When the 2025 NFL season schedules were released, it was far from ideal to see the Patriots flying to Miami in Week 2 to play the Dolphins. Although they aren't necessarily a team that New England has to worry about, playing at Hard Rock Stadium has always been a concern, especially at the beginning of the season.
It has been a place that has haunted the Patriots for much of the rivalries' existence to the point of even Tom Brady emphasizing just how difficult a time the Dolphins gave him and some of the most legendary Patriots teams throughout the two-decade dynasty.
The only positive about it being so early this season is just that...they will get the game over with, and if it were a disaster, at least it was in the first month of the year, and they can easily move past it. However, that might not be the cards based on just how terribly the Dolphins performed poorly, given against a very beatable Colts team on Sunday.
In fact, they might have already handed the Patriots the win days before they even face each other.
The Dolphins' Week 1 struggles could roll into their matchup with the Patriots
If there was ever a sign that a team is headed for a dumpster fire, the season-opening showing by QB Tua Tagovailoa is the best example of that, much to the Patriots' delight.
His performance, which included two interceptions through the first two and a half quarters, led to the Colts accomplishing something they hadn't in 19 years: scoring on all four possessions of the first half.
Colts continue to DOMINATE the Dolphins
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 7, 2025
Tua picked off for the 2nd time pic.twitter.com/KZiEx8oOJb
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It eventually got so bad that Mike McDaniel chose to bench Tagovailoa for Zach Wilson, as the starter ended the day with 14 completions out of 23 attempts for 114 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. It was a rough day all around, with Tyreek Hill leading all receivers with just 40 receiving yards and having a meltdown on the sideline, and De'Von Achane totaling just 55 yards on the ground.
To make matters worse for Miami, their roster suffered a ton of injuries that will keep several players sidelined for a few weeks, two of whom are starters: right guard James Daniels (pectoral), cornerback Storm Duck (ankle), right tackle Austin Jackson (toe), and defensive tackle Benito Jones (oblique).
That certainly works in the Patriots' favor even more and could make for an unusually easy day in Miami and hopefully a win. At the same time, they definitely shouldn't go into the game with any notion that it will be easy, especially with how they lost the game against the Raiders by failing to maintain momentum into the second half.
It would be a massive push in the right direction if they can steal a win, though, and would allow them to ride on a high going into what looks to be a much tougher matchup against the Steelers than many initially thought before the season began.