Miami (7-9) at New England (13-3)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, FOX
Against the spread: Dolphins 8-8; Patriots 10-5-1
Series record: Dolphins lead 64-56
Last meeting: Patriots won 33-27 in Miami Gardens, Fla. on Sept. 14, 2025.
Last week: Dolphins beat Buccaneers 20-17; Patriots beat Jets 42-10.
Dolphins offense: overall (25), rush (10), pass (25), scoring (22).
Dolphins defense: overall (21), rush (24), pass (18), scoring (21).
Patriots offense: overall (4), rush (13), pass (3), scoring (5).
Patriots defense: overall (7), rush (8), pass (10), scoring (5).
Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-2; Patriots plus-1
QB Quinn Ewers. The seventh-round pick threw for two touchdowns and no interceptions last week in his second career start and has shown a quick processing ability and poise in the pocket that Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said is not common for a rookie quarterback. Ewers' 144 passing yards in the first half last week against Tampa Bay were the most by a rookie QB in the first half of a game this season.
QB Drake Maye. The MVP candidate enters the week first in the NFL with a 71.7 percent completion rate. He also has 4,203 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes. Tom Brady has the New England record for a season with a 68.9 percent completion rate in 2007. Maye is on pace to be the eighth quarterback in NFL history to finish a season completing 70% or better of his passes with at least 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes.
Ewers vs. Patriots defense. This will be the third straight start for the Dolphins quarterback and will be the Patriots' first look at him. Ewers struggled in his first start, throwing two interceptions in a loss to Cincinnati two weeks ago. But he recovered to toss two touchdowns last week in the win over Tampa Bay. It's a good tune-up for a Patriots defense that could get back DT Milton Williams, who's been on injured reserve since Nov. 15 with an ankle injury.
Dolphins: LB Jordyn Brooks, the NFL's leading tackler, will try to play despite a hamstring injury. TE Darren Waller (groin) went on injured reserve Friday morning. ... S Minkah Fitzpatrick (calf) will miss his third straight game. ... RB De'Von Achane (shoulder) is doubtful. ... LB Chop Robinson (concussion), WR Jaylen Waddle (ribs), C Aaron Brewer (neck), and RT Austin Jackson (back/groin) are questionable.
Patriots: Along with Williams, LT Will Campbell (knee) is on track to return from a four-week stint on injured reserve. ... LB Harold Landry III (knee) will miss his second straight game. ... LB Robert Spillane (ankle) has missed the past three games and is also out. ... LG Jared Wilson (concussion protocol) will miss his second straight game. ... DL Khyiris Tonga is dealing with a foot issue and is out.
The Dolphins are 5-2 against the Patriots under coach Mike McDaniel. ... Miami has won eight of the past 10 against New England. The Patriots haven't swept the annual series since the 2016 season.
With a win on Sunday, the Dolphins will finish 8-9 for the second straight season. Miami was eliminated from postseason contention after a Week 15 loss to Pittsburgh. ... The Dolphins offense ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards per game (158.0) since the team’s win against Buffalo in Week 10. ... Miami’s defense ranks fifth in the NFL in third down defense since Week 8. ... RB De’Von Achane was selected to his first career Pro Bowl this season and was voted the Dolphins Dan Marino Most Valuable Player for the 2025 season. Achane leads the NFL in rushing average (5.7) among running backs and ranks fifth in rushing yards (1,350). He also ranks fourth in receptions (67) and receiving yards (488) and is tied for fifth most in receiving touchdowns (four) among running backs. ... TE Darren Waller is tied for the seventh-most receiving touchdowns (six) among tight ends this season despite playing in only nine games. ... LB Jordyn Brooks leads the NFL with 172 tackles (95 solo) entering Week 18. ... LB Tyrel Dodson is the only player in the NFL this season with at least 100 tackles, 5.0 sacks, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception. ... If Waddle plays on Sunday despite a rib injury, he will need 90 yards receiving to reach 1,000 yards in a season for the fourth time in his career. ... The Patriots have already wrapped up their first AFC East title since 2019. With a victory against Miami and a loss or tie by the Denver Broncos against the Chargers, New England would also secure the conference’s top seed in the playoffs and a first-round bye. ... WR Stefon Diggs has a team-leading 970 receiving yards and needs 30 this week for his seventh 1,000-yard season. It would be the first 1,000-yard season by a New England player since the 2019 season when WR Julian Edelman finished with 1,117 receiving yards. ... RB TreVeyon Henderson has four touchdown runs of 50-plus yards in 2025, tied for the third most in a single season in NFL history. Since 2000, the most 50-yard runs in a season is seven by Adrian Peterson in 2012 with Minnesota. ... RB Rhamondre Stevenson enters this week in sixth place on the team’s career rushing list with 3,538 yards. He needs 70 yards to move past Kevin Faulk (3,607) into fifth place. ... CB Marcus Jones has returned two punts for a touchdown in 2025, joining Troy Brown (2001), Irving Fryar (1985) and Mike Haynes (1976) as the only Patriots to return two punts for a touchdown in a season. If he returns a punt for a TD against the Dolphins, he will be the first Patriots player with three in a season. ... LB Harold Landry III is leading the Patriots with 8 1/2 sacks. ... LB Robert Spillane has a team-leading 97 total tackles. If he has at least three this week he will reach 100 total tackles for the third straight season after finishing with 148 tackles in 2023 and a Raiders-record 158 total tackles in 2024.
It could be another signature week for Maye, who completed 19 of 23 (82.6%) of his passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 2 win over the Dolphins.
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