Following this weekend's bye, the Dolphins begin a pivotal stretch of AFC East play. Four of their next six games come against division opponents, providing an opportunity to apply lessons from the first five weeks and build momentum for the season's second half.
The run starts with a trip to face the New York Jets in Week 7 before Miami returns to Hard Rock Stadium for an early November matchup against the New England Patriots. Two weeks later, the Dolphins travel to Buffalo before closing the stretch back at home against the Jets.
AFC East Challenge Ahead
Miami historically plays well against division rivals. The Dolphins hold the second-best record against the AFC East at 223-175-1, behind only the Patriots at 228-169. Many of the greatest players in Dolphins' history have also made their mark against divisional rivals, highlighted by Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino remaining the franchise leader in every major passing category against the Jets, Bills and Patriots.
In the receiving game, the "Marks Brothers" left their mark on the rivalries. Mark Duper owns the Dolphins' record for receiving yards against the Jets with 1,353, while Mark Clayton holds the top spot against both the Bills (1,272) and Patriots (1,115). On the ground, Larry Csonka ranks first in rushing yards against the Jets (963), Bills (1,074) and Patriots (973).
Jets
The Dolphins hold a 63-57-1 advantage in the all-time series – including 10 of the last 12 meetings – and have also won the lone playoff matchup between the two. One of the most memorable games in the rivalry came on Sept. 3, 1995, when Miami opened Don Shula's final season as head coach with a 52-14 victory over New York, still the most points the Dolphins have ever scored against the Jets. Marino threw three touchdown passes while Irving Spikes and Bernie Parmalee combined for three rushing touchdowns. Miami's defense added four interceptions, including a 69-yard pick-six by Troy Vincent. Played in a scorching 94-degree heat, the contest remains the hottest home game in franchise history.
This year, the Jets offense has improved but has faced struggles in the run game, averaging just 90.4 yards on the ground. That could play into the strength of Miami's defense, which has limited opponents to an average of 3.7 yards per rush, the sixth-best mark in the NFL.
On offense, the Dolphins are sixth in the league with a 4.9 yards per carry average. Establishing the run early to set up play action will help create separation for Miami's playmakers from the Jets' secondary, paramount for this matchup.
Patriots
The Dolphins hold a 64-57 advantage over New England in the all-time series. One of the most memorable moments in the rivalry came on Sept. 21, 2008, when the Dolphins unveiled the Wildcat offense in a 38-13 victory at Gillette Stadium. The formation featured running backs taking direct snaps, allowing a Ronnie Brown breakthrough performance for 113 yards and four touchdowns, even throwing a touchdown pass to Anthony Fasano. The Dolphins' highest-scoring game against the Patriots came on Nov. 12, 1972, when they posted a 52-0 shutout victory during their historic undefeated season. To this day, that remains the Patriots' worst defeat in franchise history.
After reaching the Super Bowl last year, the Patriots started the 2026 season slowly, but have gained momentum in recent weeks. The Patriots have struggled with turnovers, but their passing game has stepped up behind Drake Maye, who threw for 374 yards and four touchdowns in Week 5. Defensively, the Patriots boast one of the NFL's stronger run defenses, setting up a big test for Miami's surging ground attack.
Bills
The Dolphins hold a 63-61-1 edge in the all-time series against their foes from Buffalo. One of the defining chapters in the rivalry began on Oct. 18, 1970, when Miami defeated Buffalo 33-14 at War Memorial Stadium to start what would become the longest winning streak against a single opponent in NFL history. Also part of Shula's inaugural season, the Dolphins forced six turnovers and Csonka rushed for two touchdowns. The victory was the first of 20 consecutive wins over the Bills, a streak that spanned the entirety of the 1970s.
The Bills are off to a hot start atop the AFC East with a 4-1 record. Their veteran roster and high-powered offense has kept them among the league's perennial contenders, with the team averaging a league-high 32.8 points per game. On the other side of the ball, Buffalo's defense currently ranks 30th in total defense and 28th in scoring defense, allowing 28.2 points and 388.6 yards per game. The Dolphins will look to take advantage of those struggles as they head up to Buffalo for their first game at the newly constructed Highmark Stadium.
Looking forward
With plenty of football left to be played, the bye week presents the Dolphins players and coaching staff with a greater opportunity to self-scout and improve upon the first five games of the season. The upcoming divisional slate offers Miami an opportunity to measure its progress against familiar AFC East opponents, looking to turn the lessons from the first five weeks into results on the field.
