Miami Dolphins fans Week 1 rooting guide It is only Week 1 of the 2018 regular season Laremy Tunsil Jersey , but that does not mean playoff considerations can not be already made. I know, it is way too early, but at the end of the season, a win in Week 1 could make or break the Miami Dolphins’ playoff positioning. As such, we need to take a look across the NFL’s schedule and see which way you should be rooting.The basic rules for most of the game is that you root the Dolphins, for NFC teams over AFC teams, and you do not root for teams in the AFC East. Later in the year, when strengths of victory and the surprises of the season - “bad” teams being good and “good” teams being bad - this will adjust, but for Week 1, here is our rooting guide:Bills at Ravens - 1pmThe first game on our tracker is actually a tough one to try to decide where to root. The Bills were in the playoffs last year and are an AFC East team, so the rule should be to root against them. The Ravens Cordrea Tankersley Jersey , however, are always a tough team for Miami - luckily they are not a regular season opponent this year - and should be in the AFC Wildcard picture. A loss early in the year from Baltimore could be a good thing for Miami. At the end of the day, however, we will stick with trying to see Miami get ahead of Buffalo in the division. Root for: Ravens.Jaguars at Giants - 1pmCan the Jaguars repeat their 2017 performance and win the AFC South? If they can put themselves in that position, then a win here is actually better for Miami because it will help their strength of schedule and possibly strength of victory when the Dolphins host the Jaguars in Week 16. That said, AFC losses are better for Miami right now, especially if the Jaguars are not able to reclaim their division title and are in Wildcard positions. Root for: Giants.Texans at Patriots - 1pmIf we are being honest, the Patriots will win the AFC East again this year, while the Texans will be a Wildcard competitor (assuming they do not beat the Jaguars for the AFC South championship). A Houston loss here is probably better for the Dolphins, especially since the Dolphins have two shots at the Patriots and just one at the Texans. I cannot write that however, because it is the Patriots Raekwon McMillan Jersey , and at this point, we will assume Miami is in the running for the AFC East. Root for: Texans.49ers at Vikings - 1pmThis one is simple. Miami plays the Vikings this year, they do not play the 49ers. Two NFC teams does nothing for the playoff picture in the AFC, so getting Miami’s opponent a stronger strength of schedule is better. Root for: Vikings.Bengals at Colts - 1pmBoth teams are on Miami’s schedule this year, neither team was a playoff team in 2017, and both could struggle this year. I will lean toward Andrew Luck’s return making the Colts a better team in 2018, so I want to see them lose early, but this is a coin toss game at this point. Root for: Either.Steelers at Browns - 1pmAssuming the Ravens are in the Wildcard hunt probably means the Steelers are winning the AFC North. Miami does not play either of these two teams this season, so seeing Pittsburgh get out to an early divisional lead will be good. Root for: Steelers.Chiefs at Chargers - 4:05pmAnother AFC versus AFC game that does not have much of an impact on the Dolphins - at least until the Wildcard picture starts to come into focus. The Chiefs won the division last year, with the Chargers a game behind them but missing the playoffs. This game is just about who you think will be more likely to win the division and which team you want to see pick up a loss for the Wildcard competition. Root for: Either.Seahawks at Broncos - 4:25pmNFC versus AFC make this one simple. Root for: Seahawks.Bears at Packers - 8:20pmMiami faces both teams this year, so the strength of schedule options sort of come into play Charles Harris Jersey , but since they even each other out with a win and a loss in this game, it does not mean anything in the long run unless Miami beats the loser and loses to the winner. Another coin-toss game that could be in the not considered list, but made it up here. Root for: Either.Jets at Lions - MNF 7:10pmA pretty straight forward one, though you could argue that the Dolphins face both of these teams, and since the Jets are on the schedule twice, a win for them here could be better for Miami’s strength of victory/schedule, but getting ahead in the AFC East is always better. Plus, there is no way to write “Root for” followed by the New York team unless it is an absolute necessity. Root for: Lions.Rams at Raiders - MNF 10:20pmNFC at AFC. The strength of victory/schedule could be an option here, but getting the Raiders a loss in the Wildcard chase is better. Root for: Rams.Games without consequence for DolphinsBuccaneers at Saints - 1pmCowboys at Panthers - 4:25pmRedskins at Cardinals - 4:25pm The Miami Dolphins were last on the field nearly two weeks ago, losing their fourth game out of four on the year and looking more and more destined for the first-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Coming out of the bye week, ahead of a Week 6 contest against the (also) winless Washington Redskins Jason Sanders Jersey , fan confidence in the direction of the Dolphins continues to grow, with now a majority of fans saying they are confident in the team’s direction.During the preseason, 64 percent of the fans were confident in the Dolphins’ direction, but that quickly fell, down to 58 percent before Week 1, then down to 34 percent ahead of Week 2. It slowly began climbing after that, with 41 percent of the fans confident ahead of Week 3, then up to 49 percent before Week 4. After a drop down to 48 percent before Week 5, the fan confidence is now up to 55 percent.Sign up for FanPulse, our Dolphins fan survey. Let us hear your voice.Interestingly, that 55 percent matches how many Kansas City Chiefs fans say they are confident in the direction of the Chiefs. Kansas City saw their fan confidence plummet from 94 percent before Week 5 down to 55 percent this week.Around the AFC East Kalen Ballage Jersey , the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots both have 91 percent of their fans saying they are confident in their respective favorite team’s direction. Only the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, and Indianapolis Colts, all at 96 percent, have a higher fan-confidecne score. On the other end of that spectrum, the New York Jets have just 5 percent of their fans confident in the direction of their team, ahead of just the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins, both of whom are at 2 percent of the fans saying they are confident.Washington’s 2 percent is actually an increase from Week 5, when they had 0 percent of their fans confident in the direction of the team. Miami faces Washington tomorrow in a showdown that could be a large factor in determining the team with the 2020 first-overall draft selection. You can join in our FanPulse survey and have your thoughts and feelings about the Dolphins by signing up here.