SUNDAY, SEPT. 12, 2021 // 4:25 PM ET // GILLETTE STADIUM // REFEREE: CLETE BLAKEMAN
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY
LEADER: Dolphins lead all-time series, 56-52
STREAKS: Dolphins have won 2 of past 3
LAST GAME: 12/20/20: Patriots 12 at Dolphins 22
LAST GAME AT SITE: 9/13/20: Patriots 21, Dolphins 11
MIAMI DOLPHINS LEADERS (2020 STATS) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
– LAST WEEK –
Brian Flores: 2-2 COACH VS. OPP. Bill Belichick: 26-18
25.3/21.1 PTS. FOR/AGAINST 20.4/22.1
339.0 OFFENSE 327.3
Tua Tagovailoa: 186-290-1814-11-5-87.1 PASSING Mac Jones (R): NFL debut in 2021
Myles Gaskin: 142-584-4.1-3 RUSHING Damien Harris: 137-691-5.0-2
DeVante Parker: 63-793-12.6-4 RECEIVING Jakobi Meyers: 59-729-12.4-0
367.9 DEFENSE 353.8
Emmanuel Ogbah: 9 SACKS Matt Judon (Bal.), Kyle Van Noy (Mia.): 6
Xavien Howard: 10 (1L) INTs J.C. Jackson: 9
+9 (29/20) TAKE/GIVE +3 (22/19)
Michael Palardy (Car., ’19): 46.0 (38.7) PUNTING (NET) Jake Bailey: 48.7 (45.6)
Jason Sanders: 144 (T1L) (36/36 PAT; 36/39 FG) KICKING Quinn Nordin (R): NFL debut in 2021
DOLPHINS NOTES
• QB TUA TAGOVAILOA passed for 1,814 yards & had 14 TDs (11 \pass, 3 rush) vs. 5 INTs as rookie in 2020. Joined JEFF KEMP as only rookie QBs in Super Bowl era with 1+ TD pass & 0 INTs in each of 1st 5 career starts. Completed 20 of 26 passes (76.9 pct.) & rushed for career-best 2 TDs in last meeting.
• RB MYLES GASKIN led team with career highs in scrimmage yards (972) & rush yards (584) last season. Had 66 scrimmage yards (40 rush, 26 rec.) in last road meeting. Has 432 scrimmage yards (108 per game) in his past 4 on road. RB MALCOLM BROWN makes Mia. debut. Had career-high 581 scrimmage yards (419 rush, 162 rec.) with LAR in 2020.
• WR DEVANTE PARKER led team in catches (63) & rec. yards (793) last season. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 7+ catches & 115+ rec. yards. WR JAYLEN WADDLE was selected 6th overall in 2021 NFL Draft. TE MIKE GESICKI set career highs in catches (53), rec. yards (703) & rec. TDs (6) in 2020.
• CB XAVIEN HOWARD led NFL with 10 INTs & 20 PD last season, becoming 1st player with 10+ INTs in season since ANTONIO CROMARTIE (10 in 2007). Since 2016, ranks 2nd in NFL with 2 INTs. Had FF in last meeting. Has INT in 3 of his past 4 vs. division. DE EMMANUEL OGBAH led team with career-best 9 sacks in 2020. Had sack in last meeting. LB JEROME BAKER was 1 of 2 players (DEVIN WHITE) with 100+ tackles (111) & 7+ sacks (7) last season. CB JASON MCCOURTY makes Mia. debut. Had 148 tackles, 19 PD & 2 INTs in past 3 seasons with NE (2018-20).
PATRIOTS NOTES
• QB MAC JONES was selected 15th overall in 2021 NFL Draft & became 1st QB selected in 1st round by NE since DREW BLEDSOE (1st overall) in 1993.
• RB DAMIEN HARRIS led team with career-high 691 rush yards in 2020. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 70+ rush yards. RB JAMES WHITE leads all active RBs in catches (369), rec. yards (3,184) & rec. TDs (25). Had 52 rec. yards in last meeting.
• WR JAKOBI MEYERS led team with career bests in catches (59) & rec. yards (729) in 2020. Had 7 catches for 111 yards in last meeting. WR NELSON AGHOLOR makes NE debut. Had career-high 896 rec. yards last season with LV. Had 5 catches for career-high 155 yards & TD in his last game vs. Mia. (12/26/20 with LV). WR KENDRICK BOURNE makes NE debut. Set career bests in receptions (49) & rec. yards (667) in 2020 with SF. Had TD catch in only career game vs. Mia. (10/11/20 with SF). TE HUNTER HENRY makes NE debut. Had career-best 60 catches in 2020 with LAC. Has TD catch in 2 of 3 career games vs. Mia. TE JONNU SMITH makes NE debut. Ranks 3rd among AFC TEs with career-high 8 rec. TDs in 2020 with Ten.
• CB J.C. JACKSON ranked 2nd in NFL with career-best 9 INTs in 2020 & is only player with 5+ INTs in each of past 2 seasons. Aims for 3rd in row vs. Mia. with INT. LB MATT JUDON makes NE debut. Is 1 of 3 LBs (KHALIL MACK & T.J. WATT) with 6+ sacks in each of past 4 seasons. LB KYLE VAN NOY had 69 tackles, 6 sacks & career-high 10 TFL in 2020 with Mia.
