Everything You Need to Know About Patriots vs. Dolphins Week 5

On Sunday, the New England Patriots will welcome their AFC East divisional rival the Miami Dolphins into Gillette Stadium. Both teams enter Week 5 with a 1-3 record.

The Patriots are coming off back-to-back ugly losses, including a 30-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4. New England has been outscored 54-16 in their last two games, and it hasn't even felt that close.

The Patriots' roster has been hit with several key injuries, and expectations for this team are increasingly dwindling with each passing game after the fanbase was pleasantly surprised following Week 1.

When the NFL schedule was released in May, this game felt like it could be circled as a loss on the schedule for the Patriots. The 2023 Dolphins finished 11-6 and earned a playoff berth behind their prolific offense – which finished third in the NFL in both yards per game and points per game.

However, Miami has floundered in 2024 – especially after losing starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in Week 2. The Dolphins have the embarrassing distinction of not keeping a lead for a single second in 2024 – the only team in the NFL that has yet to play from ahead. Miami's lone win came on a Jason Sanders 52-yard field goal as time expired in Week 1.

The Dolphins are also coming off a loss – dropping a 31-12 matchup on Monday Night Football to the Tennessee Titans. Miami will be looking to turn it around quickly in a short week.

Here is everything that you need to know about the 118th meeting between the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins in Week 5.

The Nuts and Bolts: Start Time, How to Watch, Etc.

• Home: New England Patriots
• Road: Miami Dolphins
• Venue: Gillette Stadium — Foxborough, Mass.
• Date: Oct. 6, 2024
• Time: 1:00 PM Eastern (noon Central, 10 a.m. Pacific)
• TV Coverage: CBS
• Radio: 98.5 FM The Sports Hub

Patriots vs. Dolphins Prediction

Once upon a time, the Patriots and Dolphins brought us a 1994 quarterback duel between Dan Marino and Drew Bledsoe that lit up the scoreboard with 74 points and 874 yards passing. Those days are far gone, as Sunday's quarterback matchup will feature Tyler Huntley and Jacoby Brissett.

It feels misleading to label this game as a likely defensive battle – as offensive ineptitude shouldn't be mistaken for defensive prowess. Regardless, points will likely be hard to come by on Sunday for both teams.

Miami ranks last in the NFL in points per game (11.3), while New England ranks second-to-last with 13 points. The Patriots' 238.8 yards per game also place them at the bottom of the league.

A key to getting Miami's offense going? The Dolphins will be looking to get superstar Tyreek Hill more involved. Hill had 119 catches for 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns last season but only has 17 catches for 217 yards and a touchdown this season. In the three games since Tagovailoa went down, Hill only has 24, 40, and 23 yards receiving, respectively.

Christian Gonzalez locked down Tyreek Hill in only the rookie's second pro game last season, leading Hill to compliment Gonzalez postgame. Gonzalez continued his strong play in 2024, so that should be a fun matchup for fans to watch.

Patriots vs. Dolphins Injury Report

The Patriots received a devastating injury update on Wednesday morning that captain and center David Andrews will miss the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury. Of concern is that Nick Leverett – Andrews' expected replacement, was also present on Wednesday's injury report with an ankle injury.

On the optimistic side of things for the Patriots – Kendrick Bourne, Marte Mapu, and Sione Takitaki participated in practice on Wednesday, as they are eligible to play after beginning the season on the PUP list. Bourne had the third-most receiving yards and second-most receiving touchdowns on New England's roster in 2023, despite missing the final nine games.

Mapu's impending return is even more important given the status of safeties Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers. Dugger left Sunday's game early but is believed to have dodged a serious injury. Takitaki's return could also help alleviate the burden on Raekwon McMillan and Jahlani Tavai after the loss of standout linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley.

On Miami's side, the Dolphins will still be without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was injured in Week 2 and is not eligible to return from injured reserve until Week 8.

Earlier on Wednesday, Miami was dealt another tough blow at edge rusher. Jaelan Phillips posted on social media that he would be out for the season with a knee injury. Also notably, 31-year-old three-time Pro Bowler Odell Beckham Jr. is eligible to make his 2024 debut for the Dolphins and was listed as a full participant by Miami.

Weather Report: Fall Starting to Set In

As Week 5 kicks off, the weather has shifted towards fall in New England. After several kick-offs over 80 degrees, current forecasts project a high of 69 degrees on Sunday afternoon in Foxborough.

Mostly sunny skies are forecasted with a few clouds mixed in. Humidity is predicted at 63 percent with light winds. Showers are expected to roll through Sunday night, but the final whistle should sound far before then.

Miami has historically struggled immensely in low temperatures – they certainly won't have that challenge on Sunday.

Patriots vs. Dolphins Betting Odds

Spread: NE -1.5 (-104) | MIA +1.5 (-118)
Moneyline: NE (-116) | MIA (-102)
Total: 35.5 — Over (-108) | Under (-112)

Despite all odds, the New England Patriots are favored in a game this season. After entering the season not favored in a single game, the Patriots are slightly favored in this divisional clash. Don't be mistaken though, this has far more to do with Miami's struggles (especially once losing Tagovailoa), than anything New England has done.

The Patriots are 1-2-1 against the spread this season, while the Dolphins are 0-4 against the spread in 2024 and 2-8 against the spread in their last 10 games. The over is 2-2 in New England's four games and 1-3 in Miami's.

In the last 10 games between these two teams (going back to 2019), the Dolphins are 8-2 against the spread when playing the Patriots.

Unsurprisingly, the over/under in this game is currently tied with the Raiders-Broncos matchup as the lowest total across the league in Week 5.

Patriots vs. Dolphins Matchup History

Sunday's meeting will be the 118th meeting between the divisional rivals. Miami holds the edge in the series, winning 62 games to New England's 55.

The Dolphins have taken six of the last seven against the Patriots. Tua Tagovailoa has owned New England, with a 6-0 record against them in his career. The only Patriots win in that stretch of seven games was a New Year's Day home win in 2023, when Miami trotted out Skylar Thompson and Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback. Tagovailoa won't be taking the field on Sunday.

The last Dolphins trip to Gillette Stadium was a 24-17 Week 2 win last season that came down to a chaotic lateral play to lineman Cole Strange with a minute left that was originally ruled a first down but was eventually overturned on replay. The play would have given New England a first-and-10 inside the Miami 30-yard line with under a minute left.

The Patriots and Dolphins met again in Week 8 in 2023 – a 31-17 win at Hard Rock Stadium.

As New England's dynasty has faded, head-to-head records have drawn more even. The Patriots won 10 straight games in the series from 2009 to 2018. Those times are long gone.

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