3 bold predictions for the Patriots in Week 5 against the Dolphins

Over the last few years, whenever the Dolphins appear on the Patriots' schedule, it's no longer an automatic win like fans became accustomed to during the previous two decades, especially when playing in Foxboro. It's an unfortunate reality shift we knew was coming after the eventual departures of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, and it doesn't appear to be changing any time soon.

That's the immediate feeling knowing the AFC East foes will be meeting for the first time in Week 5 this Sunday, with the only fortunate part for the Patriots being the Dolphins are also dealing with a depleted roster, with the most noteworthy being their starting quarterback.

Because of that, New England is favored to win for the first time this season—and it could be the last—but it's pretty significant given how poorly they have played this year. And when looking ahead to the game, it certainly doesn't seem impossible for the team to add to the win column.

While it might be optimistic, it's clearly a universal feeling among analysts and reporters who make game picks every week, which is something Patriots fans can be a tiny bit excited about.

With that in mind, it prompts three bold predictions ahead of this matchup. Not only are they bold, but they are also aspects of the game we all hope to see come to fruition and get the season (at least) slightly back on track.

3 bold predictions for the Patriots in Week 5 against the Dolphins

Antonio Gibson will be the Patriots leading running back

With Rhamondre Stevenson's starting future up in the air, there is a fair assumption that Antonio Gibson will be treated as the RB1 against the Dolphins this week.

Although it's not the best situation due to what led to Stevenson's demotion, at least for now, Gibson has flashed in his first season with the Patriots and should be able to manage the load as the lead back on Sunday.

He already showed that in their Week 2 matchup against the Seahawks when he recorded 11 carries for 96 yards, and he's even proven to be a solid addition to the passing game by totaling three receptions for 67 yards against the Bengals in the season opener.

With the expectation that he will be far more utilized this week because of Stevenson's fumbling issue, we will likely see Gibson used in various ways to get the ball moving down the field. He has been one of the very few players this season to help in that way, and given the extent of the offense's struggles so far, there's plenty of reason to believe Gibson will be a significant part of the game plan this week.

Jacoby Brissett will throw a passing touchdown to DeMario Douglas

This feels sad to be a bold prediction, but that's where the Patriots' offense is heading into this matchup on Sunday. Jacoby Brissett has struggled under center in various ways, some of which can be blamed on the offensive line's insufficient pass protection, while the other blame is squarely on the quarterback's shoulders.

The receivers' lack of involvement has been a noticeable problem, with much focus on DeMario Douglas' less-than-ideal start. A bold prediction for this game would be that Brissett throws a touchdown pass to Douglas for his first score of the season, the quarterback's third touchdown this year.

Not only would that be good for their chances to take home another win this week, but it would also show improvement from the offense and Alex Van Pelt's game planning, which is exactly what fans want to see moving forward.

The defense will snag another interception

One of the more disappointing aspects of the 2024 season so far has been the lack of domination from the defense, which was expected to continue from last year. While some players have played consistently well, like Christian Gonzalez and Jabrill Peppers, others have had forgettable performances, some of which led to their teammates calling them out.

Regardless, the heat is on, and it's certainly bold to predict that the group will play better than they have for most of the season. But after last week's impressive showing from Peppers, there's hope his performance will continue, and someone on the roster will make another interception this week.

Because of the struggles the Dolphins' offense is dealing with in the absence of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, there's a lot of optimism that the Patriots' defense will be able to take advantage of their opponents' weakened state.

With that in mind, it would be great to see the defense give the offense more opportunities to get on the field, much like they did last year.

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