Week 1 Game Thread! Dolphins @ Patriots

There can't be many games ever that BB has started a rookie QB for the Patriots?

Pretty bold move- send out the rookie QB against a historically good team for creating turnovers, featuring two of the best corners in the league and a defense that rushes 6-7 bodies on most downs. What could go wrong? LOL

My "hot take" prediction- Fins Up 38-3...and I honestly think that's conservative.

I'll see how I'll feel closer to the game but the fact that a lot of Dolphins fans are already calling this an easy win on Social Media is leaving me feeling uneasy. Feels like the type of game where Belichick game plans something bizarre and we underperform and suddenly we've lost a game where the fans were expecting a win. I hope it's just ghost of seasons past haunting my memories though.

Belichick is once again going to learn he needs a great QB to win the SB. The guy should have retired after Brady left. Every extra season he coaches without coming close to winning 77.39% of games (that's the unbelievable winning percentage of Brady + Belichick), which corresponds to 13 wins in a 17 game season!!.., is only going to hurt people's perception of who was more responsible for all that success.

I think NE wins no more than 9 games this year and misses the playoffs. Go Belichick! lol..

btw.. this is an important game for playoff implications. We can't be starting off slow like we've done under Flores so far.

"cbrad wrote:

Belichick is once again going to learn he needs a great QB to win the SB. The guy should have retired after Brady left. Every extra season he coaches without coming close to winning 77.39% of games (that's the unbelievable winning percentage of Brady + Belichick), which corresponds to 13 wins in a 17 game season!!.., is only going to hurt people's perception of who was more responsible for all that success.

I think NE wins no more than 9 games this year and misses the playoffs. Go Belichick! lol..

btw.. this is an important game for playoff implications. We can't be starting off slow like we've done under Flores so far.

I completely agree. As silly as it sounds, this is a "must win" game if we're even thinking about challenging for the division title. Weeks 1 and 2 are massive and they'll definitely matter at the end of the season.

"Wilkimania wrote:

There can't be many games ever that BB has started a rookie QB for the Patriots?

Well, Brady wasn’t a rookie in 2001, but he was some scrawny 6th round draft pick back up to Drew Brees when he came in and led the Pats to the Super Bowl

"The_Dark_Knight wrote:

Well, Brady wasn’t a rookie in 2001, but he was some scrawny 6th round draft pick back up to Drew Brees when he came in and led the Pats to the Super Bowl

Drew Henson

"The_Dark_Knight wrote:

Well, Brady wasn’t a rookie in 2001, but he was some scrawny 6th round draft pick back up to Drew Brees when he came in and led the Pats to the Super Bowl

Yeah, but guess what? He lost his first start to the Dolphins 30-10 that season...that was his 2nd overall career start.

Looks like Gilmore will miss the week 1 contest, as he has officially been placed on the PUP/Reserve list by the Patriots.

I'd like to feel confident about this game, but there are just too many questions about both teams. I do think that a win would be an important statement going into Buffalo. A loss wouldn't be a surprise (on the road, in the division, against a tough team with a great coach) but at the same time it would be tough to swallow coming out flat and getting beat up in a game that really does feel like we should control.

We have to go at least 1-1 on these 1st two games. Pats, Bills, Raiders, Colts, Bucs and Jags for 1st 6 games. Bills and Bucs as potential loses but Colts look ok and Raiders??? Wanted to get tickets to the game but they are $$$$. Nose bleeds are $250. Maybe at the last minute I can get a ticket, leave at 5am and hit Vegas by 10am.

"texanphinatic wrote:

I'd like to feel confident about this game, but there are just too many questions about both teams.

Main question is at QB. NE is fawning over Mac Jones ignoring how unlikely it is that any rookie QB lights it up, while Tua is at a stage now where we need to see him lead the team to wins more often than not — no excuses if the Dolphins are to become consistent contenders.

Vegas odds are currently at -3 for NE. That's exactly home field advantage, which I agree with if you ignore the QB position. So it all depends on Tua. And our defense better be blitzing the hell out of Jones. He does real well with time and good protection, that much you can see from preseason. But no reason to think he's any different from almost every other rookie QB when under pressure.

1-0 Dolphins coming up IMO, even if it's a close one.

Jets throwing shade:

"cbrad wrote:

Main question is at QB. NE is fawning over Mac Jones ignoring how unlikely it is that any rookie QB lights it up, while Tua is at a stage now where we need to see him lead the team to wins more often than not — no excuses if the Dolphins are to become consistent contenders.

Vegas odds are currently at -3 for NE. That's exactly home field advantage, which I agree with if you ignore the QB position. So it all depends on Tua. And our defense better be blitzing the hell out of Jones. He does real well with time and good protection, that much you can see from preseason. But no reason to think he's any different from almost every other rookie QB when under pressure.

1-0 Dolphins coming up IMO, even if it's a close one.

QB questions are part of it, but there is a lot more imo. Both teams are sluggish in the early season save a few peak Brady years. The Pats are bringing back a decent amount of Covid-absent talent and a boatload of high end free agents. That could mean lack of cohesion, or it could mean they are simply way more talented than last year. First game weirdness ... Jones may not light up over a season, but one freaky game to start the season while our defense takes time to round into form wouldn't stun me.

Then again, putting in a rookie QB against our secondary is a really tough ask. They will try and lean on the running game and their OL strength - have to hope our DL can hold steady. Uncork Tua while serving a steady load of Gaskin, Ahmed and Brown and see what happens.

We SHOULD win, but I'm still not ready to dismiss the Pats as the Pasts.

I rarely say this but I think we have to win this if we're going to be a legit team.

This is the rebuilt team, albeit with a questionable line and run game. If we can't beat these Pats when we're basically healthy then I'm not sure what the plan is.

Any given Sunday...I know. But if we're going to feel confident about Miami, this has to be it, right?

"KeyFin wrote:

Pretty bold move- send out the rookie QB against a historically good team for creating turnovers, featuring two of the best corners in the league and a defense that rushes 6-7 bodies on most downs. What could go wrong? LOL

My "hot take" prediction- Fins Up 38-3...and I honestly think that's conservative.

wish had your confidence pats always give us trouble. No way it’s that lopsided in fact I expect us to be the team in disarray in the first half!

final 32-28 no idea who wins

More like we always give the Pats trouble.

"Dorfdad wrote:

wish had your confidence pats always give us trouble. No way it’s that lopsided in fact I expect us to be the team in disarray in the first half!

final 32-28 no idea who wins

I don't know, with our defense and our head coach going against a rookie QB in his first start...I really think we're going to slaughter them. Because once we take a little bit of a lead, they won't be able to lean on the run and dink passes. We just outmatch them pretty much across the board.

You could be right and maybe it's close....but I'm expecting a blowout.

I don't know whether we need to fear Mac Jones, but I won't lie, memories of week 1 last season have me at least slightly concerned that we'll sleep walk into a week one banana peel.

If Miami is to be legit, they have to win this game. It's going to be close, but Miami needs to win this game.

23-19 Miami