MIAMI – New Dolphins coach Adam Gase will face an extremely tough test when he kicks off his coaching career.
The NFL schedule was released on Thursday night and Miami's rookie coach learned the Dolphins will be opening the 2016 season with two very tough road games: in Seattle against the Seahawks in week 1 and then in Foxboro against the Patriots in week 2.
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Gase won't be making his home debut until week 3 against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 25.
In fact, the 'Fins will be on the road for three of the first four weeks of the 2016 season.
In week 4 they will be in Cincinnati to face the Bengals.
But then the Dolphins will have a long home stand with four straight games at home against the Titans, Steelers, Bills and after their bye week the 'Fins will host the Jets in week 9.
Gase and company will then make another west coast trip to play two games: at the Chargers on Nov. 13, followed by a game against the newly moved Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 20.
That game in Los Angeles will be played at the Coliseum, where the Dolphins won their first Super Bowl when they finished their perfect season in 1972 with a win over the Redskins in Super Bowl VII.
The eight road games for the Dolphins will have them traveling a total of 25,366 miles -- a team record for an eight-game road schedule (this does not include the London games in 2015 and 2007 when the 'Fins were the home team).
The remaining road games will be in Baltimore against the Ravens Dec. 4, at the New York Jets on Dec. 17 and the road finale is in Buffalo on Christmas Eve.
The home schedule will wrap up with the 49ers on Nov. 27, the Cardinals on Dec. 11 and finally against the Patriots on New Year's Day.