jackson isn’t going to sign a long-term extension with the Ravens, oddsmakers are ranking the Dolphins among the leaders to land him next year, probably because the former MVP is from Boynton Beach High and was born in Pompano Beach. Coach John Harbaugh predicted Jackson won’t be going anywhere. The Ravens at one point won three straight over Miami by a combined 137-16, but the Dolphins won last year’s meeting.

vs. Buffalo Bills (1 p.m., Sept. 25)

Nothing like starting off the home schedule with this 1-2 punch, eh? The Bills were a popular pick to win the Super Bowl, but that was before they opened a can of you-know-what against the Rams to open the season. The domination was impressive enough, but if the Bills can do that to the defending Super Bowl champions, it could be a long season for everybody else. This would be a major statement day for the Dolphins if they can pull an upset. The Dolphins haven’t left Hard Rock Stadium as winners over Buffalo since 2018. Last year’s meeting resulted in a 35-0 debacle. The glamour matchup here will be WR Stefon Diggs vs. Xavien Howard.

At Cincinnati Bengals (8:15 p.m., Sept. 29)

Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle vs. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. It sounds like a good WWE match, Alabama vs. LSU. Burrow is working his way back after having his appendix removed this summer and regaining strength. He sat out preseason games but said he feels good entering the opener.

At New York Jets (1p.m., Oct. 9)

This could be the season debut of Jets starting QB Zach Wilson, who tore his meniscus in the preseason. This also will be the Tyreek Hill Bowl. The Jets and Chiefs had a trade in place for Hill before the Dolphins swooped in. So what did the Jets do? They landed ace cornerback Sauce Gardner in the first round, plus receiver Garrett Wilson and defensive end Jermaine Johnson.

vs. Minnesota Vikings (1 p.m., Oct. 16)

A stranger from the NFC North arrives. Miami has played Minnesota only 13 times, including one of its most significant victories (the Super Bowl following the 1973 season). Watch for FSU’s Dalvin Cook, who has three straight 1,100-yard rushing seasons.

vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (8:20 p.m., Oct. 23)

Former first-round draft pick Minkah Fitzpatrick returns to Miami and … no one might notice. This week will be all about the return of Brian Flores, a senior defensive assistant to Mike Tomlin. Flores has a lawsuit pending in federal court against the Dolphins and the NFL. On the field, the Steelers have gone from Ben Roethlisberger to Mitch Trubisky at QB. A slight drop, you might say.

At Detroit Lions (1 p.m., Oct. 30)

Quarterback Jared Goff says he feels more comfortable in his second season in Detroit. He had a 107.1 passer rating in his final five starts of 2021. The Dolphins will face familiar faces in Dan Campbell (a former Miami interim coach) and edge rusher Charles Harris, the former Dolphins first-rounder coming off a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2021.

At Chicago Bears (1 p.m., Nov. 6)

Second-year QB Justin Fields leads Chicago’s offense. David Montgomery ran for 846 yards and seven TDs in 13 games last year. Defensively, watch for edge rusher Robert Quinn, who had a disappointing 6.5 sacks for Miami in 2018 but recorded a career-high 18.5 last year.

vs. Cleveland Browns (1 p.m., Nov. 13)

No, it won’t be Deshaun Watson. He’ll be in the final weeks of his 11-game suspension, eligible for reinstatement on Nov. 28. That means we’ll likely see Jacoby Brissett, who insisted last year he was a starting-level quarterback in Miami even though he didn’t play like one. He started five games last season and finished with five TD passes, four interceptions and a 78.1 passer rating.

vs. Houston Texans (1 p.m., Nov. 27)

LT Laremy Tunsil texts Dolphins GM Chris Grier on occasion, still marveling over the blockbuster trade that sent Tunsil to Houston for a bounty of draft picks. Second-year QB Davis Mills, taken in the third round out of Stanford, threw for 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a rookie.

At San Francisco 49ers (4:05 p.m., Dec. 4)

Mike McDaniel gets to spend a week talking about how it’s just another game, going against his old team and old boss/longtime buddy Kyle Shanahan. RB Raheem Mostert faces his old team, too. Meanwhile, Terron Armstead and the rest of Miami’s rebuilt offensive line must contend with Pro Bowl edge rusher Nick Bosa.

At Los Angeles Chargers (4:05 p.m., Dec. 11)

Dolphins move down the coast, where another Bosa (Joey) awaits, along with Khalil Mack. While Miami’s offensive line tries to deal with them, you know Tua Tagovailoa’s performance will be compared to the guy drafted after him, Justin Herbert.

At Buffalo Bills (TBD, Dec. 17 or 18)

You have to go back to 2016 for the last time the Dolphins won up there. Since then they have lost five straight by a combined 179-91 in western New York.

vs. Green Bay Packers (1 p.m., Dec. 25)

The Dolphins face Aaron Rodgers for only the fourth time. He’s 2-1 vs. Miami with six touchdowns and one interception but has been sacked 10 times. Rodgers enters the year as confident as ever, reminding everyone that NFC North rivals often believe it’s their year, but it usually turns out to be Green Bay’s.

At New England Patriots (1 p.m., Jan. 1)

The Patriots spent time in South Florida to get used to the heat and humidity. Don’t expect the Dolphins to fly up to New England early to have snowball fights.

vs. New York Jets (TBD, Jan. 7 or 8)

Wilson should be at his best for the rematch with the Dolphins. Miami would love for this game to mean something in the playoff race. The Dolphins have won eight of the past nine meetings.

Hal Habib covers the Dolphins for The Post. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Game-by-game breakdown of the 2022 Miami Dolphins season