Opening weekend upset? Patriots-Dolphins Week 1 predictions
BOSTON -- It has been eight months since we last saw the Patriots play a game of importance, and that game was a massive disappointment. But a new season is upon us, bringing hope of a happier ending than what we saw last January in Buffalo.
While the concerns -- and complaints -- from the pundits have been a whole lot louder than those messages of hope, everyone is 0-0 at this point. (Minus the Rams and the Bills, of course.) The Patriots have 18 weeks and 17 games to prove their doubters wrong.
Unfortunately they have to kick off the season in a place that has not been kind to the Patriots: Miami, Florida. New England has won just two of its last nine visits to South Beach.
Can Bill Belichick and his new-look coaching staff, Mac Jones and the revamped offense, and a younger, faster Patriots defense notch a Week 1 victory over the Dolphins? The WBZ-TV and CBS Boston sports team makes their predictions for opening day... and are not feeling great about New England's chances.
Steve Burton, WBZ-TV Sports
The Patriots are 3.5-point underdogs, but wouldn't it be ironic if this is the year they beat the Dolphins in Miami?
Miami has a new head coach and a new system. The Pats are focused and have been in Florida all week gearing up for Sunday.
Patriots 21, Dolphins 17
Dan Roche, WBZ-TV Sports
After watching almost every training camp practice, joint practices both here and in Las Vegas, and all three preseason games... I have no idea what we will see from the Patriots offense on Sunday in Miami.
The D should be solid based on how the unit fared for most of last season, plus the speed at linebacker with Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings, and newcomer Mack Wilson.
Special teams has to be better and should be.
The offense hasn't really done all that much, minus a few "gotta have it" periods here and there. Mac Jones appeared frustrated way too often. The hope is that behind the scenes things will come together and off they'll go. But I'm not sure that will happen this weekend.
Dolphins 24, Patriots 20
Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
We've seen a million surprising wins from Belichick before, so anything is possible. But I just don't think it's in the cards this week.
A choppy summer (to say the least) doesn't make me believe the Patriots are in position to play a complete 60-minute game on either side of the ball.
Dolphins 30, Patriots 20
Matthew Geagan, CBS Boston
Real football is here and I have no idea what to expect out of the Patriots this Sunday. I have a bouquet of questions but no answers.
And really, no one does at this point. Week 1 is full of uncertainty and the unknown. But I do know that Miami has been a miserable place for the Patriots over the last 20 years, and that the starters did not look ready for real football in their final preseason tune-up.
That could mean nothing come Sunday, and I don't think the Patriots are going to be as bad as they looked in the preseason. But it's going to be a process with this team all season long, and it feels like it's going to get off to a bumpy start.
Dolphins 28, Patriots 17
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