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          With Tom Brady suspended, can Dolphins go .500 in September?

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          Hoge concerned with Patriots weathering storm with Garoppolo (1:29)

          Merril Hoge shares his concerns with Jimmy Garoppolo filling in at quarterback while Tom Brady is suspended and recalls Garoppolo's inconsistency and critical mistakes in scoring territory last season. (1:29)

          • James Walker, ESPN Staff WriterJul 13, 2016, 11:15 AM ET
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            • A Temple graduate and Hyattsville, Maryland, native who lives in Miami
            • Joined ESPN in 2008
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          The Miami Dolphins have arguably the toughest September slate of games in the entire NFL this season.

          Miami plays at the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1, followed by at the New England Patriots, home against the Cleveland Browns and at the Cincinnati Bengals. That's three road games in the first month against opponents who made the postseason in 2015.

          It's natural to peg a 1-3 start for Miami. The team has a rookie head coach (Adam Gase), and the Dolphins were 6-10 last season.

          However, does Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's four-game suspension being upheld on Wednesday change Miami's outlook?

          The Dolphins will face unproven backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who at that point will start just his second career game. The drop-off in quarterback play from a future Hall of Famer to an inexperienced signal-caller is expected to be significant.

          The Dolphins haven't won a game at Gillette Stadium since 2008. It is going to be a tall task for Miami to break the streak in Week 2. But certainly Brady not under center for New England makes this a more winnable game.

          No team wants to start 0-2. The Dolphins' chances of upsetting the Seahawks on the road in Week 1 are slim. That means the Week 2 game against the Brady-less Patriots will be big for the first half of the Dolphins' season.