Dolphins Patriots Week 1 Preview

another season, beccons. We're breaking down every single matchup in the Dolphins and Patriots, the opening day rubber match of the last three seasons. Will tell you about our opponent in depth, how Miami matches up three some things to watch for the three Keys, and everything you need to know for week number one. It is here, so are we. Let's go from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the Drivetime Podcasts. What is

better than opening Day? What's better than the feeling of hope, excitement and anticipation. Those butterflies that you're surely feeling leading up to kick off on Sunday should be among the most welcomed emotion that you experience in our life where everything is on a pendulum, and things are measured equally in terms of if it can be this great and feel this good, then the opposite can be true too.

And that's where those anxiety flutters come from. And you should welcome that because you know, Dan Well that will win on Sunday is going to have you in a fan frenzy. You'll scroll social media with a grid on your face. You'll watch the highlight shows and remaining games on the week one calendar with the perspective about how it impacts your Dolphins and their one and oh mark on the season and a loss, and you'll feel that

dread that can only come from sports fandom. You don't want to put on the TV, you don't want to log on social media, you don't want to see your co workers on Monday morning. Most of all, I think we're all just so excited to have the best time of year back in our lives. College football is back in full swing, Baseball heading down the stretch, run go maridness, basketball and hockey around the corner of the World Cup kicks off in a month, and all is right in

the world of sports. The leaves begin to change colors for some of you, and your Sundays Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays now have built implants for the next five months. Rejoice, guys, we made it. Opening Day is upon us, and let's talk about that opener as the Patriots make the Week one pilgrimage to South Florida for the first time since a thirty three to twenty Dolphins victory behind a hundred and thirty four yards and a touchdown from No. Sean Marino.

That was the middle victory of a three game streak for the home team in games between Miami and New England here at hard Rock Stadium. And since that victory, the game that was sealed by Michael Thomas interception in the end zone, the Dolphins are seven and two versus the Patriots in that building across the street. Conversely, those records are flipped when these teams face off in Gillette Stadium, so a deadlock at nine and nine. Dating back Miami

won their last year and in twenty nineteen. The Patriots won here in nineteen and so the Pats have already arrived this week as they traveled out to South Florida earlier to acclimate to the weather, and boy is the weather going to be miserable. The forecast calls for degrees with sixty percent humidity in a real feel of one two degrees at kickoff, and then of course will be amplified in the sunshine on the visitors sideline and a little bit cooler on the shaded home sideline of your

Miami Dolphins. There are scattered thunderstorms expected in the afternoon. It would not be a September Dolphins home game without some thunderstorms. In the forecast. You've got a fifty one chance of rain and wins out of the southeast at eight miles per hour. So will that early rival and potential weather acclamation benefit the Patriots will have a negative impact? Curious see how that works out with fourth core conditioning. It's going to be a big part of this football

game for both sides. So that's the Patriots literal arrival here, But how about their figurative arrival? As we kick off the preview podcast, as we always do, with a brief meat and greet of our opponents, and of course with the Patriots, they are the in laws that we see every year twice a year for the holidays, and this year, instead of seving out the end of November and December, we subbed out from the game's actually occur this year September eleven and January one, so also two days in

the calendar you'll never forget. But frankly, what the Patriots have done the last two years is really akin to what the last two decades have been. I don't know about you, guys, but I sure do recall the number of Patriots run finally coming to an end, articles, segments

and bits that we saw over the years. Shoot, speaking of I recalled that Chiefs blow out to drop them to two in two and that was the definitive end of the Patriots right Well, no, because they won three championships after that, So counting this team out seems a little bit foolish, foolish even though a lot has changed for that club up there, And that's what happened, I think from a lot of folks these last two years. That roster was depleted for various reasons, with injuries, opt outs,

in season absences that key positions. Quarterback Cam Newton was unavailable for a couple of those games. Still, that team won eight games, no small feat that year in the first year without Tom Brady, then last year with a rookie quarterback and granted the return of some key parts a big free agent class and other crop of rookies, they win ten games and get right back into the postseason.

It's just not supposed to happen that way. You don't go from franchise best quarterback all time directly into more success. A few teams have, but the Packers and Colts were anomalies, not the norm. As the Dolphins fan knows, the same way that Broncos fan post Elway knew, the Bills post Jim Kelly, the Cowboys post Troy Aikman. Do we have to go on? I don't believe we do. But I'm not saying Mac Jones is that. But the Patriots certainly enjoyed some success in his rookie season. Duplicating that is

going to be the challenge for this Patriots team. A Patriots team who enters this season off that playoff year with a roster that has been largely remade the last three seasons not exactly uncommon in the NFL. If you look at their unofficial depth chart on Patriots dot com, they list the starters with six guys from that free agent class, five rookies from these past two free agent classes. And then just about everyone else was acquired in some

form or fashion in or later. Really it's Devin mccordy, Jawan Bentley, Dietrich Wise, Lawrence Guy, Jonathan Jones, Isaiah Wynn, and David Andrews who don't fall into that category. And then even in the second team portion of the depth chart, and guys you'll figure to see plenty of Davante Parker, Kendrick Borne, Time Montgomery, josh U j Marcus Jones, Adrian Phillips, Turbrill Peppers, all newcomers within the last three years, so they've reshaped this roster. You know, the Patriots are gonna

play smart. You know they'll be a tough, well coached team. You know they'll be prepared and have a game plan for that challenges. Are coaches here to their fullest. Now, Belichick did say a couple of years ago that at this point in his career he wants to coach guys that he likes, and it seems like he's gotten the roster full of guys that fit those criteria, tough, smart, discipline players and makes for a very intriguing matchup, especially in this instance where we know a lot of the

Miami defense is the same from a year ago. Most of the stalwarts I mentioned, you know, five of the seven in fact for the Patriots were on their defense as well, So that defense has been has enjoyed a lot of continuity, and the defensive systems through both of these teams have been similar throughout the years, with flexible fronts, versatile players that allow them to mix it up and call on the rush games and blitzes that both defenses

have to offer. Then there's a very strong emphasis in the defensive backfield with who you pay, who you draft, the allocated resources to that position on either side that requires you to be seven or eight guys deep in terms of getting significant reps on a game day. Then on the other side, a lot of new on the offense. Josh McDaniels is in Las Vegas and Matt Patricia takes over as the play caller, while Mike McDaniel takes on

the same challenge here for the Miami Dolphins. One last thing before we get to the position by position matchups here. I was curious to see Patriots Week one snap counts last year, and I'm not entirely sure it's instructive, but my entire goal with these preview podcasts. On top of entertaining you, which I hope we do, is to intundate

you with information. And I want you out in that east lot at nine am with your beer in hand, tossing your bag of corn rock and solo d on the speakers, telling your tailgate party brethren about the advantage of twelve personnel against big Nickel and forcing that extra hat in the box, so to speak. Cool. So no surprise. In terms of quarterback offensive line dbs, those are the three spots you typically get snaps, typically one D for

quarterback and offensive line sands injuries within those games. But last year they had that Matt Jones and the front five guys put every snap. Devin mccordy and J. C. Jackson, who has now gone with the Chargers did as well, while safety Kyle Dugger played but on offense, Jacoby Myers played the snaps. We'll talk about him in a moment. Aglare played. John H. Smith and Hunter Henry combined for a hundred and nine snaps. That was seventy three and

seventy So that was long of twelve personnel, right. Damien Harris lad the way with forty snaps that was among the running backs. And then also you see her Durant a sixth offensive lineman. He played twenty three snaps of the time with the extra offensive lineman in the game. So it's a different offense. But those jumbo packages are something we've seen a lot of with the Patriots. They did it back in two thousands Opener two thousand twenty.

Sounds weird plenty in that game, So again, not sure if it's instructive because they have added at wide receiver this year with Parker and then Tae Kwon Thornton before the injury, but something to consider. But also their usage of tight ends backs and the extra offensive lineman is a good way to get your defensive backs off the field, right,

especially when you had x Byron Needum last year. And we'll have two of those three for this game this year with some newer names in the mix with no Ignogny, key on Crossing, potentially Cater Cahoo as well. But I'm curious to see if that's the plan again because Henry snap count went from sixty seven or from seventy three in that game to sixty seven on the year, and Smith down to scent compared to being over in that opener. Defensively,

Judon played high tower seventy eight percent. I think that's pretty typical of your top linebackers in this system. Then it's the same use of depth to rotate guys through. But this is why I was curious to look at this. I wanted to see how much those guys played in Week one versus their season percentages and factor in the

heat factor down here as well. So game one last year, god Shaw sixty seven percent on the season, so he played more in game one, Lawrence Guy fifty four percent in game one percent for the season, Christian bar More forty eight percent, Game one fifty five percent on the season, and then Dietrich wise forty six to forty eight percent. So sometimes you test a hypothesis, you don't get a

defined result. That's mostly what happened here. But again I love this because it's just as helpful to learn that your hypothesis was not right, and this one wasn't necessarily wrong. I mean, all but one of those guys saw an increase in their work with the rest of the season, And if that's how you go into Week one, really across the league, as you work to get your in

season legs under you. It would seem to me that's quite a benefit to possessing the football longer and running more plays, especially in a game down here in the sweat box. And I do think that's instructive. When you look at the four games against the Patriots the last two years, plays ran in for the Patriots at home sixty four to Miami sixty two, seventy five to Miami sixty eight. One of those games a lost with the Dolphins, one of them a tight win that probably should have

gone to the Patriots. Late the games down here, the Patriots ran seventy two plays to Miami's fifty five back and or rather that was flipped seventy for the Dolphins for the Patriots that was a runaway. And then the Dolphins fifty four down here in the game last year, another game that was a to score victory. So when the Dolphins get ten or more plays in the Patriots, they blow them out of the water. I think that's interesting here that one the opener went heavily in favor

of the Patriots. The Dolphins stole that one. But again, you run more plays in this razor thin margin between these two kind of similarly built teams. At least they were previously. I don't think they are anymore. But if you can sustain drives to the Dolphins, I think that really puts you in position to win this game, not just by a close margin, but by a couple of touchdowns as well, because that's what happened, all right. I think that's a good spot for our first break here.

We're gonna preview each position of this game and break down these matchups football season. That's next on the Drive Time Podcast. Your Travis Wingfield brought to you by Auto Nation back here on the Week one Dolphins Patriots Preview edition of the Drive Time Podcast. And if it sounds like there's a bit of a pep in my step, that's because there is. We've got football tonight, Bills and Rams. I made my pick for that on the Tuesday podcast,

the Season Preview Podcast. We're taking the Rams Week one picks in full coming tomorrow, but we are focused on the game of the week. Well, the Dolphins are always the game in the week around these parts, but I do think it's one of the best matchups on the weekend slate. And we start where we always start. The

Dolphins quarterbacks versus the Patriots safeties. And the first thing I want to look at here last year was the blitz numbers against Twah with the Patriots defense and that opener last year, he was only blitz six times, that produced one sack and a three for five with twenty eight yards and the lone pick. The two or three against the Patriots in that season finale it was pretty similar. Seven blitz is four or five eighty passing yards, no touchdowns,

no picks. Will that be the plan again? The Dolphins added a pair of top of the line separators, so that can be an interesting element of this matchup as we zero in closer to the quarterback versus safety matchup here. And Kyle Dugger is my breakout pick for the Patriots, a guy that I think can really keep that defense humming at the level you've expected to get from them year after year. Devin mccordy spends most of his time

in the post. Adrian Phillips typically a box guy who can kind of buzz some of those crossing routes and make a play if you don't identify him, and then Dugger is the jack of all trades, kind of your Javon Holland type. This group is smart, they're athletic, they're versatile. Makes for a tough matchup. I'm beyond curious to see what it looks like. We made a bunch this summer.

About two is pregame ritual and pontificating the correlation between him making strides in his game from a processing standpoint and finding that third or fourth option in the progression of a given pass play. So to me, finding out where Dougger is going to be is key. The Patriots defense is gonna mix it up as well as anybody. I'm sure their brackets will change, their blitzlow pre and post Napple change, but I think the number twenty three Kyle Dugger is a good place to start in terms

of I ding where it will all go down. He could potentially be kind of your fullback in terms of that guy will take my eyes to where the play goes. It's been one of the more man heavy based defenses in the league, and the Dolphins have plenty of weapons that can beat man coverage, but avoid getting bated or making that mistake by staying on schedule and taking what they give. You are all going to be keys for twa and I think he can play that discipline style

of ball that this game could require of him. Remember, the Patriots defense has annually been one of the best scoring defenses, regardless of where they finish in total yards allowed on the season. They force a lot of field goals, so that's another key. Can they find the end zone when they penetrate the red zone? A lot of these questions I pose have multiple layers, I e. How can they run the football? How does design help in those areas?

The games last year Miami punched in both of their red zone visits and the opener, and that was the difference. Can find success in that area again? If they can, I think you'd get a similar result for two in this game. I think he's gonna have a chance to really just take with the defense gives him and play a highly efficient football game. And that's what I expect

out of your quarterback one in this game. A lot of completions, a lot of opportunities to run after the catch, and maybe the occasional vertical shot built in the receivers and tight ends versus the cornerbacks. And it starts here for me with Tyreek Hill. The Patriots have seen plenty of Tyreek over the years. If you go back to the eighteen seasons, you have the same cast of characters

here in this matchup. Hill posted seven for one, thirty three and a touchdown in seventeen and seven for one, two and three touchdowns in the a f C Championship game. There was almost no instance of him getting single coverage. Belichick said, forget that, I'm not doing that. And it was Jonathan Jones and Devin mccordy over the top doubling him in that game with that bracket, and he caught

one for forty two. But there was a ripple effect in that Sammy Watkins, who was invisible all year for the Chiefs, goes off for four for one four team. So what does that tell us? Same thing Belichick has been doing to win on defense for two plus decades, using that secondary cornerback and doubling the most productive player and letting your number one cornerback match up with the offenses number two. But that's the beauty of this remade

Dolphins wide receiver's room. On paper, it looks like a pick your poison situation, and that's where Jalen Waddle comes in as a big factor in this game. For me and your number two. If he gets a chance to get that single coverage all game, I am going to be thrilled about it, because I don't know where the matchup benefits the Patriots. If that's the instance, whether it's Jalen Mills, whether it's Jonathan Jones, whether it's a rookie and Jack Jones or Marcus Jones or Miles Bryant, who

knows what happens. But that's why you invest so much in Waddle and Tyreek. It's a tough ask for defenses. If you double Tyreek for the first half and Jalen has five catches for a hundred yards and a touchdown, you're gonna change your game plan. You might have to again, you might just have to be multifaceted to crack a Belichick defense, and that's what the Dolphins have here. Reminds me of the Miami Heat in so many ways. That heat limit a top score, but teams that have multiple

options and shooters can take advantage of that. On paper, it's a tough, tough ask, and those are the two receivers on the first team on Miami's death chart. By the way, for New England, it's Jonathan Jones and Jalen Mills, with rookie Marcus Jones the third and Miles Bryant the fourth,

It'll be interesting to see how they match up. You've got that speed, but you've also got the size and range of Cedric Wilson and Mike get SICKI not to mention the rest of the receivers and tight ends who continue the versatility aspect of it all, But I look at Tyreek and Jalen their three cone times and they're forty times, and the way those guys move. Jonathan Jones is a four three three, but he's a seven to

five guy. So if you condense one of those guys inside and give them two way goes, the change of direction disparity stands out. How about the rest of the room. Jalen Mills four six one, Jack Jones four five two, Miles Bryant four six two, Tyrek and Jalen are four three guys, you know, and all three of those guys are under seven second three cones. Not as fast as

Jalen and Tyreke. But I like the Dolphins stylistic matchup here in terms of athletic suddenness, quick twitch to make that move those latter three guys have the slower straight line times with the change of direction is so important measured by that three cone time. It's it's really tough to gauge these without having, you know, any fresh tape. So we'll keep trucking along into backs versus backers. But I like Miami's receivers in this game at running back

in linebacker. It's funny how we always get back to this idea of complimentary football because with these great game plans the Patriots have offered author year after year. The next element that maximizes what an offense can accomplish against them is the run game. Sort of what we mentioned earlier about New England keeping teams out of the end zone. One of the best ways to run a lot of plays sustained drives and keep that New England defense out

there is to run the football effectively. And if you have Wattle going off in that single coverage and he gets vertical, you have to back a safety off. All of a sudden, Now the Dolphins running game can get cranking, so all this stuff works together. From Miami, it's a super interesting matchup as the Dolphins trot out this new system for the first time against a defense that hasn't changed its core principles all that much, and of course

Bill Belichick will always tweak. But it's so interesting to me because you have similar defensive styles, and per reports out of Patriots camp, they've been installing a similar style running game. So both teams have seen this look in practice. And I went back to the Niners and Patriots matchup

and New England's four turnovers. Sure me it's tough on them to get anything going in that game, But the Niners offense gained four hundred and sixty seven yards with thirty seven rush attempts for buck nineties seven and all four of their touchdowns were on the ground, And to me, therein lies the rub of that success. Three yard, four yards, sixteen yard, and seven yard rushing touchdowns. If the Dolphins can run the ball on the red zone that efficiently, boy,

they're gonna be impossible to defend. It's a big key in this game run the ball in the red zone. And in general, we don't have a feel yet for how this rotation will work, but the speed, the stretch, getting eyes in the wrong place, maybe some overplay from the Patriots second level, especially if you can do it successfully, do it late, and get that defense worn down a bit. Ideally this works in centergy with that passing game to

keep them off balance. So how do Chase Edmonds Raheem Mostert the two top backs in the on the depth chart matchup. It's Jawan Bentley and Matt Judean and newcomer Mack Wilson in that linebacker group for the Patriots. Mack Wilson is a guy you might not be familiar with. He came over last year in a trade from the Browns,

formerly of the Alabama Crimson Tide. He played just seventy three snaps of the Patriots last year, but in his career he's got one thousand, one forty five off ball snaps compared to two fourteen on the line So he's an off ball backer and his specialty is more coverage. Six of eight targets last season for forty three yards seventy seven one oh five of one oh five for

seven sixty two in his career. Those are pretty good numbers for that position with the high percentage throw as they see, so he can match up with the backs in the passing game. But Chase Edmonds is pretty dynamic It's an interesting matchup there if that's how it plays out. And then Jawan Bentley you probably know about him similar usage style in terms of six hundred and fifty one off ball snaps last year compared to sixteen on the line,

a few scattered elsewhere. The reason I bring this up is because the Dolphins listing of two backs on that opening depth chart in the starting lineup. Can they keep the Patriots linebackers on the field in lieu of defensive backs, because that means you have way more space inside for Tyrek and Jalen speed to maximize. It's their speed. I'm curious see how the personnel matches up on either side the chess aspect of football. My favorite part of this

game offensive line verse defensive line. This part the old cliche. It comes down to the trenches. Right to Ron Armstead. Connor Williams are new. The Patriots front isn't all that different. Divon god Shaw and Christian bar Moore are difficult. God Shaw, you know, can plant inside two gap and clog up the run game with the occasional pass rush. He's a

key cog in the middle of that defense. Bar More is a little more of a jack of all trades, who can win with quickness, instant penetration, and apply immediate pressure on the quarterbacks. I'm curious to see how they work to scheme out, scheme him out of those opportunities, because you gotta get him taken care of. He's He's a very good pass rusher on the inside and he can blow up a game quickly. It's interesting in terms

of how styles make fights right. The Dolphins have so much athletic ability and the Patriots front has so much size with those two guys and Wise and Guy, Dietrich Wise and Lawrence Guy. I'm not just making rhymes here for no reason. Uh can the quickness win or with the Patriots inflict their will? And boy, the Dolphins can either side s stand up for four quarters. It's a fastening part of this matchup. Then you've got the linebacker position with regards to pass rush, and it starts with

Matthew Judean. He was on an absolute terror last year for the first thirteen weeks of the season, but then his production slowed up a bit. Fifty nine of his sixty three QB pressures came in those first thirteen games, Thirty of his thirty four run stops as well. He has an explosive first step and can really really counter off the initial move. He plays all across the line.

They'll move him all over and when he gets out there versus Tron Armstead, that's a premier level matchup, and I think Miami can do a job of trying to block him out and make the rest of that rush game much more difficult to execute. Big matchup for Toront arms Stead here in his first game with the Miami Dolphins. The biggest test for the Dolphins here isn't any one particular matchup, but rather how they communicate and handle all the rush games up front that you know the Patriots

will certainly throw at them in this game. I think it's a big part of why you bring in smart veterans like Armstead and Connor Williams to help iron those things out, and they get a great test off the bat. All right, long podcast here so far. I hope you're not listening on one and a half speed. I'm talking plenty fast for you. We have a lot more to go. Pat's offense Dolphins defense. That's next here on the Drivetime podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation.

As we get some games in the bank, we will have data to go along with our matchups here in terms of personnel usage, advanced metrics, all that fun stuff.

But today we keep chucking with a very familiar foe and the matchup of these two rivals and go to the other side and start with the New England offense with quarterback Mac Jones and the Miami safety's It's a fascinating matchup as no team blitz defensive backs last year more than the Dolphins, and of their snaps against the Patriots, they sent a dB at Max Joe at Mac Jones, Max Jones. The Dolphins were an interesting bromb butter for

lurky quarterback. He played because he played them in their first game and he played them in their his most recent non playoff game in Week number eight teen. Excuse me, but versus the Dolphins last year in two games when pressured nine one seventy nine yards that's three point seven six average a touchdown and no picks. Not pressured four sixty three that's eight and a half yards, one touchdown, one pick. When blitzed for thirty two eleven yards at

seven point oh three yards per pass. When not blitz thirty nine three thirty one yards two touchdowns in a pick. So getting pressure on mac Jones is the way you beat him for most quarterbacks, that's true. Getting it a third long is a great way to really get you into those best looks and that's not unique to Miami.

But utilizing this deep defensive backfield, bringing pressure looks from multiple spots and the multitalented guys and forced those quick decisions in an offense that didn't look you know, in mid season form in the preseason. You speed that thing up and that's how you get one of those plays from xaviing Howard like he made last year. And in this matchup, I think if you go no turnovers, no big plays in terms of sacks and you know, field flipping, I think it'll be a close game that goes in

the Dolphins favor. But if you get a couple of these mistakes that can swing the game. That's why I think things get out of hand in the Dolphins favor. And those third long situations against this offense, your pressure packages, that's how you can create those. That's why it's a big key in this game. And as we know, Brandon Jones and Javon Holland number one and two last year in terms of dB pressures on Pro Football Focus, Eric Row could see plenty of work in this game, especially

against the tight Titans. The Patriots many two tight end packages very very important aspect of this game on both sides of the ball. Quarterbacks versus the safety's big key matchups as far as the Patriots receivers and tight ends versus the Miami cornerbacks Nelson Agilar and Jacoby Myers are listed as the starters. We know firsthand how Agila can get vertical. Did again that Raiders game back in twenty Jacoby Myers is a polished route runner that Jones loves

to go to in big situations with trusted hands. Very curious to see how Miami plays it, how they match up, who goes where when the third receiver comes onto the field? Is that Nick Needham outside? Does he go back into the slot? And is that Kendrick Borne According to the depth chart here on Patriots dot Com, another guy who's reliable and dependable. And then of course Devanta Parker is

fourth on their depth chart. To tell the tape for those four guys are sixty two point seven percent catch rate, twelve point three average depth of target, four point four rack average and seven of thirteen contested balls. Last year, Jacoby Myers caught sixty eight point five percent of his targets for ten point three yards average depth of target, three point four rack average, nineteen of twenty eight contested balls.

There's a theme here. Kendrick Born eighty two point one percent catch rate, nine point six a dot five point to rack average and eight of eleven contested balls. And then DeVante Parker fifty four point eight percent catch rate, twelve point four depth of target, two point seven rack average, and fourteen for thirty on contested balls. This is a game that's played within ten yards of the line of scrimmage mostly right this league, well, the Patriots through of

their passes under ten yards last year. This is a group that you have to be really strong at the catchpoint against because as you can see, they make lots of contested catches. What that also means is they don't really separate all that well. As all four of those guys can run after the catch. They have good strength, but the separation aspect of it is not their strong point.

And that's why of this tough physical press style defense with US rush packages on third and longs becomes so key because it's a matchup that just favors the Dolphins in so many ways. But you also have to be careful to not get aggressive and sneak up on guys because Agla can get vertical and we know Davante Parker can grab those deep contested balls as well. Also on offense, this was designed to get them run after the catch. Also have to be hyper aware of the screen game.

Tackle tackle, tackle on the perimeter. This receiving corps with the tight ends with Hunter Henry and John wy Smith is full of guys that can make plays after the catch on the O line. Verse Dealon. Not sure what to make of this matchup. The Patriots have had so much continuity here and they still do, but they've been working on changing it up from that gap power scheme to more wide zone stuff, and I think you'd be crazy to just assume they're gonna do one thing, So

being prepared for anything is key. Controlling the point is such a key because of that third down situation. Again, win early, you'll win late. Christian Wilkins, Zack Seeler, Ray Kwon Davis, Emmanuel Ogba when the backers come down off the line. It's so crucial for all of the those guys to win at the point of attack and get those early down wins. You've got the rookie Cole Strange

at left guard. I have to imagine you want to throw a ton at him in terms of your games super athletic, you do not want to let him get into good position on those stretch runs. Also have to have an answer for Big Mike on when ou he has had some dominant games against us. This is a big Dolphins defensive line and a big Patriots offensive line. Interesting tale of the tape in the running game is

the past. In the past rush game, the Patriots will certainly call on the help of their tight ends and backs with all the rush options my amy has could be a big key in this game if they get into that third long and medium and they can get those quick pressures that can allow mimy and make those splash plays that are often the difference in these matchups and potentially a big swinging difference in this matchup. So

some of that bleeds into linebacker position here. But I'm curious to see if Van Ginkle is good to go his speed against Trent Brown sheer mass is a fascinating matchup. I'm curiously where Jillen Phillips get most of his chances because I think they'll probably double him. He has a good a good matchup against a bunch of these guys. Curiously where he lines up with it's Isaiah Win Trent Brown,

and where he gets his rush snaps. Running backs and linebackers mentioned the screen game earlier, that and the way they pick up blizzes of the position is going to be a key. Damien Harris is really adept at his past part. Members are very very good. In general. Week one is always a test of a team's tackling, and between Harris and Monre Stevenson, man, you better bring your

lunch pell and buckleb that chinch strap. If Mimy can set the tone and cut down the run early, I think that bodes well for the four quarter prospects of this game. Stacking up runs early, big opportunity for a Landon Roberts to show his stuff be eating them in the blitz packages and being disciplined against the screen. Big keys for the backers in this game. I think it's

a benefit to have so much continuity at that spot. Uh. With regards of the opener regarding Jerome Baker, A Landed Roberts, Duke Riley, sam eeg Van didn't really mention a ton because it's scattered throughout the position groups, but I think it's fair to mention their tight ends here. Again, whether it's a safety or linebacker. They can run entire games through those guys. So I'm not sure the solution, but it's something to keep an eye on. And then finally,

special teams. Every year the Patriots win in the margins. I feel really good about our three headed special teams battery, but the same is true with the Patriots. Nick Folk just does not miss. They cover kicks well each year and find ways to flip the field. Hopefully Sanders and more Stead are not needed all that much beyond point after attempts, but if they are, they've had a really good summer as well. This is a position group that really helps aiding my preview when I have the numbers,

I don't think numbers are applicable here. A few more film notes. Uh, they love them some man beaters. They're gonna run crossing routes. They're gonna run Rubs switch releases. You have to communicate very well in that regard. I try Sam Madison will have the cornerbacks up to speed on that they're gonna bracket the heck out of Tyreek Hill. I think. I think Jalen Waddle is such an important player in this game. It's great to have him back.

Keep a big eye on number seventeen defensive back pressures. Nobody uses more blitzes from dbs than Miami last year. I think that's also a big key watching the film in this game. My three keys of the game when the one on one matchups on the perimeter, I think Waddle gets plenty of those. But if it's Cedric Wilson, if it's Trent Scherfield, Eric Azukama, if Tyreek Hill gets them when those matchups, because that's going to force them out of those double teams. Sustain your drives, run more plays,

you'll beat this team. I fully believe that, and the number three create third and long situations for the Patriots offense. That will be an easy way to get your opportunities for splash plays. What's at stake here opening day? You always want to get your season off on the right foot. Tough schedule coming down the line here with three teams that most are picking for the postseason on tap with Baltimore, Buffalo,

and Cincinnati. This segment is really more about potential standing implications later in the season, but we'll do it each week and then I want to shoehorn some news in here. Our practice squad is can Fleet. Defensive tackle Josiah Bronson played seven games last year with Cleveland and New Orleans by way of you dub same hometown of Tanner Corner by the way, Kent, Washington. Defensive end Big Cat Bryant a U d f A this year with the Dallas

Cowboys via Central Florida. Defensive tackle Christopher Hinton. You d f at the Giants via Michigan. I forgot that one, sorry. Cornerback Chris Steel. You d f A this year with Pittsburgh via USC. Offensive tackle Keyon Smith. You know him,

he was in camp with us. The rest we have covered cornerback Kitlin Barnes, tackle Laarnel Coleman, receiver, River Cracraft, offensive lineman James mp linebackers Cameron Good and Porter Gustin, safety Roonn McKinley, the third wide receiver Braylon Sanders, defensive tackle Nile Scott, defensive tackle Ben Stilly, and running back the Quandre White. All right, tomorrow, it's Football Friday. I need your questions on the game on the Twitter mail

bag at Wingfold NFL will pick all the games. We'll look at the weekend in college football, and we'll welcome in the great Taylor Kyle's of NFL Research and avid tape grinder and former Patriots writer of Are you excited to welcome him into the show that's tomorrow. In the meantime, that's gonna be my time you all, please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast. Leave us a rating, leave us a review. You can follow me on Twitter at Wingfield NFL. Follow the team at Miami Dolphins.

Check out the Fish Tank with Seth and Juice, our Wednesday Twitter spaces show every week at eight o'clock on Wednesday nights. Check out the YouTube channel for Dolphins Today, Fish Tank and Drive Time content and all the media availabilities and last but not least, Miami Dolphins dot com. Until next time finds up Caroline Daddy's He's coming Home.