The New England Patriots head on the road to South Beach on Sunday for a showdown with the Miami Dolphins.
It's a game that looks like an absolute mismatch on paper, but history has shown that Hard Rock Stadium has been a house of horrors for the Patriots. Nothing is ever a given in divisional matchups, and this AFC East showdown could pack more of a punch than expected.
The Dolphins are coming into Week 8 with more confidence after stunning the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium last week for their first win of the season. That's the same Jets team that the Patriots barely beat in a 26-19 victory back in Week 6.
Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis is a legitimate dual threat, and running back Ollie Gordon has 291 rushing yards and three touchdowns
in the last three games combined.
But the Patriots are desperate.
They know how tough their schedule gets after Sunday, with slated matchups against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. The team dropped its third loss of the season to the Chicago Bears last week, and they've had extra time to dwell on that loss. They've also had extra time to heal and prepare for a Dolphins team in full rebuild mode.
Even in the loss to the Bears, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was exceptional under center. Granted, he'll be missing multiple offensive weapons, including A.J. Brown, Mack Hollins and Romeo Doubs. The good news is that the Patriots have a talented defensive unit that probably wants to make a statement after struggling against Caleb Williams and the Bears.
Here are the official predictions from the Patriots Wire staff:
Danny Jaillet: Patriots 38, Dolphins 17
Sophie Weller: Patriots 28, Dolphins 17
Jordy McElroy: Patriots 27, Dolphins 10
Matt Legros: Patriots 35, Dolphins 14
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots Wire staff predictions for Patriots-Dolphins Week 8 game
