Bill Belichick’s mind is on the Miami Dolphins and not on the distractions coming off the field, including the sexual assault allegations against newly acquired wide receiver Antonio Brown. Since the New England Patriots head coach was held from talking about his team’s Week 2 matchup in Miami during his press conference with reporters Wednesday, here are six things that Patriots fans should know about the Dolphins.
1. There’s a lot of familiarity on the Miami sideline
It would be fair to call Miami the new “Patriots South,” as many former New England assistant coaches moved south to join the Dolphins during the offseason, headlined by last year’s de facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores as Miami’s new head coach. Joining Flores are Chad O’Shea (former wide receivers coach) as offensive coordinator, Patrick Graham (defensive coach assistant) as defensive coordinator, Josh Boyer (cornerbacks coach) as defensive pass game coordinator.
So, how will the Patriots fare against a coaching staff that knows them as well as any other coaching staff in the NFL?
Last season, the Patriots were humiliated by the Detroit Lions in a Week 3 loss to former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. In a Week 10 matchup against former linebacker Mike Vrabel’s Tennessee Titans, New England was routed, 34-10.
However, as opposed to Patricia and Vrabel, Flores was thrown into a dumpster fire in Miami. After the Dolphins were thoroughly dominated by the Baltimore Ravens, 59-10, in their season opener, several Miami players reportedly requested a trade. Heading into this week’s game against the Patriots, it is fair to wonder how a first-year head coach in Flores will keep the Dolphins composed.
2. New England has struggled in Miami
Leading by five with seven seconds left in last December’s Week 14 tilt in Miami, New England seemed destined to pick up their tenth win of the 2018 season. Yet, seven seconds proved to be a lot of time, as evidenced by the Miami Miracle:
Hard Rock Stadium has become a place of terror, of sorts, for the Patriots. In its past six trips to Miami, New England has only won once, with a 35-14 victory in the last game of the 2016 regular season. On the other hand, the Patriots have won every single game against the Dolphins that has taken place at Gillette Stadium since the 2008 season. Although Miami has earned a ticket to the AFC playoffs just once in the past decade, they have played like a playoff team whenever they have hosted New England.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick or Josh Rosen?
Miami knew Ryan Tannehill was never going to turn into the franchise quarterback that they thought he would when they drafted him with the eighth pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, so they traded him away to Tennessee in March.
Now, they are stuck with a pair of quarterbacks that they acquired in the offseason in Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen. Fitzpatrick started in the season opener this past Sunday against Baltimore, but he didn’t last long as Rosen took over when the game was well within the Ravens control.
Fitzpatrick is expected to start again Sunday for the Dolphins, and he may be remembered when he led the Buffalo Bills to an upset win over New England back in 2011.
4. The Dolphins backfield
Kenyan Drake scored the game-winning touchdown to cap the Miami Miracle last December and is now lead running back for the Dolphins. The former star from Alabama had only 644 rushing yards last season and was held to just 12 yards on four carries in Week 1, but he is talented enough to capture a more impressive statline, as long as Miami’s offensive line, which traded Laremy Tunsil to Houston prior to the season, allows him to find running room.
Outside of Drake, Kalen Ballage enters his second season but didn’t get a lot of carry in his rookie season and recorded a disappointing season opener, finishing with a negative yard on five carries.
If New England held Pittsburgh’s James Conner, who is much more explosive than Drake and Ballage, to just 21 yards on 10 carries, it’s easy to expect for the Patriots to continue their dominant run-stopping defense in Miami.
5. The Dolphins receiving unit
With either Ryan Fitzpatrick or Josh Rosen lining up at quarterback, it’s hard to see the Dolphins receiving unit to have any kinds of success.
Last year the leading receivers in Miami were Danny Amendola and Kenny Stills. Both of them are now gone after Amendola signed with Detroit and Stills was traded to Houston. The Dolphins are left with Albert Wilson, DeVante Parker and Preston Williams. Out of that group, Wilson was last year’s leading receiver with 391 yards on just 26 catches, proving that he is a dynamic deep threat when his quarterbacks can successfully connect with him.
6. The Dolphins defense may be the worst of all time
Baltimore starting quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is known more for his leg game than his arm, had one of the greatest quarterback performances in NFL history in Week 1 against a Miami defense that allowed him to post 324 yards and five touchdowns for a perfect passer rating of 158.3, just the seventh time that has been accomplished in league history. There were several other offensive records broken in the Ravens slaughtering of the Dolphins.
Miami is slated as nearly three touchdown underdog heading into its Week 2 game against New England. With Antonio Brown expected to make his Patriots debut and after Tom Brady dominated the Steelers last Sunday, it’s not that hard to imagine New England posting a similar offensive performance against Miami, as Baltimore did.
