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Patriots head to Miami early in preparation for first matchup

By Sara Marshall

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 12: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots calls a play against the Miami Dolphins (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 12: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots calls a play against the Miami Dolphins (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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With so much on the line in their very first game of the season, the Patriots announced they will be headed down to Miami on Tuesday to begin preparing for their matchup far earlier than usual.

Because New England typically faces difficulty when playing in south Florida, the extra time given to the players to acclimate to the heat and humidity seems like a smart move. But the weather unexpectedly worked in their favor this summer, as Foxboro experienced quite the heatwave during their practices.

Even with all that time practicing in the heat, the team is set to leave New England five days before kickoff and will practice all week outside.

Although Bill Belichick is not one to blame the weather for anything when it comes to the game of football, he nor players hid their feelings about the upcoming game. They would mention the impact the temperature has on their performance and the importance of working through that in a healthy and hydrating way.

Matthew Judon would stress this when speaking to the media last week.

"“It’s going to be hot. I think that’s really kind of a mindset thing. You really can’t do nothing differently. It’s going to be hot. It’s going to be humid. It’s going to be muggy. Everybody is going to feel it. So just hydrate and do as much as you can. But it’s going to be hot in Miami.”"

After losing back-to-back games to the Dolphins in the 2021 season, the Patriots are hoping to regain their dominance over their divisional rival with a win on Sunday.

Despite facing a historically tough opponent for them early early, New England has a surprisingly good record when playing in Miami early in the season. In their last seven matchups, they have a record of 6-1 against the Dolphins. Their record when playing later in the season is the complete opposite.

With so many questions surrounding the performance of the team going forward, their choice to get to Miami sooner rather than later is an indication of how serious they’re taking not only this game but the entire season.

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