In the AFC East, the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins have both struggled this year. But one of them can come away with a win in Week 12 as they face one another at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami is a 7.5-point favorite in that game, while the total has been set at 45.5 points. Keep reading to get our breakdown of Patriots vs Dolphins, including our NFL predictions for this division rivalry matchup.
Patriots Defense Faces Huge Test
The New England Patriots suffered a loss in Week 11, getting beat by the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 28-22. New England struggled to defend the pass in that game, giving up just under 300 passing yards to Matthew Stafford, with 123 of those yards going to Puka Nacua. Defending Cooper Kupp and Nacua is hard enough, but the Patriots will face an even tougher challenge in this game with Tyreek Hill set to run around the Patriots secondary.
Miami Looks For Third Straight Win
Going into Week 12, the Miami Dolphins have won two games in a row, including their Week 11 triumph at home over the Las Vegas Raiders. Miami’s offense continues to look better and better now that Tua Tagovailoa is back on the field. This week, the Dolphins have a chance to move within a game of the .500 mark, as they continue to work their way back into the playoff hunt in the AFC. They will need to find a way to slow down Kendrick Bourne to accomplish that, as Bourne had 70 yards and a score while catching all five of the passes he was targeted on.
Patriots vs Dolphins Betting Pick
Miami should be able to win the upcoming Patriots vs Dolphins matchup in the AFC East. But we will take the 7.5 points with the Patriots, as they should be able to hang around just well enough to cover the number. New England has covered the spread in three of their last four games and we expect them to continue to exceed expectations, at least relative to the betting line, when this game is played in South Florida.
