After enjoying a weekend off, the New England Patriots are back in action this Sunday. Their opponent coming out of the mini-bye is a familiar one, at least on paper: the Miami Dolphins. However, these are not the same Dolphins that lost both of their games to the Patriots in 2025.
Led by new head coach Jeff Hafley, they have overhauled significant portions of their roster and staff. Are they better off as a result? So far, the record doesn’t say so. That said, unlike the Patriots, the Dolphins are
entering Week 8 off a victory — their first of the season.
Still, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Patriots are seen as seven-point favorites entering the game. Will they live up to that status? Or will the Dolphins manage to defend their home turf? Let’s find out what Pats Pulpit’s staff and community think.
Patriots vs. Dolphins score predictions
Bernd Buchmasser: The Dolphins are not as bad as their 1-5 record would suggest, but they still have some shortcomings across the board and are simply a less talented team than their opponent this week. Even a shorthanded Patriots team playing on the road should therefore be able to come away victoriously, especially after 10 days of rest. Anything else would be a major cause for concern for a team with serious playoff aspirations. | Patriots 28, Dolphins 10
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Matt St. Jean: The Pats are more injured than you would like coming off a mini bye, and the Dolphins are coming off a big division win. That said, there’s a massive talent mismatch here. I don’t care about the history of the Patriots playing in Miami or the injury report or any other noise this week. This can and should be a multi-score win. | Patriots 27, Dolphins 13
Pat Lane: I think this is going to be a very boring game to watch. The Patriots are very banged up and the Dolphins stink. The Patriots take the lead early and play keep away from the Dolphins, who score a late touchdown to make it look more respectable than it actually is. | Patriots 24, Dolphins 14
Dylan Klayman: Given that Drake Maye is pretty much at the top of his game once again, the Patriots should win this one with a little bit of a cushion. But only a little bit, given the extensive amount of injuries (including A.J. Brown), it being an in-division matchup, and the Dolphins are coming off their first win on the season against the Jets. I expect New England to come out with a certain flare on Sunday, following the close defeat in Chicago. With the extra rest on top of it, the Patriots should leave Miami this weekend at 5-3. | Patriots 24, Dolphins 13
What do you think? Do you agree with our assessment? Or do you feel differently one way or the other? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts with the rest of the community.
