Setting the Stage for the Week 5 Dolphins-Patriots Matchup

Breaking down all the details for the Miami Dolphins-New England Patriots game at Gillette Stadium.

Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert (31) runs the ball for a touchdown during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in 2023. / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins will look to get back on track when they face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.

Here's all the pertinent info for this Week 5 Dolphins-Patriots matchup.

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MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-3) vs. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-3)

• Date: Sunday, October 6, 2024
• Time: 1:00 PM EDT
• Site: Gillette Stadium; Foxborough, Massachusetts
• Weather.com Forecast: The temperature around Foxborough, Massachusetts, between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM EST on Sunday is expected to be 66-67 degrees with sunny skies. No precipitation is predicted, and the wind is expected to be four MPH.
• FOX (please note that the game will be shown throughout most of Florida and the New England region)
• Announcers: Chris Meyers (play-by-play), Mark Sanchez (color analyst), Kristina Pink (sidelines)

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FINAL INJURY REPORT

• Dolphins — S Jordan Poyer (shin) is out; QB Skylar Thompson (ribs), WR Odell Beckham, Jr. (knee), and CB Cam Smith (hamstring) are questionable.

• Patriots — LB Sione Takitaki (knee) is doubtful; S Kyle Dugger (ankle), WR K.J. Osborn (shoulder), WR Kendrick Bourne (knee), LB Anfernee Jennings (shoulder), CB Jonathan Jones (shoulder), CB Marcus Jones (groin), G Michael Jordan (ankle), C Nick Leverett (ankle), T Vederian Lowe (knee), S Marte Mapu (calf), S Jabrill Peppers (shoulder), and G Layden Robinson (ankle/wrist) are questionable.

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DOLPHINS-PATRIOTS REGULAR SEASON HISTORY

• Regular Season Series History: Dolphins lead 61-53
• Last Five Meetings:

1. October 29, 2023 at Miami — Dolphins 31, Patriots 17
2. September 17, 2023 at New England — Dolphins 24, Patriots 17
3. January 1, 2023, at New England — Patriots 23, Dolphins 21
4. September 11, 2022 at Miami — Dolphins 20, Patriots 7
5. January 9, 2022, at Miami — Dolphins 33, New England 24

• Dolphins' Largest Margin of Victory: 52 (1972 at Miami; Dolphins 52, Patriots 0)
• Dolphins' Largest Margin of Defeat: 43 (2019 at Miami; Patriots 43, Dolphins 0)
• Highest-Scoring Matchup: 77 points (2007 at Miami; Patriots 49, Dolphins 28)
• Lowest-Scoring Matchup: 3 points (1982 at New England; Dolphins 3, Patriots 0)
• Former Patriots Players with the Dolphins: WR Braxton Berrios (2018), P Jake Bailey (2019-22), TE Jonnu Smith (2021-22), WR coach Wes Welker (2007-12)
• Former Patriots Coaches with the Dolphins: Senior offensive assistant Chandler Henley, OLB coach Ryan Crowe
• Former Dolphins Players with the Patriots: QB Jacoby Brissett, DL Davon Godchaux, LB Raekwon McMillan
• Former Dolphins Coaches with the Patriots: Assistant WR Tiquan Underwood

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PATRIOTS SCOUTING REPORT

For a third consecutive week, the Dolphins are facing a new team with a new head coach, and this time, it's Jerod Mayo, who had the distinction of following future Hall of Famer Bill Belichick. Unfortunately for him and the folks in New England, Mayo inherited a team on the slide staring down a rebuilding project, which began with the selection of QB Drake Maye with the third overall pick. But partly because the roster around him is so talent-deficient, Mayo decided instead to let former Dolphins QB Jacoby Brissett lead the offense at the start of the season. The results, not surprisingly, have not been good, though things started with a shocking upset of the Bengals — at Cincinnati, no less. The Patriots also had a chance to win their second game but couldn't hold a late lead in the home opener against Seattle, and then they were blown out by the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers.

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THE BIGGEST REASON THE DOLPHINS WILL WIN

The Dolphins will be getting back four key veterans for this game: Terron Armstead, Raheem Mostert, Kendall Fuller, David Long Jr., and Odell Beckham, Jr., who could also make his Dolphins debut. Even without those players, the Dolphins still have way more talent than the Patriots, who traded away their best defensive player (Matthew Judon) before the start of the season and now have lost arguably their best offensive player (David Andrews) to a shoulder injury. The Dolphins' defense has played well enough for the team to win either of the past two outings, and it isn't easy to envision New England moving the ball very much in this game. The offense has not to hand the game over.

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THE BIGGEST REASON THE DOLPHINS WILL LOSE

Did you watch the game against Tennessee? There's your answer there. Simply put, the Dolphins have to — have to — get something going on offense, Tua Tagovailoa or no Tua Tagovailoa. But until we see it happen, there'll be reason for concern about the ability to produce after a three-point outing against Seattle and a 12-point outing against the Titans. We also can't forget that the Patriots played the Dolphins tough last year at Gillette Stadium even though they already were on the downslide, and their defense steered that.

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FINAL DOLPHINS-PATRIOTS PREDICTION

The Dolphins can't actually lose this game, can they? That we're even having to ask the question is a sad, sobering statement on where the team is right now. But then nobody could have (or should have) foreseen the offense cratering the way it has since Tua got injured, a sad statement on the team's ability to be prepared for the possibility/likelihood that he could miss some games in 2024. We've given this team the benefit of the doubt that the offense will find some answers, and they don't need that many against a New England offense devoid of playmakers. We're not ready to predict a breakout game for the Dolphins offense, but we can't see them not being able to muster enough to leave Gillette Stadium with a much-needed victory, no matter how ugly it might get.

Final Score: Dolphins 13, Patriots 10