The New England Patriots will conclude the 2015 regular season this Sunday when they travel to face the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium. The Patriots will be looking for their 10th series sweep of the Dolphins (1986, 1987, 1988, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012). The Patriots beat Miami, 36-7, in the first meeting of the year on Oct. 29 in a Thursday Night Football game at Gillette Stadium.
With a win on Sunday, the Patriots can secure the number one seed in the AFC Playoff field for the second consecutive season. New England has earned the number one seed five times (2014, 2011, 2010, 2007 and 2003).
The Patriots clinched a bye in 2015 for an NFL-record sixth-straight season and lead the NFL with 11 first round-round byes since the current NFL playoff format was instituted in 1990.
WHERE TO WATCH
- Tavern on Broadway turns the volume all the way up on their flat screens and has an amazing football munchies menu.
- Nikolas Pizza runs a great deal. A large one topping pizza, a dozen wings and 60oz pitcher of beer or sangria for $21.95. Full volume on the tv’s and the direct tv package.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION: This week’s game will be broadcast by CBS and can be seen locally on WBZ-TV Channel 4 in Boston. Kevin Harlan will handle play-by-play duties with Rich Gannon as the color analyst. The game will be produced byKen Mack and directed by Mark Grant.
LOCAL RADIO: 98.5 FM, The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for thePatriots Radio Network. Play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci will call the action along with former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak, who will provide color analysis. Produced by Marc Cappello.
PATS AIM FOR SIXTH NO. 1 SEED
The Patriots have earned five number one seeds (2014, 2011, 2010, 2007 and 2003) in the postseason since 1990, the most in the NFL under that system. A win this week will secure the team’s sixth top slot. The NFL began playoff seeding in 1975 and the current playoff format was instituted in 1990.
MOST NO. 1 SEEDS IN THE PLAYOFF FIELD
(Since 1990)
New England 5
Denver 4
Pittsburgh 4
San Francisco 4
MOST NO. 1 SEEDS OVERALL
(Since 1975)
San Francisco 8
Denver 7
Pittsburgh 6
New England 5
Dallas 5
Oakland 5
SERIES HISTORY
The New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins will square off for the 101st time, including three playoff games, in their 50th year as division foes and for the second of two meetings in 2015. The Patriots beat Miami, 36-7, in the first meeting on Thursday Night Football on Oct. 29, at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots will also be looking for their 10th series sweep of the Dolphins (1986, 1987, 1988, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012).
The Patriots have had the upper hand at home against Miami, holding a 32- 17 record in games played in New England in the regular-season, including a 12-2 record at Gillette Stadium. But the Patriots are only 15-35 all-time in Miami, including two postseason games. Miami beat the New England at Gillette Stadium for the first time in the final game of the 2005 season, 28-26, when Patriots starting QB Tom Brady was pulled out of action after the first quarter. Miami also beat the Patriots, 38-13, at Gillette Stadium, on Sept. 21, 2008.
The Dolphins and Patriots met for the first time in 1966 and began playing twice a year during the regular season in 1967, except in 1982 during the strike year. The Patriots have swept the series nine times.
The two have played three times in the postseason with New England holding a 2-1 advantage.
SERIES BREAKDOWN
MIAMI 52, NEW ENGLAND 48
(Including New England 2, Miami 1 in Playoffs)
*-A Miami home game was played in Tampa in 1969
Record in New England, 33-17 (Incl. 1-0 in playoffs)
Record in Foxborough, 31-15 (1-0)
Record in Boston, 1-2
Record in Miami, 15-35 (Incl. 1-1 in playoffs)
Record at Dolphins / Pro Player / Joe Robbie/ Sun Life, 11-17
Record at Orange Bowl, 3-18 (1-1)
Record in Tampa*, 1-0
Seasonal Sweeps, Patriots 9, Dolphins 13
Seasonal Splits, 25 (Most recent 2014)
Bill Belichick vs. Miami, 20-13 (20-11 with New England)
QUICK HITS
Since Bill Belichick became Patriots head coach in 2000, New England is 20-11 (.645) against the Miami Dolphins.
Since 2000, the Patriots are 73-25 (.737) against AFC East opponents. The Patriots are 20-11 against the Dolphins over that span, 22-10 against the New York Jets and 28-4 against the Buffalo Bills in that time. The Patriots were 3-1 against Indianapolis from 2000 through 2001 when they were in the AFC East.
The Patriots have not been swept in their season series with a divisional opponent since 2000, when they lost both games to Miami and also to the New York Jets.
Tom Brady owns a 19-8 record when playing against Miami. While he is 13-1 against Miami in home games, including wins in the last eight games, Brady is just 6-7 in games played in Miami.
Brady’s only home loss to Miami was on Jan. 1, 2006 in the final game of the 2005 season when the Patriots had already locked up the AFC East title and Brady played in the first quarter before being relieved by backup Matt Cassel.
PASSING PERFORMANCES
Tom Brady is scheduled to start at quarterback against Miami for the 28th time and has compiled a 19-8 record in his previous 27 starts against the Dolphins. Brady is 67-17 in his career as a starter in the regular-season against AFC East opponents, with eight of the 17 losses coming to the Dolphins. One of those losses was in the final game of the 2005 season when Brady was pulled after the first quarter.Read
