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Dolphins History Lesson: The Favre and Newton Similarities

The Miami Dolphins will get the first look at Cam Newton in a New England Patriots uniform in the regular season, bringing back memories of 2008
Alain Poupart|
Dolphins History Lesson: The Favre and Newton Similarities
Dolphins History Lesson: The Favre and Newton Similarities

As fate would have it, it's the Miami Dolphins who will get to face Cam Newton first in the regular season as he begins the next chapter of his career with the New England Patriots.

Sure, Newton technically has to beat out Jarrett Stidham for the starting job because "he's not just going to be handed the job," but let's be real here: Unless Stidham is lights out in whatever preseason there is or Newton isn't healthy, it's really difficult to envision anyone other than the 2015 MVP lining up at center for New England at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 13.

And it's going to be an awful lot like 2008 all over again for the Miami Dolphins.

That year, it was Brett Favre, who had signed with the New York Jets in the summer.

Like Newton, Favre was an aging former MVP starting over with a new team and trying to bounce back after dealing with injuries — though Newton is much younger (31) than Favre was when he joined the Jets (39).

Of course, Newton is joining a team coming off a 12-4 season and in the midst of a historic run, whereas Favre had joined a team coming off a 4-12 season.

In that 2008 opener in Miami, Favre was efficient — if unspectacular — as he completed 15 of 22 passes for 194 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Jets ended up pulling out a 20-14 victory at what was then known as Dolphin Stadium, clinching the win when Darrelle Revis picked off Chad Pennington in the end zone on a third-and-10 from the New York 18 with 5 seconds left.

Pennington, of course, had joined the Dolphins in early August after the Jets released him to make room for Favre.

The Dolphins would get their revenge on Favre, though, beating the Jets in the season finale at the Meadowlands to clinch the AFC East title — the only time since 2002 that the Patriots haven't finished first.

The Jets, meanwhile, finished 9-7.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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