Miami Dolphins (6-6) vs. New England Patriots (9-3)
Game Facts
DATE: Sunday, Dec. 9
TIME: 1 p.m. ET
SITE: Hard Rock Stadium; Miami Gardens, Fla.
TV: CBS
TV ANNOUNCERS: Ian Eagle, play-by-play; Dan Fouts, color analyst; Evan Washburn, sideline reporter
DOLPHINS RADIO NETWORK: KISS (99.9 FM); WQAM (560 AM); WQBA (1140 AM-Spanish)
RADIO VOICES: English broadcast — Jimmy Cefalo, Bob Griese, Joe Rose, Kim Bokamper; Spanish broadcast — Roly Martin, Eduardo Martell
The Series
SERIES RECORD: Miami leads 54-52 (including playoffs)
AT MIAMI: Dolphins lead 37-15
AT NEW ENGLAND: Patriots lead 36-17
AT TAMPA: Patriots lead 1-0
LAST MEETING: 2018 at New England; Patriots 38, Dolphins 7
HISTORY LESSON: The Dolphins and Patriots have faced each other 34 times in December through the years, but never on Dec. 9. They came close in 1980 when their matchup was Dec. 8, and the game became memorable for more than just what happened on the field. It was a Monday night game that the Dolphins won 16-13 in overtime, but perhaps the most noteworthy event that night occurred when ABC color commentator Howard Cosell passed along the news in the fourth quarter that former Beatles member John Lennon had been assassinated in New York. **Read more "Matchup Memories" here.**
SERIES TREND: The home team has won nine of the past 10 games, including four victories by the Dolphins—in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017.
Scouting Report
NEW ENGLAND'S RECORD: 9-3
LAST GAME: Won 24-10 vs. Minnesota
OVERVIEW: It's been a typical season for the Patriots, who got off to a slow start but once again have put themselves in position to compete for the top seed in the AFC playoffs. New England is 8-1 in its past nine games, with 14-point victories the last two weeks. While he's not having quite the year he had in 2017 when he was the league MVP, Tom Brady remains highly productive. He's well on his way to passing for more than 4,000 yards and has 20 touchdowns against eight interceptions, with a 96.8 passer rating. With tight end Rob Gronkowski slowed by injuries most of the season, running back James White has emerged as Brady's favorite target. He leads the team in receptions with 74, 27 more than Julian Edelman, who missed the first game against the Dolphins while serving a league suspension. Rookie Sony Michel leads the team with 649 rushing yards and wide receiver Josh Gordon has caught 34 passes since being signed after being released by Cleveland. What New England has done well defensively is come up with takeaways. The Patriots are fifth in the NFL in interception rate (a category where the Dolphins are No. 1) and have 14 picks. Cordarrelle Patterson is second in the NFL in kickoff return average at 30.5 yards, and he had a 95-yard touchdown against Chicago.
KEY NEW FACES: RB Sony Michel (draft-1st), DE Adrian Clayborn (Atlanta), DT Danny Shelton (Cleveland), C Brian Schwenke (Tennessee), CB Jason McCourty (Cleveland), WR Josh Gordon (Cleveland), WR Cordarrelle Patterson (Oakland), T Trent Brown (San Francisco), LB Ramon Humber (Buffalo), LB Albert McClellan (Baltimore)
KEY VETERANS GONE: RB Dion Lewis, WR Brandin Cooks, T Nate Solder, WR **Danny Amendola**, RB **Brandon Bolden**, CB Malcolm Butler, S Jordan Richards, CB Cyrus Jones, RB Jeremy Hill (IR)
Final Injury Report
| Miami Dolphins | Out | Doubtful | Questionable |
|---|---|---|---|
| C/G Jake Brendel (calf) | WR Danny Amendola (knee) | ||
| CB Xavien Howard (knee) | C Travis Swanson (ankle) |
| New England Patriots | Out | Doubtful | Questionable |
|---|---|---|---|
| CB Kevin King (hamstring) | TE Dwayne Allen (knee) | ||
| CB Stephon Gilmore (ankle) |
