The New England Patriots (0-1) welcome the Miami Dolphins (1-0) in an early season AFC East matchup. Sunday night’s contest will be the first of two matchups between the divisional foes, the latter coming late next month in Miami. Keep reading to get the insights of this matchups and our Dolphins vs Patriots predictions!
The matchup will be viewed nationally on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Looking at the NFL schedule, we should be in for one of the better games this week.
The longstanding rivalry will be played for the 116th time in the two franchise’s history, with the Dolphins holding on to a 60-55 advantage in the series.
The two teams split last year’s matchups, Miami taking the first contest of the season at home, 20-7, and New England replaying the favor with a 23-21 triumph on New Year’s Day in New England.
Miami capped Week 1 with a wild victory on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers, beating the home team 36-34 as a three-point underdog. Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill exploded, hauling in 11 passes for 215 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Patriots had the ball deep in Eagles territory with a chance to take the lead late, but rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was unable to get both feet inbounds, stalling New England’s drive at the Philadelphia 20-yard line.
Sunday’s contest kicks off at 8:20 p.m. EST inside Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Dolphins vs Patriots odds have Miami as a consensus 3-point favorite and the over/under total at 46.5 points.
Looking at the NFL odds, we should be in for a fantastic game to cap the second Sunday slate of NFL at BetUS odds have the Dolphins as the favorites in Dolphins vs Patriots predictions.
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Overall Game Info & Outlook
- Miami Dolphins vs New England Patriots
- Last Games: Miami defeated the Chargers, 36-34; New England lost to Philadelphia, 25-20
- Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
- 8:20 p.m. kickoff on NBC
Miami Dolphins Preview
- Miami is 5-1 against the spread over their last six games.
- Looking at the past NFL standings, in the last five games against New England on the road, Miami is 5-0 ATS.
- The total has hit the over in eight of the last 12 contests for the Dolphins.
Miami was involved in the highest-scoring contest of Week 1, with both offenses having their way with opposing defenses. Head coach Mike McDaniel should expect less fireworks this week going up against a talented New England Patriots defense.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa dropped back 45 times in Week 1, completing 28 passes for 466 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. The passing yards was the second-most of his career for the fourth-year pro.
River Cracraft Makes Waves with Touchdown Catch for Dolphins
Looking at the NFL stats, Miami was unable to get much traction with the run game, compiling only 70 rushing yards on 20 attempts. Raheem Mostert received the bulk of the carries, touching the ball ten times out of the backfield for 37 yards and a score.
Hill was the focal point of the passing attack, but if the ball wasn’t in Hill’s hands, it was going to Jaylen Waddle, who added four receptions for 78 yards. Wide out River Cracraft added a touchdown reception.
This week, the Dolphins would like to see a better effort from their defensive unit that surrendered 30 first downs and 433 total yards of offense to the Chargers. Establishing a rushing attack will keep the Patriots’ defense honest while they try to limit Hill and Waddle’s presence on the outside.
New England Patriots Preview
- The Patriots have failed to cover the spread in their last five contests.
- New England is 1-4 ATS in their previous five games at home.
- In four of the last five games for the Patriots, the total has gone over.
The Patriots showed a lot of heart in Week 1 after a sluggish start saw New England in an early 16-point hole. A lot of players are injured for head coach Bill Belick’s squad, and a few more popped up on the injury report after last week’s game. Four starting linemen have questionable tags heading into Sunday’s battle, which makes their Super Bowl odds slim.
Matt Jones looked comfortable under center after a rocky 2022 season. The third-year starter completed 64.8% (35-of-54) of his passes for 316 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. The 54 passing attempts was a career-high for Jones.
New England’s Blueprint: Balancing Act for Offensive Success
Like Miami, the Patriots had a tough time on the ground, racking up 76 yards on 22 carries. Rhamondre Stevenson led the team in carries with 12, but it was offseason acquisition Ezekiel Elliott who led the team with 29 yards on the ground. Stevenson made up for his lack of rushing production with six receptions for 64 yards through the air.
With DeVante Parker sidelined for the opener, veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne made the most of it, grabbing six receptions on 11 targets for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Hunter Henry added five catches for 56 yards and a score.
The game plan for New England is similar to Miami’s: find balance offensively with a rushing attack to keep the defense off-balance. The Patriot’s defense will have to pressure Tua and keep the quarterback uncomfortable to limit the downfield passing attack that tore up the Chargers’ secondary. If they want to defeat the Dolphins vs Patriots predictions, they will need to execute an almost perfect gameplan.
Top Sportsbooks Odds
BetOnline: Miami Dolphins -3
Bovada: Miami Dolphins -2.5
MyBookie: Miami Dolphins -3
BetUS: Miami Dolphins -3
BetNow: Miami Dolphins -3
Miami Dolphins vs New England Patriots Odds & Picks
Odds for this Matchup:
Recommended Pick:
- Miami Dolphins -2.5 via Bovada
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