It’s finally game week for the Dolphins as they open 2017 season in Los Angeles

With Hurricane Irma thousands of miles behind them, the Miami Dolphins are getting back to work on Tuesday.

It’s Game Week for the Dolphins.

Finally.

The Dolphins were forced into a premature off week when the decision was made to postpone the scheduled season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from Hard Rock Stadium last Sunday to Week 11 in November.

The players went their separate ways with some flying to the Los Angeles area with their families to escape Irma on a plane chartered by Miami owner Stephen Ross.

Others met the team in Southern California for a week of practice and game prep.

The San Diego — err, Los Angeles —Chargers are up to bat.

Miami got to see what the Chargers have been up to lately as they closed Week 1 with a Monday Night loss in Denver.

The Chargers had a chance to tie the game but Denver’s Shelby Harris blocked kicker Younghoe Koo’s 44-yard field goal attempt with a second left lifting the host Broncos to a 24-21 win.

Los Angeles made a nice comeback in the game. After trailing by 17 and being held to just 115 total offensive yards, Philip Rivers and the Chargers battled back and came within a blocked kick of forcing extra time.

After losing their season opener, the Chargers are ready to make their return to the Los Angeles area official.

Some may remember the Chargers were originally the Los Angeles Chargers but after one season playing at the Coliseum, they headed south for San Diego where they spent the next 56 years.

After years of threats, the Chargers finally picked up and left San Diego — moving a few miles north on I-5 to the Los Angeles area.

While the Rams moved back to Los Angeles from St. Louis and took up residence at the Coliseum, the Chargers are hanging in Carson and playing at a soccer stadium which lists capacity at just 27,000.

Both the Rams and Chargers are just playing in temporary homes; the two plan to move into Rams’ new $2.6 billion stadium complex near Los Angeles Airport and the former home of the Lakers in Inglewood in time for the 2020 season.

▪ FUN FACT: It looked like the Dolphins would be the final opponent for the Chargers in San Diego as they closed the 2015 home season with a 30-14 victory over Miami.

The Chargers ended up staying in San Diego for one more season — the Dolphins came back to Qualcomm Stadium last year and won 31-24 on Nov. 13 — before the Chargers’ owner moved the franchise to Los Angeles after the 2016 season.

Now, the Dolphins do get to be the Chargers’ first NFL opponent in Los Angeles.

Or, Carson. Whatever.

This story was originally published September 12, 2017 at 9:22 AM with the headline "It’s finally game week for the Dolphins as they open 2017 season in Los Angeles."