After what has been quite possibly the weirdest off-season in the history of the NFL, we’re finally within touching distance of regular season football. This Sunday the New England Patriots welcome the Miami Dolphins to Gillette Stadium, and I’m pumped.
Date: Sunday, September 13
Game Time: 1:00 EST
Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA
Network: CBS
All-time record: Miami Dolphins lead series, 56-53 (including playoffs)
When They Last Met…
Dolphins 27-24 Patriots
December 29, 2019
Last year’s devastating home loss against the Dolphins condemned the Patriots to their first wildcard match up since 2009, a game in which their season would ultimately end against the Titans.
Led by QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami, who were playing for nothing in the league standings, set out to avenge the 44-0 drubbing the Patriots gave them at the start of the season.
The Pats struggled to really ever get going and fought their way to a 24-20 lead with 03:59 to go in the fourth.
Fitzpatrick, who threw for 320 YDS along with a passing and rushing TD, led the fins downfield on a late fourth-quarter drive, before completing a 5 yard TD pass to TE Mike Gesicki, securing victory for the Dolphins in Foxborough.
Key Matchup – Gilmore vs Parker
CB Stephon Gilmore will be itching to settle the score against Miami’s main WR DeVante Parker this Sunday. But why is this important?
Well, New England takes pride in having one of the best secondaries in the NFL, but in their last encounter with Miami, they looked exposed. To put it frankly, Parker, who was mainly covered by Gilmore, caught 8/11 passes for 137 YDS.
Although Miami was one of his poorer performances of the year, it didn’t stop Gilmore from being crowned the leagues DPOTY. Yesterday, he spoke to reporters and was questioned about his upcoming matchup with Parker.
“This is the first game that you get the opportunity to go out there and prove yourself. I take that mindset each and every week no matter what happened last year, the year before. I try to prove myself each and every week and every game. I’m looking forward to it.”
Whilst Gilmore’s approach is that of a fresh beginning, Parker was still thinking about their last encounter in mid June, almost 7 months later.
Player Spotlight – Cam Newton
Whether it’s officially announced or not, Cam Newton will become only the 30th starting quarterback in Patriots history on Sunday against Miami.
His surprise addition to the roster in June was met with excitement from fans, who were concerned about the future of the position, following the offseason departure of Tom Brady.
Newton went from strength to strength during camp, which was particularly impressive given that he had to learn a brand new offense under OC Josh McDaniels. Alongside winning the starting job, Newton was also voted as one of the team captains for the upcoming season, a testament to his leadership and bond within the team.
After a sour end to his time in Carolina, Cam seems to have a chip on his shoulder to prove to himself how great he can really be.
Familiar Faces
The Dolphins have 6 members of the Belichick coaching tree currently within their organization, along with 5 former players across the main roster and practice squad.
Coaching Staff:
HC Brian Flores
GM Chris Grier
DC Josh Boyer
TE Coach George Godsey
D Line Coach Marion Hobby
Quality Control Mike Judge
Main Roster:
C Ted Karras
LB Elandon Roberts
S Eric Rowe
LB Kyle Van Noy
Practice Squad:
DE Nick Coe
Did you know?- Former Patriots Ted Karras, Elandon Roberts, and Kyle Van Noy were selected as Miami captains for the upcoming season.
Score Prediction: Patriots 24-10 Dolphins
It’s tricky to project much for the upcoming season, but I’m going to go with who I think has the stronger overall team, and right now, even with their depleted receiving core, I think that’s the Patriots.
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