The Miami Dolphins are set to host the New England Patriots in South Florida for their annual matchup. Miami comes into the game with momentum, having won consecutive games to improve their record to 4-6. Their offense has been particularly impressive, ranking as the NFL’s most efficient since quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s return.
New England, meanwhile, is also optimistic about their quarterback situation. Rookie Drake Maye has led the Patriots to a 2-4 record (3-8 overall) since taking over for Jacoby Brissett in mid-October. Brissett’s early-season struggles left New England at 1-4.
This matchup carries significant historical weight. With a win, the Dolphins would complete a season sweep of the Patriots for the second year in a row.
The last time Miami swept New England in back-to-back seasons was in 1999 and 2000. A fourth straight victory over the Patriots would give the Dolphins eight wins in their last nine meetings with New England.
Tua Tagovailoa is looking to extend his perfect record against the Patriots to 7-0. Over the past month, his performance has been a key factor in Miami’s success, with the Dolphins leading the league in several offensive categories, including a 60% drive success rate.
Miami’s offense has been in a rhythm recently, scoring on every drive in their last two games except for those ending the half or on kneel downs. The Dolphins were flawless on six straight drives against the Raiders and finished their previous three drives against the Rams with points. These drives have averaged 55 yards, 4.88 points, and 5:22 in game time.
Tagovailoa, in his fifth season, has continued to evolve as a quarterback. He leads the NFL in two crucial stats: his passer rating under pressure is a league-best 126.3 (up from 52.8 last year), and he also tops the league in passer rating outside the pocket with a 120.3 mark.
A lot of this success is due to the strong play of Miami’s offensive line, especially veteran left tackle Terron Armstead. Armstead’s pass-blocking efficiency rating of 98.4 ranks fifth in the NFL, and he was a key factor in keeping Raiders All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby off the stat sheet last week. The Dolphins are hoping for a similar performance against a Patriots defense that allowed Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford to throw for 295 yards and four touchdowns without recording a sack.
If Miami wins this game, they would improve to 5-6, just one game behind the Denver Broncos for the AFC’s final playoff spot. After this matchup, the Dolphins will travel for a Thanksgiving night game against the Green Bay Packers.
Be sure to check the Injury Report and the team’s social media accounts 90 minutes before kickoff for the latest on player availability.
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