Leading the AFC East with a 5-2 record, the Miami Dolphins head into week 8 with a matchup at home against the New England Patriots. The Dolphins are coming off of a disappointing performance that saw the offense stutter against the Philadelphia Eagles on primetime last Sunday night.
Before they travel to Frankfurt, Germany to face the defending Super Bowl champs in the Kansas City Chiefs, using the Patriots as a tune-up game can be beneficial for the Dolphins. However, the Patriots did beat the Buffalo Bills in an upset last weekend and if there is anything to know about divisional games, they're usually competitive, no matter the opponent.
This wouldn't be the first time these two teams have met this season as they faced each other in week 2 earlier where the Dolphins beat the Patriots on the road, 24-17. Here are our Dolphins week 8 predictions:
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Dolphins without Tyreek Hill? No problem for Miami
It's true, Dolphins superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill missed practice Wednesday with a hip injury. From the press conference of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, he said that “If we couldn't have Tyreek [Hill], that's though, but the shows goes on.” In actuality, it might be smart for the Dolphins to rest up Hill for Sunday to prepare for an even bigger test in the Chiefs the week after, but it's still a blow against the Patriots.
However, in the case that Hill doesn't play, it won't be a problem for the Dolphins at home as they'll get back on track and show why they've been heralded as one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Expect big days for Tagovailoa and especially Jaylen Waddle who will fill in as the No. 1 receiver. Even besides the passing game, Raheem Mostert should see a healthy workload and better play from the offensive line.
The quest for 2,000 receiving yards for Hill might suffer, but in the long-term, it helps the team.
A surging defensive line will have a huge game for the Dolphins
As the Dolphins defense looks to get healthier in the secondary, the defensive line is going to have to carry the weight, and they have the right guys just to do it. The last time the Dolphins faced the Patriots, they sacked quarterback Mac Jones four times. Expect big games from Christian Wilkins, Bradley Chubb, Andrew Van Ginkel, and now a healthier Jaelan Phillips. With the unit close to full health, they're an underrated group because the team is known for their offense.
Despite the loss last week to the Eagles, the defensive line had their moments, especially for Chubb who had two sacks on Jalen Hurts. Fans have been waiting for Chubb to really shine with the Dolphins and this finally could be the start of a massive run.
Tough first half, Dolphins trail away in the second
As said before towards the beginning, divisional games are always competitive, especially in the rivalry between the Dolphins and Patriots. However, it's important to remember that when Tagovailoa has started, Miami is undefeated against New England at 5-0.
Getting the win at Gillette Stadium in week 2 was huge and now they're back at Hard Rock Stadium to sweep them this season. It'll happen, but expect the Dolphins to come out slow in the first half as the Patriots capitalize on all opportunities given. Then when the second half comes around, Miami is going to trail away off the backs of Tagovailoa and the defense led by coordinator Vic Fangio.
Follow Us
Subscribe