THE NFL IS BACK!!!! The wait is finally over, we have actual football back this evening, and the Patriots will be back in action on Sunday with a trip down to Miami.
The recent history of this rivalry isn’t kind for the Patriots, only having won 2/6 of the last encounters with the fish.
Patriots To Watch
Mac Jones
Mac heads into his second season as captain, after being selected by his teammates to the position earlier this week. This is a big year for Jones, who struggled through the preseason with offensive inconsistantsies, he needs to have that big year-two jump that is so often talked about.
He’ll lead the attack with a pretty similar offense, but will have a new target in DeVante Parker, which is definitely an upgrade on N’Keal Harry. Like always, Mac will be one to watch.
Cole Strange
The first-rounder will get his first taste of pro football against the Dolphins, and I’ll be keen to see how he settles in for the first few games. Strange has had a good camp by all accounts, but I just want him to go out there and put a solid shift in and build from there.
Trent Brown
When Trent Brown has a good game, so do the Patriots, usually. Brown will be key in both the pass and run games, questions for me still linger about his commitment and overall happiness at being moved to left tackle, but we’ll see what Sunday brings for the big monster lineman.
DeVante Parker
Parker comes with intrigue and will play a role for Jones in contested-catch passing attempts. I recall a time with one of my first game previews for the blog reviewing the battle between Parker and Gilmore when he was then on the Dolphins roster, times have changed and Parker isn’t the same player, but I think he could be a useful outlet for Jones. One to watch.
Jalen Mills
After having somewhat of a tough first season, Mills has come out of Training Camp as the consensus starting cornerback for the Patriots alongside Jonathan Jones. Mills having a good game to start his season will be crucial, especially against the likes of Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill looking to cause havoc on the opposing side of the ball.
Dolphin Danger
Tua Tagovailoa
Tua has slowly become then nemesis of the Patriots in recent games, mastering the game-plans set by Brian Flores. He’s bang average in my opinion, but is now tooled up with fast weapons on an office which has history in dismantling the Bill Belichick set defense. The Pats will need to get after him and force him into making mistakes.
Tyreek Hill
Hill is one of the deadliest receivers in the league and joined the Dolphins from KC for big money this offseason. Alongside Waddle, Hill has the ability to turn a short 5-yard completion into a 75-yard touchdown out of nothing by just using his raw speed. My assumption will be that the defense will play a lot of zone against him, and he must be stopped or things could get ugly.
Xavien Howard
The Dolphins have one of the league’s best ballhawks in Xavien Howard, not forgetting his 37-yard pick six on Mac Jones the last time these two teams met in January. Howard probably is Miami’s deadliest threat on defense, he’s one to watch for sure this weekend.
