NFL Week 1: Patriots Season-Opening Underdogs For First Time in 6 Years

New England opens its season against AFC East rival Miami for the third consecutive season.

Familiar opponent.

Unfamiliar odds.

When the New England Patriots open the 2022 NFL season on Sept. 11, they'll encounter a recognizable foe in the Miami Dolphins. But unlike their season openers against the AFC rival in 2020 and 2021, this time the Pats will be the underdogs.

It's the first time the Patriots haven't been favored to win a season opener since 2016, when they beat the Arizona Cardinals as six-point road underdogs.

Week 1 NFL betting lines are out for the 2022 season and, yes, the tables have turned. In harmony with a general narrative that the Patriots will take a step back from last year's 10-7 playoff season, Las Vegas oddsmakers have established New England as a 2.5-point against Miami at Hard Rock Stadium.

In 2020 the Patriots were favored by seven points before beating the Dolphins, 21-11. And in 2021 they were favored by 3.5 points at Gillette Stadium in a game they lost 17-16 on a costly fumble by running back Damien Harris at Miami's 11-yard line with 3:35 remaining.

Playing in south Florida has always been a tricky proposition for the Pats, from Tom Brady admitting the Dolphins in Miami "always seemed to have my number" to the infamous double-lateral, 69-yard kick-return touchdown on the game's final play in 2018. After a seven-game winning steak against Miami from 2010-13, New England is only 8-9 in its last 17 games against the Dolphins including losses in the last three games.

Despite finishing a game behind the Patriots in the standings last year and debuting rookie head coach Mike McDaniel against veteran Bill Belichick - who will coach his 28th NFL season opener - the Dolphins find themselves favored.

While the Patriots still boast a highly regarded set of safeties, their cornerbacks will be tested by McDaniel's controlled passing offense led by former first-round quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (3-0 all-time against New England) and newly acquired All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill. A year ago the Pats had Pro Bowl-caliber cornerbacks J.C. Jackson and Stephon Gilmore. This year's job of covering Hill and Jaylen Waddell could fall on corners Jalen Mills, Malcolm Butler, Terrance Mitchell and fourth-round rookie Jack Jones.

Second-year Pats quarterback Mac Jones will be throwing to former Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker, who in two games against New England last season had six catches for 93 yards.