In Week 8, the New England Patriots return to divisional play against the Miami Dolphins. Though Miami sits at 1-5, this Patriots vs. Dolphins matchup might be closer than many think. With New England battling injuries and coming off a narrow loss, Sunday's game presents an important opportunity to get back on track. Nevertheless, if Mike Vrabel's team wants to defeat their rival, they need to find success in these three matchups.
Oct 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) is tackled New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (25) during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
In the Patriots' last game against the Chicago Bears , they struggled to defend the ground game. They allowed 116 rushing yards, which is the second-most rushing yards they have allowed this season. A major factor in this issue was New England's inability to tackle and finish plays. In Week 7, they missed seven tackles, allowing 65 yards after contact.
Though the Patriots' run defense was concerning last week, it is possible that it was a one-week setback. Throughout the season, they have only allowed more than 100 yards on the ground twice, and their 30 missed tackles rank 11th best. Additionally, New England is a top 10 run defense, forcing teams to just 95.3 yards per game and 3.9 yards per carry. With their impending matchup with Miami, Vrabel's defense must get back to this form.
When De'Von Achane suffered a torn ACL in Week 3, it was believed that the Dolphins' ground offense would struggle greatly. Instead, Ollie Gordon II has stepped up after the former Pro-Bowler went out. Gordon has recorded 339 rushing yards with 4.7 yards per carry. He has rushed for over 100 yards twice in the last two games and has scored a touchdown in each of the last four. Given his recent production on the ground, the Patriots must find ways to slow him down.
To limit Gordon, the Patriots have to win up front. Miami runs Gordon between the guards 69% of the time, giving New England's defensive tackles the opportunity to disrupt these attempts. Milton Williams and Christian Barmore will have to clog run lanes to allow the linebackers behind them to fill the gaps. If they are successful against the run, they could take away the Dolphins' ground game and force Malik Willis to make plays throwing the ball.
Sep 9, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (1) runs after a catch during the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Entering the year, there were high expectations for the Patriots' wide receiver corps, as they brought in Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown . Nevertheless, this corps has been decimated by injuries, with Doubs and Brown only sharing the field for 16 snaps. These injuries have hurt New England, as only 61% of their yards through the air have been gained by WRs. For comparison, the Houston Texans, who have similar passing production, generate 71% of their receiving yards from WRs.
In Week 7, the Patriots WRs struggled against a Bears secondary that has surrendered yards through the air. Jaylon Johnson , who allows the most receiving yards in the league with 445, only gave up 33 yards on 3 targets during the matchup. Meanwhile, New England's WRs only recorded 87 yards, totaling 27% of the receiving yards. In order for the offense to have a consistent passing attack, they must find ways to get their WRs involved.
Although the Dolphins' defense is in the top 15 in pass yards allowed per game, they have struggled to contain some WRs this season. In their last game against the New York Jets, Omar Cooper Jr. recorded 115 yards on 5 receptions with a touchdown. During their Week 3 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, Rashee Rice compiled 88 yards on 7 receptions. These performances show that Miami's defense can be exploited by WRs, giving New England the opportunity to generate production through the air.
Since Doubs is on IR and Brown's availability is questionable, the Patriots will need DeMario Douglas , Efton Chism III , and Kyle Williams to step up. Douglas has had success this season in the slot, gathering the second-most receiving yards on the team with 256. Meanwhile, Chism and Williams have taken advantage of limited opportunities, such as combining for 160 yards on 8 receptions against the Las Vegas Raiders. If Drake Maye can consistently connect with his WRs, New England could establish a more threatening passing attack that creates explosive plays.
September 20, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) blocks Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Patriots' offensive line is coming off an underwhelming performance last week against an aggressive Bears pass rush. They allowed two sacks and six pressures with Maye being pressured on 16.7% of his dropbacks. New England's O-line struggles disrupted their offense, as Maye lacked time in the pocket to read the defense downfield and find open targets.
Although the Patriots allowed pressure as a collective, their offensive tackles have been a bright spot this season. Will Campbell has bounced back from his disappointing playoff performance by allowing only one sack this season. Meanwhile, Morgan Moses and Caleb Lomu haven't allowed a single sack this year. New England's tackles will be important against the Dolphins, as they will have to limit an emerging edge rusher.
Miami's pass rush has been inconsistent this season, recording the fewest sacks in the league with six and a 20.4% pressure rate. Nonetheless, third-year edge rusher Chop Robinson has been trending up as of late. In his last three games, he has gathered two sacks with 11 pressures, making him a threat off the edge. With his improvement this season, he poses an interesting challenge for the Patriots' offensive line.
New England will have to prevent Robinson from getting after Maye. If their tackles cannot contain him one-on-one, then double teams or tight end chips should be utilized to slow him down. Also, since Moses' physical decline has been apparent, substituting Lomu in could be considered to get a more athletic tackle into the mix. If the Patriots are able to hold up in pass protection, then they could offer Maye enough time to inspect the defense and make the right decisions to sustain drives.
This Patriots vs. Dolphins matchup could be tighter than expected, making New England's ability to win in these three areas crucial. The run defense has to limit Gordon, the WRs must get open downfield, and the offensive line has to keep Robinson out of the backfield. Winning these battles won't be easy, but if they find success in these positions, they could return to Foxborough with a 5-3 record.
The post Patriots Vs. Dolphins: 3 Key Matchups New England Must Win appeared first on Stadium Rant .
