The Miami Dolphins head into 2025 with as many questions as they have weapons. Can Tua Tagovailoa stay healthy? Can Tyreek Hill bounce back after a down season? And can Mike McDaniel’s team shake off the noise about dysfunction and deliver results on the field? Those questions will start being answered in Week 1, when Miami travels to Indianapolis for a season-opening clash against the Colts. With Daniel Jones now under center in Indy, both teams enter with new storylines, fresh challenges, and playoff ambitions. These make this one of the more intriguing games of opening weekend.
Dolphins and Colts set for Week 1 showdown
The Dolphins and Colts play on Sunday, Sept. 7, at Lucas Oil Stadium in a matchup that pits two teams with playoff aspirations but very different identities. In Indianapolis, head coach Shane Steichen surprised many by naming Jones the starting quarterback over former first-round pick Anthony Richardson. The Colts believe Jones gives them a steadier hand in a weak AFC South. However, ‘Danny Dimes' will need to show quickly that he can elevate this roster.
Miami, on the other hand, limps into the season with baggage. The Dolphins went 8-9 last year, losing four of the six games Tagovailoa missed. His health remains the ultimate swing factor for their season. Reports from camp haven’t quieted concerns about dysfunction, too. A rebuilt secondary raises even more questions on defense. With pass rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips needing to stay healthy to cover up deficiencies, Miami enters Week 1 as a volatile but dangerous team.
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Here we will look at and discuss some bold predictions for the game between the Dolphins and the Colts in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season.
Tyreek Hill goes for 70+ receiving yards
The Dolphins need Tyreek Hill to be a superstar again. Last season was a nightmare for him. He finished under 1,000 yards for the first time since arriving in Miami. Hill was hampered by a wrist injury and controversy surrounding his effort late in the year. Now relatively healthy, Hill is positioned to return to form.
Against the Colts, Hill’s speed should be a game-changer. Indianapolis doesn’t have the defensive backs to consistently contain him. Tagovailoa will be eager to hit him on deep shots to silence critics. Expect Hill to surpass 70 receiving yards and find the end zone, jump-starting his bid to reassert himself as one of the league’s elite wideouts. For Miami’s offense to truly click, Hill’s bounce-back is non-negotiable.
Tua Tagovailoa posts a 100+ passer rating
When Tagovailoa is on the field, Miami wins. Under McDaniel, the Dolphins are 25-16 straight up with Tua starting. His career record with the team is 38-24. His ability to execute the quick, timing-based offense is central to everything Miami does. After missing last year’s Colts matchup with a concussion, he should make up for lost time in Week 1.
The Colts’ defense struggled to defend the pass down the stretch in 2024. They allowed three of their last four opposing quarterbacks, who were Bo Nix, Mason Rudolph, and Drew Lock, to throw for at least two touchdowns. With De’Von Achane possibly limited by a calf injury, Miami may lean more on the passing game. That means Tagovailoa connecting with Hill and Jaylen Waddle in what could turn into a track meet. A passer rating north of 100 feels sensible.
Daniel Jones posts a 90+ passer rating
Daniel Jones’ career in New York ended with disappointment, but Indianapolis offers him a clean slate. Yes, he doesn’t inspire the same excitement as Richardson. That said, Jones brings experience and underrated mobility. Against a shaky Miami secondary that may be one of the league’s worst, Jones has a chance to put up solid numbers.
Michael Pittman Jr, Josh Downs, and Tyler Warren give him respectable options in the passing game. If Jones avoids turnovers and supplements his passing stats with 30–40 rushing yards, he could deliver a passer rating of 90 or better. That might not win him headlines, but it could keep the Colts competitive well into the second half.
Dolphins pull out a tight one
For all the offseason chatter about Miami’s dysfunction, it’s hard to overlook the raw speed and talent this roster boasts. When Tagovailoa starts, the Dolphins win more often than not. With both Hill and Waddle healthy, the Colts’ defense may be in over its head. McDaniel’s offensive creativity should give Miami the edge in a high-tempo contest.
That said, Indianapolis won’t make it easy. Daniel Jones will have moments, and Steichen’s scheme is designed to keep games close. Ultimately, though, the Dolphins’ firepower is too much. Expect Miami to grind out a 27-23 victory, proving that, at least for one week, their talent outweighs their turmoil.
Final thoughts
The Dolphins and Colts both enter Week 1 with plenty to prove. Miami must show that its offense can carry the load while its defense rebuilds. Indianapolis must prove that betting on Jones over Richardson wasn’t a mistake. Everything points to Hill reclaiming his form, Tagovailoa shining with efficiency, and Jones keeping the Colts competitive.
In the end, Miami’s speed and playmaking tilt the scales. For the Dolphins, a win silences talk of dysfunction. For the Colts, even a competitive loss could provide signs of life in a wide-open AFC South. Either way, Lucas Oil Stadium should host one of the most intriguing storylines of the opening weekend.
