The New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins will be squaring off in an AFC East matchup in Week 2 that is trending toward being a massive blowout. As the football world has grown accustomed, the Patriots are considered favorites in the AFC while Miami is expected to be drafting inside the top five picks of next year's draft.
The Patriots couldn't have asked for a better start to their season with a 33-3 shellacking of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Prior to the game, New England unveiled their sixth Super Bowl banner and proceeded to show they're well-prepared to fight for another ring.
Tom Brady was able to throw for 341 yards and three touchdowns versus the Steelers. After having an arsenal that included Josh Gordon, Julian Edelman, and Phillip Dorsett last week, Brady will be getting an elite talent in Antonio Brown for Week 2.
As for the Dolphins, there weren't many positives in Week 1 besides the fact they didn't allow 60 points to the Baltimore Ravens. Instead, Miami allowed Lamar Jackson and company to roll to a 59-10 win in Week 1.
However, the Dolphins are the only team that has defeated Brady and the Patriots more than seven times. In light of that, here are four bold predictions for the Patriots and Dolphins matchup in Week 2.
4. Brady Throws for 400 Yards
The signing of Brown for the Patriots is very reminiscent of the team trading for Randy Moss in 2007. That season, Brady connected with Moss for 23 touchdowns for a single-season record.
Can Brown provide Brady with a similar amount of production in his first season in New England? It's tough to imagine him scoring 23 touchdowns, but he will see plenty of targets alongside Gordon and Edelman.
Without Brown on the team, Brady was able to throw for 341 yards in Week 1. This week, the ageless wonder will surpass 400 yards for the first time since Week 2 of the 2017 season.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick Gets Benched in the First Half
Over the entire offseason, rookie head coach Brian Flores has been adamant on starting Ryan Fitzpatrick as his quarterback. The veteran quarterback started in Week 1, but his first start in Miami didn't go as planned.
Fitzpatrick only managed to complete 14 of his 29 attempts for 185 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. After facing a physical Ravens defense, it doesn't get any easier this week against the Patriots.
Flores was the defensive play-caller for the Patriots in 2018 but his knowledge of New England's defense isn't enough to help Fitzpatrick. Before the teams go the locker room at halftime, Josh Rosen will be the quarterback in this game.
2. Sony Michel Rushes for 125 Yards
Along with Brady having success through the air, Sony Michel should be able to have a productive day as well. Despite winning 33-3 against the Steelers in Week 1, Michel failed to have much success running the ball with just 14 yards on 15 carries.
The second-year running back led the team in rushing attempts in Week 1, but managed just the third most yards on his team. Luckily for him, he will get a chance to redeem himself against an abysmal Dolphins defense.
The Dolphins allowed Mark Ingram to rush for 107 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries last Sunday. This week, Michel will top that by rushing for 125 yards to help New England secure an easy win.
1. Patriots Steamroll the Dolphins 55-13
Last week, the Dolphins allowed an NFL opening-week record 59 points to the Ravens. If losing the game by 49 points wasn't enough, they were bad enough to help the opposing team set a record.
After watching the Dolphins in Week 1, there is a decent chance that we see another rout in Week 2. The Patriots are coming into this week having taken down the Steelers in dominant fashion.
By putting two and two together, this game has blowout written all over it. That's exactly what New England will do with Bill Belichick and company winning the game 55-13.
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