The New England Patriots have had a tough time playing against the Miami Dolphins in Miami over the last 11 years.
Since 2013, the Patriots have only won 2 out of 11 games against the Dolphins in Miami Gardens, Fla. They will try to get another win there on Sunday afternoon.
First-year head coach Jerod Mayo has been part of New England’s struggles in Miami. He played for the Patriots from 2008 to 2015 and then coached the inside linebackers from 2019 to 2023 before becoming the head coach.
Mayo is focused on making sure that the team doesn’t dwell on the past when they play on Sunday.
“First and foremost, I won’t address it with the guys as far as the struggles that we’ve had in Miami, even though they’re probably listening to me right now,” Mayo said. “But what I will say is every game is unique. … It’s a tough place to play. It’s not that it’s super loud or anything like that. We just haven’t been able to get over the hump.”
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who was drafted third overall this year, has given Mayo hope that the team can change their luck against Miami (4-6). Maye showed progress in last Sunday’s 28-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, completing 29 of 39 passes for 282 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been impressed with Maye and is looking forward to competing against him.
“I respect his game. I respect his game a lot,” Tagovailoa said. “He’s a rookie, so there’s gonna be bumps within his journey. But you see a lot of flashes of things that he can do, not just inside the pocket, outside of the pocket as well. I got a lot of respect for him, and looking forward to competing against him.”
Tagovailoa threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns in Miami’s 34-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday. One of his favorite targets in that game was former Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith, who caught six passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
Miami has won two games in a row after losing three straight, starting with a 15-10 win over the Patriots in Week 5.
“We’re looking to go out there and play the plays with what they’ve presented us over the years,” Tagovailoa said, referring to the Dolphins’ knowledge of New England’s game plan. “If we need to adjust in any way, we’ll adjust.”
For Miami, cornerback Kendall Fuller (concussion) and offensive tackle Terron Armstead (knee) missed practice on Wednesday. Six other Dolphins were limited, including star wide receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist) and cornerback Jalen Ramsey (knee).
The Patriots had some missing players as well. Defensive end Deatrich Wise (foot), offensive tackle Vederian Lowe (shoulder), and defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy (neck) did not practice on Wednesday. Safety Kyle Dugger was limited due to an ankle injury, and defensive end Keion White (knee) also didn’t practice fully.
