MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 20: Salvon Ahmed #26 of the Miami Dolphins runs with the ball against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Déjà vu? For the second consecutive year, the New England Patriots will host the Miami Dolphins in both club’s season opener.
A season ago, the New England Patriots finished with a losing record for the first time since 2000. A total of 19 consecutive winning campaigns (2001-19) ranks second in NFL history to Tom Landry’s Dallas Cowboys 20-year run from 1966-85.
The franchise that has won more games than any other in the NFL this century missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. That also marked the last time Bill Belichick’s club failed to win the AFC East. In 2020, the Pats finished six games behind the division champion Buffalo Bills and three games behind the 10-6 Dolphins.
Speaking of Miami, Belichick’s team will host Brian Flores’ club in Week 1 for the second consecutive year. These longtime rivals have split their two-game set each of the past four seasons.
5 keys the Patriots must execute to beat the Dolphins
5. Lessons learned from last meeting
In Week 1 a year ago, the host Patriots knocked off the Dolphins, 21-11. Three months later at South Florida (Week 15), Miami returned the favor by defeating Belichick’s club by 10 points as well. The ‘Fins 22-12 triumph saw Brian Flores’ club limit the visiting Pats to four field goals and 303 yards of total offense.
What the Patriots have learned is that hitting the road in this series recently has not been advantageous despite the team’s overall success in this series. Belichick and company are 2-6 in their last eight trips to South Florida dating back to 2013.