The 1-2 Patriots return to the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium after a two-game road losing streak to face the 3-0 Dolphins. The Pats last left Foxboro looking like a team mostly rejuvenated, especially on defense, but after losses in Jacksonville and Detroit the tide has turned against them. Usually, we should remain even-keeled about what happens in September but a 1-3 start would put the Pats in uncharted territory and behind the eight ball in the division for the first time in forever.
It’s been a long week of buildup as 2017 continues to get drudged up and every former Patriot free agent is now seen as the one who got away and has set the Patriots on course for demise. Still, football is a weird game. You can say the Pats lack talent, but that’s always kind of been the case. They’ve built their dynasty by believing in the system and everyone doing their job. And everyone has not been doing their job.
That’s where we can find hope. That with simply better one-on-one play and tackling things can turn around quickly and a team that looks like it might be falling apart can return to playing winning football.
The Dolphins have a huge opportunity. The Pats are on the ropes and a win for Miami would put them firmly in the driver’s seat in the division, especially since they haven’t won at Gillette since 2008’s wildcat game. They’ve won five times against the Pats in Miami since then which would make the rematch in December all the more exciting no matter what happens between now and then.
Miami has played good football and deserves their 3-0 record, but the Pats have a way of busting out their best football when their backs are against the wall. It’s hard to remember a time when they were more backed into a corner than right now and I’m sure we’ve all been itching to see them get back on the field.
What do the Pats have to do to turn their season around and avoid a disastrous start? Here’s the gameplan.
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