Is it too early to call this a must-win game?
Coming off two straight losses, the New England Patriots find themselves tied for last in the AFC East. In fact, this is the first time since 2002 that the Patriots are more than 1.5 games out of first place.
The undefeated Miami Dolphins (3-0) come into Foxboro today looking to show that this start is no fluke, as it did what it was supposed to do with wins over the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Oakland Raiders.
If the Patriots fall today, they will be three games out of first place with little to no margin for error. With games still remaining against the likes of the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers, New England will be challenged to make the Wild Card game never mind catching up in the division.
As Kevin Duffy of the Boston Herald noted, 40 teams over the past five seasons started 1-3. Only six of those 40 teams made it to the playoffs.
Defensively, the Patriots need to be wary of Miami’s slot receivers, particularly old friend Danny Amendola. Miami leads the NFL in receptions by slot receivers, which should mean some man coverage from corners with zone help from linebackers in case Adam Gase decides to implement some crossing routes.
The defense will receive a boost of sorts with Trey Flowers expected to play. The Patriots need their best past rusher to cause some disruption up front against Ryan Tannehill. It has yet to be determined if Patrick Chung will be able to return, as New England could use his command of the defense after struggling last week.
Speaking of injuries, Rob Gronkowski will play, while the debut of Josh Gordon is still uncertain. Gordon will test out his hamstring during pregame warm-ups, but the feeling is he will be good to go. Someone to watch on the Miami defense is cornerback Xavien Howard, who is one of the more underrated players at his position in the league. Howard will have some pressure on him, as All-Pro safety Reshad Jones will not play.
Another player worth monitoring will be Cameron Wake, who always seems to have a knack of getting pressure under Tom Brady.
Something worth taking note of is how the team uses running backs Sony Michel and James White. Michel had a less-than-stellar outing last week, and based on play calling, the Patriots cannot afford to be too predictable on offense. Michel has received the ball 20 out of the 23 snaps.
Simply put, the Patriots just need to play better in all facets of the game. The defense needs to show up, while the receivers need to to a better job of being available for Brady.
