Dolphins Looking to Play Spoiler for Patriots in Final Week of Season, Again

This is unchartered waters – for the first time in NFL history, NFL fans will get to experience an 18th regular season week and a 17th regular-season game for their squads. And the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots will end it the way they began it: against each other.

Miami Looking to Spoil New England’s Fun, Again

What also is all too familiar for these teams is Miami being able to play spoiler for New England. It was just two years ago that the Dolphins won in Foxborough for the first time since 2008 and knocked the Patriots into the Wild Card round, and out of the first-round byes. New England ended up losing to Tennessee in upset fashion, too.

First and foremost, the Dolphins’ loss against the Tennessee Titans last week officially knocked them out of playoff contention, but now, Miami has something different to go all-out for. The Dolphins can control as much as the Patriots being as much as the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC or force them as low out of not even winning the AFC East.

New England’s Playoff Scenarios

Obviously, the best-case scenario is a Miami win and then New England just straight up can’t be the No. 1 seed or win the division.

However, a New England win is the first step for the Patriots in a list of things that determines its postseason fate on Sunday.

It’s also important to know all week 18 matchups across the league are divisional, meaning the Buffalo Bills are facing the also-eliminated New York Jets, vying for the AFC East crown.

If Buffalo wins, they’re division champions, knocking New England out of the running for both the division and No. 1 overall seed.

However, should the Bills lose, new doors open for the Patriots.

New England clinches a first-round bye with a win, a Buffalo loss or tie, a Kansas City Chiefs loss and a Tennessee Titans loss.

How To Beat Belichick 101

Yeah, good luck trying to figure that out.

Teams have been trying to figure out how to beat Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick consistently for the past 20-plus years. So, fighting the arguably greatest NFL coach is a challenge, but that is Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s next career challenge – and one that he has done before.

Jaylen Waddle Still Going for Rookie Record

Miami beat New England in the season opener this season, 18-17, behind Tagovailoa and strong defensive play. Tagovailoa threw for 202 yards and a game-winning touchdown to rookie Jaylen Waddle in the game.

Waddle also has a chance for another first Sunday: the all-time rookie receptions record. He currently sits at 99, two shy of tying Anquan Boldin, and needing just three to claim the record. He has only had three receptions of less in three games this season.

Miami’s Keys to the Game

But, looking back at New England, the best bet in how to defeat New England is a two-front attack.

On the offensive side of the ball, the best thing to do is to ram the ball down their throats. The only problem is, the Dolphins haven’t had a successful ground game in more seasons then they can count. However, the emergence of Duke Johnson may be able to help change that.

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Should Miami need to throw (likely), the best thing to do is to throw away from Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson. He is known up in Foxborough as Mr. INT – or Mr. Interception.

On the defensive side of the ball, Miami will need to force takeaways and stop the rushing attack of Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson.

Every game New England has lost this season it has had at least two lost balls/takeaways, usually from QB Mac Jones.

For this large of a game, Miami needs to match any takeaways and anything that happens in the game: touchdown for touchdown, field goal for field goal and interception for interception.

The regular-season finale kicks off at 4:25 p.m. eastern inside Hard Rock Stadium.

Kayla Morton contributed to this article.

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– Alessandro Senatore is a Sports Contributor for Full Press Coverage Miami Dolphins who specializes in the NFL Draft and fantasy sports. Like and follow on Follow @AM_Senatore Follow @FPC_Dolphins and Facebook.