Patriots News 01-04, Players To Watch Against The Dolphins
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Good morning. Here is your Patriots news, 01-04, and NFL notes this week. We hope everyone had a great New Year’s Eve. Barbequed boneless ribs on the smoker were the order of the day/night. Let’s all hope 2026 is a much better year than 2025. Stay safe and well folks. And thanks for all the support.
After clinching the AFC East last week at 13-3, the Patriots still have a chance ( a long shot) of securing the #1 seed in the AFC and getting a bye for Wildcard Weekend. They’ll have to beat Miami and have the Chargers, who are resting several starters, including QB Justin Herbert, beat the Broncos in Denver.
They could use the bye week to heal up several key members of both the offense and the defense who are missing. Robert Spillane, Harold Landry, Mack Hollins,, Khyiris Tonga, and Jared Wilson will all miss today’s game.
The good news is that Milton Williams and Will Campbell may return today and knock the rust off after missing a month due to injuries. Today’s game is about taking care of business and at least securing the #2 seed and seeing what happens in Denver.
Although the chances of the Bolts upsetting them are low.
Vederian Lowe: The Patriots are expected to get Will Campbell back today, and they’ll welcome their first-round pick back with open arms with the playoffs right around the corner. But Lowe has played really well in Campbell’s absence.
In four games since Campbell was injured, Lowe allowed just one sack, and his performance was light-years ahead of where he was a year ago. Lowe credited OL coach Doug Marrone with his strong play this year.
And kudos to Mike Vrabel for allowing Lowe to address the media last week. It was a small thing in the grand scheme of things, but it was a big deal to Lowe, and don’t think for a moment that it didn’t resonate inside the locker room.
Robert Kraft: Although not Patriots-related, Kraft and the Kraft Sports Group have made a deal to build a $500 million stadium for the New England Revolution in the city of Everett.
“Under the agreements, we will undertake significant environmental remediation and demolition of the long‑vacant powerplant, invest in extensive traffic and transportation improvements, and deliver substantial community benefits, including millions of dollars towards infrastructure improvements,” the Kraft Group’s announcement said.
Stefon Diggs: Diggs had 101 yards on six receptions and a touchdown on Sunday against the Jets in only one half of work.
Diggs needs just 30 yards in the final game today against Miami to reach 1,000 yards on the season. Diggs has been the Patriots’ leading receiver and back in Week 2 against the Dolphins, Diggs was just getting his feel back for the game after his ACL injury and had four catches for 32 yards.
Dolphins’ HC Mike McDaniel: Asked about RB Jaylen Wright and his ability to answer the bell if De’Von Achane can’t play today, McDaniel spoke highly of Wright’s ability to step up.
“Honestly, I think it’s just being prepared for your opportunity. I’ve made my opinions clear on Jaylen Wright since we drafted him and right now, it just so happens that I think he’s at the top of his game since I’ve been around him.
“He’s playing with a lot of confidence, a lot of conviction. He’s thinking less, reacting more. I think it speaks to this commonality in the National Football League that if your eyes are down, you have earmuffs on, you ignore this continued pattern – you have to be ready for your opportunity and not worry about when your opportunity is coming. If you focus on your game and being prepared and being capable, which is easier when you’re behind a Pro Bowl running back, I think they appreciate each other’s game, and he understands why De’Von gets all the touches he gets.
“But in the process, building his game up from the preseason all the way through the year, I wasn’t surprised when he had a 100-yard game a couple weeks ago, and he’s ready against an opponent that has different players and a little different scheme, but he had a good outing last time he was in Gillette.
“I feel very fortunate, and our team is fortunate to have multiple ball carriers that we trust. Yeah, you don’t replace directly if ‘Von’ can’t go, but instead you utilize all of your players, including your entire running back room, and give them opportunities that they probably otherwise wouldn’t have.
“I can’t say enough good things about Jaylen Wright because he’s always been talented, he’s always been a hard worker; but this was a different mental test with high ambitions going into the season and then being inactive and he’s come out of it being the best version of himself which I think is something that I’m hoping all the young players pay attention to because it’s real.”
Patriots No Huddle Podcast: Mike, Derek, and I recorded our post-game podcast after the Jets game. Derek and I also did a Dolphins preview as Mike was beset with connectivity issues.
We’ll have our Dolphins post-game podcast later tonight, and by then we’ll know who the Patriots are facing and when.
Please check it out. And be sure to like, share, and leave us a review.
Russ Francis/Chuck Fairbanks: The former Patriot tight end and head coach should be in the Patriots team Hall of Fame, and the fact that Francis isn’t is an absolute travesty. Francis and the Raiders’ Dave Casper changed how teams used the tight end position.
This will be displayed in our Sunday posts until it happens. Casper is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Francis’ numbers stand up well against Casper’s, yet he isn’t even in the team’s HOF.
So, the Patriots are still a banged-up bunch heading into the final week of the regular season. Harold Landry, Robert Spillane, Khyiris Tonga, and Jared Wilson are all out today.
Unfortunately for the Dolphins, they are banged up too. Minkah Fitzpatrick won’t play today, and TE Darren Waller was placed on IR. WR Jaylen Waddle is questionable with a rib injury.
And Miami’s do-everything back De’Von Achane didn’t practice this week because of a shoulder injury. He is doubtful to play today.
With nothing to play for, he may sit it out, and if he does, it would be a significant loss for Miami. He accounts for 36 percent of Miami’s offense. If he can’t go, it will be Ollie Gordon and Jaylen Wright running the ball.
With that in mind, here are (from a Patriots’ perspective) the players to watch in today’s game.
Drake Maye: Now, it is about taking care of business and preparing for the playoffs, and after his monster game against the Jets, Maye is probably the favorite now in the running for the MVP this season. He should be primed for another big game against a Dolphins secondary that is middle of the pack.
He’ll have to identify the creeper pressure and take advantage of the defensive lineman who drops into coverage, something he did last week against the Jets with Rhamondre Stevenson.
Way back in Week 2, Maye carved up Miami’s secondary, going 19-23 for 230 yards and a pair of touchdown passes along with a rushing score. Miami’s secondary hasn’t gotten any better since that game, so with Maye targeting Diggs, Hunter Henry, and getting Kayshon Boutte back this week, the Patriots’ passing game should find plenty of room to work.
Keeping Maye protected is always a key factor. Miami has a couple of good edge rushers in Bradley Chubb and Chop Robinson, so that plays into our next player to watch today.
Will Campbell/Vederian Lowe: The Patriots are expecting their starting left tackle back after a month on IR, and he’ll be facing Chubb, who leads Miami with 8.5 sacks.
The team will probably want to ease him back into action, given that he’s been out for four games, and Lowe, who has played well, will see some action against Chubb. Miami has been better against the run the past five games, so we’ll see if the run blocking is up to the task today.
Milton Williams: Another player who may be activated off IR is Williams. The Patriots’ run defense has suffered without Williams and Robert Spillane, and although Spillane is out again this week, getting Williams back would be a huge plus for the Patriots’ front seven.
He’ll be facing rookie LG Jonah Savaiinaea, who has struggled this year. It may be an opportunity for Williams to get back into the flow of the game this week and help out the Patriots’ pass rush that could use a jolt.
It is unclear if Achane will play today (he’s doubtful). But he’s such a big part of the Dolphins’ offense, and if he does play, he can single-handedly take over a game. In Week 2, the Patriots held him to just 30 yards rushing, but he gained 92 yards through the air. Holding him in check will fall on the front seven, especially in the running game.
Stefon Diggs: The Patriots’ leading receiver needs only 30 yards to break 1,000 yards for the seventh time in his career. In the past two games against Baltimore and the Jets, Diggs has gained 138 and 101 yards, respectively, so despite his off-field issues right now, he’s been on a roll.
Look for Maye to target Diggs early and often in this one. He could be looking at another big game to finish off the regular season. And although they publicly pooh-pooh individual stats, Maye and the coaching staff are well aware of what Diggs’s numbers are.
Christian Gonzalez: His matchup with Jaylen Waddle will be a key area to watch today. Miami’s leading receiver, Waddle has outstanding speed, and Miami loves to use him on those quick slants and crossers where they freeze linebackers with their play action and create a void for him to work.
Gonzalez will be matched up with Waddle for the majority of the game, and Miami, with nothing to play for, knows Waddle needs 90 yards to break 1,000 yards this season. He’ll see plenty of passes come his way.
The schedule this final week is a tough one as teams with nothing to play for may opt to sit players who are banged up, but might otherwise suit up and play.
Big games on Saturday (this was written on Friday evening) and on Sunday night will determine division winners and in the TB-Car and Pit-Bal games, who wins and who is eliminated from the playoffs.
Now we’ll see how the rest of the schedule goes.
Saturday Games:
Tampa Bay over Carolina
San Francisco over Seattle
Sunday Day Games:
Atlanta over New Orleans
Cincinnati over Cleveland
Green Bay over Minnesota
Dallas over NYG
Jacksonville over Tennessee
Houston over Indianapolis
Buffalo over NYJ
Chicago over Detroit
Kansas City over Las Vegas
Denver over LA Chargers
LA Rams over Arizona
New England over Miami
Philadelphia over Washington
Sunday Night Football:
Baltimore over Pittsburgh
Last Week 9—7
2025 Season 173—82—1
2024 Season 204—68
2023 Season 178—94
2022 Season: 178—92—2
2021 Season: 183—88—1
2020 Season: 169—86—1
2019 Season: 162—93—1
“I saw an energy at that Tampa Bay game. I saw youthful energy. A guy who’s trying to take advantage of his opportunity, and again, sometimes when you put younger players in there, especially quarterbacks, you see them getting up and celebrating.
“He had a big scramble at the end of the game, and in five minutes there was a first down. It was a big play for him. A lot of energy. He seems to have good command of the operation. There’s a lot of moving parts with that offense, the shifts, the motions, the jet motions, the ball handling. It’s not just standard. He’s under center, he’s in the gun, he’s in the pistol, and then being able to execute the play action and the boot game. I think he’s gotten off to a good start.“
Mike Vrabel was asked about Miami rookie QB Quinn Ewer.
“That one’s been around since I played here. Anything that we can do to support the Foxborough High School football team, I am willing to do. Maybe next year we can tie in a scrimmage before our stadium scrimmage, or we’ll come up with something creative, I’m sure. Give me and Stretch [John Streicher] a year and we’ll come up with something.
Mike Vrabel was asked about playing the Foxborough High School Football team, a running joke since the earliest days of Bill Belichick’s tenure.
“I would say that through Jeremy Springer and Tom Quinn’s efforts to explain to me their group of core guys, he kept coming up.
“He had to play defense, but he was on every single special team, and was the wing. I think they described him as a selfless player who would do anything he could to help the football team and who played a lot of defense.
“Seemed like a veteran guy that we would want to have around. And then in the conversations that we had with me, Eliot [Wolf], [Ryan Cowden], and Stretch [John Streicher], were excited to be able to bring him back.
“He’s earned everything that he has now with the production, the play time. Keeps working, it means a lot to him. He’s a fun guy to coach, and I’m happy that he’s having success.”
Vrabel was asked how he feels about the season that Jaylinn Hawkins is having.
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“Somebody asked me what success looks like, and I said, ‘Yeah, you can judge it by wins and losses during the season, but success for me in the offseason is going to be that the players believe in what we’re doing, and they believe in the message, they believe in the teaching, and they believe in the connections that we’re making.’” — Mike Vrabel
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