Patriots-Dolphins Capsule Preview

NEW ENGLAND (9-3) at MIAMI (6-6)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

OPENING LINE – Patriots by 9 1/2

RECORD VS. SPREAD – New England 8-4, Miami 7-5

SERIES RECORD – Dolphins lead 54-52

LAST MEETING – Patriots beat Dolphins 38-7, Sept. 30

LAST WEEK — Patriots beat Vikings 24-10; Dolphins beat Bills 21-17

AP PRO32 RANKING – Patriots No. 4, Dolphins No. 18

PATRIOTS OFFENSE – OVERALL (7), RUSH (11), PASS (9).

PATRIOTS Defence – OVERALL (22), RUSH (13), PASS (24).

DOLPHINS OFFENSE – OVERALL (29) RUSH (24), PASS (28).

DOLPHINS Defence – OVERALL (29), RUSH (30), PASS (21).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES – New England is 17-7 against Dolphins since 2007, but has lost four of past five at Miami. … Dolphins coach Adam Gase is 1-4 against Patriots. … In his past three home games against Patriots, QB Ryan Tannehill is 3-0 and has thrown for seven scores and 840 yards with one interception. … Patriots clinch 10th consecutive AFC East title with win or tie. … New England has won eight of past nine games to clinch 18th consecutive winning season, second-longest streak in NFL history. … Coach Bill Belichick earned 250th victory with Patriots last week, including playoffs. … QB Tom Brady has 579 career TD passes, including post-season, tied with Peyton Manning for NFL record. … Brady became 1,000-yard career rusher last week and is averaging 1.7 yards per carry. … Brady has won 12 of past 13 starts vs. AFC East. … FB James Develin has three TDs in five carries, including two scores last week. … Patriots haven’t allowed 100-yard rusher since Week 3. … RB Sony Michel ranks fourth among rookies with 649 yards rushing. … Patriots RBs combined for 45 touches last week. … Only one team has fewer sacks than Patriots’ 19. … New England ranked third worst in NFL in punt coverage. … Miami has been outgained by 1,168 yards and is on pace to break 1967 team record. … Dolphins rank third with 25 takeaways. … Tannehill has won his past eight home starts. … Dolphins LT Laremy Tunsil hasn’t allowed sack this season. … Five of WR Kenny Stills’ 24 catches have gone for TDs. … RB Frank Gore is fifth in NFL in rushing yards since 2015. Gore has 18,414 career scrimmage yards and needs 43 to surpass LaDainian Tomlinson’s 18,456 for fifth in NFL history. … Former Patriots WR Danny Amendola leads Dolphins with 48 catches and 469 yards receiving. … Kiko Alonso is tied for second in NFL with 106 tackles, and his three interceptions are tied for second among LBs. … RB Kenyon Drake is third Miami player ever to total at least four rushing and four receiving TDs in season. … K Jason Sanders is 16 for 17 on field goals, and his 94 per cent success rate is on pace to set Dolphins record. … Fantasy tip: Dolphins have trouble covering TEs, and Rob Gronkowski has five TD catches in past six games against Miami.

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The Associated Press