Any time the Patriots play the Dolphins on the road, there is a special interest in how the game will go, as they have a history of playing like a completely different team when playing at Hard Rock Stadium. Adding even more storylines to this week's matchup is that both teams are coming off disappointing losses, with the Dolphins far more embarrassed than the Patriots.
But that doesn't mean they have escaped the pressure of returning to Foxboro with a win. The Mike Vrabel era was expected to start off much better than what we saw against the Raiders last week, and this game gives them an opportunity to change the narrative around this year's team.
They might not have a better chance to do that than a team that appears to be falling apart, as the Dolphins are already dealing with a ton of drama that only seems to be getting worse with each passing day.
Players spoke to the media last week and revealed they had a players-only meeting, meaning head coach Mike McDaniel was not present, which doesn't paint a very good picture of his immediate future with the team. That has only gotten worse ahead of Sunday's game, as fans are now participating in the drama in their own way.
Things appear to be going downhill fast for the Dolphins, giving the Patriots a chance to beat them in Week 2
In the hours leading up to kickoff, an airplane was seen flying over the stadium with a banner saying, "Fire Grier, fire McDaniel," meaning a Dolphins fans paid for the show and wanted their feelings well known before the game even began.
It is said to have been a group effort, with a fan creating a GoFundMe to raise the $900 needed to get the plane plan accomplished. They are said to have raised over $2,000 and will donate the rest, further proving Dolphins fans are not happy with the current regime.
To the man or woman, who bought the “Fire Grier, Fire McDaniel” banner I want to shake your hand. pic.twitter.com/NGOfDPK0J9
— Smoke (@nickysmokess) September 14, 2025
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The frustration with the team and their coaching staff appears to have hit an all-time high now that fans are putting in this much effort to let the franchise know they're unhappy with what is going on.
McDaniel has been in the hot seat for some time and went into the 2025 season needing to prove himself with a successful year. Things didn't start off that way with a brutal beatdown by the Colts last week, and an undesirable performance from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was eventually benched for Zach Wilson.
They're hoping to capitalize on the Patriots' shaky past in Miami, while the Patriots aim to bounce back after a close but underwhelming game against the Raiders last week.
It will be a battle of who wants it more, and the hope is that the Dolphins will continue to fall apart enough to give the Patriots the edge, so they can walk out with a 1-1 record and hand the home team an 0-2 start.