Previewing New England’s Week 8 Matchup at the Miami Dolphins | Patriots Roundtable Podcast

Bounce-back or trap game?

This Sunday, the New England Patriots (4-3) travel to South Beach for an AFC East divisional showdown with the Miami Dolphins (1-5) at Hard Rock Stadium. Near the halfway point of the 2026 regular season, Miami has been closer in the running for the first overall pick in the draft than they have been in the race for a playoff spot. But recent improvements — including their first win of the season last week — paired with a location that’s been a past house of horrors for New England, adds layers of intrigue to a matchup of two teams heading in opposite directions as the calendar turns to November.

On today’s episode of the Patriots Roundtable Podcast, hosts Eddie Marotta and Tyler Geis preview the Patriots’ return to Florida — examining matchups that could swing the game’s result, keys to victory on both sides of the football, and predicting the game’s outcome. 

Offensively, Drake Maye and the New England passing attack continued building upon a successful month of October in their Week 7 loss at the Chicago Bears, but a stable running game to supplement production was still absent. Now going toe-to-toe with one of the NFL’s worst passing defenses — and one of the better at shutting down opposing rushers — the complexion of this game is likely to take a similar form.

New England may be shorthanded at wide receiver against a secondary that has struggled to contain the opposition's passing attack, as A.J. Brown has been listed as questionable and missed Thursday and Friday's practices with a knee injury. Without Brown, the team would have just three wide receivers — Efton Chism III, DeMario Douglas, and Kyle Williams — remaining on the 53-man roster.

Defensively, it appears that the Patriots will field their full slate of starters in the secondary for the first time since Week 3 with the return of Carlton Davis III. His presence will be a welcome sight against Malik Willis and a Dolphins’ passing attack that have completed just 57.1% of their total passing attempts on the season and have only eclipsed 60% in two games.

Miami will lean heavily on Ollie Gordon II and the run game to manufacture production. With an evolving rushing attack that’s taken different forms each week, Gordon’s topped the 100-yard mark in two of his last three games, and is staring down the barrel of a Patriots’ front that has been leaky against teams who have stayed committed to the run. 

New England has the greatest strength-on-weakness advantage through the air in this game, but others will reveal themselves. Both teams may be one-dimensional on offense — the Patriots’ passing the ball and the Dolphins’ running the ball — placing further emphasis on converting in the critical moments. That wasn’t present in New England’s Week 7 loss, while Miami gained confidence in doing so for the first time this season with their win. That trend can’t continue for the visitors to escape South Beach with a better result on the scoreboard this weekend. 

How do you think the Patriots will fare in their divisional showdown with the Dolphins this weekend? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.

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